To learn more, visit Johnhancock.com
Exec Shares How Financial Wake-Up Call Led to a Priority Reset and a Rewarding New Chapter
Celeste Warren made HR industry headlines earlier this year when she announced her retirement after three decades at Merck, serving her final 10 years as vice president of the bio-pharma company’s Global Diversity & Inclusion Center of Excellence. The news garnered praise and congratulations from industry peers, a testament to the respect she’d earned for her trailblazing accomplishments and steadfast, unwavering commitment to equity as a core company value.
Warren struck a notably personal note in her farewell statement, issued ahead of her departure in July 2025. “My first assignment at Merck introduced me to my husband,” she reflected. “Together we have built a wonderful family while nurturing my career.”
The reference to family in the context of a hard-earned retirement was no accident. As Warren explained in a more recent interview with Black Enterprise, it was her marriage to [occupation/identifier] John Warren, and the prospect of raising a family, prompted her to think strategically about retirement and how to best prepare financially for the inevitable.
For years, Warren had never thought about retirement – “money planning” rarely extended beyond the “here and now.”
“I made that mistake when I was younger; I didn’t think about the longer term,” she said. “When I left General Foods and I came to Merck, I didn’t have much of a pension, and I was constantly dipping into my 401k to go on vacation with my girlfriends or what have you. I had a good time, but I didn’t have anything to show for it.”
A meeting with a financial planner was set, and Warren, for the first time, found herself confronted with some critical questions about her future and what she wanted her retirement to deliver for herself and her family. She realized that she had some very specific expectations. “I thought, well, I want to make sure that I’m able to live comfortably, that I’m able to build generational wealth and provide for the family. I want to ensure that our children can attend college. Our financial planner guided us in that journey.”
Warren undertook the challenge with the same care and discipline that shaped her professional ascent. She and her husband began intentionally planning—diversifying their investments, setting long-term goals, and discussing their finances openly.
“Over the past five years, especially, I started really thinking about creating multiple income streams. And I started thinking that I want to start an LLC so I can have the flexibility to choose the projects I want to work on. And I wanted the financial stability that comes with a pension and a 401 (k). It’s critically important to have these conversations as a family – and with a financial planner – so you can work out how to realize your goals.”
Today, Warren is a vocal advocate for financial literacy, especially in Black communities. “We need to get serious,” Warren said. “We sometimes make the mistake of not thinking about our future. We’re thinking about the here and now. But we have to think about the strategies that ensure we’re prepared—for ourselves, for our families, for our loved ones. Having that flexibility is so liberating.”
Her advice to younger generations? Start early, talk often, and make sure your children are part of the conversation. “We need to instill the importance of saving money and being good financial stewards,” she said, stressing that it’s never too soon to plan for retirement… “You don’t have to have a lot of money to start. Even if it’s putting away a little bit from your checking account into your savings account every week. You don’t even have to look at it. That’s an investment in your future.”
Warren’s new chapter includes ongoing board work and mentoring, and she continues her equity and inclusion work as the founder and CEO of her own firm, Celeste Warren Consulting LLC. She is equally committed to quality retirement time with her husband, John, and their children, Christina-Celeste and John Steven, Jr. Such are the rewards of thoughtful planning, sharing a vision, and working together in step to achieve it.