Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media

Steve Forbes is chairman, CEO, and editor in chief at Forbes Media and an internationally respected authority in the worlds of economics, finance, and corporate leadership. With the economy at the forefront of conversation on a global level, Forbes offers long-standing insights that capitalism, free markets, and a flat tax are essential to a healthy economy. This is a message Forbes has been delivering as editor of one of the world’s most successful business magazines for decades, and he continues to be one of the most sought-after speakers on this and other economic issues leading the economic debates around the world.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: Steve Forbes received "two standing ovations" from 700+ executives from corporations throughout the Rocky Mountain region at their 2011 Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference. His gracious and approachable manner also made the event "a huge success!"

45th Vice President of the United States; Nobel Peace Laureate; Senior Advisor to Google; Board of Directors, Apple; Chairman, Generation Investment Management; Chairman, Current TV; Chairman, The Climate Reality Project ; Bestselling Author

A political, business, and environmental visionary recognized around the world as one of humanity’s leading minds, Vice President Al Gore offers a unique perspective on national and international affairs. Referred by TIME Magazine as “a businessman who is out to change the world,” Vice President Gore’s status as a leader in global politics, technology and business influences his positions as Senior Advisor to Google and member of the Board of Directors of Apple. In addition, he is Chairman of Generation Investment Management, an asset-management company incorporating sustainability values into the financial-services world, and a senior partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Silicon Valley’s preeminent venture firm. He also co-founded Current TV, an Emmy-Award winning cable news and information channel.

One of the most powerful champions of environmental awareness in America today, Vice President Gore continues to lead the campaign to educate the world on climate change, most recently launching an exciting new global campaign, "The Climate Reality Project." One of his best-selling books on climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, was turned into a critically acclaimed documentary which won two Oscar awards.

First Deputy Managing Director, IMF 2006-2011 ; Co-Director, Aspen Institute’s Program on the Global Economy ; Director, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Advisory Board Member, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) ; Former Vice Chairman, JPMorgan Investment Bank; Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

John Lipsky’s service at the International Monetary Fund coincided with the onset of the greatest economic and financial challenges faced yet by the rapidly globalizing world. Having served as the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director between 2006-2011, as well as Acting Managing Director from May-July 2011, Lipsky helped lead the IMF’s efforts to halt the global downturn, to reestablish economic and financial stability, and to restart growth through unprecedented international policy cooperation in the face of historic market upheavals and systemic disruption.

Over the course of his distinguished career in both the private and public sectors, he has earned the credentials that give him the respect of leaders from both sectors around the world. Lipsky offers a unique insight into how economic policy is being negotiated and implemented today, reflecting the unique challenges and the global realities of shifting relative power in both economic and political arenas.

Director, White House National Economic Council, 2009-2010 ; Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, 2009-2010 ; Member, President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board ; Charles W. Eliot University Professor, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government ; President, Harvard University, 2001-2006 ; Secretary of the Treasury, 1999-2001 ; Chief Economist of the World Bank, 1991-1993

Larry Summers is the preeminent voice on all economic issues on both the domestic and global fronts. He served in the Obama Administration As Director of the White House National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, he was Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and Chief Economist of the World Bank. His tenure as Secretary coincided with the longest period of sustained economic growth in U.S. history, and has made him an expert on domestic economics and a leading authority on international finance. During his tenure in the Obama Administration, Larry Summers emerged as a key economic decision-maker and continues to be called upon as the number one resource for the most pressing economic debates of the day.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT:  Charlie Rose Interview;  Larry Summers at the World Economic Forum; CNBC Interview;  Interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria

Secretary of State, 1973-1977; Nobel Peace Laureate

Foreign Policy Magazine named Henry Kissinger one of the "Top 100 Global Thinkers" for a "Half-Century Ruling the U.S. Foreign Policy Community." World-renowned for his unparalleled skills in the art of diplomacy, Dr. Kissinger is one of the shrewdest, best-informed and most articulate figures ever to occupy a position in Washington. A vital presence in international and national politics, Dr. Kissinger understands firsthand the delicate balance of world power and America’s influence.

46th Vice President of the United States; Secretary of Defense; Congressman, House Leadership; White House Chief of Staff; Former Chairman and CEO of Halliburton

For over 40 years, Dick Cheney has served at the highest levels of the US Government and private sector. As White House Chief of Staff in the aftermath of Watergate and America’s withdrawal from Vietnam, Wyoming’s Congressman and a member of the House Republican leadership during the Reagan years, Secretary of Defense as the Cold War ended and America defeated Iraq in Desert Storm, former CEO of Halliburton, and Vice President of the United States on 9/11 at the dawn of the Global War on Terror, Cheney has participated in many of the events that have shaped our nation for over four decades. Few Americans alive today can match the breadth and depth of his experience and service.

As a statesman, policymaker, businessman, and politician – who never lost an election in which his name was on the ballot--Cheney’s insight, experiences and knowledge are unparalleled.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: Bob Schieffer from CBS' "Face the Nation" spoke with former Vice President Richard Cheney on the reception of his memoir "In My Time."

Member of President Obama’s Cabinet and Director, Office of Management and Budget, 2009-2010; Director, Congressional Budget Office, 2007-2008; Vice Chairman of Institutional Clients Group at Citigroup, Inc.

