NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal is convening nearly 100 of the world's leading chief executives today and tomorrow to address urgent business and political issues at the annual meeting of the Journal's CEO Council (http://ceocouncil.wsj.com). The conference will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington D.C.
Through open debate and discussion, the members of The Wall Street Journal CEO Council will develop an action plan comprised of specific priorities for both business and government to ensure sustainable global prosperity.
In addition, the CEOs will meet with top policymakers from the Obama administration, as well as members of Congress and labor leaders. Participants include White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel; Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; Council of Economic Adviser Chair Christina Romer; Budget Director Peter Orszag; Services Employees International Union (SEIU) President Andy Stern; U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA).
"The immediate crisis has passed, but the global economy -- and thus people around the world -- faces unprecedented challenges," said Robert Thomson, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal and editor-in-chief of Dow Jones & Company. "The CEOs joining us this week are directly responsible for six million employees and influence the prospects of tens of millions more -- it has rarely been so important to bring them together for a frank and open conversation."
The 2009 CEO Council meeting centers on four key topics including: The Economy and Finance, Healthcare, Energy and the Environment, and An Educated Workforce. Leading subject-matter experts will provide perspectives and information in each of these areas as the CEOs develop their plan.
Members of the CEO Council at the meeting include:
* John T. Chambers, chairman and chief executive officer, Cisco Systems, Inc. * Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer, American Express Company * Louis R. Chenevert, president and chief executive officer, United Technologies Corporation * Delos M. Cosgrove, M.D., president and chief executive officer, Cleveland Clinic * Lynn L. Elsenhans, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Sunoco, Inc. * Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive officer, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.; Renault S.A. * William D. Green, chairman and chief executive officer, Accenture * Carlos Slim Helu, lifetime honorary chairman, Telefonos de Mexico * Gail P. Kelly, managing director and chief executive officer, Westpac Banking Corporation * J. W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer, Marriott International, Inc. * Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive officer, News Corporation * Randall L. Stephenson, chairman, president and chief executive officer, AT&T, Inc. * Ratan N. Tata, chairman, Tata Sons Limited * Daniel Vasella, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer, Novartis AG * Ronald A. Williams, chairman and chief executive officer, Aetna, Inc.
A select group of editors of The Wall Street Journal will moderate the discussions throughout the two-day meeting, including: Jeffrey Ball, energy and environment columnist and editor; John Bussey, Washington bureau chief; Paul Gigot, editorial page editor and vice president; Laura Landro, assistant managing editor and health columnist; Alan Murray, deputy managing editor and executive editor, online; Gerald F. Seib, assistant managing editor and executive Washington editor; Robert Thomson, managing editor and editor-in-chief, Dow Jones & Company; and David Wessel, economics editor.
The results of The Wall Street Journal CEO Council's annual meeting will be published in a special Journal Report to be published on Monday, Nov. 23. For more information about The Wall Street Journal CEO Council, please go to http://ceocouncil.wsj.com.
About The Wall Street Journal
Founded in 1889, The Wall Street Journal, the flagship publication of Dow Jones & Company is the world's leading business publication and holds 33 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism. The Wall Street Journal has a print and online circulation of more than 2 million, reaching the nation's top business and political leaders, as well as investors across the country. The Wall Street Journal boasts the largest individually paid circulation out of the top 25 U.S. newspapers. Other publications that are part of The Wall Street Journal franchise, with a global audience of 3.8 million, include The Wall Street Journal Asia and The Wall Street Journal Europe. The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com is the leading provider of business and financial news and analysis on the Web with more than one million subscribers and 26 million users per month. WSJ.com is the flagship site of The Wall Street Journal Digital Network, which also includes MarketWatch.com, Barrons.com and AllThingsD.com. In 2009, the Journal was ranked No. 1 in BtoB's Media Power 50 for the 10th consecutive year. The Wall Street Journal Radio Network services news and information to more than 350 radio stations in the U.S.
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