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Conference Brings Global Perspective to Cape Town
If there were ever any doubts that HBS graduates would travel to the ends of the earth to reestablish their ties to the School, those doubts can now be put to rest. Although the venue required at least a ten-hour flight for most attendees, the 1999 Global Alumni Conference was a huge hit, in part because of its stellar location: Cape Town, South Africa. More than four hundred delegates came from dozens of countries, with close to half bringing partners or family members for whom a special program of events had been set up. The lively March 21-23 conference gave attendees an inside look at the most developed region of Africa, broad and relevant insights into the challenges facing developing economies, a chance to meet and mingle with HBS faculty and fellow alumni, and an opportunity to explore the spectacular sights of Africa.
Conference delegates were first greeted on Sunday evening at Leeuwenhof, the majestic estate of Western Cape Premier Gerald Morkel. With the splendor of Table Mountain above and the beauty of Table Bay below, Morkel welcomed his guests to Cape Town, which he described as "a region of great economic hope." Sounding one of the themes that would be echoed by many others over the next two days, Morkel stated, "An African renaissance will be a pipe dream if we fail to realize that we are a part of the global village." Michael A. Thompson (85th AMP), who organized the conference with cochair Ewald J.H. Wessels (MBA '71), and HBS Alumni Association Board president Charles F. Milner, Jr. (MBA '65), also gave welcoming remarks.
The conference program, titled "Managing Development: The African Renaissance," officially began the next morning at Cape Town's Nico Milan Theatre. HBS professor F. Warren McFarlan, senior associate dean, director of External Relations, and one of the driving forces behind the School's Global Alumni Conferences, began by praising the conference cochairs' hard work and dedication in organizing the event. In his remarks to the capacity crowd, he quipped that Ewald Wessels had become a full-time, unpaid employee at HBS - "a model we're looking to replicate." Professor Richard H.K. Vietor, faculty chair of the event, expressed the hope that the School's activities in sub-Saharan Africa, such as the conference, new Executive Education initiatives, and continued research, will "in a small way help encourage the new spurt of growth that South Africa is leading in the region."
The Burden of Geography
Economist Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Harvard Institute for International Development, delivered the first keynote address, a captivating presentation titled "Developing Nations in the World Economy," which laid out several of the key issues that were discussed over the next two days. Sachs stressed that "Africa's development challenge is the world's greatest economic challenge." After touching on some of the region's persistent problems - AIDS and malaria, intense poverty, and economies overreliant on commodities exports - Sachs analyzed the area's long-term economic situation. He then asserted that the root of Africa's problems were inherent in its geography and climate. Using various maps illustrating the world's major climate zones, coastal regions, latitude, and GDP, Sachs showed that regions with temperate climates that have access to water and are in higher latitudes tend to be more developed than those in lower latitudes with tropical climates and minimal water access. Sachs explained that tropical climates are not good for producing food and are breeding grounds for infectious diseases.
The bottom line: "Climate does affect in a fundamental way the basic picture of global development," said Sachs. Thus, the "harsh physical environment" of most of the countries in Africa "provides a tremendously difficult backdrop for economic development." In making suggestions for addressing some of Africa's challenges, Sachs noted that the fates of the temperate and tropical zones are intrinsically linked, that information technology will be a tremendous help in overcoming many difficulties, and that the reliance on natural resources must end.
Later that afternoon, F. Van Zyl Slabbert delivered a thoughtful and entertaining talk on "Prospects for Stability in Sub-Saharan Africa." Slabbert, one of the architects of the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, is a former leader of the opposition in the old South African Parliament who now chairs the Open Society Foundation for South Africa. He noted that his country's aim is to have a stable, democratic government like those found in the United States and Europe, but he presented the tradeoffs that must be made before such a goal can be achieved. For instance, he pointed out the fine line between human rights and law and order, noting,"It is not a choice between good and evil. It is a choice between good and good."