Peter R. Orszag has been at the center of some of Washington's most consequential and contentious issues: He was head of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for two years while George W. Bush was President before joining the incoming Obama administration. When President Obama named Dr. Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), both Republicans and Democrats praised the choice because of his proven work as CBO head. Dr. Orszag was one of Obama's top lieutenants on two of the president's signature legislative efforts: the stimulus bill and the healthcare overhaul. During the process, Dr. Orszag played full-court press, fighting internal battles over the shape of the plan, emerging as a key media spokesperson, and proving himself an adept congressional negotiator.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT:  Peter Orszag Addresses the Economic Recovery & Future (Council on Foreign Relations); A Conversation with Peter Orszag at the Aspen Ideas Festival 

Member of President Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (Present); Member of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board (Present); Member of President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board (Feb. 2009 - Feb. 2011); National Economic Advisor to President Clinton, 1995-1996 ; First Female Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, 1993-1995 ; First Female Dean, London Business School, 2002-2006; S.K. and Angela Chan Professor of Global Management, Haas School of Business, Present

Dr. Tyson's experience as an established economic advisor, a dean at two top-ranked business schools and a board member of three multinational companies gives her an extraordinary breadth of knowledge to forecast economic trends for specific industry sectors, as well as offer prospects for world trade and international markets.

Chairman of JP Morgan/Brookings Institution Global Cities Initiative ; Director, The Coca Cola Company ; Mayor of Chicago, 1989-2011 ; “Widely Viewed as the Nation’s Top Urban Executive” - TIME

As one of the world’s most celebrated mayors, Richard M. Daley has found ways to spread his message of global commerce though urban innovation since leaving his Chicago post. Recently named senior advisor to JP Morgan Chase and chairman of the Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and JP Morgan Chase, Daley brings his tactical experience to audiences around the world. He consistently delivers newsworthy and topical presentations to the world's leading institutions, giving them highly informed perspectives to succeed in today’s economy.

According to TIME Magazine, Mayor Richard M. Daley “is widely viewed as the nation’s top urban executive.” As a city CEO, he earned a reputation - both in Chicago and across the U.S. – for acting proactively and implementing forward looking policies, many of which are emulated around the world. His innovative, community-based programs have tackled many of the fundamental challenges facing America today - strengthening the economy by focusing on jobs and businesses of the future, including green technology and clean energy; bringing new businesses and jobs to the community; and creating education initiatives that provide better job and skill training for a workforce that is ready to work in the new economy emerging from the nation's recession. At the same time, he made it an ongoing priority during his tenure to control government spending, and hold the government to higher standards of accountability and transparency, in order to better serve Chicago's taxpayers. One of the hallmarks of his leadership was pulling the people of Chicago together to "focus on what unites us," challenging the city to work together and put aside politics to focus on shared solutions to Chicago's problems.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: WHEATON COLLEGE: Mayor Daley reflects on his tenure, as well as his passion for public service. /// ASIA SOCIETY: Mayor Daley addresses education and the importance of multi-lingual and multi-cultural education in today's global cities.

Former U.S. Trade Representative 1996-2001; Board Member, America China Foundation; Board of Directors of the American Express Company; The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.; Intel Corporation; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.; and the Council on Foreign Relations

Known globally as the architect and negotiator of China’s WTO agreement, Ambassador Barshefsky is one of the world’s experts on China. With two decades of experience, she offers highly expert, in-depth knowledge about conducting business with this coming superpower. Ambassador Barshefsky also draws on the skills she used to spearhead hundreds of trade and investment agreements, as well as her unique understanding of international economic policy, and foreign and U.S. government policies,  to enlighten audiences with her wide breadth of global knowledge.

Chairman & CEO, The Walt Disney Company (1984-2005); Owner and Non-Executive Chairman, The Topps Company, Inc.; Founder & CEO, The Tornante Company

Michael Eisner teaches audiences how to develop corporate creativity and strategically invest in innovation, based on his experiences as CEO of Disney and as Founder of The Tornante Company, a fund to invest in and develop companies in the media and entertainment sector. Both Fortune 500 CEO and entrepreneur, Mr. Eisner knows that even large global companies can innovate and adapt to new markets, new economies and new technologies. Through his remarks, he not only inspires corporate innovation, he gives parameters for successful execution such as brand building, establishing strategic partnerships and employee work teams.

Under the leadership of Michael Eisner, Walt Disney Company revenues grew from $1.7 billion to more than $30 billion by focusing on the power of ideas, pursuing the innovative vision, and taking creative risks. As a leader in the media industry for nearly four decades, Mr. Eisner has overseen organizations recognized for their inventiveness and innovation, experienced an explosion of technological advances that have impacted his business and led his companies through the advent of the next big ideas. In his presentations on leadership, he shares his insights on what it takes to run a company that must always grow and change.

Chancellor of Germany, 1998-2005

As Germany influences the future of both the European Union and the Euro, there is no leader better positioned than Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to speak on the central issues affecting the EU and the global economy.

He remains vastly popular as a principal player in the global energy sector, and is the Independent Director and Member of the Board of Directors of the Anglo-Russian oil company TNK-BP, chairman of the shareholders’ committee for the European-Russian pipeline company Nord Stream AG, a member of the European Advisory Council of the Rothschild Group since 2006, and an Advisor to Swiss publishing company Ringier.

In the years that Gerhard Schröder served as Chancellor of Germany, he did more to modernize the country's economy than had been accomplished in decades, and his insights will enlighten audiences on the decisions currently facing European governments.

