Darden Speakers and Events

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science are becoming an intrinsic part of our personal and professional lives, helping many lead healthier, happier and more productive lives. For AI to fully fulfill its promise, however, it must help all humans, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or economic background. For this vision to materialize, diversity in the field is more crucia...

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the way much of the world lives and works, and it’s unclear both when a return to normal may occur and what that return may look like. What practices, many born out of necessity, will carry over to a post-COVID world? Which will be dispatched as soon as possible? At a virtual Leadership Unscripted event hosted by the University of Virginia Darden School of Busines...

Hosted by UVA Darden Professor Peter Debaere in a Leadership Unscripted session, this discussion features Fernando Mercé (MBA ’98), CEO of Melissa & Doug and former president and CEO of Nestlé Waters North America. Water is what connects Mercé and Debaere. When Mercé served as CEO of Nestlé Waters North America, he and Debaere, an international economist and water expert, started a conversation ab...

Dr. Vivian Pinn said “social determinants” — factors such as wealth, profession and access to health care — have been among the key drivers of who gets sick and why. Pinn was interviewed at the virtual Leadership Unscripted event by Professor Lalin Anik, whose research in the marketing area often considers the role of social connection on human behavior. A pioneer in the field of medicine, Pinn wa...

A Conversation with former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and Halla Tómasdóttir, a former candidate for president of Iceland and CEO of The B Team.

Speaking at a Leadership Unscripted event at UVA Darden DC Metro, Darden Professor Laura Morgan Roberts, incoming Wharton Dean Erika James and Airbnb Head of Global Diversity and Belonging Melissa Thomas-Hunt discuss the connection between identity and experience in the workplace and what it might take to achieve a truly inclusive professional environment.

In this episode, Save the Children CEO Carolyn Miles (MBA'88) discusses the role of women in the developing world and the ability of women and girls to change the trajectory of a country's development towards a more equal and democratic society.  Leadership Unscripted is a Darden speaker series hosted at UVA Darden DC Metro in Arlington, Virginia. To learn more, visit us at: www.darden.virginia.ed...

In this episode of Leadership Unscripted, Case Foundation CEO and National Geographic Society Chairman Jean Case discusses the importance of taking risks, being fearless, and leveraging difference in order to change the world.  Leadership Unscripted is a Darden speaker series hosted at UVA Darden DC Metro in Arlington, Virginia. To learn more, visit us at: www.darden.virginia.edu .  Recorded 10 Oc...

In this episode, UPS Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Scott Price (MBA/MA ’90) discusses how to influence and create transformation from within a global corporation.  The Darden Leadership Speaker Series is held on Darden Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and events are open to the public. To learn more, visit us at: www.darden.virginia.edu Recorded 31 October 2019

In this episode of Darden Leadership Speaker Series, Richmond Federal Reserve President and CEO Tom Barkin shares 10 life tips he has learned during his career and offers his thoughts on economic issues, from global trade wars to potential recession.  The Darden Leadership Speaker Series is held on Darden Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and events are open to the public. To learn more, vist...

In this episode of the Darden Leadership Speaker Series, Indonesian Ambassador to the United States of America Mahendra Siregar shares the story of Indonesia's recovery from near collapse and discusses the impact of global trade skirmishes.  The Darden Leadership Speaker Series is held on Darden Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and events are open to the public. To learn more, visit us at: ww...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series welcomes Barbara Byrne, a Vice Chairman within the Investment Bank at Barclays. Based in New York, Ms. Byrne is Chairman of both Barclays Americas Citizenship Council, overseeing strategic programs to foster global economic growth and opportunity, and Barclays Social Innovation Facility, a cross-business resource dedicated to the development of self-sustaining...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series welcomes Claudy Jules, Ph. D., Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, Talent & Organization. Dr. Jules leads Accenture’s strategy consulting work globally on leadership. He has extensive experience working as an advisor and executive coach to corporate, government and NGO executives, providing counsel on a wide range of organization and leadership issues in man...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series welcomes Tobias Dengel, CEO of WillowTree. This event was co-sponsored by the Darden Technology Club. Prior to his role as CEO of WillowTree, Tobias co-founded Leads.com in 2003, based in Northern Virginia. He was at AOL from 1996 to 2003, with his final role being VP of AOL Local. Tobias holds a BS in Economics and a BS in Engineering, both from the University...

