Forward Thinking Faculty
Professor Arvind Krishnamurthy offers insight into the U.S. Treasury’s proposed bailout plan
Talented, Ambitious Students
Anant Gupta '09, a member of the Kellogg School’s “Team Synergy” won first place against their seven competitors in the JPMorgan Mergers & Acquisition Challenge
Smart, Influential Alumni
Robert Dotson ’89 staked claim in ‘cowboy space’ of wireless
Kellogg INSIGHT
Stacking the Deck Against Racism: A psychological explanation for impartialityRead More
Annual Conferences
The Kellogg School of Management hosts several annual conferences each year. The conferences bring business leaders from around the world to the Kellogg School campus. If your company is interested in getting involved with a conference, please contact the student representatives for that conference or an Assistant Director of Corporate Relations: Jennifer Johnson, at 847-467-1301 or Malissa Burke, at 847-491-3548.
Click here for Conference FAQs
| 2008-2009 Conference Schedule | |
| Innovating Social Change Conference | October 8, 2008 |
| Leadership Conference | October 15, 2008 |
| Business of Healthcare Conference | November 1, 2008 |
| Real Estate Conference | November 5, 2008 |
| Finance Conference | November 19, 2008 |
| Marketing Conference | January 23-24, 2009 |
| Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference | February 11, 2009 |
| Greater China Business Conference | February 14, 2009 |
| Black Management Association Conference | February 20-22, 2009 |
| Women's Business Association Conference | March 4, 2009 |
| Technology Conference | April 15, 2009 |
| India Business Conference | April 18, 2009 |
| Manufacturing Business Conference | May 13, 2009 |
| Latin American Business Conference | May 16 , 2009 |
Innovating Social Change Conference
Oct. 8, 2008, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Andrea Hanson
The Kellogg School of Management is proud to host the 9th Innovating Social Change Conference, "Redefining Social Impact: Changing the Scope of Changing the World." There is a revolution going on in the business world and the challenges of implementing and executing social change will not merely be encountered by those who pursue traditional social change roles in the nonprofit or NGO sector. Increasingly, businesses such as Wal-Mart and Starbucks are incorporating the social change vocabulary into their daily business practices. No longer must business leaders choose whether to make money or make a difference. Today’s business leaders are learning that making a difference is increasingly possible, profitable, and required. The 2008 ISC Conference will broaden the scope of the social change sector. This year’s speakers and topics will draw attention to the variety of exciting avenues for business leaders to explore in their careers. Panel topics include Microfinance, Global Health, CSR, & Social Entrepreneurship.
Leadership Conference
Oct. 15, 2008, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Carey Tischler
The face of international business is unquestionably changing – the subprime crisis, globalization and political unrest are all compelling evidence of complex strategic issues confronting current and future leaders. The 2008 Kellogg Leadership Conference, "Leading in a Changing World," will address the enormous leadership challenges arising from these recent trends and disruptive events. Through keynote and panel speakers, experienced leaders will highlight the ways they've adapted their own leadership styles in evolving and uncertain environments, providing attendees a glimpse into the key challenges faced by leaders today. Function-specific panels will explore the various leadership issues in both finance and marketing, while the remaining panels will touch on the challenges brought by globalization and a changing political landscape.
Business of Healthcare Conference
Nov. 1, 2008, Donald P. Jacobs Center
Contacts: Catherine Irwin and Jamie Jones
This year The Kellogg School of Management will host the 9th Business of Healthcare Conference, "Managing at the Forefront of Change." Healthcare as an industry and a business is continually evolving. Managers are faced with the challenges of forging uncharted waters, particularly in an election year such as this. The 2008-09 Kellogg Business of Healthcare Conference will tackle these timely managerial issues in a dynamic, thought-provoking forum. Thought leaders have been invited to speak to the present state and the future direction of the industry. Six panels of diverse healthcare specialists will share their thoughts on the future of financing a start-up business, managing global brands, reaching out to underserved markets, the impact of going “green,” implementing technological advances in a slow-to-adapt industry, and growing transparency for consumer benefit.
