In celebration of our 40th anniversary, Black Enterprise is taking a look both forward and backward at the world of black business. Our list of 40 Next celebrates the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.
These BE Nexters–those 21—35 years old making a measurable impact within their respective business, organization, industry, or field–are standouts in the areas of entrepreneurship, corporate America, academia, nonprofit, the arts, and the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). And they prove every day that “business as usual” is not so usual. For them, leveraging expertise in one area to maximize an opportunity in another is standard operating procedure.
Using the legacy of their business predecessors to forge their own way, this new generation of leadership accepts the torch without trepidation. But the commonality between then and now is that success still takes a focused, strategic, and passionate mindset. Here, we introduce you to one of our 40 Next.
Chekesha Kidd, 33
Chief of Staff/Head of Business Development
Aetna Inc.
Hartford, CT
Heading up the Local Employer and Consumer Segment, Kidd oversees a team of 15, managing M&As, alliance strategy, and governance structure estimated to represent 60% of the company’s revenues. Previously she worked as a director on the corporate development team, responsible for negotiating and executing transactions involving Aetna’s global business units.