Author, One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China; Senior Counselor, APCO Worldwide; Senior China Advisor, Vistage, World’s Leading Chief Executive Organization ; Member, Council on Foreign Relations, International Council Asia Society, National Committee US-China Relations; Chairman US-Government Relations Committee, American Chamber of Commerce in China

James McGregor is everybody's go-to guy on China - providing strategic advice to top political leaders and Fortune 500 CEOs and serving as an insightful and influential China commentator for television, radio and print media across the globe. James McGregor knows how China really works. With formidable storytelling skills, he reveals indispensable and street-smart strategies, tactics and lessons for succeeding in the world’s fastest growing consumer market.

Founder, Wikipedia; U.S. Internet Entrepreneur and Wiki Pioneer; One of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People”; Wikipedia is the 5th Most Popular Website in the World

Jimmy Wales, the Founder and Visionary Force behind Wikipedia, is one of TIME Magazine’s "100 Most Influential People" and was ranked 12th by Forbes Magazine in their first annual "Web Celeb 25" List. Ten years ago Wales thought if Wikipedia could rank in the top 100 or Top 50 websites that would be pretty good...Today Wikipedia is the 5th Most Popular Website in the WORLD and Jimmy Wales is one of the most sought after visionaries in business and technology! Jimmy Wales' leadership was recognized by the World Economic Forum in 2007 when they acknowledged him as one of the top 250 young leaders across the world for his professional accomplishments, his commitment to society, and his potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. And in May 2008, Wales co-chaired the annual World Economic Forum on the Middle East, the foremost global gathering of political, business and cultural leaders.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT! 2011 Marks the 10th Anniversary of Wikipedia! Read Wales' inspired thoughts on the past decade of Wikipedia in articles from The Washington Post and WIRED Magazine, and watch his interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart or his video interview about Leadership!

Dean, Columbia Business School; Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors under President George W. Bush, 2001-2003

An economic advisor to Presidents, a well-respected Dean and Professor, R. Glenn Hubbard has been the architect of policies that affect millions. His groundbreaking research in the areas of tax policy, monetary economics, international finance and corporate finance has earned him international acclaim as a leader in economic theory and application.  A prolific writer, he rises at 4 a.m. to pen research papers and op–eds that regularly appear in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He’s a frequent guest on such programs as NPR's Marketplace and PBS's Nightly Business Report.

President of Mexico, 2000-2006

A visionary leader with a deep understanding of the economic and social challenges facing Latin America, President Vicente Fox is one of the world’s most important voices on the contemporary geopolitical landscape and the role of business in the developing world.

President of Poland, 1995-2005; Co-Founder of the Social Democratic Party; Distinguished Scholar in the Practice of Global Leadership, Georgetown University, 2006

One of the most influential political figures to come out of Eastern Europe since the fall of communism, President Aleksander Kwasniewski is a powerful voice in the debate over the economic and political future of the former Eastern Bloc nations, including Russia and Poland; the political and economic success of these emerging democracies; and such relevant issues as energy reserves and oil.

Chairman, Institute for Large Scale Innovation; Chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Advisory Council on Innovation ; Bestselling Author, Innovation Nation and Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity; Innovation Consultant to Public and Private Sector Leaders Worldwide

John Kao has made a career out of helping organizations go from “getting” the importance of innovation to “getting innovation done.”

Dubbed “Mr. Creativity” by The Economist, John is Chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation, whose i20 group is an association of 30 national ‘Chief Innovation Officers.’  He is considered a leading authority on the subjects of innovation, organizational transformation, and new media. He is author of the best-selling Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, a BusinessWeek best-seller that has been published in a dozen languages, and Innovation Nation: How America is Losing its Innovation Edge, Why It Matters, and What We Can Do To Get It Back.  

Kao’s life and career are a study in innovation: he focused on philosophy and social science at Yale where he earned his BA; he spent a summer as a keyboard player with Frank Zappa (he’s an accomplished jazz pianist); and he graduated Yale Medical School with a specialty in psychiatry. He did his residency at Harvard, where he then earned his MBA and stayed on for 14 years to teach as a Harvard Business School professor. His elective, "Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Organizations" drew some 2,000 MBA students, and the executive program he developed and taught, "Enhancing Corporate Creativity," attracted top executives from companies such as Merck, Merrill Lynch, and Saudi Aramco. He is this year's Chair of the World Economic Forum's (Davos) Global Advisory Council on Innovation.

It is the eclectic quality of Kao’s knowledge and experience that make his insights so useful and unique.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: View a video clip of John Kao speaking at the Tides Momentum Leadership Conference. In a presentation that mixes speech, music, and audience input, Kao talks about the meaning and importance of innovation, how we innovate, and the future as a design problem. 

John Kao explained why innovation is the key to America's future in a recent CNN special report, Restoring the American Dream: How to Innovate. View video... In addition to his appearance, Kao contributed a special article to CNN,"Defining Innovation."

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, 1977-1979; United States Congressman, 1973-1977; Mayor of Atlanta, 1982-1990; Co-Founding Principal and Chairman, GoodWorks International

Ambassador, Congressman, Mayor, humanitarian, ordained minister, international businessman, and sports enthusiast, Andrew Young has been serving and shaping our country for almost 50 years.

Recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics; Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, The World Bank, 1997-2000; Chairman, U.S. Council of Economic Advisors, 1995-1996; Professor, Columbia University and Chair of Columbia University's Committee on Global Thought; Author of the New York Times Bestseller, Globalization and Its Discontents

Stiglitz helped create a new branch of economics, "The Economics of Information," exploring the consequences of information asymmetries and pioneering such pivotal concepts as adverse selection and moral hazard, which have now become standard tools not only of theorists, but of policy analysts. He has made major contributions to macro-economics and monetary theory, to development economics and trade theory, to public and corporate finance, to the theories of industrial organization and rural organization, and to the theories of welfare economics and of income and wealth distribution. In the 1980s, he helped revive interest in the economics of R&D. His work has helped explain the circumstances in which markets do not work well, and how selective government intervention can improve their performance.

2006 Nobel Prize Winner; Founder, Grameen Bank; Member of Board of Directors of UN Foundation

What if you could harness the power of the free market to solve the problems of poverty, hunger, and inequality? To some, it sounds impossible. But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is doing exactly that. As founder of Grameen Bank, Yunus pioneered microcredit, the innovative banking program that provides the poor — mainly women — with small loans they use to launch businesses and lift their families out of poverty. Muhammad Yunus’s vision is the total eradication of poverty from the world. "Grameen," he says, "is a message of hope, a program for putting homelessness and destitution in a museum so that one day our children will visit it and ask how we could have allowed such a terrible thing to go on for so long." This work is a fundamental rethink on the economic relationship between the rich and the poor, their rights and their obligations. The World Bank recently acknowledged that "this business approach to the alleviation of poverty has allowed millions of individuals to work their way out of poverty with dignity." Credit is the last hope left to those faced with absolute poverty. That is why Muhammad Yunus believes that the right to credit should be recognized as a fundamental human right. It is this struggle and the unique and extraordinary methods he invented to combat human despair that Muhammad Yunus recounts here with humility and conviction. It is also the view of a man familiar with both Eastern and Western cultures — on the failures and potential for good of industrial countries. It is an appeal for action: we must concentrate on promoting the will to survive and the courage to build in the first and most essential element of the economic cycle — Man.

Internationally Acclaimed Author; TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World"

Named by TIME Magazine as one of the '100 Most Influential People in the World,' Niall Ferguson is a public intellectual whose work impacts industry, finance, government, and academia. Controversial, expansive, and eloquent, Mr. Ferguson has been called “the most talented British historian of his generation.

Member of President Obama's Economic Advisory Panel ; 27th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Former Chairman and CEO, New York Stock Exchange; Former, U.S. Undersecretary of State

As one of the members of President Obama's high-profile Economic Recovery Advisory Board, and with his experience as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is perhaps the most important rule-making authority for U.S. financial markets, William Donaldson is one of the most sought-after speakers regarding the current state of the economy and prospects for the road to recovery.

Founder & Chairman, Breeden Capital Management ; Chairman of the Board, H&R Block, Inc.; Former Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; Corporate Monitor of WorldCom, Hollinger and Fannie Mae

Widely acknowledged as the preeminent expert on corporate governance, Richard Breeden is the former Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. With wit and perspective, Mr. Breeden analyzes the issues and alternatives facing boards of directors, corporate leadership and regulators in today’s business environment.

Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc; Chairman, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS

In 25 years, Kenneth Cole has built a 150 store-strong retail empire, uniting his fashion instincts and business acumen with his philanthropic convictions. Mr. Cole’s influence reaches far beyond the world of fashion – he has been a dynamic advocate for many causes ranging from initiatives for the homeless to his work as Chairman of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, 2003-2008

Dan Gillerman was appointed Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations in 2003, the first time that Israel nominated someone from the private sector to this post. Armed with eloquent English and an understanding of the media rules of the game, Ambassador Gillerman may have landed in New York relatively unknown, but he soon emerged on the diplomatic frontline during the war in Iraq, the 2006 conflict in Lebanon, the growing Iranian nuclear program and other global challenges. Always direct, and always entertaining, “His addresses at the Security Council during the Second Lebanon War were among the best the organization has seen in recent years, and there are those who even noted that he caused the institution to awake from its boredom.” (Ynetnews)

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT: Dan Gillerman was recently interviewed on FoxNews regarding the current American/Israeli relations. Watch video...

Counselor to President George W. Bush, 2001-2002; Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, 2005-2007; Global Vice Chair of Burson-Marsteller

Karen Hughes is a senior strategist helping business leaders strengthen their corporate/CEO reputations, achieve business goals through effective communications and shape positive public and stakeholder perceptions. She has also been described as "the most powerful woman ever to serve in the White House" (Dallas Morning News) and "the most powerful public diplomacy czar in decades" (The Boston Globe). As Under Secretary of State, she traveled to more than 50 countries, meeting world leaders and reaching out to international audiences.

ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT: Karen Hughes Remembers the 9/11 Terror Attacks

Chairman of WPP Group; Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley International; U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James’, 1997-2001

Former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James’, Phillip Lader is uniquely qualified to discuss current international, economic and political issues, as well as business strategy, leadership, and ethics.

CEO, Executive Chairman & Lead Portfolio Manager of AIC Advantage Fund since 1987

From young, unemployed Jamaican immigrant to the cover of Forbes' Billionaires Edition, Michael Lee-Chin is the Executive Chairman of AIC Limited (a Canadian mutual fund), and Chairman of the National Commercial Bank of Jamaica. Under Mr. Lee-Chin's management, AIC has grown to more than $8 billion in assets. Mr. Lee-Chin was honored by TIME Magazine as one of Canada's Heroes and has been one of the country's most intriguing and inspiring citizens.

