Lez Cunningham
Senior Advisor | Board Director | Communications Strategist
Lez Cunningham is a global corporate affairs executive, independent board director and trusted advisor to CEOs and leadership teams, with more than 25 years of experience across Fortune 500 companies, growth-stage businesses and emerging companies.
Today, Lez advises CEOs and leadership teams on corporate positioning, reputation and communications strategy and served four years as an Independent Director of Click Therapeutics, bringing an operator’s perspective to corporate strategy, reputation and organizational growth.
Most recently, Lez served as Senior Vice President of Communications & Corporate Marketing at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she led a global organization of more than 165 professionals and advised the CEO and executive leadership team on business strategy, reputation, transformation, policy and critical corporate issues. She led communications supporting the integration of four multibillion-dollar acquisitions and transformed the company’s global communications and marketing function.
Previously, Lez served as Vice President of Global Communications & Public Affairs at Fortune 500 Agilent Technologies and Head of Corporate Communications at Avanir Pharmaceuticals, a growth-stage biopharmaceutical company. Across these roles, she built and transformed communications functions, strengthened corporate brands, supported acquisitions and business growth, and counseled leadership through significant reputation and crisis challenges.
Lez spent 13 years at Johnson & Johnson across its pharmaceutical, medtech, consumer and enterprise technology businesses. Based in Singapore for three years, she led integrated communications and public affairs across Asia Pacific, partnering with governments, business leaders and other stakeholders across the region. Earlier in her career, she held roles at AT&T and Honeywell.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
PR Daily Top Women in Communications Visionary Leader
PRWeek Purpose Awards - Most Purposeful In-House Communicator Nominee
Johnson & Johnson’s James Burke Award for Communications Excellence
World 50 Next Women
Next 50 Executive Leadership Program