Real Estate Conference
Nov. 5, 2008, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Paul Lishnevsky
The Kellogg School of Management's 2008 Real Estate Conference, "Identifying Innovative Approaches to a Changing Global Landscape," will provide an innovative forum for the real estate community in the areas of real estate management, development and finance. The volatility exhibited in the current marketplace presents a unique setting for constructive, insightful dialogue among faculty, alumni, industry experts and real estate's burgeoning leaders of tomorrow. This year's conference will focus on current trends in a variety of relevant, action-oriented topics that will cover a cross-section of issues such as: the challenges and opportunities of operating in an unpredictable market, distressed investment strategies, executing deals globally in a changing political landscape and multi-pronged approaches to measurable, sustainable development. The 2008 Conference promises to be an incredible opportunity for knowledge-sharing, information gathering and a wide breadth of industry networking.
Finance Conference
November 19, 2008, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Smruti Behera
Over the past year the financial services industry has seen unprecedented upheaval. The past has shown that it’s often during times like these that the seeds of future innovation are sown. The 2008 Kellogg Finance Conference will provide a forum where industry professionals, academics and students can discuss the trends for the future with a particular emphasis on Leverage and Liquidity, the twin forces behind the boom and bust that have characterized the industry over the past decade. Through expert panels we will examine topics like managing fat tail risk, structuring deals in a tough credit environment and investing in a world of highly correlated asset classes. Senior leaders from the fields of corporate finance and investment management will also provide their perspective on the biggest opportunities in their fields.
Marketing Conference
January 23, 2009 Wieboldt Hall
January 24, 2009 Donald P. Jacobs Center
Contact: Sarah Lerman
Consumers today are more valuable to the marketing mix than ever before, while also being more demanding. The Kellogg Marketing Conference (KMC) brings together C-level executives, influential professionals, and distinguished alumni and academics to share their perspectives on current marketing challenges and best practices. Through keynote and panel speakers, the KMC will explore changing consumer dynamics across a variety of industries to provide attendees with an understanding of the latest consumer trends and the marketing tools necessary to stay relevant. Panels will explore niche brands that go mainstream, Boomers and multicultural consumers, customization of products and services, reframing brands for the international consumer, cause marketing & social responsibility, and how to let go when consumers control the marketing message.
Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference
February 11, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Aziz Gilani
The Kellogg School of Management's Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference brings together some of the biggest names and brightest minds involved in venture capital and buyouts. 2008 is proving to be a challenging year for venture capital and buyout firms as the credit crunch, rising inflation, and other economic headwinds continue to plague the industry. The conference will provide an open forum for discussing such trends and challenges, exchanging ideas and views, and debating current hot topics in the industry. Additionally, given the increasingly global nature of private equity and venture capital, the conference will specifically address trends and issues in select global regions.
Greater China Business Conference
February 14, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contacts: Jessica Yau and Xin Rossi Ma
China’s large population and rapidly growing economy will create challenges that the country and the world must face. As China’s business climate becomes more sophisticated, we will see China shift from being the “world’s factory” to the “world’s innovators”. The 2009 Greater China Business Conference, "From the World’s Factory to the World’s Innovators," will explore how China is transforming itself. From the 1980’s when China first opened its doors to foreign investment, to becoming a manufacturing center, to embracing new technology and business practices to becoming a world economy through membership in the WTO and hosting the 2008 Olympics. The conference will provide insights on marketing to Chinese consumers, branding Chinese products globally, China’s finance and investment environment, and China’s international relationships. The conference will feature prominent keynote speakers and panelists who will share their knowledge and experiences on building careers in China from different perspectives as well as the entrepreneurial challenges of building a business in China.
Black Management Association Conference
Feb. 20-22, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contacts: Regina Gwynn and Erica Motley
The Kellogg School of Management’s Black Management Association Conference is the school’s oldest student-led conference and one of the most distinguished events of the year. This year’s conference, entitled "Net Impact: Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Edge in the Global Marketplace," will feature industry leaders as keynote speakers and panelists who will lead conference participants in a thought-provoking and relevant dialogue on ways to expand the pipeline to international opportunities and generate a toolkit for success within an expanding global economy. During the three day event, students, alumni, prospective students, faculty, and professionals from across the country will gather to commemorate 22 years of dynamic forums led by some of the world’s most influential leaders in business, entertainment, media, and government.
