Wharton / Lauder Institute

In step with the pioneering spirit of Joseph Wharton, who established the world’s first collegiate school of business in 1881 at the University of Pennsylvania, Leonard Lauder’s vision redefined the MBA experience nearly 100 years later.

By daring to challenge conventional approaches to business education, Mr. Lauder conceived the Lauder Institute to recognize the evolving shift toward globalization and the need for future leaders to thoroughly understand environments where business is conducted.

The Lauder Institute Global Forum is an intensive, interactive, 3-day summit that brings together Program alumni from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, notable thought leaders, industry-shaping executives, and honored guests.

As part of its commitment to working with non-profits, Charles Rashall, a Wharton / Lauder graduate himself, took on the task of conceiving, developing, creating, and managing the 2010 Global Forum, along with a small team of dedicated alumni and volunteers.

With San Francisco selected as the most appropriate city to networking, intellectual stimulation, and fun, brandadvisors kicked-off the 3-day summit with Friday evening class dinners held at adjacent restaurants on Belden Lane, San Francisco’s “Little Europe.”

Saturday’s conference, held at the historic City Club in downtown SF, was a mix of alumni panels and noted speakers, including Inder Sidhu of Cisco, Robert Wong of Google, Jim Herbert of First Republic Bank, and Bob Lutz, formerly of GM. brandadvisors developed the program theme of “Renew & Reinvent,” which fueled a thought provoking program, stimulating dialogue surrounding the major currents of change sweeping across industries from automotive and energy to financial services and sustainable food, to name a few.

To cap off the event, and to ensure that out-of-town visitors experienced the beauty and expertise of the Bay Area, brandadvisors hosted a picnic, wine tasting, grape harvest, and featured speakers at its executive retreat in Napa Valley.