CCL LEADER OF THE YEAR
The Leader of the Year Award is given to an individual who demonstrates the CCL Leadership values of Purpose, Character, and Courage and creates significant and lasting Impact in their field.
As employee # 84 at Google, David Krane is recognized as a key architect in shaping Google’s early culture and worldwide brand as head of global communications. He quickly became part of the company's senior leadership team that guided the company’s growth into the global enterprise it is today. As CEO of Google Ventures since 2016, David has directed GV’s team and global investments of over $10 billion to create some of the world’s most impactful companies in Life Sciences, Enterprise Software, AI and Consumer.
While David’s business track record is best in class, what sets David apart in global leadership is his unwavering devotion to fostering deep connections and inspiring individuals to drive meaningful change in their lives and organizations.
Those who have worked beside David echo these sentiments: genuine care about each individual; energy and passion infusing his teams with motivation and a relentless drive for excellence; personal courage and the ability to inspire courage in others; making the tough decisions that steer others toward personal and professional goals. These traits form bonds of trust that are the bedrock of David’s life and impact.
2024 RECIPIENT
DAVID KRANE
CEO Google Ventures
Dr. Laura Esserman is a world-renowned breast surgeon, breast oncology specialist, and a visionary in personalized medicine. Her work has made profound changes in the world of medicine - changing how physicians practice, designing trials that are patient-centered, efficient, and impactful so that care can be tailored to biology, patient preference, and clinical performance. Among many other awards, Laura has been recognized as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World for her impact.
Laura is also deeply human, combining innovative and disruptive advances in cancer treatment with deep personal care for her patients. Laura is known as the “Singing Surgeon” for singing to her patients as they go into surgery.
Dr. Esserman embodies CCL’s values of Purpose, Character, Courage, and Impact and is a powerful exemplar for all leaders in any profession.
2023 RECIPIENT
DR. LAURA ESSERMAN
Director, UCSF Breast Care Center
Larry has gained international recognition for his expertise in the areas of corporate law, corporate governance, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. He has been instrumental in many of the financings, IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions, of Silicon Valley and beyond.
In addition to serving as chief executive officer as well as chairman of the firm for more than 35 years, Larry was a member of the New York Stock Exchange Board of Directors and chairman of NYSE’s Committee on Corporate Governance.
Larry has served on a number of advisory boards and committees, including: the SEC's Advisory Committee on Capital Formation and Regulatory Processes; ABA Committee on Federal Regulation of Securities; and Legal Advisory Board of NASD, Inc. Additionally, he is a member of the board of trustees and a founding fellow of the American College of Governance Counsel.
In June 2021, Larry was named Chairman of the Santa Clara University Board of Trustees. In 1999, he was selected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Larry was formerly a trustee at the University of California, Berkeley & also has taught at Stanford Law School & UC Berkeley School of Law.