Center for Global Management

During winter break, 39 students representing all four of UCLA Anderson’s MBA programs - full-time, fully employed, executive and UCLA-NUS executive MBA – together with one alumnus visited Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the two largest emirates making up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the CGM’s first Global Immersion course with travel in two years. The course, focused on “Dubai and Its Evolving Role in the United Arab Emirates, Middle East and the World,” was taught by Eric Sussman, adjunct professor of accounting and real estate. This was the fifth global immersion course to focus on and visit the UAE and the fourth time that Professor Sussman led a course to the Middle East. The last time he accompanied a group to the region was in December 2016.

The UAE, a country consisting of seven emirates, has experienced significant volatility in the last decade, as it emerged as a significant economic and transportation hub, whose growth trajectory and even its existence were impacted significantly by the Great Recession and declines in oil prices, along with the consequences of debt-financed growth. How did this extraordinary growth and transformation occur? How has the country been able to balance its (constitutional) monarchal structure, Islam, and Sharia (Islamic financial law), with capitalism and economic transparency? How has Dubai managed its growth with its increasing cost of living? How have Dubai, its far more oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi, and the other five emirates (Ajman, Fujairah, Ras-al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain) maintained their economic and political affiliation, holding the UAE together? In many ways, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the UAE in general are places of great contradiction, blending and maintaining some equilibrium of both east and west. This Global Immersion course explored the aforementioned topics through on-campus lectures that were complemented by an immersion week to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. During the in-country week, students heard from and engaged with many distinguished and influential business leaders and members of the civil society in the UAE, including a number of UCLA Anderson alumni, and visited places of historical significance and cultural importance. The series of lectures, presentations and moderated discussions helped illuminate the UAE’s political, economic, and business environments and the substantial changes that have occurred over the last several decades. Students explored policies and initiatives to balance accelerated economic growth with environmental and distributional concerns in the context of an emerging global economic powerhouse. The course also provided students with a working knowledge of economic activity and policy, capital markets, real estate investment and sustainable development, and technology innovations in the UAE.

The week began with a visit to Expo 2020, a 438-hectare area located between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, that showcased Dubai as a leading tourism and investment hub in the region – a true global city of the future - and aligned with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee in 2021, in celebration of 50 years of the UAE. The largest event ever to be staged in the Arab world, included 192 Country Pavilions that featured interactive exhibits and entertainment. Through its theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and subthemes Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, Expo 2020 Dubai offered a global platform to foster creativity, innovation and collaboration. The inaugural session of the Global Immersion week offered an overview of the business climate and economic environment in the UAE delivered by Mohamed Khalid Bin Sulaiman, senior manager from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He explained Dubai’s Industrial Strategy 2030, including target industrial sub-sectors and addressed Dubai’s strategies that embrace the future in areas, such as food security and agriculture, AI and blockchain strategies.

The visit to Expo 2020 was hosted by Anderson alumnus and CGM advisory board member, Kevin Berryman (’87), president and CFO of Jacobs Engineering Group. Students learned about Jacob’s role in the delivery of Expo 2020 as program management consultants and its joint venture with Mace (Jacobs Mace JV). They also heard how Jacobs supported multinationals in their build and sustainability of the site and how after the Expo, more than 80% of the infrastructure and built environment will be repurposed for a future human-centric smart city, District 2020. During their time at Expo 2020, students had the opportunity to visit a number of the pavilions, including those of China and Saudi Arabia. The day concluded with a visit to the U.S. pavilion and a networking event that included remarks by Berryman and Robert Clark, United States Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai. Students also had the opportunity to tour the U.S. pavilion that showcased Thomas Jefferson’s copy of the Quran, a Moon rock sample collected by American Astronaut Jack Schmitt during the Apollo 17 mission, a 43-meter tall replica of the Falcon 9 booster, and a replica of the Mars Opportunity Rover.

Many of the same themes that the students heard at Expo 2020 carried through the week. Her Excellency Dr. Aisha Bint Buti Bin Bishr, among the world’s most powerful female leaders in business and technology and vice chairman of the Emaar Development board since Dec 2020, addressed the class. Students learned how Bin Bishr, a global digital magnate, former founding Director General of Smart Dubai and the first woman to lead the transformation of a smart city globally, has laid a robust foundation for upcoming talent that inspires youth towards building a better tomorrow through digitalization. Later, UCLA Anderson alumnus Nalin Nayyar ('96), chief financial officer of Yellow Door talked about the future of sustainable energy in the UAE, the race to net zero, shift to a decarbonized economy and changing government policy. Yellow Door is a leading sustainable energy partner for businesses, serving commercial and industrial customers in the Middle East and South Asia. The company’s solar and energy efficiency solutions help businesses reduce energy costs, improve power reliability and lower carbon emissions.

During the week, students visited the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), the only financial free zone in Dubai with an English Common Law framework and its own financial regulator. DIFC is driving the future of finance and is the business gateway of choice for top institutions looking for global standards and free zone benefits. Students learned more about the DIFC innovation hub, home to MENA’s leading growth companies and the DIFC Fintech hive, the #1 fintech accelerator in MEASA, that has graduated 120+ startups. Through presentations and interactive discussions, students gained an understanding of the overall fintech startup environment in Dubai, the venture capital (VC) ecosystem in the region, challenges venture capitalists face and how venture capital is building growth-stage companies across the Middle East. Basil Moftah, general partner at Global Ventures, an international VC firm explained how fintech, e-commerce, digital health and cleantech dominated startup funding in the Middle East and Africa in 2020 and that looking forward, the growing sectors for investment are likely to include fintech, edtech, e-commerce and digital health.

Mid-week, the group traveled to Abu Dhabi where they visited Mubadala Investment Company, a sovereign investor that manages a diverse portfolio of assets and investments in the UAE and abroad, to generate sustainable financial returns for its shareholder, the Government of Abu Dhabi. At Mubadala, students learned about the UAE’s economic champions including companies such as Dolphin Energy, a producer and processor of natural gas; Masdar, a global clean energy pioneer; and EGA, one of the world’s largest premium aluminum producers. This was followed by a visit to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of Mubadala Health’s network of healthcare facilities. Students were greeted by Marc Petre, chief operating officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He explained that Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi opened in 2015 as an extension of the U.S.-based Cleveland Clinic to provide direct access to world-class healthcare to the Abu Dhabi population, reducing the need for patients to travel abroad. The group also had the opportunity to tour the Clinic’s impressive facilities. During the day trip to Abu Dhabi, students enjoyed a walk around the iconic Emirates Palace hotel before a sunset visit to the impressive and inspiring Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the largest mosque in the country. Sheikh Zayed Mosque incorporates architectural styles from different Muslim civilizations and celebrates cultural diversity by creating a haven that is truly welcoming and inspirational in its foundation. Students explored its amethyst-and-jasper-embedded columns, white marble domes, reflective pools, gold-plated Swarovski chandeliers, iconic prayer hall, and courtyard featuring one of the largest marble mosaic artworks in the world.

A group of around 60 UCLA Anderson executive MBA students were also in the UAE for their core International Business Residential. Towards the end of the week, the two groups met up for joint sessions. Simona Agolini, CEO and co-founder of QiDZ, the first family activity mobile app in the UAE that connects parents with entertainment, education and after school vendors delivered a fascinating presentation on starting a business in the UAE. Anderson alumni Rajesh Yadla (’19) manager, information security, risk and governance at Group42, an artificial intelligence and cloud computing company based in Abu Dhabi and Ibrahim El-Khalil (’13) associate partner, McKinsey & Co. also addressed the group. They shared their observations on the key strategic challenges and opportunities for businesses, general perceptions of the region and discussed their career path from UCLA Anderson to the UAE. Anderson alumni from the FTMBA, EMBA and UCLA-NUS EMBA programs enjoyed a networking lunch with students and faculty on the outdoor patio of the Palace Downtown Hotel with stunning view of the Burj Khalifa. Students also heard from Wessam Daoud (’09) who shared some personal reflections on doing business in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The GCC is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. The week’s academic sessions concluded with a terrific presentation by Brendan Noonan, former senior vice president of learning and development at the Emirates Airline Group. Noonan discussed the fascinating story of Emirates Airlines, where he worked for almost 25 years, from its beginnings in 1985 to today, one of the world’s most valuable airline brands, recently valued at $7.7 billion. He spoke about Emirates strategy, the future of the airline industry and outlook for worldwide air travel. This was of particular interest to students who had been assigned an HBS case on Emirates.

In keeping with some key themes of the course, students visited The View at The Palm and learned how the palm-shaped Islands’ magnificence was built over a period of six years through a combination of architectural, land reclamation and engineering ingenuity and was the most ambitious project of its time. The palm shape was chosen as a tribute to the palm tree which has played a vital and indispensable role as a key source of food and sustenance throughout the history if the UAE. They also visited Burj Al Arab, Dubai’s most iconic hotel set on an island in a striking sail-shaped building. After a short walk through the Dubai Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the world, students entered the tallest building in the world. They enjoyed a trip on the world’s fastest elevator to the 125th floor of the iconic Burj Khalifa skyscraper. At its observation deck, they experienced a bird’s eye view of the surrounding emirate with 360-degree panoramas and learned about the architecture and technology behind this Middle Eastern icon that dominates the skyline and towers over Downtown Dubai at over a staggering 2,720 ft.

On the final day in Dubai, students visited the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCUU), located in a beautifully restored wind tower house in the historic Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood in Bur Dubai. Here the group engaged in an interactive conversation and learned more about the traditions and customs of the UAE, while enjoying some traditional Emirati food. SMCUU is a non-profit organization that promotes awareness of Emirati culture, customs, traditions and religion among expatriates and foreign visitors in the UAE and aims to remove cultural barriers. With its motto Open Doors, Open Minds, all questions – no matter how sensitive – were welcomed and answered to spread tolerance and knowledge and to break stereotypes and misconceptions. The experience also included a visit to the Diwan Mosque, whose distinctive ornate flat dome and slender minaret watch over the Al Fahidi Historic District. Later, students enjoyed an afternoon journey across the Dubai Desert. In 4x4 land cruisers, they were driven through the red sand dunes of the Al Awir Desert to a Bedouin desert camp, where they were able to ride a camel across the sand, do Henna painting and enjoy the sunsets from the dunes. Dubai is and has been a titan of trade for centuries and to get a sense of what commerce was like back in the day, during the week, students also had an opportunity to take a stroll through the city's traditional souks, such as the Gold Souk, one of the most renowned gold jewelry trading centers in the world located on Dubai Creek's south bank in the Deira and the Spice Souk, located on the other side of the creek, where vendors hawk flavors from across the globe, including cinnamon, ginger and chili. The group also got to experience some of the local Middle Eastern cuisine through traditional Lebanese and Emirati lunches and dinners. The week truly illuminated the UAE’s political, economic, and business environment, and the substantial changes that have occurred over the last several decades, as well as the region’s rich traditions and history. There was much to be studied and much to be learned!

