Laura J. Alber

Laura J. Alber (born 1968) is an American businesswoman, who in 2010, became the CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

Early life and education Alber earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation from Penn, Alber drove to California with no plan and took a series of odd jobs until taking an entry-level job at Gap Inc. She then served as director of the Pottery Barn catalog and later became president of Pottery Barn, serving from 2002 to 2006.

Alber moved to the newly created role of president of Williams-Sonoma in 2006, where she continued her lead of Pottery Barn and the company's global supply chain, distribution, and worldwide logistics. In September 2011, she was ranked the 10th highest paid woman in U.S. business by Fortune magazine, with an estimated compensation of $13,555,412.

In 2014, under Alber's leadership, Williams-Sonoma became one of the largest U.S. e-tailers, selling about half of its $5 billion annual sales online. During her tenure, Williams-Sonoma launched its first app — "Recipe of the Day" — and partnered with YouTube to offer shoppable online videos. In 2014 and 2015, Fortune magazine named Alber a "Business Person of the Year."

Alber joined the board of Salesforce in November 2021. In 2023, she was named on Fortune 's list of Most Powerful Women.

Personal life Alber is married with three children. She was a member of the advisory board of the Richardson Bay Audubon Center. She and her husband also created the Alber-Klingelhofer Endowed Scholarship at Penn. She is also a member of The Business Council.