2025 Business and Global Affairs Conference
Changing Global Value Chains
Agenda
| Time (ET) | Description |
| 8:15 – 8:45 | Informal breakfast available before event |
| MORNING SESSION | |
| 8:45 – 9:00 | Welcome remarks By Paul Almeida, Dean of the McDonough School of Business and Joel Hellman, Dean of the Walsh School of Foreign Service |
| 9:00 – 9:45 | Morning Plenary with Mastercard, AES, and Gap, Inc. Including: Paul Freedman (L’96), Executive Vice President and General Counsel, AES Stephanie Lester, Vice President, Head of Government Affairs, Gap, Inc. Prashanth Rajan, Government Engagement Head, Chief of Staff for the Chief Government Affairs and Policy Officer, Mastercard |
| 9:45 – 10:45 | Overview of projects – Lightning-round description by student teams (20 minutes) – Initial reactions by subject matter experts (40 minutes) Including: Paul Freedman (AES), Stephanie Lester (Gap), Prashanth Rajan (Mastercard) |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | Break // Transition to presentation rooms |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | Project presentations (Mastercard, AES, Gap) Individual conference rooms for each project team |
| 12:00 – 12:45 | Break // Lunch in main room |
| AFTERNOON SESSION | |
| 12:45 – 1:30 | Afternoon Plenary with Walmart and Home Depot Including: Dan Bryant, Executive Vice President, Global Public Policy and Government Affairs, Walmart Amb. Lee Feinstein, President of McLarty Associates, Former US Ambassador to Poland Heather Kennedy, Executive Vice President, Global Public Policy and Government Affairs, Home Depot |
| 1:30 – 2:30 | Overview of projects – Lightning-round description by student teams (20 minutes) – Initial reactions by subject matter experts (40 minutes) Including: Dan Bryant (Walmart), Lee Feinstein (McLarty Associates), Heather Kennedy (Home Depot) |
| 2:30 – 2:45 | Break / Transition to presentation rooms |
| 2:45 – 3:30 | Project presentations (Walmart, Home Depot, Schneider Electric) Individual conference rooms for each project team |
| 3:30 – 3:45 | Break / Transition to main room |
| 3:45 – 4:15 | Global Value Chain Showcase with BMW Moderated conversation with Philipp Janello (BMW) and Izmirlian BGA students analyzing BMW’s value chain |
| 4:15 – 5:00 | Closing plenary with BGA Advisory Steering Committee Including: Amr Ahmed, Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, Mastercard Welby Leaman, Senior Director, Global Policy Strategy, Walmart Mark Miller, Director, Government Relations, AES Sheila Casserly, Director of Digital Policy North America, Schneider Electric |
| 5:00 pm | Closing remarks by Brad Jensen, Director, Izmirlian Program in Business and Global Affairs |
| 5:15 pm | Closing Reception – Room: Hariri 415 |