What is the global supply chain? How has the pandemic impacted it? What are the implications for all of us, whether we’re holiday shopping or planning to purchase a new car? For the answers to these questions and more, UCLA Anderson’s supply chain experts Leila Bengali, economist, UCLA Anderson Forecast and Felipe Caro, Bing (’86) and Alice Liu Yang Endowed Term Chair in Management and professor of decisions, operations and technology management joined Christopher S. Tang, UCLA distinguished professor, Edward W. Carter Chair in Business Administration and faculty director, Center for Global Management for a relevant and timely discussion on the crisis within the global supply chain and its effects on our daily lives . Panelists discussed why the supply chain is so important and explained the current supply chain disruptions and the kind of supply chain issues that we are currently facing. They also explained the underlying causes of these disruptions and to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic is responsible and described the other factors at play. Bengali explained how supply chain disruptions are affecting inflation today and their future impact as well as how supply chain issues are likely to affect how or where firms do business in the future and how that is likely to impact the U.S economy and the California economy. Panelists addressed the role of government in addressing supply chain issues and what private companies should do to improve supply chain resilience. They examined learnings from the current crisis and explored whether COVID-19 will be the catalyst that forces many companies, and entire industries, to rethink their global supply chain strategy and manage it in a more resilient manner. They also shared their longer-term views on whether post COVID-19 local resilience will be prized over global efficiency. To teach students about these issues, Professor Tang developed UCLA Anderson’s Global Supply Chain elective course that is taught to Anderson’s MBA students.  Professor Caro will be teaching the course in the spring. The Illuminating and fascinating discussion, open to UCLA Anderson students, alumni, faculty and staff  member, was moderated by Tony Bernardo, Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management and in partnership with the UCLA Anderson Forecast and Center for Global Management. VIEW VIDEO

Aviation is central to international trade and economic development. After almost two years of uncertainty, the sector will need to grapple with new realities and devise strategies to adapt to the long-term effects of COVID-19. There is some relief to be found in various parts of the world now that vaccinations rollouts are in effect, but the road to recovery for air traffic may take several years. The pandemic has changed consumer and business behavior—and the airline sector—irrevocably. As remote working and virtual meetings become the norm, the industry is likely to see a slow return of business travel. Many have questioned whether business travel will ever return to its original state pre-COVID-19. And digitalization and contactless technology will continue to transform the travel experience. Personalization, hygiene and safety measures will be more important than ever. Tourism trends surrounding low-carbon travel will continue to evolve and travel will become greener and more efficient. Finally, notwithstanding the challenges of COVID-19 and technology-based transformations – – many geopolitical trends have driven growing nationalism, reducing global trade and travel. Will these trends be short term or become part of a “new normal?”

On December 2, the fourth discussion of the academic year, in the Centers@Anderson Innovation: Strategies for Success Series, featured a virtual conversation with M. İlker Aycı, chairman of the board of directors and executive committee for Turkish Airlines, Europe's busiest carrier, and the largest airline in the world by the number of passenger destinations served. He discussed global trends including trade issues, growing nationalism and trade wars and their implications for the future of global travel. He also addressed the longer-term effects on aviation that have been accelerated by COVID-19, including digitization, remote work and the importance of sustainability. Chairman Aycı shared his observations on the values and principles that will help guide the industry towards a healthier and more sustainable future and explained how responding to these shifts decisively now, carriers should be able to look beyond the pandemic and adapt to the long-term realities of COVID-19 that are transforming global travel. The discussion was moderated by Professor Terry Kramer, faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center. UCLA Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo provided opening remarks.  Earlier in the week, Chairman Aycı was honored in Los Angeles with the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) CEO Lifetime Achievement Award, the first time such an achievement has been awarded to a European aviation leader in the history of the awards. He was recognized for his indefatigable spirit, his dedication to constant innovation and ability to quickly enact transformative change while highlighting the many achievements, contributions, and dedication to the industry throughout his career, spanning more than 25 years.  Earlier in the week, Chairman Aycı and his colleagues visited UCLA for a tour of the campus. The discussion was a collaboration among the Centers at Anderson, in partnership with UCLA Anderson’s Travel and Hospitality and open to UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the extended UCLA community and general public. VIEW VIDEO

About the Innovation: Strategies for Success Series.
In the global environment and post COVID-19, there will be increased opportunities and challenges, with greater demands on leaders, businesses and society. New innovation strategies must be assessed and utilized to ensure future success. This series will address the innovation imperatives of today and their implications for tomorrow. The series is a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson.

On Tuesday, November 30, the Center for Global Management (CGM) hosted a virtual lunchtime discussion with Jon Niermann (’95), an alumnus of the FEMBA program and member of the CGM’s advisory board. During his career of over 30 years, Niermann has achieved success on both the corporate and entrepreneurial business worlds. He built his entertainment career with The Walt Disney Company and Electronic Arts, serving as president of both company's Asian operations, prior to starting his own media companies. Niermann started FarWest Entertainment (2010), a multi-platform (television, music, animation, digital) media and entertainment company that focused on bridging Asia with the West; and Loop Media, Inc. (founded in 2016 and went public in 2020), Loop Media, Inc., a multi-channel streaming platform and the first media company focused on fully integrated 360-degree engagement of music videos and other premium short-form content for consumers and businesses.

Students from the full-time, fully employed and executive MBA programs, interested in global management and business, including members of the Entertainment Management Association joined the interactive session to hear from Niermann about his successful career trajectory post-Anderson. He shared his thoughts and insights on the global media and entertainment landscape in light of the digital revolution, as well as his experiences working on the business and creative sides of large companies and then venturing into the entrepreneurial world full-time with his own media companies and his journey to Loop Media today. Niermann also addressed the implications for the industry, in the short and longer terms as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the pivot that Loop Media had to quickly made. He shared some of his own thoughts on the future with the students who received tangible advice as they think about their own careers. Niermann spent 15 years with The Walt Disney Company, growing from a Disneyland theme park management intern in 1988 to the president and managing director of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific in 2000. While head of Disney Asia Pacific, he was responsible for regional business development and operations for the company, Disney’s branded television business, its new mobile business, live entertainment, radio and the corporate functions within the region. In November 2003, he joined EA, the world’s leading interactive/video game developer and publisher, as its president of Asia combining the Japanese and Asia-Pacific businesses before leaving EA in 2010 to start his own venture, FarWest Entertainment HK Ltd. While in Asia, Niermann and his family lived in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and Shanghai. The discussion, organized by the Center for Global Management was supported by the Entertainment Management Association.

As companies strive to elevate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as an organizational core value, there’s growing recognition of how critical diversity and inclusion is to business performance. Heterogeneous leadership and boards composed of individuals with a variety of skills, perspectives, backgrounds, and resources — promotes creativity and innovation and yields differing voices that can play an important role in the understanding of constituents and community needs and ultimately, developing successful products/services and achieving the organization’s mission.

On day two of UCLA Anderson’s Embracing Diversity Week (EDW), the Centers@Anderson hosted a hybrid conversation with Terri Cooper, principal and vice chair of external diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Deloitte USA; Caroline Nahas, senior advisor, Korn Ferry and chair, board of advisors, UCLA Anderson; and Rich Lang (’91), senior vice president human resources, VMware, a leading cloud computing and virtualization company that has successfully implemented DEI as a fundamental part of its talent strategy. The conversation was moderated Professor Terry Kramer, faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center.  Panelists discussed the DEI imperative, shared their views on what success looks like with effective initiatives and organizational transformations and addressed best practices at all levels in an organization—from board level to customer facing teams. They spoke about leadership imperatives, best practices in recruitment and inclusive cultures and explained why diversity without inclusion is not enough. They also shared observations on the practicalities and challenges faced by organizations and their thoughts on how practices developed in the U.S. might be used abroad and how best practices from abroad can be applied in the U.S. as organizations seek to elevate DEI as a core value on a global scale. Ultimately, they discussed the role that everyone in the organization plays to ensure effective DEI. Each panelist brought invaluable insights about the criticality of DEI in innovation, provided a logical and detailed set of best practices and structure that the audience could engage around and displayed the necessary personal belief and commitment around effective DEI practices. The main discussion, was followed by a separate, post-event open conversation, organized by the Anderson's Embracing Diversity Week Student Committee, who facilitated and moderated both in-person and virtual breakout sessions where attendees discussed what DEI means to them in terms of enterprise innovation and the roles and responsibilities of leaders in society.  UCLA Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo provided opening remarks. The discussion was a collaboration among the Centers at Anderson and open to UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the extended UCLA community and general public. It was also a featured event of UCLA Anderson’s Embracing Diversity Week and UCLA’s international Education Week. VIEW VIDEO

About the Innovation: Strategies for Success Series.
In the global environment and post COVID-19, there will be increased opportunities and challenges, with greater demands on leaders, businesses and society. New innovation strategies must be assessed and utilized to ensure future success. This series will address the innovation imperatives of today and their implications for tomorrow. The series is a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson.

International Education Week (IEW) is an annual celebration of international education and exchange initiated by the U.S. Departments of State and Education and observed by universities around the nation. IEW is a time to recognize and acknowledge the benefits and importance of international education and exchange. International education is about the global mobility of students and scholars to study, research, or teach; about those who engage in community-based service learning at home and abroad; and about increasing knowledge about the world, intercultural skills, and capacity to solve global problems collaboratively.

The 2021 IEW ran from November 15-19, 2021. For the sixth year in a row, the UCLA International Institute led a large-scale UCLA observation of International Education Week and for the second year in a row, rose above the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. In a mostly virtual program punctuated by a few in-person events, IEW took a deep look at the enduring value of international education and exchange through the eyes of faculty, students and alumni.

During the week, some 52 UCLA units hosted 43 individual events attended by hundreds of Bruins (past and present) and the general public. Bruins Around the World, the traditional evening of student cultural performances and activities hosted by UCLA Residential Life, returned to an in-person format this year at Covel Commons — cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd of 162 mask-wearing students. Other notable events included two UCLA Global Conversations, an international trivia night hosted by the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars, an in-person martial arts workshop on Hawai’ian Lua and an Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) panel on “Global Perspectives on Anti-Asian Racism.” The broad array of activities, which can be viewed on the UCLA website for IEW, featured several roundtables with students and alumni on the study abroad experience, navigating different cultures, international careers, leveraging foreign language studies and living abroad in the age of Covid-19.

The IEW Global Conversation has become a campus tradition. This year, there were two featured speakers.  On Monday, November 15, Attorney General Rob Bonta spoke about his journey to the position of Attorney General of the State of California, and on Tuesday, November 16, Ambassador Nina Hachigian, Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, discussed the growing need for global leaders based on her diverse government service and from her vantage point in the global city of Los Angeles. Each of the speakers engaged in thought-provoking conversation with Cindy Fan, vice provost of international studies and global engagement and shared their backgrounds and advice with current students. Bonta, the first person of Filipino heritage to serve as California attorney general, spoke passionately about the need for a global perspective and international collaboration to advance social justice, particularly on climate change and public health. He shared three major life lessons that inform his work as leader of the nation’s largest state justice department. As a child, he witnessed his parents work in the California farmworkers’ movement alongside famous Chicano and Filipino leaders. “The lesson I learned… is that there is great power in coming together in solidarity across cultural differences — that power can change the world,” he said. Ambassador Hachigian spoke about her unexpected journey from an undergraduate biology major to U.S. Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during President Barack Obama’s second term. Hachigian stressed that her office of international affairs had three major goals: to build on the extensive global assets of Los Angeles to attract foreign investment, global nonprofit organizations and international institutions to create jobs and economic opportunities for city residents; to provide young Angelenos international experience and skills; and to engage with global partners in solving global challenges, such as climate change, that affect Los Angeles.

