Invest Atlanta has announced the hiring of Bonika Wilson as the agency’s first chief equity and inclusion officer. Wilson will lead Invest Atlanta’s strategies around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and support programs that advance economic mobility across the city of Atlanta.
Reporting to Invest Atlanta’s CEO and President Eloisa Klementich, Wilson will work across Invest Atlanta’s Community Development and Economic Development groups and is a member of Invest Atlanta’s Executive Team. According to the agency, this integral role will help ensure that all Atlantans are positioned to benefit from economic investments in the city, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
“We are pleased to welcome Ms. Wilson as the first Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Invest Atlanta,” said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “Equity is at the core of our Administration’s vision and priorities and the creation of this role further ensures that our City’s economic development efforts are facilitated through the lens of equality for all Atlantans.”
Wilson possesses more than 20 years of experience in business development, diversity strategic plans implementation, and financial services. Before joining Invest Atlanta, Wilson served as the President and CEO of Wilson Capital Management, Inc., where she led business development in Georgia and the Carolinas.
“Equity is more than a goal for Invest Atlanta, it is a guiding principle that drives us and is part of everything we do,” Klementich said. “As we continue to focus on this priority under the Mayor’s leadership, Ms. Wilson’s vision and expertise will play an invaluable role in implementing the One Atlanta: Economic Mobility, Recovery and Resiliency Plan and helping to reduce economic disparity in Atlanta at this critical point in time.”
Before opening Wilson Capital Management, she owned a boutique consulting firm specializing in DEI efforts and worked in the financial services sector, including serving as a senior vice president at SunTrust Bank.
In addition to her professional roles, Wilson holds several board positions, including YWCA of Greater Atlanta, WCM Firm Inc., and Leading-Edge Institute. She also co–founded the nonprofit organization I am My Brothers/Sisters Keeper, which offers mentorship to economically challenged teenagers.
“Especially in these times, I appreciate the City’s efforts to expand and improve their diversity, inclusion, and economic mobility initiatives,” Wilson said. “I look forward to contributing to the ‘One Atlanta’ vision and objectives to make this city one of the most competitive in the world – both economically and equitably.”
