A Fireside Chat with Charles Phillips
From the Air Force Academy and the Marine Corps to Wall Street, Oracle and the CEO's office at Infor, Charles Phillips has built one of the most remarkable careers in technology. He brought that story, and the lessons inside it, to a standing-room crowd at the Gentlemen's Factory Innovation Lab.
- When
- Tuesday, July 12, 2022
- Where
- Gentlemen's Factory Innovation Lab, Downtown Brooklyn
- Guest
- Charles Phillips
- Theme
- Career path, lessons learned and stronger communities
- Photography
- Kevin Jean-Jacques / KvonFoto
Few careers in American business look like Charles Phillips's. He earned a computer science degree at the U.S. Air Force Academy, served as a captain in the Marine Corps, and went on to become a managing director at Morgan Stanley, co-president of Oracle and, from 2010 to 2019, CEO of the enterprise software company Infor. Today he is co-founder of the investment firm Recognize.
On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, he brought that story to the Gentlemen's Factory Innovation Lab in downtown Brooklyn for a fireside chat with Jeff Lindor, founder and CEO of Gentlemen's Factory, in front of a standing-room crowd.
Before the conversation
The evening opened with a meet and greet: food, drinks, introductions and a stage waiting under the Gentlemen's Factory screen.
A standing welcome
When Charles Phillips walked in, the room was already full, and it rose to its feet.
The conversation
Jeff and Charles talked through three things every person in the room came for:
- His career path. From the Air Force Academy and the Marines to Wall Street, Oracle and the CEO's chair at Infor, and the decisions that connected each step.
- Lessons learned. What it took to lead at the highest levels of technology and finance, and what he would tell his younger self.
- Getting stronger, together. What we need to do as a people to build stronger communities, and the role each person in the room can play.
Questions from the room
The Q&A ran long, in the best way. One after another, guests stood up with questions about careers, technology, leadership and investing in our own communities.
Closing
Why it matters
Charles Phillips's career is proof of what is possible, and the room got to hear how it was built, step by step, from the person who built it. Conversations like this one are why Gentlemen's Factory exists: to put Black and Brown men within reach of the leaders, lessons and networks that change trajectories. Explore our cohorts and upcoming events.
Thank you to Charles Phillips for his time and generosity, and to everyone who filled the Innovation Lab that evening.
The evening in photographs
Select any photo to view it full size. Photography by Kevin Jean-Jacques / KvonFoto.
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