What’s Hot! HarlemAmerica with G. Keith Alexander S4E4 – Janice Savin Williams

BIOGRAPHY

Janice Williams was the Co-Founder and Sr. Principal of The Williams Capital Group L.P. Established in 1994, with husband Christopher Williams, Williams Capital was a full-service investment banking firm that served institutional investors and corporations worldwide in the fixed income and equity capital markets. Over the last 25+ years, Williams Capital has consistently ranked amongst the top 20 most active underwriters of U.S. investment-grade corporate debt. In 2017, the firm served as Lead or Co-Manager on corporate, municipal, agency debt and equity offerings totaling nearly $500 billion.

She is currently a Partner at Siebert Williams Shank & Co. LLC, which in a historic move, is the result of a merger with The Williams Capital Group LP in 2019, creating the number one, minority women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) in the financial service industry.

Janice began her 30+ year career on Wall Street with Shearson Lehman Brothers. She then became Vice President, taxable fixed income sales at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc. before joining The Industrial Bank of Japan Ltd. As Sr. Principal at Williams Capital, she is responsible for developing and servicing the firm’s institutional fixed-income relationships and evaluating strategic new business initiatives.

Janice has received many honors for her leadership and activism in New York’s civic and not-for-profit landscape. She is the recipient of The Council of Urban Professionals’ Leadership Award, the Partnership with Children’s Ann Vanderbilt Award, the African American Heritage Award from The City of New York, and the Business Leadership Award of the New York State Supreme Court.

In 2010, Janice was appointed Vice Chair of the National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprises by U.S. Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke. Janice served as Vice-Chair and Secretary of The Harlem School of the Arts for almost a decade and currently serves as a Trustee of Tufts University.

Janice earned her BA in Economics at Tufts University and currently resides in Florida with her husband and two children.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Janice Williams co-founded The Williams Capital Group L.P. in 1994, establishing it as a powerhouse in investment banking and a leading underwriter of U.S. investment-grade corporate debt. Alongside her husband, she navigated the firm through decades of success, culminating in a groundbreaking merger in 2019 with Siebert Williams Shank & Co. LLC, creating a top minority women-owned business in finance. Starting her career at Shearson Lehman Brothers, Janice’s rise to Vice President at Drexel Burnham Lambert highlighted her significant impact on Wall Street. Her commitment extended beyond finance, earning accolades for her civic and not-for-profit work, including a prestigious vice-chair position on the National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprises. Janice Williams’ journey from ambitious financier to influential community leader underscores her legacy as a trailblazer for diversity and empowerment in the financial industry.