Smith School to Host Global Conference for MBA Leaders in Washington
Annual Event in April to Focus on Post-Financial Crisis Leadership

College Park, Md. – December 2, 2009 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business will host the Graduate Business Forum’s 28th annual Graduate Business Conference in Washington, D.C., April 15-17, 2010. The three-day conference brings together MBA student government leaders from the top business schools worldwide to exchange best practices and learn from and network with business and political leaders. Organized by Smith’s MBA Association, this year’s conference – “Post-Crisis: Business Leadership in the New Global Economy” – will focus on responsible leadership following the 2008 financial crisis and ensuing recession.

“We are honored to be hosting top MBA student leaders from around the world for this important event,” said G. “Anand” Anandalingam, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “This forum is a great opportunity for students to share ideas and perspectives that will help them and their classmates become the responsible business leaders who take all stakeholders into account when making tough decisions.”

Leveraging the Smith School’s unique position as a thought leader in Washington, D.C., the 2010 Graduate Business Conference will focus on structural changes in the financial markets, regulatory environment and the global economy and how these changes impact today’s emerging business leaders. Conference speakers will address the emerging role of government as a partner and a regulator in the economic recovery and the financial markets. Discussions will also focus on the evolution of corporate governance, business ethics and fundamental structural changes in the global business environment.

Established in 1983, the Graduate Business Forum is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing together student leaders from graduate business programs worldwide, assembling them for inspirational dialogues, debates and sharing best-practices at annual conferences, then keeping them connected in a global network of peers, alumni and inspirational leaders. The Smith School won a competitive bid to host the 2010 conference.

The last conference took place in Taiwan and brought together more than 100 students from more than 25 countries and 50 MBA programs. Distinguished speakers and participants included Vincent Siew, the vice president of Taiwan; Se-Hwa Wu, president of National Chengchi University; Barry Lam, CEO and founder of Quanta; and Stan Shih, founder of Acer, among others. More information about the 2010 conference is available online at http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/GBC2010 or by e-mailing GBC2010@rhsmith.umd.edu.

About the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, executive MS, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.