Michele Bettencourt “MB” is a public company CEO and director with a history of value creation and multiple successful exits. She guides Athena members as they develop the executive chops they need to launch, grow, and sell their companies.
Meet Michele
Over a thirty-five career in Silicon Valley, Michele Bettencourt served as CEO and director of multiple private and public companies including Imperva, Coverity, and Proofpoint. In 2005, she received the “Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year” award for Silicon Valley. She’s had the honor of pressing the closing buzzer at the NASDAQ as well as ringing the bell as the closing of the NYSE.
She has served on corporate and non-profit boards. MB currently sits on the board of directors of the Sam and Devorah Foundation for Trans Youth and on the board of trustees of the Fielding Graduate University.
MB is currently the CEO of He Said/She Said Productions which released the award-winning documentary “Beautiful Lie,” a film about her transition while serving as the CEO and Chairperson of Imperva, a publicly traded cyber-security company. Imperva was acquired for more than $2B in late 2018.
At Athena, Michele hosts Salons detailing the fundamentals leaders need to know to run their company effectively, from building their board with intention to gracefully selling or exiting the company. She shares with members the deep wisdom and learnings she developed as a board director, CEO, and senior executive who has sold four companies, bought seven, and created over $3B in shareholder value.
Grow and lead your company with intention with Athena’s Salons, offering exclusive insights from senior leaders like Michele. Join Athena to access live and on-demand learning, for and by women leaders.
“Really great perspectives from Michele. I loved how she shared and expanded on 1. state of the state 2. strategy 3. execution. She kept the conversation simple, yet I walked away with how complex, challenging, and energizing the transformational work is.”
“Michele’s candor and IRL examples deliver valuable and memorable learnings.”
Perspective from a former male CEO, now an Athena member, Michele Bettencourt
Michele Bettencourt is former CEO, current Chairperson, Athena member – and self-declared “Elephant in the Room”. In the latest episode of The Third Act Podcast on Athena Radio, Michele and Third Act host Liz Tinkham talk about Michele’s greatest career lessons, life reflections, and where she’s headed now.
In late June last year, I made a promise. I committed Athena to getting its membership to 37.6% women of color. At the time I made the promise, we were at just 13% women of color in Athena. I’m proud to report we’ve made significant progress.
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