Weathering the Global Storm: An Economic Outlook

It’s no longer business as usual. The rules are changing. And you might need a new play book for 2009. The economic recession—on both global and national fronts—will have important implications for your organization. Cliff-diving commodity prices have changed the landscape for Western provinces. The near-term outlook for U.S. and global growth will determine the turnaround in energy prices. How have capital investment plans changed? What are the implications for interprovincial migration? Will labour markets remain tight through the downturn? What will this take away from federal and provincial coffers?

The Conference Board is pleased to deliver an event that gets you on the right page to start 2009.Weathering the Global Storm: an Economic Outlook will bring you up to date with the economic information and understanding you need to update your strategies and business plans.Here is a sampling of the topics to be discussed:

Find out how the U.S. financial crisis will affect specific industries in Alberta, B.C. and the Prairies. Explore the major economic forces and factors affecting your organization and your region. Hear about the global credit crunch and how it is affecting households.

Understand how government policy might affect the forecast.

Join in the discussion of today’s most important business issues.

Get your information from Canada’s most respected economic forecasters

Accurate information is the cornerstone of a solid strategic plan. The Conference Board of Canada is renowned for its expertise in economic forecasting and analysis, and has been recognized as one of Canada’s top economic forecasters. Take advantage of this expertise to anticipate and capitalize on the major forces affecting your organization.

For more than 30 years, Canadian business has relied on the economic perspective, analysis, and insights if the Conference Board. Learn from our respected economists and ensure your business has the advantage of an informed outlook on future trends.

Register here

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In Case You Missed It: News Round-up

martin.jpgContributed by Martin Mitchell of 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

  • The end of the first quarter league tables for M&A advisers saw JPMorgan at the top of the list, followed by Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. The first 3 months of 2009 saw global M&A fall 36% on a year earlier, with governments helping to stem a complete collapse by investing $145.8bn (28% of the total) in banks and insurance companies. The top 10 advisers with deal values and number of deals were as follows: JPMorgan – $207bn, 70 deals;2) Morgan Stanley – $198bn, 61 deals;3) Goldman Sachs – $169bn, 41 deals;4) Citigroup – $139bn, 39 deals;5) Bank of America/Merrill Lynch – $102bn, 45 deals;6) Deutsche Bank – $94bn, 38 deals;7) Credit Suisse – $87bn, 48 deals;8) Barclays Capital – $74, 9 deals;9) UBS $72bn, 46 deals;10) Evercore Partners – $69bn, 3 deals

Read more

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International Conference on Management of Technology 2009: Management of Green Technology

The 2009 Conference will focus on the Management of Green Technology (GT). The conference will inform about technologies, issues related to its management, trends and research in this technology which is receiving much attention and interest. From green energy to green construction, material, and services; developed and developing countries are racing for innovations and development of new products that promise a high impact on living, the environment, national and regional policies.

The conference will address other issues related to MOT Education, R&D, technology transfer, and theory of technology, with special attention to emerging technologies that contribute to the quality of life.

Who Should Participate

  • Presidents and Vice-Presidents of Corporations
  • Policy Makers
  • R&D Managers
  • Entrepreneurs and Technology Innovators
  • Engineers in areas of Design, Production, Manufacturing, Quality, Marketing and Sales
  • Managers in the areas of Services, Finance, Marketing, Economics and Public Policy
  • Project and Operations Managers
  • Educators involved in Technology, Innovations, Engineering, Management, Industrial Administration, Management of Productivity and Quality, Business Administration and Economics Tracks

Register here

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Four Trends for Your Work Wardrobe

Contributed by the editors of Corporette.com

Much of corporate clothing is based on styles that never go out of fashion — the perfect black suit, a strand of beautiful Mikimoto pearls, the soft cashmere twinset — and we do our best to advise our readers to invest in those items. In fact, in a recent poll on our site our readers said they would avoid all of the “trends” that most other fashion sites are advising readers to wear this season. So we’re not going to tell you to wear a slouchy boyfriend blazer over your skin-colored jumpsuit while clomping around in platform heels. But we will tell you about some of the milder trends that are a great way to update your working wardrobe.