The Center for Global Management is a collaborating partner of IEW each year. As a lead up to IEW, on November 9, the CGM led a discussion, featured as part of the Centers@Anderson Innovation: Strategies for Success Series on social innovations around the world. Cheryl Gregory (’10), senior manager, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joined Edwin Keh, CEO, Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and former chief operating officer, global procurement, Walmart; and Shailendra Tyagi, former head, supply chain and logistics, ITC Limited where he led the e-Choupal rural marketing initiative in India in its agri-business division. Panelists discussed innovation projects they have been engaged with and shared examples of how innovative technology can enable positive change and bring new solutions to improve environmental sustainability and advance social responsibility around the world.   The discussion was moderated by Professor Chris Tang, faculty director of the Center for Global Management. View the discussion >>.

During IEW, the Centers@Anderson hosted a hybrid conversation with Terri Cooper, principal and vice chair of external diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Deloitte USA; Caroline Nahas, senior advisor, Korn Ferry and chair, board of advisors, UCLA Anderson; and Rich Lang (’91), senior vice president human resources, VMware, a leading cloud computing and virtualization company that has successfully implemented DEI as a fundamental part of its talent strategy. The conversation was moderated Professor Terry Kramer, faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center. Panelists discussed the DEI imperative, shared their views on what success looks like with effective initiatives and organizational transformations and addressed best practices at all levels in an organization—from board level to customer facing teams. They also shared observations on the practicalities and challenges faced by organizations and their thoughts on how practices developed in the U.S. might be used abroad and how best practices from abroad can be applied in the U.S. as organizations seek to elevate DEI as a core value on a global scale. The discussion was also proudly featured as part of UCLA Anderson’s Embracing Diversity Week.

The enthusiastic support for International Education Week across campus this year was in many ways reflective of UCLA’s status as one of the world’s leading global universities, one whose graduates and research have a global impact.

On Wednesday, November 10, the Center for Global Management (CGM) hosted a virtual lunchtime discussion with Jim Allen (’93), an alumnus of the full-time MBA program and member of the CGM’s advisory board. Jim Allen is a senior investment banker and strategic advisor, with over 28 years of experience in investment banking in the U.S. and across Latin America. Since graduating from Anderson, Allen has been in the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley, having held positions in U.S. M&A, the Global Media & Communications banking group, and since 2008, as head of M&A for the Latin America region. During his career at Morgan Stanley, Allen has been involved in equity and debt capital markets transactions, and has advised corporations, family-controlled businesses, and governments in M&A transactions, privatizations and debt restructurings. Students from the full-time, fully employed and executive MBA programs, interested in global management and business, including members of the Investment Finance Association and Latin American Business Association joined the intimate and interactive session to hear from Allen who shared his thoughts, insights and experience as a global investment banker and strategic advisor and addressed his career transition from the U.S. Navy to investment banking enabled by UCLA Anderson. Allen also discussed his experience doing business internationally within a highly global, U.S.-based multinational and shared his thoughts on the changing nature of international trade and investment amidst the current cooling of U.S.-China relations. He shared some leadership lessons with students and addressed the importance of cultural awareness and being able to adapt as the environment evolves. Students received tangible advice as they think about their own careers. Prior to Anderson, Allen served for seven years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, including six months as an exchange officer in the Chilean Navy. The discussion was cosponsored by UCLA Anderson’s Investment Finance Association and Latin American Business Association.

The second discussion of the academic year in the Centers@Anderson Innovation: Strategies for Success Series featured a conversation on social innovations around the world. Cheryl Gregory (’10), senior manager, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joined Edwin Keh, CEO, Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and former chief operating officer, global procurement, Walmart; and Shailendra Tyagi, former head, supply chain and logistics, ITC Limited where he led the e-Choupal rural marketing initiative in India in its agri-business division. Panelists discussed innovation projects they have been engaged with and shared examples of how innovative technology can enable positive change and bring new solutions to improve environmental sustainability and advance social responsibility around the world.   The discussion was moderated by Professor Chris Tang, faculty director of the Center for Global Management.

During the session, Shailendra Tyagi discussed how the e-Choupal system has helped to tackle challenges of India’s agricultural sector through innovative technology solutions that empower rural communities and improve the lives of India’s rural farmers. Edwin Keh explained how HKRITA partners with corporations to develop innovative technology solutions to address environmental issues and clean up the fast fashion industry through a review of Looop, a new garment-to-garment recycling system that is achieving real change and transforming the industry for the future. Cheryl Gregory (’10) provided an inside look from a funder’s perspective and shared the types innovations that the Gates Foundation is seeing in socially important sectors, how projects are selected through its grants budget or allocation for program-related investments (PRIs), and how the foundation measures outcomes and success. UCLA Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo provided opening remarks. The discussion was a collaboration among the Centers at Anderson and open to UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the extended UCLA community and general public. It was also a featured event as a lead up to UCLA’s international Education Week. VIEW VIDEO

About the Innovation: Strategies for Success Series.
In the global environment and post COVID-19, there will be increased opportunities and challenges, with greater demands on leaders, businesses and society. New innovation strategies must be assessed and utilized to ensure future success. This series will address the innovation imperatives of today and their implications for tomorrow. The series is a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson.

To celebrate the international diversity of UCLA Anderson, the Center for Global Management actively supports cultural events hosted by international student clubs such as the South Asian Business Association (SABA). SABA promotes familiarity and understanding of the South Asian culture and traditions among Anderson students during their annual flagship event, the Diwali Festival. Diwali or Deepavali is the festival of lights that marks the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated every year in the fall, usually in the months of October and November in the northern hemisphere (spring in the southern hemisphere). While the festival is 5 days long, most people celebrate the third day which is marked by a puja, a feast, and fireworks. For Hindu’s it is generally associated with Lakshmi, who is the goddess of prosperity and wealth. Diwali is also celebrated outside of non-Hindu communities. On November 4, 2021, over 400 domestic and international students attended the weekly Andernoons which was transformed to celebrate the Diwali Festival. UCLA Anderson’s North Terrace was decorated and had a Diwali theme, traditional Indian food was served and members of SABA were dressed in traditional Indian attire. Celebrations started with a traditional lamp lighting by Robert Weiler, associate dean of the full-time MBA program, Lucy Allard, CGM’s executive director and Jessica Luchenta, assistant dean of full-time MBA student affairs. Various aspects of the Indian culture were on display with a Bollywood dance showcase by members of SABA from the full-time MBA and MSBA programs. Other activities to engage the over 400 attendees included a mehndi/henna hand tattoo stall and a photo booth.

On October 28, the Centers@Anderson in collaboration with the 2021 Tech & Society Conference hosted a fascinating and thought provoking discussion with futurist, polymath, venture capitalist and author, Juan Enriquez. Enriquez is managing director of Excel Venture Management, a life sciences VC firm. He cofounded the company that made the world's first synthetic life form and seed funded a company that may allow portable brain reading. Enriquez is also the author of Right/Wrong: How Technology Transforms Our Ethics which explores how technological innovation is driving exponential change in our thoughts on right and wrong as we create a world where humans increasingly are able to shape their environment, themselves and other species. His book covers how today’s most pressing issues are all framed by the relationship between technology and ethics, which allows for real potential to improve the future. In his book, Enriquez argues that technology not only shapes people’s ethics but also has drastically improved ethics within societies. This argument challenges many widely held beliefs that technology corrupts societal ethics. Enriquez further posits that today’s most pressing issues — the pandemic, climate change, and political polarization to name a few — are all shaped by the relationship between technology and ethics, and that this holds enormous potential for improving the future. The conversation, moderated Professor Terry Kramer explored what we can learn from past technological innovations and how we can use this knowledge to build a better future. While technology might be over-estimated in the short term, it can be argued that it is under estimated in the long term. Enriquez addressed the importance of avoiding stereotyping and judging and highlighted the importance of understanding the context of the environment that that we are operating in and then forming views.  Enriquez possessed a distinct and very impressive ability to think laterally and expansively and take disparate facts about the world around us and make sense of them in a way that is timely and relevant.  This discussion was the featured keynote address for the Easton Center for Technology Management’s 2021 Tech & Society Conference and in partnership with Centers@Anderson, a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson. VIEW VIDEO

About the Innovation: Strategies for Success Series.
In the global environment and post COVID-19, there will be increased opportunities and challenges, with greater demands on leaders, businesses and society. New innovation strategies must be assessed and utilized to ensure future success. This series will address the innovation imperatives of today and their implications for tomorrow. The series is a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson.

AUKUS is a trilateral security alliance between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom that allows for greater sharing of intelligence. Analysts have described it as probably the most significant security arrangement between the three nations since World War Two. It is widely seen as a response to the growing power of China, and an effort to counter its influence in the contested South China Sea. Under the pact, the U.S. and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. AUKUS angered France as Australia cancelled a $37 billion deal with a French company building diesel-powered submarines, and France - a traditional Western ally - found out about the new pact only a few hours before the public announcement. On October 27, the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations hosted a fascinating discussion with a panel of experts on this new Indo-Pacific security alliance, its effect on Indo-Pacific relations, and on regional calculations. The Center for Global Management was a sponsor of the discussion. Panelists included Geoffrey Garrett, dean of the USC Marshall School of Business and a distinguished international political economist and LinkedIn influencer. Garrett who is a recognized expert in world politics, business and the global economy, and in particular U.S./China relations was joined by Patricia M. Kim and Ankit Panda. Kim is a David M. Rubenstein Fellow at Brookings who holds a joint appointment to the John L. Thornton China Center and the Center for East Asia Policy Studies. She is an expert on Chinese foreign policy, U.S.-China relations, and U.S. alliance management and regional security dynamics in East Asia. Panda is the Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. An expert on the Asia-Pacific region, his research interests range from nuclear strategy, arms control, missile defense, nonproliferation, emerging technologies, and U.S. extended deterrence. The discussion was moderated by Kal Raustiala, the Promise Institute Chair in Comparative and International Law at UCLA Law School and director of the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations. VIEW VIDEO

Roger McNamee, an American businessman, Silicon Valley investor, and venture capitalist was an early investor in Facebook and personal mentor to Mark Zuckerberg, but since 2017 he has been working to trigger a national conversation about the dangers of unregulated technology giants like Facebook. McNamee’s 2019 New York Times bestselling book, Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe, details his realization of Facebook’s dangerous business and his reckoning with how we as a society must work towards change. Fast forward to 2021 – Facebook, as the world’s largest social media platform, is under scrutiny for its alleged role in fake news, promoting hate, extremism, cyberbullying, human trafficking and anti-trust violations and McNamee’s work came back into the public spotlight this month, after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s explosive testimony before Congress.