Former President and CEO of Ferrari North America; Author, Selling Dreams: How to Make Any Product Irresistible

Marketing maven and veteran CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, Ph.D. has led some of the world's most prestigious consumer products companies. His broad experience in banking, luxury goods and branded products, along with his comprehensive international business perspective serve as the backdrop for his presentations, where Dr. Longinotti-Buitoni reveals how he transformed products like Ferrari into irresistible brands.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States (2006-2009); Chairman, Jewish Agency for Israel (1999-2005); Chairman, World Zionist Organization (1999-2005)

How to enhance the critical relations between America and Israel? How to secure American aid  to Israel? How to prevent Iran from becoming a military nuclear power? Will America support Israel in an increasingly hostile international arena? How to secure the Bipartisan support for Israel? As Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Sallai Meridor was at the forefront, addressing these challenges. Deeply engaged with both administrations, and highly networked on Capitol Hill, Meridor played a key role in nurturing the critical relations between Israel and the US.

Having served until 2005 as the Chairperson of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Meridor focused on the next generation of Jews, the key to the future of Israel and the Jewish people. Currently, Meridor is the Chairperson of a new VC fund focusing on Israeli IT and Cyber Security, While at the same time is volunteering in a variety of NGO’s, focused on the future of Israel and the Jewish people.

ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT:  Read Meridor's telling article, As Iran watches the Arab Spring, who is watching Iran?, written in The Washington Post

Former Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Worldwide ; Former President of Sony; Founder, The Mottola Company

As one of the most highly regarded and influential executives in the worldwide entertainment business, Thomas D. Mottola most recently served as Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. During his tenure, he transformed Sony and its 18,000 employees into the most successful global music companies in history, expanding its businesses and all of its manufacturing facilities into over 60 countries, while creating one of the strongest management teams in the industry. Under Mottola's leadership, Sony revenues skyrocketed from $800 million to over $7 billion a year, creating the largest sales in the history of the company.

U.S. Ambassador to India, 2004-2009 ; Chairman International, Credit Suisse First Boston, 1992-2003 ; Under Secretary/ Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, U.S. Treasury, 1984 - 1992

United States Ambassador David C. Mulford came to India in early 2004, at a time when India-U.S. relations were undergoing a dramatic shift and the strategic partnership between New Delhi and Washington was gaining momentum as the two sides began working closely together on an unprecedented range of issues. Ambassador Mulford has been a major player for five years in the building of a strong partnership between the United States and India, the world’s two largest multicultural democracies. With charm and aplomb, Ambassador Mulford shares his first-hand perspective, taking audiences inside the comprehensive development of one of the most important relationships the U.S. will have with any country in the 21st century.

Senior Associate, Carnegie’s International Economics Program; Former Editor in Chief of the Award-Winning Foreign Policy Magazine ; Executive Director, World Bank, 1990-1992; Frequent Davos World Economic Forum Speaker

Editor of award-winning Foreign Policy magazine , member of TIME Magazine’s International Economic Board, frequent Davos World Economic Forum speaker, Business School Dean, MIT PhD and World Bank Executive Director, Moisés Naím examines abstract trends and, with a storyteller’s deft gift, translates them into practical knowledge. Offering insights on how financial crashes on one continent rock countries oceans away; how new standards of human rights developed in Europe transform politics in Latin America or Asia; or how corruption becomes a political lightning rod simultaneously around the world, Dr. Naím analyzes current challenges and opportunities for businesses around the world.

World Famous Trend Forecaster; Bestselling Author

Faith Popcorn removes the mystery from business, helping companies who apply her Trend-based methodology become leaders, not followers, of the future. She has been hailed as “the trend oracle” by The New York Times and the “Nostradamus of Marketing” by Fortune.

Senior Counselor, Albright Stonebridge Group and Albright Capital Management; Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Citigroup

In November 2007, Charles Prince retired as Chairman and CEO of Citigroup, the world’s largest bank. During Mr. Prince’s tenure as CEO, Citigroup achieved several noteworthy accomplishments, including the restoration of important relationships with regulators around the world and improving business practices under a comprehensive corporate governance and ethics initiative that he led in design and implementation.

California’s 38th Governor ; Cultural Icon ; Environmental Crusader

The world knows Arnold Schwarzenegger as a famous bodybuilder and a Hollywood action hero, but he is also a successful businessman, generous philanthropist and California's 38th Governor. During his tenure as CEO and Governor of the eighth largest economy in the world, Gov.Schwarzenegger fought to protect California's economy by taking on the special interest groups, from both sides of the aisle, with a David vs. Goliath approach. It was a battle of the old economy versus the new, as he worked to reform California's fiscal policies, create a better business environment, reduce burdens on employment, boost exports and stimulate job growth.

ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT: Read Gov. Schwarzenegger's Wall Street Journal article, "The Clean Air Act Keeps Us Healthy."

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: Watch a video clip of Gov. Schwarzenegger's recent, inspirational presentation at the University of Buffalo, which includes a compelling behind-the-scenes look at his meet and greet sessions, as well as footage from his iconic roles in politics and entertainment. WATCH VIDEO

Former President and CEO of Pepsi; Former CEO of Apple Computer; High-Tech Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist; Named "CEO of the Decade" by Financial News Network

John Sculley shares the business secrets that he used to catapult Apple and Pepsi to the most recognizable brand names in their categories.  John Sculley draws from his boardroom experiences to offer valuable insight into leading change, the new global marketplace and the innovative concepts companies are developing to transform business.