smt_s029316wht_fnt.jpgThe shawl cardigan: This look is available in a variety of price points, and is a great way to update your summer wardrobe if, like us, you spend it shivering in an over-air-conditioned office. Our pick: this longsleeve pointed front cardigan from Smitten, with just a hint of an empire waist for a more flattering look. It’s available at CoutureCandy.com for $102 (with sale code 20Day).

br627778_04vliv01.jpgThe boyfriend cardigan: Can you tell we spend a lot of time in air-conditioning? This is another great look that’s on the trendier side, but can easily be adapted to a working wardrobe. This look skims the body, hitting past the hips. We would wear this look with pencil skirts or sheath dresses. Our pick: the ballet sleeve four-button cardigan from Banana Republic, priced at $79. IMAGE LINK:

0465112186361R_300x400.jpgThe North/South tote: The briefcase bag for women will always be in style, but we’ve been seeing more and more North/South totes available on the market. These can be worn over the shoulder (and are different from the “shopper” totes that were more popular a while ago). We’d suggest trying it in a fun color, like this crisp green tote from Tory Burch, available at Saks.com for $535.

9755_788670_p.jpgGray accessories: Gray shoes, gray tights, gray bags — they’re everywhere — and they’re an extremely versatile addition to a wardrobe, whether you dress in neutrals or bold colors. We suggest the Marc by Marc Jacobs Posh Turnlock Hobo, available at Zappos.com for $428.

Today’s guest post is by the editors of Corporette, a fashion and lifestyle blog for women lawyers, bankers, MBAs, consultants, and otherwise overachieving chicks. They work in conservative environments and need to look professional, but want to look fashionable.

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WEBCAST: Survival in a Distressed Market Legal and Business Issues Relating to Your Portfolio

In this challenging market, every venture capital investor is working over-time with its portfolio companies and struggling to keep their best companies growing and meeting important benchmarks. Join our veteran panel as they discuss the legal and business issues that are critical to ensuring that your best companies thrive despite the economic climate while, at the same time, minimizing liability when making tough decisions.This webcast will also cover the business issues that are vital to keeping alive an entrepreneurial culture within your portfolio companies. Issues to be discussed include:• Managing board risk during financial distress
• Dilutive financings and recapitalizations
• Employment issues upon insolvency
• Employee retention plans

Our Panel:

Robert Wadsworth, Managing Director, HarbourVest Partners
AL Waxman, Senior Managing Member, Psilos Group Managers
J. Sanford Miller, General Partner, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP)
Mike Album, Partner, Proskauer Rose LLP
Trevor Chaplick, Partner, Proskauer Rose LLP (moderator)

There is no charge to listen to this webcast for NVCA members. There is a $275 fee for non-members.

Click here to register.

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Global Recession & Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for the Energy Industry

Please join WCEE in again welcoming Dr. Lawrence Jones a frequent lecturer on issues such as climate change, smart grid technologies, and other energy and water related topics both in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Jones will be discussing how the global recession will impact the energy industry in the U.S. ad around the world.

Global recession and climate change are perhaps, the two most discussed subjects in the world today. While both crises present us with major challenges, these should also be viewed as catalysts for industry transformation, new markets, business innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as the drivers for sustainable development. Governments around the world are working hard to simultaneously solve the financial crisis and to seriously begin addressing global climate change. Growing awareness of the faster pace of change occurring to the earth’s climate has resulted in consensus that bold and concerted actions are required now to abate this matter. However, there are legitimate concerns about the lack of clarity and consistency in the domestic and international legal frameworks for dealing with climate change and the impacts on different sectors. In their recent fiscal policies and efforts to promote economic recovery and begin to deal with climate change, the U.S, Canada, EU and several other countries included special provisions to support and spur investments in clean technologies, smart electricity grids, and renewable energy resources.

This presentation discusses how different ‘stimulus’ packages around the world impacts the energy industry. It will include a review of some of the trends and forecasts for the clean tech sector and highlight emerging ‘green’ jobs and required skills that may be attractive to women. Finally, the presentation will preview the various climate change initiatives that will take place leading up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, December 2009 and the potential implications for the energy sector long term.Speaker: Dr. Lawrence E. Jones, AREVA T&D Inc.

Click here to register

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Orangewood Children’s Foundation: One Lawyer’s Very Personal Contribution

LisaHughes_low_res_1_.JPGby Elizabeth Harrin (London)

“I make it a point to spend part of each day volunteering my time,” says Lisa Hughes, founding partner of the Hughes & Sullivan family law practice. “Depending on what the needs are, that could mean either a few minutes or the entire day.”

