Thayer Global Speaker Series launches Thayer’s Business Leadership Masterclass

The Thayer Global Speaker Series continued its 2024-25 season with “A Masterclass in Business Leadership,” an informative and spirited roundtable discussion on the rapidly changing corporate landscape and the skills needed to thrive in such an environment. 

Held Feb. 4 in Southworth Library and also offered virtually, the event featured six panelists offering a wide range of experience in the business world: Abraham Ceesay P ‘27, CEO of Rapport Therapeutics and a Thayer trustee; retired Vice Admiral Michael Connor ‘76, founder, chairman, and CEO of ThayerMahan; Guy Daniello P ‘22, ‘26, founder and CEO of Peloton Consulting Group and a Thayer trustee; Jay Hooley P ‘06, ‘08, ‘13, ‘16, former chair of the board and CEO of State Street Corporation; Rachelle Jacques P ‘26, biotech executive and independent board director; and Siobhan O’Mahony P ‘28, ‘28, Feld Family Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Management & Organization at the Boston University Questrom School of Business. Kelley Tuthill ‘88, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Boston, moderated the 90-minute discussion which focused on, among other topics, ethical leadership, the role of AI, team-based problem solving, leadership communication skills, the role of an MBA degree, and the importance of respectful debate and dialogue. 

The event also served another purpose: announcing the launch of Thayer’s new Business Leadership Masterclass, a 12-session course held this winter and spring for approximately 40 Upper School students. The course will cover several financial management topics and dovetails with the Academy’s existing business offerings, including a multiyear entrepreneurship program, a stock portfolio simulation program, and financial literacy classes. 

Head of School Chris Fortunato welcomed guests to the Feb. 4 discussion and thanked the many people involved in building Thayer’s new Business Leadership Masterclass, an initiative he called “yet another step forward in meaningfully engaging our students.” As the evening event fell upon Founders Day (a day of fundraising in honor of the Academy’s founders), Fortunato also thanked Daniello and his wife Sue P ‘22, ‘26 for their $50,000 Founders Day challenge grant in support of the class. 

Masterfully facilitated by Tuthill, a longtime news anchor and reporter at WCVB-TV in Boston, discussion flowed smoothly across a range of topics, one of which was the constancy of change in the business world. 

“In the biotech industry, the one thing that’s a given is change,” said Ceesay, who encouraged a spirit of resilience and noted how, for him, athletics provided great lessons in bouncing back from adversity. 

O’Mahony urged students in the audience to triangulate in times of change and not rely on one data point to make their decisions. For that reason, she said, it’s important to seek out varied opinions before, during, and after meetings. 

Asked about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in the business world, Hooley (who appeared via Zoom) told students that technology — not AI, per se, but technology writ large — would be the foundation of whatever career path they chose. 

“You don’t have to be a programmer,” Hooley told students, “but know how technology works because it’s going to be with you for your entire careers.” 

When discussing the best way to deal with failure, Jacques advised a policy of transparency before sharing a time when her own leadership was tested. Such hard times, she said, are a part of the landscape of leadership. She also reminded students that, despite their myriad successes, each of that night’s six panelists has had their fair share of setbacks. 

“Don’t believe for a minute that they didn’t have failures along the way,” she said. 

Like many of the panelists, Daniello agreed with Jacques’ assessment. 

“You’re going to learn so much from the mistakes you make,” Daniello told the crowd. 

When the topic of debate and disagreement arose, Connor said that, no matter how difficult, a true leader had to be calm enough to hear bad news from others. The alternative, he added, is too costly. 

“If you snap back at them (those who offer bad news or differing opinions), then you’ll never hear bad news again … until disaster strikes,” Connor said. 

The wide-ranging discussion, which included a Q&A from audience members, allowed panelists to offer their opinions on a variety of topics. Jacques, for one, made the case for a liberal arts education as a strong foundation for future business leaders. 

“You learn how to connect the dots and tackle problems from many different perspectives,” she said. 

A strong believer in experience and a personal work ethic, Hooley said that, at the end of the day, individuals still need to excel in their chosen field, to differentiate themselves. 

“You don’t go out and find mentors,” he said. “Mentors find you because they see something special in you.” 

And, while the panelists agreed that high school students not knowing exactly what they wanted to do with their lives was perfectly fine, O’Mahony counseled against letting that lack of certainty be an excuse or an obstacle. Work to figure it out, she urged students. 

“Go on a journey of discovery,” O’Mahony said before adding: “You can only learn by doing and experiencing as many things as possible.” 

The Thayer Global Speaker Series brings thought leaders, innovators, and difference-makers to the Thayer campus
to engage the community in issues that matter to the world.