Tristan Walker

Tristan Walker is an entrepreneur and business executive recognized for founding Walker & Company Brands, a health and beauty company focused on designing products for people of color. Walker earned a full scholarship to Hotchkiss School and graduated as valedictorian from SUNY Stony Brook with a degree in economics. He later completed an MBA at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Walker began his career on Wall Street as an energy trader before transitioning to the technology sector, working at Foursquare and serving as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Andreessen Horowitz.

Walker launched the men's grooming brand "Bevel," which expanded into a comprehensive beauty and skincare company for men. Walker & Company Brands includes Bevel razors and trimmers and FORM Beauty, a line of women's hair-care products. The company attracted investment from celebrities such as Nas and venture capital firms including Google Ventures. Walker's entrepreneurial efforts gained national attention after raising more than $33 million in venture funding and selling the company to Procter & Gamble. Following the acquisition, Walker became the first Black CEO within Procter & Gamble's history. Bevel established itself as a category leader with distribution in Target and Walmart stores nationwide.

In addition to building his own brand, Walker has advocated for diversity and inclusion in the technology industry. He co-founded the nonprofit organization CODE2040, which connects Black and Latino undergraduate and graduate coders and software engineering students with internships at Silicon Valley startups. CODE2040's Fellows program places students in career-building workshops and internships at leading technology companies, and since its founding, hundreds of Black and Latinx students have interned at companies such as Apple, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Walker has also spoken on entrepreneurship and leadership at venues including Stanford Graduate School of Business's "View From The Top" speaker series.

Walker has been named to Fortune Magazine's list of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders and its 40 Under 40, selected as a TIME 100 Next honoree, and named a USA Today Person of the Year. He has also been recognized by Ebony, Vanity Fair, Ad Age, The Hollywood Reporter, and Black Enterprise. Walker holds board positions at Foot Locker, Inc., Shake Shack, Inc., and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Walker stepped down as chief executive officer of Walker & Company Brands but remains a significant figure in the business world. His venture, Heirloom, focuses on reshoring American fine craft, training artisans, and rebuilding supply chains. Walker's career demonstrates a commitment to building successful brands by serving communities often overlooked by the market, a philosophy that continues to define his work as an entrepreneur, investor, and advocate in the health, beauty, and technology sectors.