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 Moderated by: Sharon Huang (BGA’ 26) and Tina Solki (BGA’ 26) |
| 9:45 – 10:45 | Project Lightning Round (AES, Gap, and Mastercard) – Project overview by student teams (20 minutes) – Initial reactions from expert panel (40 minutes) Including: Paul Freedman (AES), Stephanie Lester (Gap), Prashanth Rajan (Mastercard), Sung Chang (RILA) |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | Break // Transition to presentation rooms |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | Project workshops (AES, Gap, Mastercard) AES – Energy Resilience amid Uncertainty // Room: Hariri 240 The Gap, Inc. – Supply Chains & Markets in Southeast Asia // Room: Hariri 250 Mastercard – Digital Sovereignty & Data Flows // Room: Hariri 340 Mastercard – A Digital Trade Dilemma // Room: Hariri 350 |
| 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 Moderated by: Giuseppe Quatela (BGA ’26) and Martina Ravano (BGA ’26) |
| 1:30 – 2:30 | Project Lightning Round (The Home Depot, Schneider Electric, and Walmart) – Project overview by student teams (20 minutes) – Initial reactions from expert panel (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 workshops (The Home Depot, Schneider Electric, Walmart) The Home Depot – Strategizing for Housing Abundance // Room: Hariri 240 Schneider Electric – Policy Roadmap to Power America’s Future // Room: Hariri 250 Walmart – Building Resilience in Walmart’s GVCs // Room: Hariri 340 Walmart – The Future of Foresight at Walmart // Room: Hariri 350 |
| 3:30 – 3:45 | Break / Transition to main room |
| 3:45 – 4:15 | Global Value Chain Showcase with BMW A conversation with Philipp Janello (BMW) and Izmirlian BGA students analyzing BMW’s value chain Moderated by: Mario Ramirez, Professor of the Practice; Managing Director of the Izmirlian BGA Program |
| 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 Moderated by: Nick Lovegrove, Professor of the Practice; Academic Director of the EMBA Program |
| 5:00 pm | Closing remarks by Brad Jensen, McCrane/Shaker Chair of International Business, Director of the Izmirlian BGA Program |
| 5:15 pm | Closing Reception – Room: Hariri 415 |