Michael G. Winston

Michael Winston is a former global business executive with over thirty years of experience as a business leader, change agent, and organization strategist. Winston has held executive positions in high technology, aerospace, and financial services industries, and his career spans across notable companies like Motorola, Merrill Lynch, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed, and Countrywide. Notably, he has been recognized multiple times by Leadership Excellence Journal as one of the "100 Most Influential Thinkers on Leadership in the World."

In his roles, Winston has been pivotal in developing business models, crafting strategies, and shaping organizational cultures. At Motorola, he spent over ten years as Vice President and Managing Director, contributing significantly during the company's growth from $6 billion to over $30 billion. In this capacity, Winston also created "The Leading Edge", "S.W.A.T.", "Vision, Strategy & Culture", and "PULSE" initiatives, and co-chaired the 6 Sigma Steering Committee. As Managing Director and Chief Leadership Officer for Countrywide Financial, Winston led the team that devised and implemented the company’s first-ever organization strategy, development, and integration initiatives, elevating it to number eight internationally in leadership development. During his tenure at Merrill Lynch & Co. as Global Head, Worldwide Leadership and Organization Strategy, he played a crucial role during the challenging periods surrounding the events of 9/11.

Winston holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, a Master's Degree from the University of Notre Dame, and has attended executive programs at Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. He has also served as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Stichting de Baak in The Netherlands for 16 years.

As a seasoned speaker, Winston has delivered over 500 keynotes and addressed executives from numerous companies. His lecture topics cover a broad range of subjects including organizational ethics, change, principled performance, and leadership in turbulent times. He has lectured at prestigious institutions like Harvard, Stanford, University of California, Berkeley, and INSEAD. Winston is the author of "World-Class Performance," and his insights have been featured in various publications such as Business Week and Huffington Post.

-As a Whistleblower-

Winston's role as a whistleblower came to the forefront during his time at Countrywide Financial, where he attempted to address and reform fraudulent practices within the company. Despite his efforts, his warnings were largely ignored, leading to his dismissal. His legal battle against Countrywide and Bank of America attracted public and media attention, culminating in a jury verdict in his favor in 2011, although this was later controversially overturned by an Appeals Court. Winston's integrity and determination in confronting these challenges have been recognized in profiles by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gretchen Morgenson of the NY Times and in a television special by Frontline entitled The Untouchables.

Michael is a founding member of Bank Whistleblowers United, continuously advocating for accountability and ethical practices in the financial industry.