Kim Morrish (MBA’93), Owner and Director of Ground Control Ltd. joins us as part of Darden's Leadership Speaker Series. Kim and her husband are directors and majority shareholders of Ground Control Ltd., the UK’s largest landscaping company with over £100 million in annual turnover. In 2016, Ground Control received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation for their leading edge technology that...

Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer Mike Lenox moderates a fireside chat with Jim Moffatt, CEO, Global Consulting, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and Deputy CEO, Deloitte LLP, as part of Darden's Leadership Speaker Series. Since joining the Deloitte U.S. practice in 1987, Jim has earned a long-standing reputation for serving clients with distinction from strategy through execution a...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series kicks-off its 2016-17 season with Dominic Barton, Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company.   In his 30 years with the firm, Dominic has advised clients in a range of industries including banking, consumer goods, high tech and industrials. Prior to his current role, Dominic was based in Shanghai as McKinsey’s Asia Chairman from 2004 to 2009 and led the Kor...

The Darden Leadership Speaker series welcomes John Mackey, co-founder and co-CEO of Whole Foods Market. Mr. Mackey has led the natural and organic grocer to a $15 billion Fortune 500 company with more than 435 stores and 85,000 team members in three countries. The company has been included on Fortune magazine’s“100 Best Companies to Work For” list for 18 consecutive years and ranked first in the f...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series welcomes Peter Brabeck, Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Nestlé Group, to the School as the keynote speaker of a series of events across the University of Virginia around World Water Day. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe led the Nestlé Group from 1997 to 2008, first as CEO, till 2005, and then as Chairman and CEO. In April 2008, he handed over the office of CEO an...

Darden welcomes alumnus Sunil Ghatnekar (MBA ’92), CFO, Bottling Investments Group, the Coca-Cola Company back to Darden as part of the Leadership Speaker Series. Sunil also serves on the Darden Corporate Advisory Board. Sunil brings insights from more than 23 years of experience with the Coca-Cola Company. Part of the senior leadership team, Sunil shares his journey to CFO of BIG and his global e...

Carol A. Sawdye, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers visits Darden as part of the Leadership Speaker Series. Sawdye has an interesting background beginning with her years as a partner at PwC, followed by moves to become the CFO & COO of one of the world’s largest law firms and then the CFO of the National Basketball Association before returning to PwC as Vice Chairm...

Darden alum Naren Gursahaney (MBA '89), President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of The ADT Corporation speaks on "Innovation at ADT" as part of Darden's Leadership Speaker Series. The event was co-sponsored by Darden’s Technology Club . Naren and his leadership team’s significant contributions have helped make ADT the leading provider of home and small business electronic security, automat...

Darden welcomes Robert G. Wilmers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of M&T Bank Corporation as a participant in the 2015-16 Leadership Speaker Series, “Leaders that inspire innovation, collaboration and growth." His presentation was followed by a "fireside chat" with Darden Finance Professor Ken Eades. Mr. Wilmers has received many honors and awards for his service to the banking industry, as...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series welcomes Javier Rodriguez, President & CEO of DaVita Kidney Care. Mr. Rodriguez speaks on "Community First, Company Second: Leading a Village" Javier Rodriguez is president and CEO of DaVita Kidney Care, a leading provider of kidney care services and a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a FORTUNE 500® company that provides a variety of health care ser...

The Darden Leadership Speaker Series welcomes alum and former Board of Trustees member Michael A. DeCola, Chief Executive Officer of HBM Holdings. This event was co-sponsored by Darden’s General Management and Operations Club. HBM Holdings was formed in January, 2014 to oversee all of the business interests owned by the Harry B. Mathews, Jr. Trust. Mississippi Lime, founded in 1907 by Harry B. Mat...