Center for Global Management

The Center for Global Management hosted Aaron Walton, co-founder and CEO of the powerhouse global advertising agency Walton Isaacson, for a fireside chat with Tony Bernardo, dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management. During a moderated conversation, Walton offered his insights on authenticity and diversity as keys to breakthrough impact for both consumers and employees. He spoke about authenticity and its value in global business, the importance of giving people a voice and the power that diversity has to grow businesses. Drawing on the professional experience he has developed over the past 25+ years, Walton shared stories of the business experiences that unleashed his own inspiring individual style, and offered his thoughts about the kinds of global experiences that may best prepare today’s leaders to thrive in increasingly dynamic and diverse organizations. A private luncheon followed in the executive dining where discussions continued. Walton’s boundless creativity and strategic acumen have made him one of the most admired executives throughout the advertising, brand marketing and entertainment industries. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 Multicultural Media Luncheon during the North American International Auto show and was named a Pride Legacy Leader by Business Equality magazine. He was also honored in 2017 by the American Association of Advertising Agencies as one of the 100 People Who Make Advertising Great. In 2013, Walton was elected to the Ebony Magazine “POWER 100” list, an award given to the nation’s most influential Americans from the worlds of religion, business, media and the creative arts. WI was founded in 2005 in partnership with famed NBA superstar and entrepreneurial legend, Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The company’s mission has been a breakout success, leading to inventive and dynamic business relationships with brands and organizations including Lexus, Wells Fargo, Spalding, McDonald’s, NYPD, and Macy’s. Around 250 UCLA and UCLA Anderson students, alumni, faculty, staff as well as members of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall and the Los Angeles community registered for the event that took place in UCLA Anderson’s Korn Convocation Hall. Opening remarks were provided by Ezra Glenn, MBA candidate from the Class of 2020 and the Anderson Student Association VP for Diversity, Inclusion and Community. The event which was part of the CGM’s Robertson Lecture Series on Global Business Leadership, organized by the Center for Global Management, supported by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall and proudly featured as part of this year’s UCLA Anderson Embracing Diversity Week and UCLA International Education Week.

The Center for Global Management hosted Stephan Shakespeare, CEO and co-founder of YouGov, a global big data analytics company and pioneer in internet-based market research and polling, for a fireside chat with Interim Dean Al Osborne before an audience in Korn Convocation Hall. The conversation centered around big data analytics and its impact on business, the public sector and global public opinion.  Shakespeare discussed the company's innovation-led strategy and expansion into international markets. He explained how YouGov collects opinions from around the world and how companies, non-profits and the media look to YouGov to better understand what the world thinks about brands, politics and current affairs to drive their business decisions and identify growth opportunities. He also addressed the impact of big data analytics on business; advanced technology and how it can be used to predict elections and national sentiment; and blockchain and how it empowers users and enables more effective ad targeting as well as the broader implications of cyber threats.  Shakespeare also shared his thoughts on using data for public good to tackle global social issues and how emerging ways of measuring and sharing opinion will create new risks and opportunities for society and business. The conversation also touched on many other topics, including Brexit and data protection. A private luncheon followed in the executive dining where the discussions continued. Stephan Shakespeare co-founded YouGov in 2000. One of the pioneers of internet research, Shakespeare has been the driving force behind YouGov's innovation-led strategy. He was chair of the Data Strategy Board for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 2012-2013 and led the Shakespeare Review of Public Sector Information. He was also recently appointed as a commissioner for the Social Metrics Commission, an independent charity dedicated to helping UK policy makers and the public understand and take action to tackle poverty. Around 200 UCLA and UCLA Anderson students, alumni, faculty, staff as well as members of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the Los Angeles community gathered in Korn Convocation Hall for the event. Opening remarks were provided by Gerry Sims, MBA candidate from the Class of 2019 and executive vice president of the UCLA Anderson Tech Business Association. The event which was part of the CGM's Robertson Lecture Series on Global Business Leadership was organized by the CGM and supported by the UCLA Anderson Tech Business Association and the Master of Science in Business Analytics program, as well as the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. 

Microsoft Chairman, John W. Thompson joined Dean Judy Olian for a fireside chat before a capacity crowd in Korn Convocation Hall for a conversation around global leadership in the midst of profound disruptive change. Thompson discussed his career trajectory of over 40 years and drew on lessons learned during his decade as CEO of internet security company Symantec, where he transformed the company into a leader in security, storage and systems management and his 28-year career with IBM Corporation where he held various senior leadership positions to his current role as a start-up investor and chairman of one of the world’s most valuable companies. Thompson, who succeeded Bill Gates as chairman of Microsoft in 2014 and led the search for Microsoft’s next CEO; as a result, Satya Nadella was selected, addressed issues ranging from AI-driven digital transformation and cybersecurity to managing cultural change and the role of the board. He also discussed Microsoft’s strength in the cloud, the current global macroeconomic environment and implications for the U.S. technology sector as well as the lack of diversity in the sector. Since 2009, Thompson has been an active investor in early-stage technology companies in Silicon Valley. He currently serves as either an advisor or board member with Illumina, ReviverMX and Illumio. Previously, he served on the boards of NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company), Fortune Brands, Liquid Robotics, Seagate Technologies, and United Parcel Services (UPS). Around 400 UCLA Anderson students, alumni, faculty, staff as well as members of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the Los Angeles community gathered in Korn Convocation Hall for the event. Opening remarks were provided by Aubrey Rho (’18), president of the UCLA Anderson Tech Business Association. The event which was part of the CGM’s Robertson Lecture Series on Global Business Leadership was organized by the CGM and supported by the UCLA Anderson Tech Business Association and Los Angeles World Affairs Council.