On October 21, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall and UCLA Anderson School of Management co-hosted a timely conversation with Roger McNamee on Social Media’s Dark Side. McNamee addressed the impact of disruptive innovation on products, services, markets and competition in the U.S. and globally and shared his views about the trade-offs and implications of actions, and how to mitigate any unintended consequences while achieving necessary reforms. The conversation suggested that self-regulation is not enough, business models and cultures are key drivers of outcomes, and there is a path to better behavior. It is important to think about various stakeholders and stakeholder management, including employees, customers as well as the community and society; and while there is an epic battle between efficiency and democracy, we shouldn’t lose sight of the importance of democracy that as created such great outcomes.  The discussion was moderated by UCLA Anderson’s Professor Terry Kramer who teaches a number of tech-focused global management elective courses.  The event was hosted by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall, in partnership with UCLA Anderson School of Management. The Center for Global Management is a member of the LAWAC & Town Hall. VIEW VIDEO

Technology-based innovation has created huge benefits along with a significant number of access points to the Internet from devices and transactions of all types – – connected devices in a variety of forms – – wearables, connected vehicles, connected appliances, coupled with an increased number of transactions whether they be videoconferencing, e-commerce, social networks, government-based identification applications, etc. With this innovation has also come increased risks and prevalence of cyber-attacks potentially crippling the benefits of technology-based innovation, damaging security of individuals, enterprises and governments, and ultimately challenging our way of life. Hardly a month goes by without the announcement of another massive breach of data held by a government agency, a multi-national business or an essential service provider. Cyberwarfare, cyberespionage, and cyberterrorism are big challenges facing governments throughout the world and businesses large and small. And President Biden has made cybersecurity, a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration at all levels of government. Is the breach of any organization’s cybersecurity just a matter of time? Can a modern commercial society organize itself to deal efficiently and effectively with breaches of cybersecurity? Are there regulatory schemes that can offer real protection to citizens and customers with respect to their private personal data? And how can technology be used to identify and eliminate cybersecurity risks?

On October 18, on UCLA Anderson’s North Terrace, and remotely via Zoom, the UCLA Anderson Center for Global Management and UCLA School of Law’s Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy hosted the inaugural discussion of the new academic year in their joint Global Business and Policy Forum series to review the broad landscape of cybersecurity challenges that impact the consumer, enterprises and society in today's virtual world. UCLA Anderson’s Terry Kramer, adjunct professor of technology management and faculty director, Easton Technology Management Center joined UCLA School of Law’s Andrew Selbst, assistant professor law to address the risks, roles of government vs. enterprises vs. individuals and share their observations on the most promising areas of innovation to enhance cybersecurity while protecting individuals, enterprises and societies.  They framed the problems and identified the many tensions that need to be reconciled in order to move towards a thoughtful solution and provided terrific insights into both the strengths and weaknesses of legal solutions including regulation. There were many interactive table conversations where specific questions were discussed among the students who analyzed the issues from both a business and legal lens, including: where do the solutions reside to mitigate cybersecurity risk - with technology, with regulators, with self-policing? Students also considered the roles of the main actors, namely regulators, lawyers and advisors, and business leaders?  The discussion engaged around 70 students and faculty from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and the UCLA School of Law. The Global Business and Policy Forum is a collaborative partnership between the Center for Global Management and UCLA School of Law's Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy. VIEW VIDEO

China began piloting the world's first digital sovereign currency in April. China's digital renminbi, backed by its central bank, has the potential to not only displace unregulated cryptocurrencies, but also to internationalize the renminbi. Meanwhile India, amid the gloom of the pandemic and efforts to promote its own digital journey, overtook China to register the highest number of countrywide digital payments. The world’s largest digital and financial inclusion program of its kind has helped transform the lives of millions of Indians. This digital payment (Paytm) boom is indicative of a larger paradigm shift in the ease of access to financial services. Much of this success is a result of the diligent policy and technology frameworks created by the central government over the last few years.

On October 5, the Center for Global Management (CGM) hosted a discussion around these two major technological developments that received limited coverage in the U.S. media, but their potential impacts are far-reaching. Michael Sung, chairman, CarbonBlue Innovations, a leading venture building and investment company focused on blockchain, fintech and digital finance innovation, and leading researcher in the area of digital currencies joined Bhagwan Chowdhry, professor of finance, Indian School of Business and director of its Digital Identity Research Initiative. The fascinating conversation which drew a global audience of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the extended UCLA community and general public, was moderated by CGM faculty director, Chris Tang, distinguished professor and Edward W. Carter Chair in Business Administration. During the hour-long conversation, Chowdhry and Sung reviewed these technological developments; explored the impact and implications for China, India, the U.S. and the world; examined opportunities for startups, venture investors and the global investment community; and shared their longer-term views on the future of digital payments and digital currencies. The discussion was part of the CGM’s World Today Discussion Series and was co-sponsored by UCLA Anderson’s Greater China Business Association and South Asian Business Association. The World Today Discussion Series engages the audience in interactive and enriching conversations around current issues that transcend borders. UCLA and Anderson faculty, alumni, board members and thought leaders share their perspectives on the critical global topics and issues that matter to our community and the world. Through balanced discourse, the serves as a neutral forum to educate the community on global issues, while at the same time encouraging debate and examination. VIEW VIDEO

Earlier this year, as China unveiled its 5-year plan with tech ambitions at its core, the world took notice of the phenomenal success of some of China’s biggest names in tech which have become central to everyday life in China, including e-commerce platform Alibaba, internet-based platform Tencent and ride-hailing app DiDi. For the past several years, foreign investors have been pouring money into their stocks. But this summer, their shares, listed in New York and Hong Kong saw sharp selloffs that had little to do with the companies’ business performance. China has taken a series of actions to reign in big tech, sending shock waves through international markets, stocks plummeting, and causing massive selloffs and shutdowns of multi-billion dollar IPOs.  Until recently, Chinese companies going public in the U.S. were a bright spot in the otherwise tumultuous U.S.-China relationship. But now everyone is watching to see what steps Chinese regulators will take next and investors wonder what the future holds for China’s tech companies and more broadly for listings of Chinese companies in the U.S. and other countries.

On September 30, the Center for Global Management (CGM) hosted a moderated panel discussion with China expert Gordon Orr, who spent over 30 years with McKinsey in China and sits on the boards of a number of Chinese tech companies; Ken Sansom (’06), global director, emerging tech at Amazon Web Services with over 30 years leading technology businesses across the U.S., Asia, and Europe; and Harvard Business School Professor Feng Zhu, a research expert on Chinese tech firms such as DiDi and Alibaba. Panelists reviewed recent events and explored the possible impact on private and foreign investments and broader implications from a business, legal and U.S.-China relations perspective. They also discussed implications for U.S. investors and shared lessons learned for U.S. tech giants. The global audience of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the extended UCLA community and general public asked many important questions during the audience Q&A that went into a deeper discussion on the transition of the tech sector and some of the key topics and longer-term implications. The conversation, moderated by Chris Tang, distinguished professor and Edward W. Carter Chair in Business Administration, was part of the CGM’s World Today Discussion Series and was co-sponsored by the UCLA Anderson Easton Technology Management Center and Greater China Business Association. The World Today Discussion Series engages the audience in interactive and enriching conversations around current issues that transcend borders. UCLA and Anderson faculty, alumni, board members and thought leaders share their perspectives on the critical global topics and issues that matter to our community and the world. Through balanced discourse, the serves as a neutral forum to educate the community on global issues, while at the same time encouraging debate and examination. VIEW VIDEO

Tackling climate change was one of Joe Biden’s key campaign promises. President Biden took office with an ambitious climate plan that lies at the center of his domestic and foreign policies. Committed to putting the climate crisis at the center of his policy agenda, President Biden appointed John Kerry, the inaugural first-ever Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, whose job is to lead the president’s international climate agenda and engagement. The U.S. has pledged that by 2030, it would cut greenhouse gases by 50% compared to 2005 levels; that there would be a carbon free power sector by 2035; and the U.S. would achieve Net Zero by 2050. As the climate crisis continues to escalate — this summer is one of the hottest on record, with severe droughts and wildfires, and flooding across the globe.

On August 25, Reed Schuler, senior advisor to Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry shared how the Biden administration is tackling climate change both domestically and internationally. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Schuler was Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s senior policy advisor for climate and sustainability and the Governor's special advisor for Pandemic Health Response. The lunchtime conversation, attended by Anderson students and alumni, was moderated by with Christine Loh, UCLA Anderson visiting professor, former Under Secretary for the Environment in Hong Kong (2012-17) and chief development strategist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Institute of the Environment. The conversation took an inside look at the inaugural Special Envoy’s office, unpacked the goals of Biden’s climate policy and addressed how the administration aims to work with the global community to address the complex, pressing issue of climate change. This November, Kerry will lead a U.S. delegation to Glasgow, where the world will meet for a critical summit, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26 (the 26th UN Climate Change conference). Schuler shared insights on what Kerry hopes to achieve at COP26 and in this critical year, and what the world must do to accelerate its fight against climate change. The event was hosted by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall, in partnership with the Center for Global Management. The Center for Global Management is a member of the LAWAC & Town Hall. VIEW VIDEO

On Friday, August 6, the Center for Global Management hosted an event for UCLA Anderson fully employed and executive MBA students participating in its 2021 virtual international exchange to learn and network with peers from the CGM’s 2021 exchange partner schools from across Europe, Latin America and Asia. They were also joined by students from the UCLA-NUS EMBA class of 2022 who, the following day, started their first UCLA residential of the program.  For the first hour, the CGM welcomed Professor Terry Kramer, faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center, who leads the CGM’s Shenzhen/Hong Kong technology transformation-focused Global Immersion course. He discussed key technology trends, the impact of COVID-19 on promising areas of innovation and the role of technology and business in society. He also addressed the growing number of techlash issues, including privacy intrusions, cybersecurity risks and misinformation campaigns, and the broader implications and important learnings that these present for global leaders. Through an eye-opening review of the four phases of the technology evolution, beginning in the 1980s with the era of the PC to present day, Kramer explored what is happening globally and discussed the main technologies affecting our world today (and beyond), including 4G/5G networks, IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Citing examples from around the world, he addressed changing customer behaviors, competition, emerging market trends and public policy issues such as data privacy, anti-trust and cybersecurity.  Kramer explored the implications of current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustices, and highlighted the need for new models of inclusion. While recognizing the growing focus of technology and society, Kramer also pointed out the growing “tech backlash” too from data privacy and anti-trust to the future of work, income divide and the digital divide. He explained that there have been notable leadership implications, including an awareness of the need for CEOs to serve a broader set of stakeholders, including employees, communities and government. Kramer explored the business implications of tech-based innovation, including the acceleration of key trends in e-commerce and retail and the flight to scale with increased network effects and capital availability. He also analyzed the leadership implications and highlighted the growing interdisciplinary nature of innovation, notable cases of both value creation and value destruction and suggested that business models and monetization strategies are changing. The discussion elicited some rich and divergent conversation. Tech’s role in society and the growing number of techlash issues are timely and relevant leadership issues. While the actual manifestation of them by region of the world varies, the broader trends pretty much remain. The discussion with Professor Kramer was followed by structured networking. Students broke out into discussion groups to address the areas of societal needs that can be notably advanced via technology and identify the negative externalities and/or societal concerns that need to be addressed. They also discussed the role of leaders in today’s environment and the actions that they can take personally to advance their own leadership effectiveness. The session provided a great opportunity for students to learn from a UCLA Anderson’s award-winning professor who teaches a number of technology-focused courses at UCLA Anderson, all with a global orientation and at the same time meet and network with global peers. The Center for Global Management looks forward to virtually welcoming students from its international partner schools who will be joining classes with EMBA and FEMBA students during the August EMBA block week.

