Amy Woods Brinkley

Who is Amy Woods Brinkley?

Amy Woods Brinkley was the Global Risk Executive of Bank of America from 2001 until, at the age of 53 in June, 2009, she and CEO Ken Lewis "agreed she would retire," according to a New York Times report, after a surge in credit losses led to a government bailout and orders by regulators to raise $33.9 billion of capital.

Brinkley was awarded the top position on US Banker magazine's 2005 list of "Most Powerful Women in Banking," and was number 23 on Fortune's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" in 2006 and 2007 and 22nd in 2008, when she was reported to be "a possible candidate to succeed ... Ken Lewis." In all, Brinkley was named to the Fortune list nine consecutive years. In addition, she was cited by The Wall Street Journal and Forbes as one of the leading women in business.

As head of the Bank's risk department, Brinkley was tasked with protecting the Bank from all kinds of risk, ranging from human resources-related factors to interest rate fluctuations and credit risk.

According to the Times, "she was at Mr. Lewis’s side as the bank rapidly expanded its credit card and home equity lending, businesses that are causing charge-offs for the bank." Her most recent assignment was as "the point person between the bank and the regulators during the stress tests." As to compensation, "Ms. Brinkley received no bonus last year. But she took home at least $37.2 million during her tenure as Bank of America’s risk chief from 2001 to 2007, according to an analysis by Equilar, a compensation research firm. She is also entitled to pension benefits worth more than $12 million, and potentially millions more in deferred pay and accumulated stock. The figures are based on the 2008 proxy statement, the last time data was publicly available."