The Wall Street Journal CEO Council D.C. Meeting December 3-4, 2018 The Four Seasons Washington, D.C. When the CEO Council meets in Washington D.C in December, the nation will be in the midst of another extraordinary period of change. Voters will have just chosen a new Congress and possibly flipped political control of one or both chambers. The White House will be pressing major new policy initiatives abroad and at home, steered by yet another new team of top presidential advisors on the economy, trade, national security and other key areas critical to business. Is this the makings of a new era of progress for the U.S., or the recipe for a political cage fight that will stall policy and economic growth? Will the festering trade dispute with China erupt into an all-out war with unpredictable consequences for business? Will the new Congress seek to tweak (read: roll back) the new tax cuts if deficits climb? And can the White House initiative to reduce business regulation survive if the political tide shifts against it? The CEO Council will tackle these issues and much more including how to dine on, rather than be eaten by, the latest bounty of technological innovation. Our speakers: top government decision makers and experts in fields essential to today's CEO. At a time when the velocity of change appears to increase by the day, we ll meet at the epicenter of that change to learn what it all means for business. Join us for the 2018 CEO Council Annual Meeting, in Washington D.C., December 3-4. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3 5:00pm - 6:00pm Welcome Reception 6:00pm - 8:00pm Opening Dinner and Program Opening Remarks Robert Thomson, Chief Executive, News Corp Matt Murray, Editor in Chief, The Wall Street Journal 7:00pm - 7:30pm Political Leadership The voters gave the nation a split Congress. How should business prepare for what comes next? Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Interviewer: Matt Murray, Editor in Chief, The Wall Street Journal 7:30pm - 8:00pm What Just Happened, and What s It Mean for Business? The midterm elections have redrawn the political map in Washington. What s likely to happen to tax policy, regulation, and the ability of Congress to get things done?
Perspectives: Donna Brazile, Founder, Brazile Associates Kristen Soltis Anderson, Co-Founder and Partner, Echelon Insights Greg Valliere, Chief Global Strategist, Horizon Investments Interviewer: Gerald F. Seib, Executive Washington Editor and Chief Commentator, The Wall Street Journal 8:00pm - 9:00pm Dessert and Nightcaps TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4 7:00am - 8:00am Breakfast 8:00am - 8:15am Opening Remarks John Bussey, Associate Editor, The Wall Street Journal 8:15am - 8:40am American Business in the World From trade policy to national security treaties, it sometimes appears America is in retreat from global engagement. But is that so? And when is business affected? John R. Bolton, National Security Advisor, The White House Interviewer: Gerard Baker, Editor at Large, The Wall Street Journal 8:40am - 9:05am When Workplace Culture = Business Risk Companies across industries have been rocked over the last year by revelations of harassment, pay inequity and other problems tied to corporate culture. How can boards and CEOs create a healthier workplace and avoid tanking the brand? Perspectives: Lisa J. Banks, Partner, Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP Tina Tchen, Partner, Buckley Sandler Interviewer: Jamie Heller, Business Editor, The Wall Street Journal 9:05am - 9:20am The Imperial Presidency? Has the office of the president, over the years, become too powerful for American democracy? And is this what the founding fathers had in mind? Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, National Constitution Center 9:20am - 9:45am What to Do About China China remains one the biggest opportunities for and greatest threats to global companies. It s a big market, but one without normal rules. The White House hopes to change that. Larry Kudlow Director, National Economic Council, The White House Interviewer: John Bussey, Associate Editor, The Wall Street Journal 9:45am - 10:20am Networking Break 10:20am - 10:45am Business and the Political Minefield: A Case Study When should a company take a stand on a political or social issue such as gun control, gay marriage, or immigration? And how can a CEO best navigate the sometimes competing interests of employees, shareholders and the board? Perspectives: Mark T. Bertolini, Chairman and CEO, Aetna Ed Stack, Chairman and CEO, DICK s Sporting Goods