As the world becomes increasingly connected to the internet, cybersecurity is becoming a critical issue that affects individuals, enterprises, and governments. Private data, intellectual property, cyber infrastructure, military and national security can be compromised by cybersecurity challenges that come in many forms such as ransomware, phishing attacks, malware attacks and more. One May 24, UCLA Anderson, Tel Aviv University (TAU) and its Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center (ICRC) collaborated for a panel discussion that addressed the broad landscape of cybersecurity challenges that impact the consumer, enterprise and society in today's virtual world and reviewed the most common types of attacks. Moderated by Professor Terry Kramer, experts from Israel and the United States addressed the risks faced in the growing presence of connected devices, remote work, global supply chain, and the utilization of AI. Panelists shared their views on the most promising areas of cybersecurity solutions, corporate responsibility to drive cybersecurity, top technology-based solutions to enhance cybersecurity, as well as the role that entrepreneurial ventures and government play in ensuring cybersecurity. Panelists included: Professor Isaac Ben-Israel, director of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center; Jacob Mendel, senior lecturer and head of cybersecurity studies at TAU’s Coller School of Management; Zvi Feuer ('11), CEO, Siemens Industry Software Ltd, where he leads global teams and initiatives to develop and service customers worldwide; and Yuda Saydun ('82), founder and president, CyVent where he oversees the delivery of cutting-edge, AI-driven cybersecurity solutions that protect some of the world’s most sensitive operations. The discussion was a collaboration between UCLA Anderson’s Alumni Network, Easton Technology Management Center and Center for Global Management and Tel Aviv University (TAU) and its Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center. VIEW VIDEO

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital assets, with blockchain-managed ownership. Examples can include collectible figures, game items, digital art, event tickets, domain names, and even ownership records for physical assets. NFTs’ ability to confer uniqueness has led to a boom in digital art’s collectability. During the lunch hour on May 18, Alex Nascimento (’08), managing director of 7CC Blockchain Investments explained to an interested and intrigued audience, comprised of UCLA Anderson students, alumni and members of the broader UCLA community, the basic concepts of the technology behind NFTs and their applications to the entertainment and media business. He also shared case study examples to illustrate how NFTs are revolutionizing digital art. Alex Nascimento ('08) is an author and blockchain faculty member at UCLA where he lectures on blockchain business applications and security tokens. He is managing director of 7CC Blockchain Investments, a company focused on supporting and fostering the blockchain industry and wrote the book, The STO Financial Revolution: How Security Tokens Change Businesses Forever, which uncovers regulated and compliant fundraising via blockchain. Nascimento has developed training, marketing and blockchain strategies for companies in the United States, E.U., Latin America and Asia. In addition to lecturing at UCLA, he is a frequent speaker at global blockchain conferences and corporate events demystifying securities issuance, business applications, and investments in blockchain for corporate leaders, students, and entrepreneurs. Nascimento received his MBA from UCLA Anderson. This discussion was a collaboration between the Easton Technology Management Center, the Center for Global Management and the Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports.

On May 12, the Centers@Anderson hosted the closing discussion of the academic year in the Innovation: Strategies for Success Series with Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America. We live in a world that is continuously being transformed by innovative technologies. Like all other sectors, the public sector is going through phases of technological advancements and progress is being made on digital transformation, the use of big data, artificial intelligence, cloud services, and much more. The conversation, moderated by Professor Terry Kramer sought to uncover the critical role that technology can play in improving public sector service provision and narrowing the gap between the private and public sector in terms of the utilization and design of technology. Renteria shared the interesting story of Code for America, a non-partisan, non-profit that uses the principles and practices of the digital age to improve how government serves the American public, and how the public improves government.  Professor Kramer summarized some of the key takeaways from the discussion. First, the importance of acknowledging where needs are the greatest against what should be happening in that environment; the importance of timing, for example the pandemic has allowed new things to happen and we should take advantage of the timing and environment; the need to identify where there is a market failure and where a community is not being served and let that guide what to focus on. Another key message was the view about government – we should feel proud of our government and if we are not, then we should look at what actions we are taking so we can feel proud.  The conversation also emphasized the importance of working with trusted organizations, which might not always be governmental agencies but could be community-based organizations; and the need for there to be mutual respect between business and government to create better outcomes. Renteria highlighted that this unique moment in time presents an interesting opportunity for change and she has hope and optimism that good things can happen. Renteria’s ability to lay out a mental map for opportunities at the intersection of technology and the public sector, coupled with her own personal inspirations, passion and energy around engaging with others, really stood out.  Alumni, faculty and members of the extended UCLA community and general public joined students to hear Renteria, who has enjoyed a unique and diverse career starting out in the financial industry, moving to education as a teacher in her small hometown community, and finally spending the majority of her career in public service. She has served as the chief of operations at the California Department of Justice, where she oversaw 1,000 public servants; national political director for Secretary Hillary Clinton where she managed the political and outreach strategy for the 2016 Presidential Campaign; and as a chief of staff in the United States Senate during one of the most productive periods in our country's history. She was named one of the most influential staffers by Roll Call and received a number of awards as the first Latina chief of staff in the history of the U.S. Senate. In addition to her policy work, Renteria also ran for Congressional office in 2014 and for Governor in 2018 with the belief that empowering others is at the heart of public service. She holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Business School and serves on several non-profit boards. This discussion was a collaboration among the Centers@Anderson. UCLA Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo provided opening remarks. VIEW VIDEO

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented public health, economic, and social crisis, threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions. The economic shock is increasing poverty, worsening inequalities, and reversing development gains. Economic recoveries are diverging across countries and sectors, reflecting variation in pandemic-induced disruptions and the extent of policy support. Emerging market economies and low-income developing countries face rising public debt levels, are more vulnerable to financial stress and expected to suffer more significant medium-term losses. While a vibrant private sector will be essential for countries to recover, create jobs, and embrace economic transformation, strong coordination across bilateral and multilateral organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank will play a crucial role to contain the impacts of the pandemic and build up the foundation of strong international cooperation for a green, smart and inclusive recovery.

On May 5, the Center for Global Management hosted a moderated conversation with UCLA Anderson alumnus, Richard Farber (’88), who recently completed his term as alternate executive director at the IMF. In this position, he represented the United States on the IMF’s executive board, ensuring the stability of the international monetary system and providing financial assistance to members focusing on low-income, fragile, conflict-affected states, and emerging markets. Farber addressed the history, role and purpose of the IMF, the world’s crisis lender, the diverging impact of COVID-19 on member countries and explained how the IMF continues to support countries on the path to recovery by providing policy advice, financial support, capacity development, and debt relief for the poorest. He also explored how the IMF is enhancing its support to member countries as they pursue their Sustainable Development Goals. The global audience of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the extended UCLA community and general public asked many important questions during the audience Q&A that went into a deeper discussion on some of the key topics raised where Farber touched on digital currencies and the role of the IMF in addressing climate change. The discussion, moderated by Sebastian Edwards, distinguished professor and Henry Ford II Chair in International Management, was part of the CGM’s World Today Discussion Series and was co-sponsored by the UCLA Anderson Laurence & Lori Fink Center for Finance and UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations. The World Today Discussion Series engages students in dialogue in an interactive, engaging and enriching discussion format around current global issues that transcend borders. Through the series, the CGM engages globally minded students with issues that matter and ideas that stimulate. Through balanced discourse, the series serves as a neutral forum to educate students on global issues while at the same time encourage debate and examination. UCLA Anderson’s Center for Global Management is committed to providing timely and relevant information about critical global topics and issues that matter to our community and the world. VIEW VIDEO

In March 2020, businesses all over the globe hit a tipping point as they grappled with the impact of a pandemic, racial inequality, social injustices, and natural disasters. We are left to consider the questions: what is the true cost of capitalism as it stands today? Are business leaders thinking of the second and third order consequences of their decisions on the environment and on society at large? And how can we learn effective tools and strategies to integrate mission-driven thinking in the areas of finance, governance and leadership?

On April 20, the Centers@Anderson in collaboration with Impact Week hosted a fascinating conversation with Rebecca Henderson, who has been at the forefront of the shift from shareholder to stakeholder capitalism as a Harvard professor, a board member on several Fortune 500 companies, and the author of Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire. In this book, Henderson not only outlines how capitalism needs to change if we are to build a just and sustainable world, but also draws on twenty years of research in organizational change, innovation and disruption, and political theory in combination with a series of in-depth case studies to outline a practical roadmap for how we can get there from here. During the conversation, moderated by Professor Terry Kramer, Henderson discussed how business leaders must adapt and innovate to address the world’s most pressing issues. In the U.S., the problems are immense - growing partisan divide, inequities and the environment. A massive transformation effort and change in education are necessary and innovation is critical. She emphasized the importance of having a position and a sense of what is going on in the world. While it’s a daunting agenda, Henderson suggested that “the way we lead our lives” is important and added that “all of us need to work as hard as we can turn things around.” Rebecca Henderson is one of 25 university professors at Harvard, a research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a fellow of both the British Academy and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is an expert on innovation and organizational change, and her research explores the degree to which the private sector can play a major role in building a more sustainable economy, focusing particularly on the relationships between organizational purpose, innovation and productivity in high performance organizations. Henderson sits on the boards of Idexx Laboratories and of CERES and was named one of three “Outstanding Directors of 2019” by the Financial Times. For several years, she taught “Reimagining Capitalism: Business and the Big Problems,” a course that grew from 28 students to over 300 and is the basis for her book Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire – that was shortlisted for the FT/McKinsey 2020 Business Book of the Year Award. UCLA Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo provided opening remarks. VIEW VIDEO

About the Leadership: Changing Paradigm Series.
In a global environment of greater opportunities and challenges, with greater demands on leaders, businesses and society, new leadership paradigms must be assessed and acted on to ensure future success. This series will address leadership imperatives for today and learnings for tomorrow with general themes about the growing interdisciplinary nature of leadership, a changing paradigm for decision making and a more expansive view on the role of stakeholders including employees, government and society in addition to shareholders. Attendees of these events should come away with an enhanced understanding of leadership that will serve them longer-term contextualized with today’s issues and opportunities. The series is a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson.

