Mellody Hobson

Biography

Mellody Louise Hobson Lucas (née Hobson; born April 3, 1969) is an American businesswoman who is president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments, and former chair of Starbucks. She is the former chairman of DreamWorks Animation, having stepped down after negotiating the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., by NBCUniversal in August 2016. In 2017, she became the first African-American woman to head The Economic Club of Chicago. On December 26, 2020 it was announced she would become chair of S…