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The Year Ahead – Upcoming Dangers & Opportunities
Former Chief of Staff Ron Klain looks at the upcoming dangers and opportunities for the U.S. economy and national security due to possible developments here at home and around the world. With experience spanning public service and private sector leadership, Mr. Klain offers a unique perspective on how these developments will impact companies and industries.
Managing Through Adversity
In this compelling talk, Ron Klain offers a perspective on how to manage through crisis, from the point of view of the White House Chief of Staff for President Biden’s first two years in office, where the team coped with a pandemic, economic instability, national security challenges around the world, and deep divisions in the U.S. – but nonetheless produced unexpected legislative progress and won the best first midterm outcome for any White House since 1934.
Longest-serving Chief of Staff Ron Klain’s expertise is at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and policy
Outgoing Chief of Staff RON KLAIN brings an unmatched perspective to the conversation on sustainability, innovation, and the impact of policy. Drawing on his unparalleled experience as the longest-serving Chief of Staff for any Democratic President as well as his background in private law practice, Mr. Klain speaks to how new energy innovations can be supported by policy and drive economic growth. He brings a high-level understanding of how the U.S. can re-center American economic strength as a country that makes the critical elements of production.
Working at the nexus of these high-level conversations between the White House and CEOs, Mr. Klain has unique insight into what’s needed now, and where innovation is headed. The focus is on power generation, new investments in expanding solar, wind, and other alternative energy fuels. He notes this is critical to the clean energy transition – making the components domestically will ensure sustainable growth.
Watch Ron Klain at The Atlantic Festival >>
Watch Ron Klain on SALT New York >>
Ron Klain is a partner and member of the Executive committee at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, a global law firm. He draws on four decades of experience in law, finance, policymaking, and politics to advise clients.
Klain has served as a key advisor to three U.S. Presidents—most recently as White House Chief of Staff in the Biden-Harris administration. President Biden described Ron as “a once-in-a-generation talent” and a “fiercely brilliant intellect” with “a heart as big as his head.” President Obama, for whom Klain led the U.S. response to the African Ebola epidemic of 2014, said of Klain that “He took on a challenge that many called insurmountable, and, in leading the team responsible for the tremendous progress, helped remind the world what makes America so exceptional.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote that Klain has “one of the coolest heads and quickest minds” in public life.
Selected by Time magazine among the world’s 100 most influential people in 2021, Ron is a recognized authority on matters of government, law, and public affairs. During his time as White House Chief of Staff, Ron oversaw the administration’s COVID-19 response and contributed to major legislative accomplishments, including the American Rescue Plan Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. At the end of his tenure as White House chief of staff, noted White House historian Chris Whipple rated Klain among the top three performers ever to hold the job, and said, “Mr. Klain had a rare combination of assets: White House experience, knowledge of Capitol Hill, political savvy and managerial acumen. His collegial style kept the West Wing practically leakproof and drama-free.”
His long history of public service includes serving as Assistant to President Bill Clinton and Chief of Staff and Counselor to Vice President Al Gore. Earlier, he served as Chief Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee; Associate Counsel to President Clinton, and then, Counselor to the US Attorney General. He subsequently served as a senior aide to President Barack Obama and Chief of Staff to then Vice President Biden.
Ron’s experience extends far beyond public service. In between tours in government, he previously worked as an O’Melveny partner; served for more than a decade as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of a multibillion-dollar investment firm, and taught as an adjunct professor at Harvard Law School and Georgetown University. Ron began his legal career as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White, after graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.
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