A Different Culture = A Different Mindset
CFOs at WSJ Summit Prioritize Lower Taxes Over Better Talent
Posted on The New Global Citizen
By Katie Levey
Last week, Deirdre White, the CEO of CDC Development Solutions, joined the Wall Street Journal for a forum of CFOs from the world’s largest companies in Washington, DC to discuss talent development. Notable economic thinkers such as former Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, SEC Chairman, Mary Jo White, and Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, Alan Krueger, debated the 2013 economic outlook and policy, while CFOs identified their top 20 most pressing priorities.
Deirdre was asked to develop three proposals in response to questions around the theme, The Talent Hunt. Once a talented employee comes in the door, what’s the best way to develop their abilities? How can ever-more globalized companies instill an international perspective when many managers want to stay close to home?
The topic ignited a vigorous debate. The session was closed to the media, so we can’t share the details here, but one point was apparent: those responsible for the bottom line have a different culture and a different mindset. While employee engagement ranked among the top twenty priorities, “lowering US corporate taxes” was, by far, the clear winner on CFO agendas, which, as an aside, sparked some sarcasm in the Twittersphere.
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