Bestselling Author and World Renowned Speaker on Exploiting Business Trends and New Market Opportunities ; Founder and CEO of ChangeLabs™

Peter Sheahan has established a globally recognized brand as a leading expert in how the world's most effective organizations and individuals distinguish themselves from the competition instead of running with the pack. In the space of three years he built a multi-million dollar consulting practice attracting clients such as News Corporation, Google, Coca-Cola, L'Oréal and Ernst & Young.

WATCH SIZZLE REEL! Take a look at the following video compilation to see why meeting planners bring Peter Sheahan to the stage time and time again.  VIEW CLIP.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa and the Near East in the Clinton Administration ; President of The Barnett Group, L.L.C.

An expert in the economic opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Judith Barnett is the founder of The Barnett Group, LLC. Her opinions and unparalleled knowledge are highly prized by companies looking to compete in these rapidly expanding markets. In her speeches, Ms. Barnett addresses the economic opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa from a geopolitical and economic perspective. Specializing in creating or expanding trade and investment in the Middle East, North Africa and China, Ms. Barnett is uniquely qualified to discuss global economy issues.

Founder, The Vanguard Group, Inc.; President, Bogle Financial Markets Research Center

Named by Fortune as one of the investment industry’s four giants of the 20th century, John Bogle is a titan of the investment world and a hero to independent investors.

Bestselling Author, First, Break All The Rules, and Now, Discover Your Strengths; Expert on Outstanding Leadership and Management Practices

Marcus Buckingham is considered one of the world's leading authorities on employee productivity and the practices of leading and managing. After graduating from Cambridge University with a master’s degree in social and political science, Mr. Buckingham went to work for the Gallup Organization, where he became a senior consultant. He is one of the top twenty bestselling authors in the ten year history of Amazon.com.

Global Currency and Public Policy Strategist, BMO Capital Markets ; Financial Industry Expert ; Author; Contributor, CNBC

As a foreign exchange strategist with over twenty years of financial experience, Andrew Busch knows what it takes to make it in today’s dynamic market.

Founder, Chairman and CEO, Women & Co., Citigroup ; Executive Vice President, Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Citigroup

Lisa Caputo is Executive Vice President, Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs for Citigroup. Lisa founded Citi’s leading women’s financial services business, Women & Co., and is its Chairman and CEO since 2000 when she joined Citi. She also is the Co-Head of Citi’s Women’s Initiative. Her wide-ranging experience throughout her career encompasses marketing, advertising, branding, research, media, digital, sponsorships, external, internal and executive communications, media relations, issues management, crisis management, government relations, grassroots organizing, community and consumer advocate group management, and growing a start-up concept into a revenue generating business. In addition to her posts at Citi, Lisa is a frequent television commentator and public speaker on current events and politics.

Global Business Strategy Expert ; Thought Leader ; Noted Author ; Successful Global Businessman

With a specific expertise in India and China, John Caslione provides hands-on experience with a keen focus on how US and European firms can develop strategies to succeed as they grow globally. His highly valued presentations are dynamic, information-packed, and sought after by CEOs and audiences from around the world seeking current, first-hand knowledge of global business markets.

Acclaimed Business Advisor; New York Times Bestselling Author of Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done

For 35 years, Ram Charan has coached some of the worlds’ most successful CEOs, working behind the scenes at companies like GE, KLM, Bank of America, DuPont, Novartis, EMC, Home Depot, 3M and Verizon. Ram is a favorite among executive educators and was selected as one of Business Week’s top ten resources for in-house executive development programs. Ram is known for his practical, real world perspective. :

Professor, Harvard Business School; Bestselling Business Author

Clayton M. Christensen is the Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, and is regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation and growth. He is widely sought after as a speaker, advisor and board member. His research has been applied to national economies, start-up and Fortune 50 companies, as well as to early- and late-stage investing.

Co-chairman of the European-American Business Council (EABC); Head of the International Trade and Finance Division of the Law Firm of Covington and Burling; Former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union; Former U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce, Undersecretary of State; Former Deputy Treasury Secretary; Former Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to President Carter

With an expertise in international business transactions and regulations and on resolving international trade problems, Stuart Eizenstat addresses issues relating to global competition and economic policies worldwide.

Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors, 1982-1984; George F. Baker Professor of Economics, Harvard University; President Emeritus, The National Bureau of Economic Research

One of the most brilliant economists at work today, Martin Feldstein understands the impact and influence of government’s role in monetary policy – from the inside out. President Reagan's chief economic adviser Martin Feldstein helps audiences understand what lies in wait for the world’s economic future.

Best-selling Author, The Rise of the Creative Class: And How Its Transforming Work, Leisure Community and Everyday Life

Richard Florida is one of the world’s leading public intellectuals on economic competitiveness, demographic trends, and cultural and technological innovation. He is one of the world's most sought after speakers on global trends, economics, prosperity, competitiveness and growth. Combining in-depth analysis, cutting-edge trends, compelling personal stories and a touch of humor, Dr. Richard Florida presents his insights into how creativity and the Creative Class are revolutionizing the global economy.

Juan Trippe Professor of International Trade, Finance and Business at the Yale School of Management; Chairman of Garten Rothkopf; Former Dean of Yale School of Management; Author

Addressing today’s increasingly global economy, Jeffrey Garten explores the timely challenges that corporate executives and other top business leaders will face in the decade ahead. Mr. Garten offers audiences his unique perspective on how to run a business in today’s volatile business climate.

