Grazi Mendes

Background

About Grazi Mendes

I have far more to learn than I have already learned and that’s what keeps me moving. I believe deeply in the power of human connection and in technology as a catalyst for innovation, inclusion, and the creation of a fairer future one with real opportunities for all. Today, I serve as Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Americas at ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy. I bring over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of technology, society, innovation, and transformation in both national and multinational companies. With a master’s degree in Futures Design, my work and research focus on the social impact of technology. I am also a guest professor in executive programs at some of Brazil’s leading business schools, where I share insights on leadership, organizational strategy, and innovation with social responsibility. Author of Ancestrais do Futuro – What Change Does Your Movement Create? https://a.co/d/cahcgH9 I write a regular column for MIT Sloan Review Brasil, published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the world’s most respected technology institutions: https://mitsloanreview.com.br/autor/colunista-grazi-mendes/ I am a TEDx speaker, with the talk “Courage as a Movement Toward the Future”: I was recognized as one of the Global Top 100 Futurists and Innovators by MIPAD in partnership with the United Nations, and ranked among the Top 10 most in-demand speakers in Brazil. I was also named one of the Top 10 HR Influencers in Brazil (GOIntegro LATAM), recipient of the ABRH Human Being Award (2020), and honored as Personality of the Year in People & Culture by ABTD (2022). 🤝 I am the co-founder of PONTE, a diversity and inclusion hub, and of the Morro do Papagaio Pre-Enem prep course, which connects young people from underserved communities with quality education. I am part of the Racial Equity Promotion Pact, an ambassador for the Pacto das Pretas initiative, and serve on advisory boards for TeamHub, Instituto Papo Reto, Ânima Educação, and the Business Initiative for Racial Equality Ambassadors Council. In every space I occupy, I carry a non-negotiable commitment to a future that is plural, inclusive, and revolutionary.