Interviewer: Nikki Waller, Editor, Live Journalism and Special Coverage, The Wall Street Journal 10:45am - 11:05am Policing Trade Global trade relations have hit a rough patch. Can the World Trade Organization hold the regime together? Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General, World Trade Organization Interviewer: Jacob M. Schlesinger, Senior Correspondent, The Wall Street Journal 11:20am - 12:20pm Breakout Sessions The CEO Council will break into small groups to discuss critical issues affecting business and growth. The Next Workforce A new wave of automation is upon us, and a bigger one driven by artificial intelligence -- is on the horizon. How can CEOs best manage the integration of human talent and machine? And can CEOs get a buy-in for change from a workforce that may itself be displaced? Co-Chairs: Francisco D Souza, CEO, Cognizant Rich Lesser, CEO, Boston Consulting Group Moderator: Jamie Heller, Business Editor, The Wall Street Journal A Look in the Mirror What makes a good CEO and what makes a bad one? And how does that shape criteria for picking a successor? Tim Baxter, President and CEO, Samsung Electronics North America Moderator: Marcelo Prince, Chief, Corporate Bureau, The Wall Street Journal Short Staffed The U.S. economy is humming. That s made the job market the tightest in decades. Where s the new talent going to come from? And how can business best compete for and retain those employees? Girish Rishi, CEO, JDA Software Moderator: Nikki Waller, Editor, Live Journalism and Special Coverage, The Wall Street Journal China Syndrome The White House is tackling problems with China that business has complained about for years everything from forced tech transfer to IP theft. Is Washington taking the right approach? And how can companies navigate the disruption caused by the emerging trade conflict between these economic giants? Co-Chairs: Amy Schabacker Dufrane, CEO, HR Certification Institute Afsaneh Beschloss, Founder and CEO, Rockcreek Moderator: Bob Davis, Senior Editor, The Wall Street Journal Securing the Home Front Cyber security continues to elude a notable list of companies. This breakout will share the latest best practices for keeping a business safe -- and staying off that list. Bradley H. Feldmann, Chairman, President and CEO, Cubic Corporation Moderator: Gerald F. Seib, Executive Washington Editor and Chief Commentator, The Wall Street Journal
Harnessing Disruption The digital age and the speed of business generally has overtaken many established companies. How can CEOs make disruption a key part of their own corporate culture an internal force for continuous innovation rather than an external threat to be feared. Mark Machin, President and CEO, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Moderator: Elena Cherney, Coverage Planning Editor, The Wall Street Journal Big Tech and Democracy (non-member breakout session) Are the size of America s big technology companies getting to be a problem? At a time when virtually all companies are digitally dependent, is too much data in the hands of too few tech outfits? Is it time for regulation? Moderator: Christopher Mims, Technology Columnist, The Wall Street Journal 12:35pm - 1:50pm Lunch Program Balancing the Books Tax cuts, wage growth, higher interest rates, rocketing deficits: The nation s chief bookkeeper puts it all in context. Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Interviewer: Paul Gigot, Editorial Page Editor and Vice President, The Wall Street Journal 2:05pm - 2:25pm Tracking the Economy The U.S. economy is on a roll, setting the pace for global growth. How long can that continue? And what should we make of the rising U.S. budget deficit? Kevin A. Hassett, Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers, The White House Interviewer: Jon Hilsenrath, Global Economics Editor, The Wall Street Journal 2:25pm - 2:50pm The View From China When it comes to trade, growth, security, the environment, governance, and a range of other issues, China has its own ambitions. Can compromise be found with that other world power -- the U.S.? Cui Tiankai, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the U.S. Interviewer: Paul Beckett, Washington Bureau Chief, The Wall Street Journal 2:50pm - 3:05pm The White Working Class You think you understand America s class warfare? Maybe not. Thoughts from the author of the mostread article in the history of the Harvard Business Review: What So Many People Don t Get About the U.S. Working Class. Joan C. Williams, Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings College of the Law 3:05pm - 3:40pm Networking Break 3:40pm - 4:00pm Making Sense of Brexit How can companies prepare for Britain s complex exit from the European Union? And how are longtime allies of the U.S. navigating newly fractious disputes with America over trade, NATO, and other common concerns. Kim Darroch, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the United States
Interviewer: Courtney McBride, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal 4:00pm - 4:30pm The Democratic Agenda The House of Representatives has a new majority party, and a new agenda. Here's where business and the House may find common purpose. Steny Hoyer House Minority Whip and U.S. Representative (D., Md.) Interviewer: Jerry Seib, Executive Washgoing (ington Editor, The Wall Street Journal 4:30pm - 6:00pm Closing Reception **Subject to Change**