Michael L. Ducker, president, International of FedEx Express, says the world's economies have become increasingly entwined and complex over the past half-century, and the trend toward ever more connectedness is irreversible. However, he observes, the current economic conditions may threaten the modern era of globalization. Video    Session Paper 

Alberto Ibargüen, president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, discusses the impact of global connectivity on modern life, saying it is proving to be immense. He says we are about to see an acceleration in connectivity of all sorts, beginning with an explosion in digital access and participation by citizens in a fundamentally different way than ever before.
Video    Session Paper    Transcript

Muhtar Kent, president and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, addresses what he calls the “financial tsunami” on the global economy, but speaks optimistically about the future saying he believes America will come out of this crisis stronger and sooner than most people anticipate. Entrepreneurial energy and a heritage of innovation, he says will make that happen.
Video    Session Paper    Transcript

Arun Sarin, former CEO of Vodafone Group, discusses today’s wealth creation in emerging markets such as China, India and Russia – pointing out that emerging markets now produce 80 percent of the world’s incremental GDP, and noting that the global recession won’t change that. American firms, he explains, cannot afford to be complacent.
Video    Session Paper

Frances Aldrich Sevilla-Sacasa, former president of U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, says investors and wealth managers will need to adapt to a new world of lower profits and slower growth, refocusing on basic principles of sound management. She describes how the economic crisis and a new generation of wealthy individuals are changing the business of wealth management.
Video    Session Paper    Transcript

Donna E. Shalala, president of the University of Miami, says the global economic crisis provides students with a real-world learning experience. The former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services also discusses the health care crisis, noting that the Obama administration will have to come up with solutions to the rising cost of medical care and the nation’s 47 million uninsured.
Video   Session Paper   Transcript

Jim Skinner, vice chairman and CEO of the McDonald's Corporation, says to succeed in an increasingly connected world, companies of all sizes must move quickly and innovate constantly. Modern companies, he says, must be customer-centric, communicate a clear vision in good times and bad, be good global citizens, and constantly strive to attract and retain the best talent.
Video    Session Paper    Transcript

Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, is famous for speaking “straight from the gut” and he doesn't disappoint. Sitting down for a lively question-and-answer session with UM President Donna E. Shalala, he takes on all comers in the audience as he addresses the Obama administration, the financial crisis and the importance of human resources.
Video   Session Paper