Voices of Experience: Christine Komola, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance for Staples

By Liz O’Donnell (Boston)

Christine Komola spent a recent Thursday morning at the dentist with her daughter. “But I missed her last appointment,” she says. Komola, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance for Staples, says you need to be “very, very organized” to manage work/life balance. “I like to be spontaneous” she says, “but I learned I have to be deliberate in what I do. I am very scheduled and I pre-plan. Scheduling was a learned behavior for me.” Komola considers herself to be lucky. She enjoys what she does and who she works with and she counts on her business associates and even her clients to help her manage the demands of work and life. In fact, she credits flexible bosses and a strong team with her ability to navigate the demands of work and life. “The world is so virtual, it’s unbelievable,” she says referring to the non-stop demands of working for an international organization. “The computer, the Blackberry and the cell phone are always on.”

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In Case You Missed It: News Round-Up

martin.jpgContributed by Martin Mitchell, director of eLearning for the Corporate Training Group

In case you were too busy to have kept up with all the news, contributor Martin Mitchell has gathered some important market events from last week to help you start this week well informed:

Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Satyam Computer Services, the scandal-hit Indian outsourcing company where the financial statements were fudged by the CEO, is to invite formal bids from potential suitors. This is despite the fact that the accounts are unlikely to be restated for some months. Goldman Sachs and Avendus Capital are the advisors.
  • Genentech, the US biotechnology group, launched a vigorous defense against Roche’s planned $42bn takeover. Roche is attempting to buy the 44% of the company it does not currently own at $86.50 per share and Genentech’s chief executive claimed the bid undervalues the entity and success might stifle its innovative culture. Later in the week, Roche raised its offer to $93 per share after discussions with big Genentech shareholders.The possible future ownership of LCH.Clearnet added a third possibility, with the revelation that LCH.Clearnet is working on a proposal to buy out its roughly 120 shareholders as part of a conversion to an user-owned facility. There are two further possibilities – a merger with US clearer the DTCC and a rival possible bid from a consortium including eight banks, Icap and the London Stock Exchange.
  • Analysts are speculating over whether Anheuser-Busch InBev will sell its Russian and Ukrainian business to raise cash to help pay down debt and focus more on its American beer brands. The business is thought to be worth around $6bn and possible buyers include SABMiller.
  • Dow Chemical’s takeover of Rohm and Haas is looking increasingly likely again. An original deal foundered when Dow’s potential sources of finance suffered after Kuwait’s state-owned oil company backed out of a joint venture. After the withdrawal of the deal by Dow, Rohm and Haas embarked on a lawsuit that is due to start on Monday. However, the companies have announced that they are ‘in discussions relating to the merger of their companies and the pending litigation’.

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International Women’s Day

Happy International Women’s Day to the readers of theglasshammer.com!

While Sunday is not generally a publishing day for us, we could not let this day pass without acknowledgement as career advancement can only happen once basic rights are in place for women.

I must admit that I personally had not paid much attention to the events of International Women’s Day in before launching The Glass Hammer. But here are some things I’ve since learned: the first International Women’s Day was established in 1910 to honor the movement for women’s rights and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. It was actually marked for the first time on March 19th of the following year, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. In recent years, International Women’s Day has become a day on which we focus on the advancements that have been made and acknowledge the acts of ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women’s rights. If you want to know more, then have a quick look at this short video with three young women explaining what the day means.

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “Women and Men United to End Violence Against Women and Girls.” Visit the official site to read up on various global news on the subject ranging from harrowing tales of the struggle to more upbeat coverage of evolved people doing good things. Laurie Curry from Right to Play writes one of those inspiring pieces when she asks two simple questions: “Have women made enough change?” and “Are things as good as they are going to get?”

“I think that by definition, there will always be change; this will never stop. But what I find compelling is the amount of progress that women have made and that those who’ve had the opportunity to progress, continue to lead the charge and champion this chance for others. Some women pursue this quietly and discreetly and others, in a more vociferous way. Some speak out and others take action. Some spend time with women or girls who need support and others perhaps educate boys on the role that they can play. It’s inspiring to see so many people working in their own personal way to further social and economic prospects for women.”

I met one of those inspiring people last week when my friend and fellow blogger Cleo Thompson of PwC invited us to PwC’s event marking International Women’s Day. I had the pleasure of hearing Gita Patel of Stargate Capital speak about her Trapezia Fund for women. I won’t say anything more as we will be publishing something on this later this week and I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Keep reading this week for full event coverage!

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Ms. JD’s Third Annual Conference: Avenues to Advancement

Partner or Public Servant?

Competitor or Collaborator?

Flex-Time or Full-Time?

On-Ramp or Opt-Out?

Announcing Ms. JD’s Third Annual Conference: Avenues to Advancement

Ms.JD’s Third Annual Conference on Women in Law: Avenues to Advancement will highlight the choices available to women in the legal profession, the changing definitions of success, and the personal and professional infrastructure that best promotes retention and advancement of female attorneys.