Chairman and CEO, Mandalay Entertainment Group

A passionate, humorous, and tireless motivator and speaker, Guber has dedicated himself to coaching current and future leaders about the importance of telling purposeful stories to propel their business success. Guber is the sponsor of e2e: A Day of Generosity, an annual conclave in which top business story telling experts and leaders share story telling best practices, brainstorm, and collaborate on bringing the MAGIC of telling purposeful stories to the people of enterprises everywhere.

Leading Expert on Strategy, Globalization and Emerging Markets

Anil Gupta, world-renowned scholar on global strategy, is a regular speaker at major conferences and serves as an adviser and director for corporations in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: In this engaging Globe and Mail interview about Business Management, Anil Gupta says that "CEO's can make mistakes, but they must always act with integrity." Watch Video..

Author, High Performance with High Integrity ; Former Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, GE

At the podium, Ben Heineman demonstrates how CEO’s can build stronger contemporary corporations by fusing high performance with high integrity deep in business operations.

Authority on Business Leadership and Productivity; Author, It's Not The Big That Eat The Small - It's The Fast That Eat The Slow

Jason Jennings has spent twenty years founding and leading successful businesses and consulting other companies; teaching them how to achieve their full economic potential.

“Everyone is searching for the same things in life; the assurance that everything is going to be alright, that their tomorrows can be better than their today and the roadmap that shows them how to make that brighter day happen. Together these things comprise the essence of purpose and it’s my responsibility in a keynote speech to provide that assurance, promise and the roadmap.”  -Jason Jennings   

25th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission

Throughout his tenure as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commission, Arthur Levitt has worked to educate, empower, and protect America's investors – now more than 50 million strong.

Past President and CEO, Society for Human Resource Management

Michael Losey provides audiences with expertise on best human resource practices, leadership, labor, market trends, and effective recruitment and retention As one of the world’s leading authorities on human resource management, Mike Losey knows an organization’s most important asset is its people - and that success at the bottom line is dependent on developing their skills and loyalty. Losey shares with audiences - in practical, solution-oriented terms - the key ingredients to creating the kind of productive cultures that lead to rising profits and a competitive edge.

Former OPEC Secretary-General and Nigerian Minister of Petroleum

Dr. Lukman was elected as OPEC Secretary-General on Nov. 22, 1994 to a three-year term to succeed Dr. Subroto of Indonesia. Lukman was re-elected to a second three-year term as OPEC Secretary-General in 1997. Later he became a key force behind a price defense deal reached by Iran and Saudi Arabia in early 1999. He then served for four years as Special Adviser on Petroleum and Energy Matters to Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and then as Nigerian Minister of Petroleum from 2008-2010 resigning his post in March 2010.

Vice Chairman, Fidelity

In his speeches, the Wall Street guru says that the secret to his success is his ability to "think like an amateur." He offers a common-sense approach to stock picking: Know "everything about a company before buying a stock, then follow the story after buying the stock." He says, "Don't sell the stock if the story is still good whether the market is up or down."

Top Business Strategist; New York Times Business Bestselling Author; Director of Research, MediaPost; CEO, NFI Research

Bestselling author and Business Strategist Chuck Martin has had his pulse on the latest management trends since first authoring Managing for the Short Term. Sharing the stage with President Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, Dr. Phil, and Lance Armstrong, Chuck Martin advises audiences and companies on how to best cope with today’s business challenges. CEO of international market research powerhouse, NFI Research, Martin overseas a global idea exchange and research engine with a network base of 2,000 senior executives from more than 1,000 companies in 50 countries, including: AT&T, GE, American Express, Deloitte & Touche, Microsoft, and IBM.

Founder and C.E.O. of LIF Group; Author, Shaking the Globe: Courageous Decision-Making in a Changing World

Directorship Magazine named Blythe McGarvie as one of the 100 “Most Influential People on Corporate Governance and in the Boardroom.”  She speaks worldwide to business and academic audiences about consumer markets, worldwide economic trends, and the financial implications for better decision-making.

Nobel Laureate Economics; Professor of Economics, Columbia University; Father of the Theory of Optimum Currency Areas

Professor Mundell has lectured widely in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. He has given the Frank Graham Memorial Lecture at Princeton, the Marshall Lecture at Cambridge, The Ohlin Lecture and the Robbins Memorial Lecture. Professor Mundell customizes his speeches - he has addressed audiences in France after the French Referendum, Indonesia for the Bank of Indonesia and audiences in China at Peking University, tailoring his speech to the economic and monetary conditions of those regions.

Bestselling Author Megatrends and Mind Set; Futurist

A former visiting fellow at Harvard University, visiting professor at Moscow State University and current faculty member at the Nanjing University in China , John Naisbitt is the best-selling author of Megatrends, Reinventing the Corporation and his most recent book Mind Set: Reset Your Thinking and See the Future.

Former Governor of Hong Kong; Former European Commissioner for External Relations (EU Secretary of State); Chancellor, University of Oxford

Christopher Patten draws on his experience as Great Britain's last Governor of Hong Kong and as the Former European Commissioner of External Affairs (the EU's Secretary of State) to address current world political and economic topics.

Economist ; Principal Advisor to the European Union on Economic Development, Energy Security and Climate Change Policy ; President, Foundation on Economic Trends; Bestselling Author, The End of Work and The Age of Access; Fellow, Wharton School’s Executive Education Program

Jeremy Rifkin and his ideas are not without controversy. The author of seventeen books on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society and the environment, Mr. Rifkin advocates a new type of economic thinking. He is a proponent of sustainable development, quality of life and the nurturing of community. His books have been translated into more than thirty languages and are used in hundreds of universities, corporations and government agencies around the world. Mr. Rifkin is one of the highest rated speakers on the international lecture circuit on the topics of globalization, sustainability and shifting to a new energy era and low-carbon economy. CNN-International is airing a documentary on his Third Industrial Revolution vision for their program Principal Voices.  Click here to view the trailer.

