Geisha Williams

{{Infobox person

| name = Geisha Williams

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|55|2017|5|5}}

| birth_place = Cuba

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = University of Miami (BA)
Nova Southeastern University (MBA)

| title = Former CEO, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

| term = March 2017 - January 2019

| spouse = Jay Williams

| children = 2 daughters

}}

Geisha J. Williams (born Jimenez, c. 1961/1962) is a Cuban American businesswoman. She was the president and CEO of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) from March 2017 to January 13, 2019.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=37822433&privcapId=139813 |title=Geisha J. Williams: Executive Profile & Biography |publisher=Bloomberg |date= |accessdate=May 5, 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=J.D. |title=PG&E CEO Geisha Williams out amid utility's widening financial crisis - SFChronicle.com |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/PG-E-CEO-Geisha-Williams-out-amid-utility-s-13530807.php |accessdate=14 January 2019 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=14 January 2019}}

Early life

Williams was born Geisha J. Jimenez in Cuba.{{cite web|last=Markelz |first=Michelle |url=http://hispanicexecutive.com/2013/pacific-gas-and-electric/ |title=Geisha Williams: Providing Power to the People – Hispanic Executive |publisher=Hispanicexecutive.com |date=June 16, 2013 |accessdate=May 5, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/06/15/fortune-500-pge-geisha-williams/|title=PG&E's Bolt of Energy|author=|date=|website=fortune.com|accessdate=February 28, 2018}} Her parents named her Geisha from the title of a John Wayne movie, The Barbarian and the Geisha. At the age of five, Geisha migrated to the US with her parents, after her father, a political prisoner in Cuba, was released from prison. Her father worked various jobs to provide for his family and went on to own their own grocery store.

She has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Miami and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University.

Career

While at the University of Miami, Williams interned for Florida Power & Light (FPL). She returned to the company after earning her degree, starting as a residential energy auditor.{{cite news |last1=Calvey |first1=Mark |title=PG&E names Geisha Williams as CEO and president |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2016/11/14/pacific-gas-electric-utility-pge-pcg-new-ceo.html |access-date=10 June 2024 |work=www.bizjournals.com |date=14 November 2016}} In 2005, she was the company's vice president for distribution and was in charge of the restoration effort after Hurricane Wilma.{{cite news |last1=Mayk |first1=Lauren |last2=Zollo |first2=Cathy |title=Wilma's destruction baffles FPL officials |url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2005/10/28/wilmas-destruction-baffles-fpl-officials/28446584007/ |access-date=10 June 2024 |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |date=28 October 2005}}

Williams joined Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in 2007. In 2010, she was Vice President for Energy Delivery, and in 2011, she was put in charge of electric operations.{{cite news |title=San Bruno Explosion Aftermath |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/san-bruno-explosion-aftermath/5/ |access-date=10 June 2024 |work=www.cbsnews.com |date=13 September 2010}}{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=David |title=2 top execs will resign as PG&E reorganizes |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/2-top-execs-will-resign-as-pg-e-reorganizes-2375873.php |access-date=10 June 2024 |date=6 April 2011}}

In March 2017, Williams became the first Latina chief executive officer of a Fortune 500 company.{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/09/news/companies/boss-files-geisha-williams-pge/index.html|title=A former refugee, she's now the first Latina CEO of a major US company|last=Draznin|first=Haley|work=CNNMoney|access-date=2019-01-01}}

She has been a director at the Edison Electric Institute, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, the board chairwoman for the Center for Energy Workforce Development, and a trustee of the California Academy of Sciences.{{Cite web |title=Geisha Williams - keynote speaker |url=https://www.gspeakers.com/our-speakers/geisha-williams/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=Global Speakers Bureau |language=en-US}} She is on the Board of Directors for the Bipartisan Policy Center.{{Cite web |title=Geisha Williams {{!}} American Energy Innovation Council |url=https://americanenergyinnovation.org/person/geisha-williams/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250218054759/https://americanenergyinnovation.org/person/geisha-williams/ |archive-date=2025-02-18 |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=americanenergyinnovation.org |language=en}}