Save the Date!! Registration will be open soon so be sure to join the mailing list for updates and additional information about featured speakers!

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On the StartingBloc

Taryn_Miller_Stevens_1_.jpgby Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

What are the chances that Josephine Karianjahi, a Kenyan national, and Pennsylvania native Joel Thomas would ever meet under normal circumstances? Surely, slim to none.

Thanks to StartingBloc, a global organization that educates, empowers, and connects emerging leaders to drive innovation across sectors, not only were these two able to meet, but they were also able to join forces and make the world a little bit better.

StartingBloc’s signature program is called the Institute for Social Innovation and it takes place annually in one of three locations: Boston, New York and London. The institute is a fellowship program that mainly consists of a four-day conference in which students are provided with training, education, and the networks necessary to turn any career into a socially responsible one. It was at the 2007 Boston Institute that Joel Thomas met Josephine Karianjahi and decided to leverage her networks in Uganda and Kenya, thus expanding Nourish International, which provides the infrastructure and support for college students to implement long-term solutions to eradicate poverty worldwide.

The planning of these amazing, global events falls on the shoulders of philanthropist Taryn Miller-Stevens, who acts as Director of Programs for StartingBloc. Amazingly, she is one of just two full-time staff members. If enthusiasm could be transformed into manpower, Steven’s could run the organization herself. “When I read the word StartingBloc, hear the word StartingBloc, or say the word StartingBloc, there is an overwhelming rush of excitement and passion that builds up inside me. It [StartingBloc] has insane potential and I don’t want to stop working because that potential is just dangling in front of me waiting for us to give it legs and make it run,” Stevens said. Though she works hard to organize and implement all of StartingBloc’s programs, the organization is also in debt to its staff of over fifty volunteer alumni who also play a major role in keeping the organization running.

Since its inception in 2003, StartingBloc has graduated 850 Fellows from over 40 countries, many of whom have moved on to use the network as a way of establishing social enterprises in their communities and to secure socially-responsible careers. Just a few years ago, Stevens herself was one of these students hoping to make a difference and she was making strides well before she was turned on to StartingBloc. “I attended Tufts University where I was able to combine my varied academic interests by majoring in American Studies with a concentration in Corporate Citizenship and minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies. My studies were complimented by my work in the Tisch Citizenship and Public Service Scholars Program, wherein my final two years I organized conferences on poverty in Massachusetts and socially responsible business,” Stevens said.

Stevens first heard of StartingBloc through a friend who participated in their Institute for Social Intervention. “My friend said I should apply for the program and that people she met through StartingBloc were doing incredible socially minded work in different sectors all over the world. I applied and was fortunately accepted,” Stevens said. Afterwards, things would never be the same. “After participating in StartingBloc’s inaugural Global Institute for Social Innovation at London Business School, I returned home with a new sense of purpose. In just four days my life was transformed; my peers and the speakers whom I heard from and met inspired me like never before,” the philanthropist said.

After graduating from college, Stevens did everything from interning in the Reebok human rights department during the company’s acquisition by the Adidas Group to working as a nanny and assistant basketball coach at her alma mater. Out of the blue and only two weeks into her coaching job, she received a call from StartingBloc’s Executive Director that would once again change her life, just as the Institute had. “After a trip to New York and several interviews with board members, I was hired by StartingBloc and worked from Boston during the winter of 2007-2008. Following the 2008 New York Institute and the best season in Tufts Women’s Basketball History, I made the best move of my life and landed in New York for StartingBloc,” Stevens said.

Stevens, who grew up in suburban Connecticut, has come a long way since her days at her family’s turkey farm. Now, based in Manhattan, she helps run a global network for socially minded leaders, all of whom are doing their part to change their small portion of the world. Though she’s traveled far and experienced a lot, what her parents instilled in her on her small family farm shaped who she became as a person and what became important to her. “My parents have worked their entire lives to make a better life for their family and community. They gave me a strong foundation for everything that I hold close to my heart- family and relationship values, community and team building, business, as well as experiencing new things and people. I wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for them,” Stevens said- and neither would StartingBloc.

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Beyond Ideas: Making Global Impact: Women in Business Conference 2009

The ninth annual London Business School Women in Business Conference, Beyond Ideas: Making Global Impact, will address women’s evolving roles in today’s business world. Building on past themes such as “Challenging Norms: Changing the Face of Business” and “Opportunities in an Evolving Business World”, the conference will highlight the impact women are making in local and global marketplaces and how they are making it.The conference will profile influential women leaders and provide key takeaways on how participants may make greater impact in their respective countries and business environments.The following panels will be hosted to discuss specific topics on Global Impact:

  • Global Economy: Women’s Perspective
  • Charting Your Course: Career Navigation
  • Energising Entrepreneurship: Women’s Ingenuity

The London Business School Women in Business Conference is widely recognised as a leading women’s conference in Europe. Join professionals, academics and students for a full day of events planned with distinguished speakers, panels and networking to promote impact beyond the day’s events.

