David and Lyn Silfen Distinguished Leadership Series
At Columbia Business School, one of our great strengths is our ability to attract world-class leaders to campus to share their ideas and experience with the next generation of business innovators. The David and Lyn Silfen Distinguished Leadership Series is central to this effort. The series provides an unparalleled learning opportunity for the entire School community, and a distinct competitive advantage for Columbia.
Established in 2000 and presented with the guidance of a student-run board, the Silfen Distinguished Leadership Series is an attractive platform for firms wishing to showcase an exceptional leader. We invite all speaker recommendations and encourage you to open a dialogue with us about this unique opportunity to cement your firm’s reputation for excellence. Please contact Quadri Olanlege, Assistant Director, Student Engagement and Corporate Relations at 212-854-1153 or [email protected] for more information.
Save the Date
- Wednesday, September 25th from 1 to 2 PM
- Tuesday, October 22nd from 1 to 2 PM
- Tuesday, October 29th from 1 to 2 PM
2023-2024 Speakers
Portia Archer ’98
Vice president, direct-to-consumer services
NBC Sports
The George Owens Trailblazer Award, named for George Owens ’50, the first Black president of Tougaloo College in Mississippi, known for empowering underserved communities, was presented to Portia Archer ’98, a former BBSA president who is a transformative senior leader of the G League of the National Basketball Association.
Bob Bakish ’89
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Paramount Global
Robert M. Bakish oversaw one of the world’s leading producers of media and entertainment content, driven by a global portfolio of powerful consumer brands, including CBS, Showtime, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central and Paramount Pictures. In that role, which he assumed in December 2019, Bakish was responsible for growing the company’s creative assets and capabilities to serve important and diverse audiences in more than 180 countries.
Ron Gonen ’04
Founder and CEO
Closed Loop Partners
Ron Gonen is invested in ushering out one aspect of business that he argues is no longer tenable: companies offloading their waste onto the public. After serving as the deputy commissioner of sanitation, recycling, and sustainability for the Bloomberg administration, Gonen founded Closed Loop Partners to invest in building the circular economy.
Carim V. Khouzami ’02
President and Chief Executive Officer
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE)
Carim V. Khouzami '02 is the president and chief executive officer of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), the nation's first gas utility. Khouzami oversees safety, reliability, customer service, financial performance and BGE's commitment to creating an inclusive culture. BGE is Maryland’s largest electric and natural gas utility, employing about 3,200 people and serving 1.3 million electric and more than 700,000 gas customers in central Maryland.
Artie Minson ’97
President, Chief Executive Officer, & Board Member
LeafLink
Artie has a distinguished and impressive background encompassing various mainstream tech leadership positions. Before joining LeafLink, he founded 715 Capital Partners, which provides early-stage capital and advice on strategy and operations to technology-enabled subscription businesses. Other notable past roles include serving as co-CEO, President, COO, and CFO of WeWork, CFO of Time Warner Cable, and COO and CFO of AOL.
Jake Siewert
Managing Director, Head of Global Public Policy and Political Risk
Warburg Pincus
Jake Siewert is based in New York as a Managing Director and the Head of Global Public Policy and Political Risk at Warburg Pincus, where he also oversees environmental, social, and governance strategy. Jake joined Warburg Pincus in 2021 from Goldman Sachs where he was a Partner and directed the firm's global communications, content, and marketing efforts.
Latest Videos
A Conversation with James Gorman, Executive Chairman, Morgan Stanley, NY
The David and Lyn Silfen Leadership Series is a set of distinguished speaking engagements where we invite prominent industry leaders to speak to us on the subject of leadership.