During the week of April 19, the UCLA African Studies Center and the Earth Rights Institute hosted the 2021 Africa’s Readiness for Climate Change (ARCC) forum.  This inaugural forum, held virtually during the week of Earth Day, expanded an integrated vision of “Green Development” in Africa that is both ecologically and economically sustainable, emphasizing local solutions to climate change developed by African stakeholders in urban and rural communities. ARCC 2021 assembled interdisciplinary panels of scholars, scientists, industry leaders, climate change innovators, youth activists, and policy-makers to discuss cutting-edge research and the most successful sustainable development projects unfolding on the ground. During the week, a series of keynote lectures, panels and workshops were held. The opening keynote address, delivered by Elizabeth Wathuti, founder of Green Generation Initiative and head of campaigns at the Wangari Mathai Foundation in Kenya, focused on mobilizing African youth for climate action and conservation. The closing keynote looked at emerging economic opportunities for a “Green Africa,” and featured His Excellency Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai, Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United States. Five panel discussions took place with a diverse group of speakers. The first panel, moderated by UCLA Anderson alumna, Nurit Katz (’08, MPP ’08), UCLA chief sustainability officer, centered on youth leadership and highlighted four UCLA students majoring in environmental science, computer science, civil engineering and international development. Other sessions looked at energy, water, climate - regenerative infrastructures and indigenous frameworks; food, health, education—integrative responses; climate refugees and precarious lives and livelihoods; and business, politics and culture—the climate action ecosystem. The ARCC forum brought together around 400 individuals from various disciplines across academia, NGOs, business, and the public sector. Throughout the week, participants identified priorities for research and implementation in efforts to develop a collaborative action plan for the path forward. The forum was co-organized by the UCLA African Studies Center and the Earth Rights Institute. The Center for Global Management was a co-sponsor of ARCC.

A notable technology-driven transformation is occurring in the Greater China region. Leapfrog innovation is evident in many areas including artificial intelligence, payments and high speed, 5G mobile networks. Steady advances in AI, robotics and internet services are disrupting traditional industries and enabling new business models. Technology-based transformations in sectors such as health care, education, and transportation are helping address societal issues too. The ability to understand Greater China’s unique environment and context is an essential element of “contextual leadership” — understanding the uniqueness of Greater China but also understanding innovation practices of interest for the rest of the world. Is the Greater China region eclipsing the U.S. with commercial technology-based innovation? What are the promising areas of innovation and where will the next technology-based value creation occur in the Greater China region? Are Greater China’s “successes” replicable in other countries? Can areas of common challenges in impact-driven sectors such as education and healthcare drive cooperation and shared learning? What are the key enablers and elements required to advance technology commercially and what do leaders need to understand to succeed in this complex, ever-shifting landscape?

The 2021 Wilbur K. Woo Greater China Business Conference, organized by the Center for Global Management was delivered over four days in a fully virtual format and brought together leading executives, innovators, influencers and investors from a variety of impact-driven sectors for a series of conversations to address these questions. The conference attracted hundreds of students, alumni, faculty, and interested members of the global community to hear experts share their thoughts and perspectives on how technology is driving the transformation of society, enterprises, and consumers around the world with a focus on Greater China and the U.S. and the contextual leadership that is imperative in the evolving global economic landscape. Day 1, included an opening keynote address and fascinating discussion with AI expert, Kai-Fu Lee, chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures and one of the most prominent figures in the Chinese internet sector who addressed technology-driven transformations and innovation in the region and the role of AI and its impact on society. Lee shared his unique insights on the present and future of technology-based innovations in China, allowing a comparative look with those in the U.S. and highlighting the importance of building bridges between the two countries with such complementary strengths, a key objective of our conference each year. Lee is a world-renowned expert on AI who has worked on artificial intelligence for over three decades and made breakthroughs using machine learning for speech and games in his early career. He was the founding president of Google China and Microsoft Research Asia, and a long-time investor in Chinese startups. Lee founded Sinovation Ventures in 2009 managing over $2.5 billion venture funds and investing in more than 400 startup companies, including 18 unicorns with 7 in AI. He is also the co-chair of the Artificial Intelligence Council for World Economic Forum, was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, and is the author of New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order. The keynote discussion was a collaboration with the Centers@Anderson’s Innovation: Strategies for Success Series (VIEW VIDEO).

Kai-Fu Lee’s keynote address was followed by a more macro-level discussion on the key enablers and elements of Greater China’s unique environment. In this session, Christine Loh, visiting professor at UCLA Anderson and former deputy minister for the environment in the Hong Kong SAR government, spoke with Jeongmin Seong, Shanghai-based partner at McKinsey Global Institute and Guangdong-based Joe Rocha, governor of AmCham South China about their insights and observations on the region’s unique context and key enablers that have helped contribute to its rapid growth in technology-driven innovations. As well as understanding the role technology has played in the transformation of the South China region (VIEW VIDEO). This session was important to set the stage for daily deeper dive discussions that followed during the week and focused on the most promising areas of tech-based innovation in impact driven sectors and across key verticals, including internet services (day 2) and high-tech-based advanced manufacturing (day 3). The final day of the conference looked at innovations in financial technologies and concluded with a panel discussion on where investment is happening in these sectors and where investors see opportunities more broadly.

On day 2, conversations explored how technology innovation using AI is disrupting education and how the region is driving innovation of internet services globally. These sessions took a closer look at how technology innovation and steady advances in AI, robotics and internet services are disrupting traditional industries and enabling new business models; identified where the greatest concerns and market improvement opportunities are with leapfrog innovation; and helped the audience to understand unique market attributes of consumers in the region and how they differ from consumers in other markets and how this might impact commercial opportunities. In the first session, Derek Li, founder and chief education technology scientist at Squirrel AI Learning, the first AI-powered adaptive learning company in China, took a closer look at how technology innovation is disrupting traditional ways of teaching and learning. He also shared his thoughts on whether these offerings could garner notable adoption in other markets, such as the U.S. and Europe (VIEW VIDEO). The second session focused on how the Greater China region is driving innovation of internet services globally with Hong-Kong-based Elinor Leung, head of Asia Telecom and Internet Research for CLSA, who also shared her views on the most promising areas of innovation and insights on the trends (VIEW VIDEO).

On day 3, the discussions explored the most promising areas of innovations in high-tech-based manufacturing, including Foxconn’s transformation and tech-based innovations in health care. The goals for these sessions were to understand how technology is creating more opportunities in tech-based manufacturing as well as evolution and future direction in areas such as AI, robotics and autonomous vehicles. These sessions also explored the increasing role of data and AI and how this creates new business models and opportunities and took a closer look at how hardware and data are coming together to create new solutions within healthcare and the type of impact these innovations are having on health care itself. In the first session, Jacob Chen, vice chairman, Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group and founding president, Foxconn University looked at the promising areas of innovation, including a discussion on Foxconn’s own transformation from the world's largest provider of electronics manufacturing services to its evolution and future direction in areas such as AI, robotics and autonomous vehicles. He also shared how COVID-19 has impacted manufacturing and where the greatest challenges and market improvement opportunities are (VIEW VIDEO). The second session centered around technology-based transformations of health care with two executives, Jason Wang, director of global marketing and David Yin, group vice president of Shenzhen-based Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics, a global medical instrumentation developer, manufacturer and marketer. They addressed the latest areas of technology-based innovations at Mindray, the trends and developments in the medical equipment sector and the uniqueness of the Chinese market as well as the unique origin of Mindray in China (VIEW VIDEO).

The final day of the 2021 conference explored FinTech disruptions and the most promising tech sectors for investment. As FinTech rapidly evolves in the Greater China region, possibly faster than in developed nations, disruptions are occurring across many sectors from lending to wealth management to blockchain to digital banking. In the first session, Renu Bhatia, Anthony Bizos and Florian Speigl, leaders in the FinTech space in Hong Kong addressed the rise of FinTech in the region, the areas of innovation they find most promising and the unique attributes of consumers in the region and how this influences commercial opportunities (VIEW VIDEO). The conference concluded with a review the investment landscape and most promising tech sectors for investment in the region. Following earlier deep-dive discussions into the three key sectors of FinTech, internet services and high-tech manufacturing, three UCLA Anderson alumni, all who are seasoned investors in technology sector in the region, Fritz Demopoulos (’97), Danny Qin (’11), and Sam Sun (’07), discussed where investment is happening and the areas they find most promising in terms of specific innovation, target markets, availability of capital as well as important areas of future growth and future outlook for the venture capital, private equity and M&A in the region (VIEW VIDEO).

Technology is a key focus at UCLA Anderson—almost every industry is impacted by technology and our leaders must understand the role of technology, tap its opportunities, mitigate negative externalities and be prepared to lead in a world that is increasingly technology-based. In “normal times,” the Center for Global Management would have recently returned with a large group of MBA students from Shenzhen and Hong Kong for one of the its Global Immersion courses, taught by Terry Kramer, faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center. While in-country for this course, students are able to learn and witness firsthand the remarkable innovations and tech transformations happening in the region and hear from many of the remarkable speakers who joined for the conference, and visit many of the same organizations who generously welcome and host students for visits at their companies too. The course was redesigned for the virtual environment and the 2021 conference sessions were mandatory components for the course. While the Center for Global Management looks forward to resuming these on-the-ground experiences for Anderson MBA students, the Center was pleased this year to be able to highlight these same issues for a broader global audience.

Born in China in 1916, the late Wilbur K. Woo (B.A. ’42) received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from UCLA. He went on to become a major figure in LA's business, political, cultural and charitable arenas and was known for his decades of leadership in the Chinese-American community. Global reach starts with global thinking, and two decades ago -- recognizing the rapid expansion and modernization of China’s economy -- Wilbur Woo, the vice chairman of Cathay Bank, and his wife Beth endowed the Wilbur K. Woo Greater China Business Conference at UCLA to show their gratitude for the training Wilbur had received at his alma mater. The Woos' goal was to facilitate dialogue, promote understanding, and strengthen the important ties between the Greater China region and the United States—to identify areas of collective opportunity, foster cooperation, and bring a group of leaders—both aspiring and current -- together to collaborate and learn together. This conference has continued to have a powerful impact on our community—here at UCLA and beyond.

The Wilbur K. Woo Greater China Business Conference, organized by the Center for Global Management is UCLA’s largest conference focused on the Greater China region. Each year, UCLA Anderson’s Greater China Business Association (GCBA) and UCLA’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) are collaborating partners. The 2021 conference was also a collaboration with UCLA Anderson’s Easton Technology Management Center. It was sponsored by Cathay Bank and Landsea Homes at the gold and silver levels, respectively. The China General Chamber of Commerce – Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall and the UCLA Asia Pacific Center and UCLA Center for Chinese Studies were supporting organizations.

In non-pandemic times, groups of MBA students would travel during Spring break for the in-country week of the Center for Global Management’s Global Immersion courses. For winter/spring 2021, the CGM redesigned its courses to be offered virtually. Guest speakers, virtual experiential and live interactive sessions complemented the faculty teaching sessions to provide students with a unique, learning-orientated experience. Students were able to connect through live virtual sessions with many of the same prominent executives, economists and entrepreneurs that they would have met in-country, including many UCLA and Anderson alumni. Rather than focusing on just one, or two countries, the virtual environment provided the opportunity to take a more regional focus. For the first time, UCLA Anderson associate dean, Gonzalo Freixes taught a very timely and topical course that looked at the European Union (EU), Brexit and COVID-19 and what they mean for doing business in Europe and globally.

To compound the economic and political uncertainty created by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic raged across Europe. As the UK and the nations of the EU confronted the effects of the pandemic, there were successes and failures. Against the backdrop of these twin crises in Europe, this course focused on the challenges and opportunities that the European Union structure, Brexit and COVID-19 have created for European and global business. The course analyzed (though not exclusively) their effects on five sectors, including financial services; technology and entrepreneurship; health care; sports and entertainment; and hospitality and tourism. To complement the academic teaching sessions and in lieu of the in-country travel week, during five interactive sessions, students heard from business and political leaders in Europe, including a number of UCLA/Anderson alumni, to gain perspectives of the successes and failures of the European Union as they relate to global business. Speakers also provided students with a first-hand account of how European businesses and governments are dealing with both Brexit and COVID-19 and what the future holds for European and global companies. 

