Photo by NEAL HAMBERG

When I left Soldiers Field thirty years ago as a young MBA, I never dreamed that I’d be back one day as president of the Alumni Association. But here I am at the beginning of a two-year term as head of a very dynamic alumni group — nearly forty strong — dedicated to fostering and strengthening the ties between all of you and the School. The fact that I am the first non-U.S. member of the Alumni Board to serve in this capacity says much about the global orientation of HBS today.

Having served on the board for the past three years, I’ve learned firsthand about the amazing variety of opportunities for alumni to use the School as a resource for knowledge and information, career development, networking, and even travel. During my term as president, I want to use this column to highlight important ways in which the board voices your interests and contributes to important projects on your behalf.

A great place to start is the HBS Global Leadership Forum held last June 21–23 in London. It was the latest in a series of global events initiated more than a decade ago by the Alumni Board and was initially called the Global Alumni Conference. From the beginning, the idea was to showcase the School’s renowned intellectual resources, while providing a global alumni audience plenty of opportunities for access to global leaders, networking, and socializing. Beginning with last year’s very successful event in Shanghai, the name changed to the Global Leadership Forum.

The London GLF was truly extraordinary for the access it provided alumni to senior HBS faculty as well as to European business and government leaders. It’s one of the School’s great strengths that it can assemble so many of the world’s top business minds.

Evenings were no less special. The local HBS planning committee used its insider savvy to gain exclusive GLF access to the historic Guildhall, The British Museum, and the Royal Albert Hall.

The forum moves to Washington, D.C., next June and promises to be no less special. Titled “The Private Sector and the Public Interest,” the 2006 GLF will explore the interweaving of the public and private realms and their impact on financial markets, innovation and technology, executive compensation, and society as a whole. Faculty-led sessions will delve into four key areas: Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship; Business and Society; Financial Markets; and Leadership in Public and Private Organizations. You can view the complete lineup at www.alumni.hbs.edu/glf2006.

For evening social events, the local HBS planning committee has lined up after-hours access to the Library of Congress, the National Air and Space Museum, and the National Building Museum, where alumni and their guests will experience a “State Dinner,” modeled on those hosted by U.S. presidents for foreign dignitaries.

As always, the Alumni Board strives to ensure a great event at an affordable price. To encourage greater participation among recent grads, we are introducing a discounted registration fee. And the entire event is designed with families in mind. There’s a special two-day program for kids, and pre- and post-forum optional tours for everyone.

Over the months ahead, you undoubtedly will hear more about the Washington GLF. Take a few minutes to review the details online. I hope to see you in D.C. next June 20–22.

Peter Cooper (MBA ’75)
President
HBS Alumni Association