CEO Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi

Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Worldwide Kevin Roberts is a radical optimist, a celebrated author, a motivator, a visionary and an evangelist for the power of world-changing ideas. A champion of unconventional thinking and assumption disruption, Kevin has a formidable record of success as a business leader. Teams he leads revere him for his energy, his uncompromisingly positive and inspirational management style and his extraordinary ability to generate ideas that cut to the heart of any problem. Using multi-media from Saatchi & Saatchi to engage and provoke his audience Kevin is not just a speaker, he is an emotion-in-motion experience in what it takes to succeed. As President of Pepsi in Canada after his team blew away Coke and took Pepsi to number one in the market for the first time ever, he celebrated by machine gunning a Coke vending machine on stage at a sales conference. As COO of Australasian brewer Lion Nathan, he shook up analysts by bringing a real lion on a chain to one of his first briefing meetings.

Professor of Finance and Economics (Emeritus), Graduate School of Business, Columbia University; Senior Fellow, Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; Founder & Managing Director, Selden & Associates

Conventional wisdom holds that the customer is always king (or queen), but not all customers are created equal, according to Larry Selden. In fact, some may be hurting your business (e.g., people who phone customer service lines thousands of times in a single year). In his speeches Professor Selden shows how businesses can thrive by researching which customers are making them the most money, which are losing them the most money and then developing a customer-centric plan to create the greatest profit. For corporate leaders, middle managers, or small business owners, Selden offers a breakthrough plan to delight their best customers and drive shareowner value.

Silicon Valley Success Story; Undersecretary for Technology, 1999 – 2001

More than just a technologist, businesswoman or global leader, Dr. Cheryl Shavers is an inspiration, a role model for individuals and organizations faced with seemingly insurmountable odds.

Leading Authority on Corporate Strategy and Business Transformation; Author of The Discipline of Market Leaders and Double Digit Growth: How Great Companies Achieve It, No Matter What

Michael Treacy has been an expert in market leadership for more than 25 years, aiding the senior management of many companies with their greatest strategic challenges.

Executive Director, William F. Achtmeyer Center for Global Leadership; Author Building Breakthrough Businesses Within Established Organizations; Author Ten Rules for Strategic Innovators – from Idea to Execution

Chris Trimble is an expert on innovation and execution. He has been warmly received as a speaker by audiences at such forums as the Business Week CEO Forum and the Conference Board’s Innovation Conference. He tackles challenging innovation concepts with an engaging speaking style that includes a comfortable blend of storytelling, illustrations from real companies, and clear insights.

Media Mogul; Philanthropist

Throughout his career, Ted Turner has received recognition for his entrepreneurial acumen, sharp business skills, leadership qualities, and his unprecedented philanthropy. At the podium, Mr. Turner delivers insight into his illustrious career.

Former Chairman and CEO, GE Capital Services

Since turning “Outsourcing to Gold” for General Electric, Gary Wendt has traveled the world teaching other companies how to hit the mother lode by taking advantage of today’s global business opportunities and trends. Considered a leading turn-around expert, Gary Wendt is widely credited with transforming GE Capital into a financial services giant. Wendt was praised by Fortune magazine as "one of the shrewdest people at GE, with an eye for spotting trends and an ability to move fast." He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

Founder, Owner and creative driving force behind YO! Sushi.; UK entrepreneur of the year

Simon Woodroffe is a charismatic and engaging speaker with a very personal story on how he has built up YO! Sushi. His common sense approach is of practical use and his entertaining style leaves audiences feeling inspired.

Pulitzer Prize Winning Author; Chairman, Cambridge Energy Research Associates

A highly respected authority on international economics, globalization, politics and energy, Daniel Yergin shares with audience’s unmatched insight into the world today. Compelling and informative, his presentations capture the issues, while grounding them in his audiences’ context.

Author, The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life; Conductor, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra

Benjamin Zander has appeared three times as a keynote speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In his speeches he uses uplifting stories, parables, and anecdotes to invite audiences to become passionate communicators, leaders, and performers. In a profile of Mr. Zander, Fast Company writes: “He plays, lectures, spins tales, and pushes his audience to laugh, cry, and sing -- usually Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," in German.”

Chief Economist and Co-Founder, Moody's Economy.com

Mark Zandi is a familiar name and face to anyone following financial news. Often called upon to comment on major news stories and their impact on the economy, Zandi is known for his objective, stimulating, jargon-free analysis of current economic and financial events worldwide. He is especially adept at explaining economic concepts to nontraditional or occasional users of economic information.

Global Political-Economic Expert ; Professor at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago; Author

"All politics is local," former House Speaker Tip O'Neill once famously remarked and the adage holds true for economics as well, even in the era of globalization, according to Marvin Zonis, global consultant and University of Chicago professor. In a world where local markets are increasingly interconnected, events in one small country can easily snowball to have a worldwide impact and while powerful corporations may be able to plant their flags around the world, they still need to deal with the locals. Factors like political corruption or ethnic conflicts can undermine a country's chances for prosperity, but they can be countered by strong leadership and stable institutions. In order to "do globalization better," business leaders need to recognize the importance of local political dynamics.