Capitalizing on the Opportunities

With so much of the attention focused on the risks these days, it is important to remind ourselves of the opportunities that are available to US firms, especially globally. The types of displacements that we are seeing in the financial markets create opportunities, whether through M&A deals, refinancing, or growth potential, as well as uncertainties. Further, the economic dislocations of the past several years appear to have further entrenched the CFO’s role at center stage with these men and women having much greater and broader responsibility within their enterprises than before.

Times like these often cause us to reevaluate what is working and what isn’t, to reconsider the ways in which our firms are competitive and where we need to improve, and to reassess where we stand with important constituencies like competitors, shareholders, employees, chief executives and boards, etc. Smart firms will be looking at the current state of affairs and determining how to leverage — or even create — opportunities in the most intelligent, cost-effective, and productive ways possible.

Advisory Board

Chief Financial Officers

David V. Elkins
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Becton Dickinson and Company

Bill Douglas
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.

David Goulden
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
EMC Corporation

Carl T. Berquist
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Marriott International, Inc.

Chip Molloy
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
PetSmart

Joseph Euteneuer
Chief Financial Officer
Sprint Nextel Corporation

Bennett L. Nussbaum
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.

Treasurers

Matthew Skurbe
Treasurer & Managing Director
Blackstone Group

James Hodge
Senior Vice President & Treasurer
CA Technologies

Scott Messel
Senior Vice President, Treasurer
ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Peter G. Dunphy
Treasurer
Michelin North America Inc.