That’s a lot of volunteering. Lisa’s particular interest is in supporting the Orangewood Children’s Foundation, where she serves on the board of directors. She has a personal reason for dedicating so much of her time to the Orangewood Home in California, which is Orange County’s only emergency shelter for neglected and sexually, physically or emotionally abused children. “As the only board member who grew up in the foster care system, this role has an intensely personal significance for me,” she says. “I am able to provide the board with a unique perspective through the lens of my early experiences, and this contribution empowers us to make decisions that are even more focused and effective.” Read more

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Passion at Work: How to Lead a Legendary Life

Listen, laugh, lament, and learn as Lawler Kang presents highlights and takeaways from the best-seller, Passion at Work (Pearson Prentice Hall) and subsequent research and related insights.

• Feel like you are boxed in at work or are on the prowl and don’t want to make the same mistakes again?• Looking for ways to incorporate more of your life into your work?• Ever wanted to lead but something just wasn’t clicking? Drawing on personal stories and compelling data, Lawler will start by illustrating the power, need and benefits of bringing your passions to market and using them to lead.

He will then walk participants through some tools–Engagement Drivers–you can use to identify and dominate your personal niche.

He will also show how these drivers, when aligned, can have immense impacts on your individual, team and organizational performance, and will reveal your innate ability to lead.

REGISTRATION
Pre-registration necessary. No payment at the door.

To purchase tickets click here PURCHASE!
Space is limited and will fill up quickly. NOTES
Light reception included
Event begins at 6:30 sharp

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I.O.U.S.A. – One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.

Please join 100 Women in Hedge Funds and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation for a vivid and alarming profile of America’s current economic situation.

We will show highlights from the critically acclaimed documentary “I.O.U.S.A.”, which drives home the message that the time to begin addressing America’s financial future is now.

After the DVD we will host a question and answer session with key leaders of the film’s sponsor, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Directed by Sundance veteran Patrick Creadon, the renowned film follows former U.S. Comptroller General David M. Walker and Robert Bixby of the Concord Coalition as they crisscross the country explaining America’s unsustainable fiscal policies to its citizens as part of the Fiscal Wake-up Tour.

The film also features candid interviews with noted experts such as Warren Buffett, Alan Greenspan, Paul O’Neill, Robert Rubin, and Paul Volcker, as well as with everyday citizens.

It made the short list of fifteen for an Oscar nomination in the Best Documentary Feature category.

Participants:

Elizabeth Wilner, Peter G. Peterson Foundation
Susan Tanaka, Peter G.Peterson Foundation RSVP here

Space is limited. No walk-ins will be permitted.

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Job Hunting 2.0

iStock_000007622930XSmall[1]_1.jpgby Liz O’Donnell (Boston)

One person “is paying it forward while seeking work.” Another is an MBA & Telecom Engineer who “seeks transition to a technology mgmt position – product planning/consulting.” Someone else has a “Controller Opportunity in Baton Rouge.” Yet another is “looking for a mentor in DC area, prefer female that works in marketing.”

Who are these people? They are the new job seekers and they have swapped Chamber of Commerce lunches and a rolodex of established contacts for Twitter and a network of complete strangers. Meet the job angels.

Job Angels is an organization that was started by Mark Stelzner, the founder of Inflexion Advisors, a consulting firm offering financial, operational, marketing, market development and organizational services to public and private companies.

An active networker, Mark had approximately 700 followers on the social media site Twitter, many of them in the human resources industry. One day this past January, Mark sent this tweet, “Was thinking that if each of us helped just 1 person find a job, we could start making a dent in unemployment. You game?” That was the beginning of Job Angels. Several months later, Job Angels has 4,667 followers on Twitter, 1,454 members on Facebook and 189 more on LinkedIn.

Job Angels’ mission is to help bring people together for a single goal: to help just one person find gainful employment. That person can be a friend, a family member, a colleague or a complete stranger. Individual job angels help by spreading the word among their network regarding other job seekers’ career interests, by offering advice, critiquing resumes and helping any other way they can.

Michelle* is a good example of how Job Angels works. Michelle found employment through Job Angels and then turned around and helped another user find a job in a law firm earlier this year.

Read more

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