Yale Global Governance Forum to Address Reform Challenges

New Haven, Conn., September 7, 2005—The Yale School of Management is hosting the first Yale Global Governance Forum, a historic and timely gathering of 60 of the most influential voices in governance reform from Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the United States. On September 8 and 9, CEOs and chief governance officers of the nation’s largest firms, global regulators, shareholder activists, journalists, and governance reformers, as well as scholars from many top universities, will gather at Yale for the Forum to share ideas for addressing governance challenges across sectors and across countries.

The Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute and the Yale Center for Corporate Governance and Performance, both institutes within the Yale School of Management, are jointly hosting the event. The sponsors include Motorola, Thomson Corporation, and Deloitte.

Joel Podolny, Dean of the Yale School of Management, explains that the event captures the core ethic of the school. “At the Yale School of Management, we believe it is important to challenge ourselves and challenge the world of management not only by looking at the world and asking, ‘What is?,’ but also by asking, ‘What should be?’ Nowhere is this question more important than in the focus on governance. For this reason, we are pleased and delighted to be able to host this conference.”

The participants include top leaders from: General Electric; General Motors; Motorola; Microsoft; Thomson; International Paper; Southwest Airlines; Altria; CIGNA; Pitney Bowes; Avaya; SPX; CDW; Deloitte; TIAA-CREF, Moody’s Corporation; Gevity; The World Bank; The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development; The National Association of Corporate Directors; Transparency International; The International Corporate Governance Network; Glass Lewis & Co.; and many others.

Commenting on the timing and purpose of this unique event, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Senior Associate Dean for Executive Programs, states, “Amidst a tragic backdrop questioning the wise and responsible use of power in top government and corporate roles, we are especially pleased to bring together this seasoned, candid, and wide-ranging group of authentic governance experts. Every sector in society and every nation can be lionized and pilloried for their governance integrity and effectiveness. We are fortunate to harness the problem-solving wisdom of this group.”

Senior Associate Dean for Corporate Governance, Ira Millstein adds, “With all the universities, professional societies, magazines, consulting firms, and law firms offering governance programs these days—this is the only one transcending the regulatory compliance checklists to instead ask what are the new issues on the global governance frontiers—what new questions must even be asked—such as what should be rather than just what is?”

The event will be held on the Yale University campus in New Haven from Thursday afternoon, September 8, through Friday afternoon, September 9. A limited number of spaces will be reserved for media on a first-come basis for all sessions. For more information or to reserve a seat, please contact Tabitha Wilde, 203-432-6010, or Bonnie Blake, 203-432-0867.

About The Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute
The Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, the world's oldest CEO college, is part of the Yale School of Management. It was founded in 1989 to provide original research on leadership and lively current educational forums through peer-driven learning for accomplished leaders across sectors.

About The Yale Center for Corporate Governance and Performance
The mission of the Yale Center for Corporate Governance and Performance is to enhance the understanding of the role of the corporation in society. This mission is premised on an acknowledgment that society grants corporations the right to exist to the extent that their existence serves society. 

Contact:
Tabitha Wilde,
203-432-6010; tabitha.wilde@yale.edu

Bonnie Blake,
203-432-0867; bonnie.blake@yale.edu