The first plenary session on the following day was a high-powered panel discussion titled "South Africa's Macroeconomic Management" led by Richard Vietor. Trevor Manuel, South Africa's minister of finance, who created the country's postapartheid economic blueprint, discussed both the progress made in the five years since the first democratic elections were held and the challenges to come. Chris Stals, governor of the South African Reserve Bank, spoke about monetary strategy, while Jos Gerson, chief economist for Merrill Lynch South Africa, noted that "there is only so much a macroeconomic policy can do. The central task is to create a stable environment."
The final keynote speaker was Dean Kim B. Clark, who presented an update on the School that included a dynamic, interactive tour of the HBS intranet. Clark outlined what he sees as the four aspects of leadership: strong values and high standards, a global perspective, an entrepreneurial spirit, and literacy in information technology. "We teach with the express purpose of changing people's lives," said Clark, adding that his goal is to make the School a "living model of the highest standards of integrity, respect for others, and personal responsibility." Clark's intranet tour included a visit to HBS Publishing, where he scrolled through an online case; a stop at the course platform to show how students get their assignments; and a look at the Career Services and Alumni Web sites.
Panel Discussions
The two-day conference also consisted of twelve panel discussions, each moderated by an HBS faculty member. Panelists included three South African Cabinet ministers, numerous regional business leaders, and several American financiers. HBS professor André F. Perold, for instance, led a discussion on investing in South Africa, with panelists John S. Chalsty (MBA '57), chairman of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; C. Bruce Johnstone (MBA '66), managing director of Fidelity Investments; and Richard C.M. Laubscher (105th AMP), managing director of Nedcor, South Africa's second-largest banking group.
HBS professor Linda A. Hill's session, titled "Unbundling and Black Empowerment," featured an impressive panel of advocates for black economic progress. Vusi Khanyile, chairman of Thebe Investment Corporation, a holding company formed to provide a business base for black South African businesspeople, noted that "the growth of our business has been the growth of our dream." Panelist Marinus Daling, chairman of Sanlam, a financial services group and a pioneer in black economic empowerment, asserted that "we need to create a place where everyone can contribute to society." The third member of the panel was Lot Ndlovu (AMP:ISMP 154), president of the Black Management Forum.
HBS professor John A. Deighton's session on "Marketing in the Age of Interactivity" featured three panelists who are working to bring new technologies to Africa. As founder and CEO of Adesemi, Monique Maddy (MBA '93) spoke about her goal to deliver wireless communication - through a system of voicemail, pagers, and pay phones - to underdeveloped areas of the globe. Panelist John L. Mack of Worldspace Africa explained how his company is developing digital audio broadcasting technology to bring satellite radio to all corners of Africa. Koos Bekker, managing director of Naspers, a leading media and communications group in South Africa, discussed his firm's Internet and pay television ventures. Other panels addressed a wide range of topics, including environmental management, industrial policy, minerals management, and venture capital.
A Trip Worth Taking
In addition to the academic content of the conference, delegates were invited to a Cape Malay street festival, a dinner at the bucolic Nederburg Wine Estates, and excursions to several local businesses. Many attendees spent a few extra days before or after the conference exploring the region. While some took in the local sights - Robben Island, where President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Table Mountain, wine estates, or botanical gardens, to name a few - others ventured farther with visits to South Africa's Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or other game reserves on the continent.
Reflecting on their experiences at the conference, alumni were enthusiastic. Edward F. ("Ted") Fischer (71st PMD) found the journey from his home in Rhode Island to Cape Town completely worthwhile. In addition to enjoying the beauty of Cape Town and taking a safari with his wife, Lisa, Fischer, a corporate vice president at Duro Industries, noted that the content of the program was particularly relevant. "We are expanding our business into emerging markets, and the conference program provided a lot of useful information," said Fischer, who, two weeks after the conference, had already heard from several of the contacts he made in Cape Town.
Echoing Fischer's sentiments, Charles B. Hartwell (MBA '91) also praised the event. "South Africa's future is going to determine the future of all of southern and much of eastern Africa," he noted. Having lived in Africa for several years, Hartwell is familiar with the difficulties of the region. "I came away from the conference a bit more optimistic than I thought," he said. "The School's apparent commitment to the continent seems real and could make a tremendous difference."
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