Clara Wu Tsai

Clara Wu Tsai is a businesswoman, philanthropist, and social justice activist whose career spans finance, sports ownership, and large-scale philanthropy. Wu Tsai previously served as general manager of the Hong Kong operations of Taobao, China's largest online shopping website, and as a vice president at American Express in New York and Hong Kong. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and a Master of Arts in international policy studies from Stanford University, as well as a Master of Business Administration. That foundation in international business and policy has been essential as she stepped into prominent roles in professional sports.

Wu Tsai is a co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, the New York Liberty of the WNBA, the San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League, and Barclays Center. As vice chair of BSE Global, the teams' parent company, she oversees all matters relating to fan development, civic and community engagement, and the role Barclays Center plays within Brooklyn. Her impact on the New York Liberty includes moving the team back to New York City to play at Barclays Center and assembling a roster through draft picks, trades, and free agency. Wu Tsai played a key role in convincing league MVP Breanna Stewart to sign with the Liberty, contributing to the team's first WNBA championship, won at home in game five in overtime. For her leadership and mentorship, Wu Tsai received the Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics from the Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School.

Wu Tsai is the founder of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, a philanthropic organization; the Social Justice Fund, which focuses on economic mobility and racial justice; the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, which funds health and scientific research; and is a founding partner of REFORM Alliance, a nonprofit focused on prison and parole reform in the United States. Following the George Floyd protests, Wu Tsai and her husband launched the Social Justice Fund in Brooklyn with a $50 million commitment, investing in programs that address the root causes of racial disparities in education, health, and wealth. Wu Tsai was named Champion of Justice by John Jay College for her role in creating and forming REFORM Alliance, an award that also recognized her $50 million donation to create the Social Justice Fund for Brooklyn's Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. She was also presented with the Dreamer Award during an NBA game, an honor given by Martin Luther King Jr.'s family members that recognizes those who embody King's vision of service.

The Tsais pledged $220 million to create the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, a consortium of experts and academics from Stanford University, the University of Kansas, the University of Oregon, the University of California San Diego, Boston Children's Hospital, and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation also supports the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University and the Wu Tsai Institute at Yale University for understanding human cognition. The Tsais donated $50 million to the renovation of Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic; the hall reopened with the theater renamed as the Wu Tsai Theater, and Lincoln Center and the Philharmonic programmed an annual Wu Tsai Series featuring performances meant to reach new audiences and celebrate diverse artists.

Beyond sports and philanthropy, Wu Tsai has contributed to the film industry as a producer. She is the executive producer of "Into the Okavango," a National Geographic documentary about conservation; "Blue Bayou," a drama; "Unfinished Business," a documentary about the WNBA; and "Lucky Lu," a drama. She is also producing Werner Herzog's feature film "Bucking Fastard," about inseparable sisters played by Kate and Rooney Mara. Wu Tsai serves on the boards of trustees for Stanford University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, reflecting her commitment to institutions that shape culture, health, and knowledge. Her career demonstrates how business acumen, civic responsibility, and a focus on equity can converge to drive lasting change.