Recent Reviews on Three of Our Best Speakers

In the past few weeks we've received rave reviews for three individuals worthy of dropping you a note about: former CIA and NSA director General Michael Hayden, former Kellogg's CEO and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, and Matthew Bishop, the American business editor of the Economist. With new ideas and new perspectives, all three speakers notably change the dynamics of a meeting.

General Michael Hayden is a riveting speaker-- thoughtful, provocative, and funny. His stories and anecdotes about his history in the intelligence community are fascinating, and offer relevant lessons for everyone in business today. He takes the audience on an engaging trip around the world, and whether exploring America's challenges and opportunities, revealing what it takes to manage and lead one of the most diverse and complex organizations in the world, or offering insight to what the years ahead will bring, General Hayden keeps the room hanging on every word.

Carlos Gutierrez, former CEO of Kellogg's, recently gave one of the best speeches on leadership and business lessons I have ever seen. He's had a storied career--the son of Cuban immigrants, he got his start by delivering cereal in Mexico before rising to become one of the country's most respected and successful CEOs. Gutierrez reveals that the greatest successes and failures of his career were really about leadership and people issues--hiring the right people, developing great teams, and communicating effectively. Perhaps what sets Gutierrez apart from many speakers is the length he goes to customize his speak. Each talk is uniquely prepared, increasing the take away and the connection with the audience.

Lastly, I was excited to hear Matthew Bishop, American business editor and New York bureau chief of The Economist. At a CEO breakfast in our DC offices, Bishop proved his breadth of knowledge on financial trends is second to none, and his insights on the path forward for industries, business, and the broad economy are thought provoking, bold, and a cause for optimism. Bishop's book, The Road From Ruin: How to Revive Capitalism and Put America Back on Top, is already getting a good bit of attention, and his profile is sure to rise upon its release on January 26.

These are only three of the newest speakers at Leading Authorities, but given the recent reviews, worthy of a note to you. Please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss how Leading Authorities can help you design your next great event. We are exited about working with you in 2010.

Matthew Bishop Follow-Up

For those of you that were unable to make it this morning, we hosted an interesting breakfast with Matthew Bishop. Matthew Bishop’s breadth of knowledge on financial trends was second to none, and his ability to clearly explain the historical context behind our current challenges was flawless. His book, The Road From Ruin: How to Revive Capitalism and Put America Back on Top, will be out January 26. If you would like a copy, please shoot me an email.

A quick recap of his 4 signposts to recovery:

• Create a new economic model based on the rational and realistic ways that people make decisions and institutions work.
• Fix global imbalances by getting away from the US dollar as the world reserve currency
• Put long-termism back into capitalism. Rethink fiduciary responsibility.
• Create a financially literate citizenship

His final thought:

“I worry that people are back to business as usual, thinking ‘we got away with it’. It’s a dangerous mode of denial. If we don’t update the capitalist system, we are going to regret it.”

If you were here this morning, I’m glad you were able to attend the discussion, and I’ll touch base in the next week or so. If not, I hope you can make it to our next event. If you are interested in more info on booking Matthew Bishop for your organization, or would like to hear more about our other speakers on the economy, please call me at (202) 721-7675.

Healthcare Reform: Then and Now: New Speech From Ron Brownstein

In the last 60 days, many of our clients have been asking for someone who could lend insight into the current healthcare debate in Congress. Ron Brownstein is the political director of the Atlantic Media Company and a frequent guest of Meet the Press, This Week with George Stephanopolous, Face the Nation, and the Newshour with Jim Lehrer. He has been receiving rave reviews for his consistent analysis and dedication to customizing his message to each audience. In every non-partisan speech he gives, Ron specializes his talk to help organizations connect the dots and understand the various implications the new policies will have for their industry.

In a lively and illuminating talk, Ronald Brownstein traces the similarities and differences between President Obama's push for fundamental healthcare reform and Bill Clinton's failed effort to restructure the system in 1993 and 1994. By exploring both the continuities and changes in the political and economic climates since 1994, Brownstein offers a fresh and engaging perspective on the likely outcomes of today's legislative struggle over remaking one-sixth of the American economy.

For more information about Ron Brownstein or others, comment or call!

Keith Ferrazzi - Who's Got Your Back

As usual, a number of authors and speakers have come through our office since my last post. I’d like to take a moment and update everyone. Firstly, Keith Ferrazzi and the Ferrazzi Greenlight team held a session with about 20 local leaders in DC, introducing his latest book and summarizing his speech. Who’s Got Your Back climbed to the number one spot on the NY Times best seller list within one week of its release. A pretty impressive feat. A master networker, and author of Never Eat Alone, Keith dissects how to create relationships in your life which hold you accountable in reaching your goals – something spoken about regularly, yet rarely deconstructed in a way where we can all implement ourselves. The Simple Dollar blog has an interesting review…

 

New Exclusive Speakers from Leading Authorities

Leading Authorities is pleased to announce the additions of several prominent figures to our roster of exclusive speakers, including Christopher Cox, Anita Dunn, Stephen Hadley, Michael Hayden, Keith Hennessey, Kevin Martin, and David Paulison. With specialties in finance, communications, politics, international relations, emergency management, national security, and telecommunications, these additions represent some of the most prominent figures in their respective fields.

Christopher Cox is the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and a 17-year veteran of Congress. He speaks about the current economic climate and the surrounding issues like finance and trade.

Anita Dunn, a partner in the firm Squier Knapp Dunn, is the former chief communications officer for the Obama for America campaign. She brings a unique, insider's perspective to the current state of American politics and the new environment in Washington.

Stephen Hadley formerly served as National Security Advisor. He has been at the center of strategic security planning since 2001, and he speaks about the current geopolitical situation, breaking down issues of politics, defense, and international affairs.

General Michael Hayden was most recently director of the CIA and before that he was the longest-tenured director of the NSA. He speaks about the political environments at home and abroad and the state of America;s positioning in the current geopolitical environment.

Kevin Martin is the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, where he conducted the largest spectrum auction in history, raising over $20 billion. He speaks about issues related to telecommunications, including the regulatory environment, and industry innovation.

Keith Hennessey was named director of the National Economic Council in November 2007 and served until January 2009. He discusses the current state of the economy and how the new Washington will affect the future of American business.

David Paulison was most recently director of the Federal Emergency Management Association. He speaks about leadership in times of crisis and what it takes to turnaround a large and complex organization.

For more information about booking any of these new exclusives, comment or call!