Visit the website for the event schedule.

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All Dressed Up and Someplace to Go

citygirl1_1_.jpgContributed by City Girl of the London Paper (London)

As Oscar Wilde put so eloquently, “It’s only the shallow who do not judge by appearance.” And if this is the case, I suppose the City is full of deep-thinking philosophers.

Ambitious young City girls looking to enter the City of London have an added layer of complexity in their mission that the boys don’t. You not only need to act smart, you need to look it.

We women obsess about our appearance not because we are vain or frivolous. It is because history has taught us that if we don’t get our appearance right, people won’t stop talking about it. It becomes an endless distraction from everything else we want to talk about. That skirt one-inch too short is like a virtual mute button.

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Beyond the Storm: Opportunity & Risk in a New Era

Now in its eleventh year, the CFO European Summit takes on a new life as CFO Outlook 2009. Featuring enhanced networking opportunities and increased interactivity, CFO Outlook 2009 will take a long view on how the outcomes of the global financial crisis will transform your expectations, your strategies, and ultimately your role.

The event is designed to foster candid discussion amongst your peers from across Europe. Underpinned by key insights from CFO Europe’s award-winning editorial team alongside expert opinion from a panel of industry leaders, we encourage an atmosphere of lively and relevant debate on the topics that matter to you.

For more information or to Register.

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Why Laura isn’t CEO – Chicago Booth Global presentation series

More and more women are getting a business education but few of them seem to make it to the top … why are there so few female CEOs?

Various explanations have been proposed, including the suggestion that women are still discriminated against, or that women just don’t have what it takes to compete in the often cut-throat business environment. Current research led by Chicago Booth Professor Marianne Bertrand explores the reasons behind the gender gap in business. Unsurprisingly, her research confirms that female MBAs have not done as well as male MBAs in the labor market.

What may surprise you, however are some of the reasons why they have not done as well. Attend Chicago Booth’s Global Leadership series to hear Professor Bertrand discuss factors that explain the large and rising gender gap in earnings between MBA graduates of an elite business school. Her findings will provoke a re-assessment of personal career choices, offer insight into human resource policies, and provide broad guidance to those responsible for organisational practices.

With a reputation for excellence and personal service, the London Capital Club, based in the heart of the City, is the City’s premier private members Club for men and women, which combines the grace and integrity of a traditional city club with a modern understanding of business needs.

This event is free to attend but seats are limited. To secure a place, visit Chicago Booth School of Business.

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The “Opt-In Project” Inspires Change In The Legal Profession

JusttheOpt_In_logo_medium.jpgby Anna T. Collins, Esq (Portland, Maine)

When I first interviewed Patricia Gillette, an employment law expert and partner at Orrick in San Francisco, I noticed two things about the way she spoke about the future of the legal profession. First, despite the temptation to point fingers when discussing the ever-present wage gap in the legal profession, Pat Gillette focused on solutions. Second, she was optimistic about the possibility of change in the profession, especially due to the shifting economic reality. In Pat’s view, for example, women may be at an advantage as firms shift away from hourly fee structures – a shift that may be inevitable as the economy turns sour for law firms and clients. Women lawyers, in Pat’s experience, are at times more efficient at completing assignments. While the current billable hours system may not value the fact that they are able to complete work quickly, the legal profession of the future is likely to value this type of efficiency.

Pat’s focus on solutions and optimistic view of the possibilities for both women and men becomes less surprising and more poignant when one considers her work as co-founder of the Opt-In Project. The Project was partly a response to various articles published around 2003, which all examined what has been coined the “Opt-Out Revolution.” In articles such as “The Case for Staying Home,” “Mommy Madness,” and the infamous “The Opt-Out Revolution,” authors depicted the “trend” of women obtaining the highest levels of education, entering the workforce in record numbers, and then choosing to leave.

The founders of the Opt-In Project wanted to test the “Opt-Out” conclusion against the theory that women were actually being pushed out of the workplace. The ultimate mission of the Opt-In Project, created in 2006, was to “tap into the wisdom of industry leaders to find innovative strategies for the retention of professional women in the workforce.” Ultimately, the goal of the Project was to create a forum to take the discussion to the next level: Are there more sweeping measures that should be considered to create greater career sustainability for both women and men?

Despite its ambitious nature, the Project cannot be described as anything other than “a success.” Over a period of an entire year, the Opt-In Project brought more than 900 people together from a variety of industries for events in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., and New York. Industry experts started each evening by presenting their ideas for improving retention and leadership opportunities for women. The conversation was then turned over to participants for smaller group discussions, which generated many ideas. These ideas, which are summarized below, are described in full detail in the Opt-In Project Report. The Report is available at the Opt In Project website.

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