(2009) World Business Forum 2008

Global Vision

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T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L M AG A Z I N E F O R B US I N E S S E X E C U T I V E S

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GLOBAL P ERSP ECTIVES | WORLD BUSINESS FORUM

GLOBAL P ERS P ECTIVES | WORLD BUSINESS FORUM

David Rubenstein career highlights 1987 - Founded the Carlyle Group 1977 – 1981 Deputy Asst. to the President for Domestic Policy (Carter administration) 1975 – 1976 Served as Chief Counsel to the US Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on Constitutional amendments. 1973 – 1975 Practised law in New York City 1973 Received a law degree from the University of Chicago

Illuminating commerce :

World Business Forum The

Founder of the Carlyle Group, leader of the Private Equity market, David Rubenstein

Founder of the Carlyle Group, leader of the Private Equity market, David Rubenstein addresses the WBF.

Tony Blair Biographical details 2007 - Confirmed as Middle East Envoy for the ‘quartet’ (UN, EU, USA and Russia) 2003 Honoured with the Congressional Gold Medal 1997 – 2007 Elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1994 - Elected Leader of the Labour Party 1988 - First appointment to the shadow Cabinet for energy 1987 - First role as spokesman on trade and industry issues 1975 - Joined Labour Party

Against the backdrop of the Clinton Global Initiative annual summit and the opening of the United Nations in New York as the autumn starts you would think that New York is at its limit for high-quality networking and thought leadership opportunities. Well, think again. By J e f f re y B ra dfo rd P hD

The World Business Forum held against this auspicious backdrop more than held its own in September 2008. The audience at Radio City participated in a two-day conference with some of the world’s most influential business and political speakers present to offer guidance in a challenging year including Academic guru Michael Porter, Tesco CEO Terry Leahy, former GE CEO Jack Welch and founder of private equity giant, the Carlyle Group, David Rubenstein. Former US Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Madeline Albright, ex-New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani plus former British Prime Minister Tony Blair rounded out the political side of the agenda. Amidst this wealth of experience and advice

two speakers in particular encapsulated the value of the event. Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein offered some key lessons from his experience as economies globally entered the downturn and illustrated some of the tenets of the Carlyle Group. Firstly, Carlyle staff have some $3.5 billion invested in their own funds intertwining their own success with that of their clients. Second the Carlyle approach focuses on low beta companies – aiming for many small gains versus chasing the ‘one big fish’. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair outlined his role as the envoy for ‘the quartet’ of countries actively engaged in seeking Middle East peace. He was very incisive with regard to the challenges of the region,

pointing out that, “Islamic terrorism will not be defeated until we confront not just the methods of the extremists but also their ideas”. Additionally he made the point strongly that, “ultimately this is a battle about modernity”. Looking ahead to 2009, the World Business Forum has set a meeting date for early October with an array of talented and engaging speakers including former GE CEO Jack Welch, Academic Gary Hamel, energy activist T. Boone Pickens, Cinema Director George Lucas and Olympian Michael Phelps. For more details of the World Business Forum see the 2009 website http://us.hsmglobal.com Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and envoy for the Quartet, Tony Blair engaging in an one-on-one interview in front of the WBF audience

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