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Silfen Leadership Series Videos A Conversation with James Gorman, Executive Chairman, Morgan Stanley, NY
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Silfen Leadership Series Videos Former Paramount CEO Robert Bakish ’89 Returns to CBS to Share Media Industry Insights
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Artificial Intelligence NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Reveals Keys to AI and Leadership
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Silfen Leadership Series Videos A Conversation with Gunjan Kedia, Vice Chair of U.S. Bank Wealth Management and Investment Services
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Silfen Leadership Series Videos A Conversation with Pascal Desroches, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer AT&T
Past Speakers
Arnold L. Chavkin ’77
Arnie Chavkin is a senior advisor at Pine Brook Road Partners, a growth-oriented private equity firm. He retired in 2006 as chief investment officer at JP Morgan Partners (JPMP), a multi-billion-dollar private-equity firm affiliated with JPMorgan Chase.
Prior to joining JPMP in 1990, Mr. Chavkin was a member of Chemical Bank’s merchant banking group and a generalist in its corporate finance group, specializing in mergers and acquisitions and private placements for the energy industry.
Leon G. Cooperman ’67
Leon G. Cooperman is the chairman and CEO of Omega Family Office Inc. Previously, he spent 25 years with Goldman Sachs, where he was a partner and served as chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. While at Goldman Sachs, Mr. Cooperman was voted the number one portfolio strategist in the Institutional Investor All-America Research Team survey for nine consecutive years. This remarkable accomplishment solidified his reputation as the most incisive analyst on Wall Street.
Jamie Dimon
Jamie Dimon is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a global financial services firm with assets of $3.2 trillion and operations worldwide. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
Larry Fink
Laurence D. Fink is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock. He and seven partners founded BlackRock in 1988, and under his leadership, the firm has grown into a global leader in investment and technology solutions. BlackRock's mission is to help our clients build better financial futures and the firm is trusted to manage more money than any other investment company in the world.
Prior to founding BlackRock in 1988, Mr. Fink was a member of the Management Committee and a Managing Director of The First Boston Corporation.
Davide Grasso
Davide Grasso is Brand Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maserati and was appointed to the Top Executive Team of Stellantis in January 2021.
He has significant experience in commercial and operations management as well as global brand management.
Grasso has held a series of positions with increasing responsibility within Nike including Chief Marketing Officer. He also has led teams in Europe, the Americas and Asia. He joined Nike in 2001.
James W. Keyes ’80
James W. Keyes is the chairman of Wild Oats Marketplace, a position he’s held since 2012. He was previously the CEO of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets, a new format for healthy, convenient food stores, and served as chairman and CEO of Blockbuster, Inc.
Wendy Kopp
Wendy Kopp is CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All, a global network of independent organizations working to develop collective leadership to ensure all children have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.
Henry R. Kravis ’69
Henry R. Kravis is Executive Co-Chair of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company (KKR), a leading global investment firm. Mr. Kravis is actively involved in managing the firm and serves on its investment committees.
Prior to cofounding KKR, Mr. Kravis worked in the investment banking group at Bear Stearns & Company from 1969 to 1976, becoming a partner at 30. During this time, he, along with George Roberts and Jerry Kohlberg, originated what is now known as private equity.
Gail McGovern ’87
Gail McGovern joined the American Red Cross as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2008, and has taken a strong leadership role at the nation’s leading emergency response and blood services organization.
Robert F. Smith ’94
Tracey T. Travis ’86
Tracey Travis was named executive vice president of finance and chief financial officer of the Estee Lauder Companies effective August 20, 2012. Previously Ms. Travis was senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer at Ralph Lauren from January 2005 to July 2012, with responsibility for worldwide corporate finance, inclusive of accounting, financial planning and analysis, treasury, and tax and business development, as well as investor relations and information technology. During her tenure, Ms.
For more information on the Silfen Leadership Series, please contact:
Quadri Olanlege, Assistant Director, Student Engagement and Corporate Relations.
Phone: 212-854-1153
E-mail: [email protected]
Silfen Leadership Series Student Board Members, 2024-2025
Nicholas Bilcheck
Annie Cui
Mia Lindheimer
Carey Mott
Yamei Wang
Alyson Williams