Each of the five interactive sessions were primarily focused on the aforementioned sectors. In the first session, Brussels-based UCLA alumnus Pēteris Zilgalvis (BA ’86), head of unit for digital innovation and blockchain and co-chair of the FinTech task force at the European Commission discussed the role of the European Commission, how it develops legislation as well as explained the start-up infrastructure and FinTech trends in the EU. Later, Daan De Vileger, director of global trade advisory at Deloitte in Brussels analyzed the EU’s trade landscape, regulatory developments and the impact of Brexit. Following a virtual tour of the Maria 01 accelerator in Helsinki, students learned about the start-up campus hub, its affiliated companies and the startup ecosystem more generally in Finland.  Barcelona-based Ana Maiques, CEO of Neuroelectrics and co-founder of Starlab spoke more broadly about entrepreneurship in Europe which greatly enriched students understanding of starting a business in the region. These discussions were later complemented by a review of the general technology and business startup landscape in France and Europe from Toulouse-based Anderson alumna, Sarah Weldon (’96). Weldon is responsible for business development and strategic partnerships at CEA TECH, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission.

In advance of a virtual tour of the Audi Ingolstadt factory in Germany, Munich-based, PwC partner Felix Kuhnert, the global and German automotive leader provided terrific insights on trends in the automotive industry in Europe and the impact of COVID and Brexit on the sector. Switzerland-based Mark Rodrigues ('08), vice president and general manager, gasoline at Garrett - Advancing Motion and former general manager, Honeywell International later shared his own perspective on the automotive sector, and highlighted how regulation has fueled growth of the business. He also addressed Europe’s position and the “Green Deal.”

The third session centered around health care and reviewed the various health care systems in Europe and the COVID-19 response. Mary LeBlanc, (’82), president of Bridger Val Associates LLC who previously served as global pharma chief information officer in Basel, Switzerland highlighted the major challenges for health care as well as the impact of COVID and Brexit. LeBlanc’s insightful discussion was later complemented by a conversation with Munich-based alumnus, Christian Wiest (’98), chief executive officer of iThera Medical who also addressed the health care landscape across Europe, touching on MedTech and the German response to COVID. Wiest also discussed the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and shared his own trajectory before and after graduating from UCLA Anderson.

Banking and finance served as the focus of the fourth session. This particular session opened with an insightful discussion with Emilio Saracho (’80), former executive chairman of Banco Popular and former vice chairman, JP Morgan Chase & Co. Saracho addressed the banking and the financial markets in the EU and UK, the impact of Brexit and the role of the European Central Bank. He also provided his own future outlook and insights on bitcoin too. Saracho’s fascinating session was followed by an applied finance panel discussion that looked at the changing face of finance in the UK and EU. Alumni financial experts, including Paris-based Erinc Agacikoglu (’03) joined London-based classmates Marissa Harris (’05) and Sam Rubandhas (’05) for a moderated conversation on some of the key trends in the sector and shared their own perspectives on what the future holds for the industry in the UK and EU. The discussion was moderated by CGM founding board member, Toby Raymond ('86), managing director of London-based Access Equity Management Ltd.

The final session of the week and course focused on the media, entertainment and sports sectors. Milan-based Nelly Janet Cartagenova (’80), former executive finance director for The Walt Disney Company Italia addressed the media and entertainment landscape in Europe and COVID-19 impact, including the challenges and opportunities. She also shared her own personal journey and experience in Italy working for Disney and Apple and highlighted the importance of understanding the local market and culture. Joshua Levine (’09), director of commercial finance, 2K Games, who recently transitioned from Lausanne as commercial business controller for the International Olympic Committee, reviewed the sports and entertainment landscape in Europe. He discussed how business is conducted in Europe and the impact of Brexit and COVID-19. In a fascinating presentation, he reviewed the business structure of the Olympic Committee and the impact of COVID both on the Olympic Games as well as on the sports industry in general in Europe, particularly across the major football leagues.

On the final day of the course, the CGM hosted a networking session with UCLA Anderson alumni across Europe who joined virtually to meet the students. Welcome remarks were provided by Dean Tony Bernardo who gave a brief school update, including how UCLA Anderson is adapting to COVID-19 and its plans for the future. Alumni from France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK joined the interactive session which provided an opportunity for students and alumni to meet and network and talk through some interesting questions together, including taking a closer look at certain sectors and how Brexit and COVID have impacted organizations.

To complement the guest speaker sessions, students enjoyed virtual tours of the European Quarter in Brussels, the headquarters of the main buildings of the European Union, including the European Parliament; the Maria 01 accelerator in Helsinki; the Audi Ingolstadt factory in Germany; as well as an interactive 3D winery and cellar tour of Domaine Chateau Cos d’Estournel in the Bordeaux region of France and learned about the wine industry in the country. Throughout the course, students witnessed the influence and wonderful support and engagement of UCLA alumni across Europe. We are tremendously grateful for their continued support and commitment to UCLA Anderson and to the learning experience of current MBA students.

On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order to have the U.S. rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015. President Biden also announced that he will reconvene the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, and in cooperation with members and other partners, pursue initiatives to advance the clean energy transition and sectoral decarbonization. He has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This will require steeper emissions cuts than the U.S. has ever achieved. As climate change intensifies, it will become increasingly important to pursue all elements of an integrated climate response. In the U.S. and throughout the world, business leaders will play a crucial role to confront climate change and be required to identify opportunities for cleaner, more sustainable processes as disclosures on carbon emissions and other climate-related practices become increasingly important to customers, investors, regulators and the public at large. Under the general heading of how the U.S. can reassert a leadership role in developing programs to deal effectively with climate change there are a host of questions, including: What type of vehicles are suitable for effective collaborative action for dealing with climate change? Do we need large international agreements or can we achieve more through smaller ad hoc collaborations?  Does the history of U.S. ambivalence on climate change, especially given its recent history and current volatile political environment, render it an unreliable partner and unsuitable for a leadership role? The Major Economies Forum has been used by Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush and did not achieve lasting results. Will it be different this time? What role can and should businesses play to help achieve these ambitious goals and drive our nation and the world toward a clean energy future?

On March 4,  the UCLA Anderson Center for Global Management and UCLA School of Law’s Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy hosted the winter global business policy, the second forum of the year, in a virtual presentation and interactive discussion format. Edward A. Parson, Dan and Rae Emmett Professor of Environmental Law and faculty co-director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment joined Charles Corbett, IBM Chair in Management, Professor of Operations Management and Sustainability to discuss the challenges ahead for the U.S. and the world in forging solutions to address the central issue of our time - the impact of fossil fuel related emissions on human economic activity and wellbeing, including the role that businesses may take to meet the ambitious goals to stave off this existential threat. Students from Anderson’s full-time, fully employed and executive MBA programs met and networked with JD and LLM students from the UCLA School of Law. In small groups, students discussed two hypotheticals and considered what top-level strategic principles or priorities should guide US climate action in international arenas? Should the U.S. mainly focus its efforts on working through the existing UN process (the Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Paris Agreement), or should it instead (or in addition) aim to empower some other forum for international action. Students also considered practical and legal challenges associated border carbon adjustments and opined on how they should (not) be designed. Groups then reconvened and shared their thoughts and deliberations on these difficult and complex issues. The Global Business and Policy Forum is a collaborative partnership between UCLA Anderson’s Center for Global Management and the UCLA School of Law's Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy.

Today's transformational COVID-19 vaccines have highlighted an important trend in healthcare – – the notable innovation occurring in biopharma, globally. These innovations offer the potential for significantly enhanced health outcomes with potentially broader affordability and access. On March 2, the Center for Global Management and Easton Technology Management Center hosted a panel discussion with Mark Noguchi ('81), senior vice president and general manager business development, Chugai Pharmaceuticals; Greg Talbert, global head of digital and personalized health care partnering, Roche; and Stella Xu, managing director of Quan Capital. Panelists discussed the key enablers for this innovation, the role of data, changing business models, public policy and venture capital. The discussion, moderated by Terry Kramer, adjunct professor and faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center, provided a fascinating look at the key innovators in this space and highlighted the value of innovation and the huge opportunity it has to change outcomes. The idea of personalization and integration of capabilities matters. Entrepreneurship matters too. The market is global and creates opportunities in best practices and development. The conversation also emphasized the importance of partnerships around the world, such as partnerships between tech companies and life sciences companies; governments and business; and also nations. Leadership also matters and as the industry continues to evolve, ethical considerations will be an extremely important part of using technology going forward. This is an exciting time for pharma. It is a very expansive area that is witnessing a convergence of all types of tech innovation that have a huge potential to change healthcare as we know it today. At Roche, Talbert leads a team responsible for the identification and execution of digital healthcare partnerships as part of the implementation of Roche’s personalized health care strategy. Prior to joining Chugai, Noguchi spent 33 years with the Roche Group. Xu is managing director of Quan Capital, a life science venture fund with deep expertise and broad experiences in cross-border value creation and global investments. Prior to Quan, she was site head of Roche R&D Center China and a core member of the global management team of Roche’s Immunology, Inflammation & Infectious Diseases. The discussion was a collaboration between the Center for Global Management and Easton Technology Management Center and drew a broad audience of UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the extended UCLA community and general public. VIEW VIDEO

In this urgent, authoritative book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, technologist, business leader and philanthropist Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical—and accessible—plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid a climate catastrophe. On February 19, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall and Writers Bloc hosted a timely and extremely thought-provoking conversation with Bill Gates and climate change activist, philanthropist, and award-winning actor Don Cheadle.  Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and finance, he has focused on what must be done in order to stop the planet’s slide toward certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only explains why we need to work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, but also details what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal.  Gates wants people to know two numbers: 51 billion and zero. The former is the number of tons of greenhouse gases typically added to the atmosphere each year as a result of human activities and the latter is the number of tons we need to get to by 2050 in order to avert a climate crisis. During the fascinating conversation, Gates explained the scale of the problem if we don’t act. He brings his optimism and while he acknowledges that it is daunting when you look at the entire scope and admittedly won’t be easy to get done, it is not impossible. He sees the path to creating innovations and demand for these innovations that will be crucial across industries to meet this ambitious goal. Gates explained the huge challenges that Africa has for the future and that countries and people who disproportionately suffer and are impacted by the effects of climate changes are often the ones that have contributed the least to them. Gates addressed the important concept of the Green Premium which is simply the difference in cost between doing something in a way that produces greenhouse gases and doing the same thing without the emissions. For the large majority of activities responsible for greenhouse gas emissions – the Green Premiums are far higher. Our priority should be to eliminate these high Green Premiums. To accomplish this will take a significant amount of innovation in both technology and policies. Awareness is key and government’s role is central. The private sector and philanthropists will also need to play a leading role. Gates also explained how the young generation can help through the choices they make, expressing their voice and helping to bring awareness to the problem and educating others. It is now the start of the 30-year countdown for these groups to work together. The Center for Global Management is a member of the LAWAC & Town Hall and receives special invitations that allow students to attend its programming and join in the conversations – in-person and virtually. Students from the executive, fully employed and full-time MBA programs joined this important and thought-provoking conversation. VIEW VIDEO