Women’s Business Association Conference
March 4, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Kimberly Whinna
In a world where a myriad of opportunities exist, every woman can create a unique path that allows her to achieve her professional goals while managing a satisfying personal balance. The 2009 Women’s Business Association Conference, "Make It Mine: Owning your Professional Experience," will bring together successful and influential women from a wide variety of industries to share key decisions they have made and lessons they have learned as they have pursued their professional passions. Interactive break-out sessions on topics such as influence techniques and group dynamics will encourage women to own their opinions in group settings while offering practical tips to sharpen communication skills. In our panel sessions, successful women will share insights on topics such as owning your future with values-based goal-setting, taking ownership of the direction of conversations in networking situations, and pursuing ownership to the extreme in the form of running your own business. We will end the day with a networking reception that will feature a guest image consultant who will speak about best practices for owning your image.
Technology Conference
April 15, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Shahid Hussain
The 15th Kellogg Technology Conference will explore trends shaping the next wave of technology innovation. The conference remains one of the country’s most prestigious and longest running MBA conferences focused on technology. In order to better understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, having insights from industry experts is paramount. We are excited that the conference will bring together best and brightest minds from industry and academia – including senior executives, visionaries, entrepreneurs, venture investors, world-class faculty and students from the nation’s top business schools. While the topics of discussions will be diverse, each will have a significant relevance to the next wave of technology innovation.
India Business Conference
April 18, 2009, Donald P. Jacobs Center
Contacts: Anant Garg and Sayali Karanjkar
The Kellogg India Business Conference (KIBC), since its inception in 1992, has been the premier forum on critical Indian business issues, consistently bringing together successful and influential leaders from the public and private sectors to share their perspectives with students, alumni, faculty, and others interested in India. The 2009 KIBC moves up one level, from selling India to being a medium for individuals and companies to better partake in India’s success. Even as Indian companies go global and foreign companies descend on the subcontinent, riding the great Indian elephant remains a tricky proposition for most. With this year’s conference, we attempt to provide a broad and innovative toolkit for understanding India and benefiting from it by interacting with dynamic business leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, and veteran expats with first-hand experience of dealing with India and Indians.
Manufacturing Business Conference
May 13, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contact: Katherine Duff
From design to delivery, manufacturing affects how fast, economical and ecological a product will be. The Manufacturing Business Conference (MBC) explores cutting-edge topics in design, supply chain and operations through a combination of expert panels and exciting keynote speakers. Last year’s conference attracted 300 industry executives, professionals, accomplished entrepreneurs, alumni, and a wide range of students and faculty from various disciplines with-in Northwestern. The day presents a wonderful opportunity to discuss key topics in manufacturing management across a diverse group of industry experts, and has been a vehicle for developing relationships between Kellogg students and alumni.
Latin American Business Conference
May 16, 2009, James L. Allen Center
Contacts: Karlo Teran and Juan Carlos Salame
According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 2008 will be the fifth consecutive year of steady economic growth for Latin America. Despite the difference amongst the 21 countries and 10 dependencies that are part of the region, Latin American is becoming a predominant player in the business world arena.
"Latin America: A Two Way Avenue to the World," will provide the attendees with a unique opportunity to gain first hand insights of the challenges and opportunities facing the region in its effort to connect to the world. Top business executives, government officials and entrepreneurs will get together share their story and analyze how to successfully build business models within and beyond Latin America.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I park?
- Monday-Friday: Between 7AM and 4PM, only designated parking lots for visitors with a parking pass. Click here for directions and maps of designated parking lots.
- Monday-Friday: After 4PM, any parking lot, no parking pass needed.
- Saturday-Sunday: Any time, in any parking lot and no parking pass needed.
Where do I get a parking pass (only if I am parking Mon-Fri between 7am and 4pm)?
- Conferences will have a volunteer(s) stationed at designated lots with parking passes for visitors for the start of the conference.
- Please continue to check conference Web site for parking details particular to the conference you are attending. Links to each conference Web site are listed above.
What is the appropriate attire for a Kellogg Conference?
- It is recommended you wear business or business casual attire to the conference.
