2025 Program

7:30 – 8:00 a.m.

Registration / Breakfast
Jon M. Huntsman Hall, 3730 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

*Registration will be open until 10:30 am.

8:10 – 8:15 a.m.

Welcome & Introductions
Peter Cappelli, Director, Wharton Center for Human Resources
Michael Useem, Faculty Director, McNulty Leadership Program at Wharton

8:15 – 8:45 a.m.

Grace Vandecruze, Founder and Managing Director, Grace Global Capital, LLC
Fireside chat with Michael Useem, Faculty Director, McNulty Leadership Program

Mountaineering Principles for Navigating Business Uncertainty

What can high-altitude mountaineering teach us about leadership in today’s volatile business landscape? In this engaging session, Grace Vandecruze shares the journey of building a business from the ground up—through uncertainty, adversity, and unexpected terrain.

Drawing parallels between extreme environments and modern leadership, the session explores how micro-adjustments, strategic pivots, and bold vision work together in high-stakes settings.

Through stories from boardrooms and homeless shelters alike, the talk reveals how constraint-based leadership unlocks resilience, trust, and creative problem-solving.

This is a powerful exploration of what it means to lead at the edge of change.

8:45 – 10:00 a.m.

Rodger Levenson, Chairman and CEO, WSFS Financial Corporation
Marvin ‘Skip’ Schoenhals, former Chairman and CEO, WSFS Financial Corporation
Mark Turner, former Chairman and CEO, WSFS Financial Corporation
Moderated by Jeff Klein, Executive Director, McNulty Leadership Program

WSFS has successfully navigated CEO succession across three generations—and at this year’s Wharton Leadership Conference, you’ll hear firsthand from the leaders who made it happen. Rodger Levenson, Mark Turner, and Marvin “Skip” Schoenhals join McNulty Leadership Program Executive Director Jeff Klein for a candid panel on what worked, what they’d do differently, and the lessons every leader can learn.

10:00 – 10:20 a.m.

BREAK
Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Forum

10:20 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.

Tarek Rabah, President & CEO, Otsuka
Fireside chat with Shobana Narayanan, Vice President, People and Business Services, Otsuka

11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Bill Kramer, Chief Executive Officer, Academy Awards
Fireside chat with Peter Cappelli, Director, Wharton Center for Human
Resources
Introduction by Jie Zhang, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Total
Rewards

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

LUNCH
Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Forum

1:00 – 1:20 p.m.

WTW Spotlight

1:20 – 2:10 p.m.

Constantine Alexandrakis, CEO, Russell Reynolds
Fireside chat with Peter Cappelli, Director, Wharton Center for Human
Resources
Introduction by Beth Hoerle, Chief Human Resources Officer, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG)

Leadership at an Inflection Point

Uncertain times can severely test (and reveal) the quality of an organization’s leadership. It is during these times that great leaders act – and act decisively. But today, uncertainty has taken on new dimensions, with political, social, and economic landscapes rapidly shifting. This has led to a fundamental reshaping of the global environment in which organizations operate. Leaders are tasked with navigating these challenges with resilience and foresight, drawing on lessons learned from past crises. Hear from Constantine Alexandrakis, CEO of global leadership advisory and search firm Russell Reynolds Associates, on how business leaders can evolve their leadership and teams to create conditions for their organizations to thrive now and in the future.

2:10 – 3:00 p.m.

Mary Ellen Iskenderian, CEO, Women’s World Banking
Fireside chat with Gwendolyn McDay, Senior Director, Innovation & Integration, McNulty Leadership Program
Introduction by Karen Miller, Head of Strategy and Special Projects, Women’s World Banking

3:00 – 3:20 p.m.

BREAK
Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Forum

3:20 – 4:10 p.m.

Amit Bajaj, President, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-US
Fireside chat with Scott Purvis, Chief Operation, People Results

4:10 – 5:00 p.m.

Klaus Kleinfeld, former CEO Siemens, Alcoa/Arconic

Leading To Thrive

In chaotic times, true leadership is not just about endurance — it’s about renewal. This conversation explores how leaders can master their inner game to stay grounded, focused, and energized amid uncertainty. We’ll discuss practical tools to navigate personal and professional turbulence, and how thriving — not just surviving — becomes the new standard for sustainable success in business and life.

Fireside chat with Klaus Kleinfeld, former CEO Siemens, Alcoa/Arconic
Moderated by Henning Piezunka, Associate Professor of Management at Wharton

5:00 – 5:05 p.m.

Wrapping Up
Peter Cappelli, Director, Wharton Center for Human Resources
Michael Useem, Faculty Director, McNulty Leadership Program

5:05 – 6:00 p.m.

Reception
Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Forum