In an era of COVID-19, the need for strategic agility and heightened scrutiny on continuity and safety has increased substantially. This has created a new sense of urgency for development of digital and remote solutions for both leaders and newcomers in the digital economy. These issues raise a fundamental question about company transformation, digitization, and the future of the technology industry. On February 18, the Center for Global Management and Easton Technology Management Center hosted a conversation with Narry Singh, a seasoned Silicon Valley CEO, advisor and investor. Singh, who has over 25 years of experience in the mobile, digital media, e- commerce, and software industries addressed these issues in a fascinating dialogue, moderated by Terry Kramer, adjunct professor and faculty director of the Easton Technology Management Center. The conversation shed light on the importance of digital transformation and digital IQ. Singh explained that we are now in the second chapter of digital transformation and that digital is no longer an add-on: it should be a core part of any business. Successful strategies in ‘Chapter Two’ will require changes to organizational structures and mind-sets. Singh also touched on the digital divide, digital talent and leadership imperatives, as well as his own career path, transitioning from entrepreneurship to consulting and his role on boards across multiple sectors. Narry Singh is an advisor to CEOs of the world's largest corporations as well as a successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor. He previously served as Global Head, Growth & Strategy for Accenture Digital and was a member of Accenture's Global Leadership Council. His team was responsible for Accenture Digital’s growth strategy, acquisitions, investments, new service offerings and global partnerships. Prior to joining Accenture in 2014 in London, he spent 19 years in Silicon Valley building mobile, eCommerce, and SaaS businesses. Singh has also invested in and/or advised over 30 start-ups and has served on boards of or advised the World Economic Forum (ITC Committee), TigerText, CaseCentral, Architecture for Humanity, among others.  The discussion was a collaboration between the Center for Global Management and Easton Technology Management Center and drew a broad audience of UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the extended UCLA community and general public. VIEW VIDEO

China’s announcement of its pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 (and subsequent announcements by Japan and South Korea) could help significantly slow global warming. In recent years, China has emerged as a leader in clean energy technologies, including solar panels and wind turbines. It is also the world’s largest manufacturer of electric cars and buses. Green bonds and other types of sustainable financing could play a major role in driving China’s pledge to be carbon-neutral within the next four decades, as sustainable investing gains more traction in investment portfolios. The U.N.’s Environment team is already working with public and private sector organizations in an attempt to align international financial systems to its sustainable development agenda. At a national level, too, central banks are making noises about prioritizing greener investment. The U.S. incoming administration has made clear that climate change will be one of its priorities. How will different types of economies and political systems East and West cope with a problem so large? If governments fail to properly price the costs of carbon related pollution, what responsibilities do private companies have? How should the conflict between shareholders and other stakeholders be managed?

On Thursday, February 4, the Center for Global Management hosted a moderated conversation to address these important issues. Ivo Welch, distinguished professor and J. Fred Weston Chair in Finance and a highly respected authority on socially responsible investing joined Christine Loh, visiting professor, former deputy minister for the environment in the Hong Kong SAR Government and a subject expert and strategist on the environment, who advises HSBC, BASF and others. The discussion was moderated by Sebastian Edwards, distinguished professor and Henry Ford II Chair in International Management. Loh and Welch analyzed the new definition of sustainability after COVID-19 and how the disruption will likely impact the future sustainability policies in the U.S., Asia and the world. They examined the tradeoffs associated with the future provision of energy necessary to support modern economies and shared their longer-term views on the role of green financing to address the central issue of our time - the impact of fossil fuel related emissions on human economic activity and wellbeing. The global audience of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the extended UCLA community and general public asked many important questions during the audience Q&A that went into a deeper discussion on some of the key topics raised and touched on ESG, cap and trade as well as nuclear energy and rising sea levels. The discussion which was part of the CGM’s World Today Discussion Series was co-sponsored by the UCLA School of Law’s Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy, as well as the UCLA Anderson Fink Center for Finance. The World Today Discussion Series engages students in dialogue in an interactive, engaging and enriching discussion format around current global issues that transcend borders. Through the series, the CGM engages globally minded students with issues that matter and ideas that stimulate. Through balanced discourse, the series serves as a neutral forum to educate students on global issues while at the same time encourage debate and examination. UCLA Anderson’s Center for Global Management is committed to providing timely and relevant information about critical global topics and issues that matter to our community and the world.  VIEW VIDEO

On Thursday, January 21, the Center for Global Management (CGM) and the South Asian Business Association (SABA), hosted a virtual evening discussion with UCLA Anderson alumnus Arvind Singhal (’82), president of the UCLA Anderson Alumni Chapter in India and chairman of Technopak Advisors, a successful Delhi-based management consulting company that is a leader in India in the consumer products and retail sectors. Students from the full-time, fully employed and executive MBA programs, including members of SABA joined the intimate and interactive session to hear from Singhal who, beyond Technopak, is actively involved in the causes of education and healthcare in India as well as mentoring students and professionals. He shared personal stories with students, including what brought him to UCLA, his time on campus and his career trajectory since returning to India in 1982. He also shared some key learnings from his time at the Graduate School of Management (now, UCLA Anderson) and his thoughts on the key strengths and attributes to a successful career and happier personal life. Singhal addressed student questions about India today and in the future. He highlighted some exciting areas of innovation including, for example, Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric ID system, that assigns a 12-digit unique identity number that is tied to a range of citizen beneficiary services. The program was designed to be a technological solution to both existing and emerging socio-economic challenges and help ensure inclusion in India. It is linked organically to new bank accounts and mobile connections, making them accessible to large sections of India’s ~ 1.4 billion population. In turn, much of the increase in financial access in the country has been spurred by the Aadhaar-based reforms to social programs that enable benefits to be routed through bank accounts. Singhal offered some good advice as students think about their own careers, professional and personal lives. Contextualized within the world today, he discussed the need to be nimble and the concept of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) - offering a useful way to think about how we can be prepared and respond to unanticipated situations. Singhal sits on several Boards, including some not-for-profit, as an independent director. He also has served on several committees in the leading chambers of commerce and industry in India, across different sectors including retail, textiles, healthcare, and education, and is considered as one of India’s leading experts in India’s private consumption, consumers, and retail domains. Singhal is an accomplished columnist that focuses on the pulse of the market in India and has been a regular columnist for leading Indian business papers, including Business Standard and Economic Times, and a frequent contributor to major Indian and international business publications that include the Wall Street Journal.

In his new book Right/Wrong: How Technology Transforms Our Ethics, author, academic and futurist Juan Enriquez argues that technology not only shapes people’s ethics but also has drastically improved ethics within societies. This argument challenges many widely held beliefs that technology corrupts societal ethics. Enriquez further posits that today’s most pressing issues — the pandemic, climate change, and political polarization to name a few — are all shaped by the relationship between technology and ethics, and that this holds enormous potential for improving the future. What can we learn from past technological innovations and how can we use this knowledge to build a better future? The conversation with Enriquez that attracted an audience of over 400, included many UCLA Anderson MBA students and alumni, was moderated by UCLA Anderson’s Professor Terry Kramer and traced the historical foundations of the book’s arguments and parsed out how understanding the relationship between technology and ethics can help us solve today’s diverse problems. Questions touched on many fascinating topics including how ethics evolves over time and are not static; how technology has played an important role in raising awareness and greater transparency; misinformation; and the importance of leadership, accountability and focusing on the facts for decision-making. Enriquez possessed a distinct and very impressive ability to take disparate facts about the world around us and make sense of them in a way that is timely and relevant. In closing, Enriquez emphasized the importance of humility and forgiveness in judging each other and judging the past and that ethics is not something to be scared of. Juan Enriquez is a leading authority on the economic impact of life sciences and brain research on business and society as well as an entrepreneur. He was the founding director of the Harvard Business School's Life Sciences Project and is a research affiliate at MIT’s synthetic neurobiology lab. Following HBS, Enriquez became an active angel investor. He then co-founded Excel Venture Management. As a business leader, advisor, and renowned speaker, he works directly with the CEOs of a number of Fortune 50 companies, as well as various heads of state, on how to adapt to a world where the dominant language is shifting from the digital towards the language of life. Enriquez is author and co-author of multiple bestsellers including As the Future Catches You: How Genomics Will Change Your Life, Work, Health, and Wealth (1999), The United States of America: Polarization, Fracturing and Our Future (2005), Evolving Ourselves: Redesigning Humanity One Gene at a Time (2015). He is a TED All-Star with nine TED talks on a variety of subjects, as well as dozens of TEDx talks. Enriquez also serves on multiple for profit boards as well as a variety of non-profits. The event was hosted by and in collaboration with the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall, in partnership with the Center for Global Management and Easton Technology Management Center. The Center for Global Management is a member of the LAWAC & Town Hall. VIEW VIDEO

On January 14, the Centers@Anderson hosted its inaugural discussion of the new year with Dr. David Feinberg, head of Google Health and former CEO of UCLA Health. The discussion was a firsthand look at promising areas of innovation – – near term and long term for healthcare and Google Health's fascinating areas of focus. During the discussion, moderated by Professor Terry Kramer, Feinberg shared his unique 360° view of healthcare from the point of view of health providers, payers, researchers, patients and technology providers to understand how and where transformations will occur. He addressed the role of data and technology in improving health outcomes, reducing costs and enhancing access as well as the role of "person-to-person" connections in healthcare and technology adoption. Feinberg’s assessment of the state of healthcare in the U.S. today, views about promising areas of innovation and the model for effective partnering were invaluable for the global audience that included over 600 students, faculty, alumni and board members from UCLA Anderson, UCLA Health/UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, as well as members of the extended UCLA community and general public. Some of the key takeaways from the discussion were summarized by Professor Kramer. First, to make sure that we are all thinking about the context of health care well - a lot of the problems that are created are not with the interactions with doctors but it’s the downstream piece, i.e. zip codes, lifestyle, the choices we make and the information we have access to. Next, ultimately effective technology-based solutions are going to come from a partnering with healthcare providers. Kramer said that when you think about competition, the problem is so big that we need a lot of people and companies going after these issues. Finally, there is some optimism. Ten to twenty years out, there might be a big improvement in healthcare and we live in times where we need big solutions. Feinberg added, “From a citizen standpoint (and from a national security standpoint), it’s a moral imperative that we get this right.” This discussion was a collaboration among the Centers@ Anderson and UCLA Health and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. UCLA Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo provided opening remarks. VIEW VIDEO

About the Leadership: Changing Paradigm Series.
In a global environment of greater opportunities and challenges, with greater demands on leaders, businesses and society, new leadership paradigms must be assessed and acted on to ensure future success. This series will address leadership imperatives for today and learnings for tomorrow with general themes about the growing interdisciplinary nature of leadership, a changing paradigm for decision making and a more expansive view on the role of stakeholders including employees, government and society in addition to shareholders. Attendees of these events should come away with an enhanced understanding of leadership that will serve them longer-term contextualized with today’s issues and opportunities. The series is a collaboration among the Centers of UCLA Anderson.