BCIU Gala 2024: Champions of Change

The 2024 Eisenhower Awards Gala, held in November in New York City, celebrated a night of remarkable leadership and transformative vision. The evening honored individuals whose work exemplifies the theme, “Champions of Change,” while highlighting the profound impact of global collaboration and innovation in addressing today’s most pressing challenges.

The Eisenhower Awards emphasize leaders who embody values through tangible action, from rigorous environmental standards to diversity and inclusion initiatives, showcasing the honorees’ commitment to making a difference. This year’s honorees included Marc Benioff, Dominique Senequier and H.E. Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

To kick off the program, Jane Fraser and Chow Kiat Lim, last year’s Eisenhower Award recipients, took the stage to share welcoming remarks about the three honorees. “These are leaders who are not just champions in their fields, but they’re champions of change and real forces for good,” said Fraser.

Below are some key insights from the honorees and presenters:

Marc Benioff uses business for good

Founder and CEO of Thrive Global Arianna Huffington presented the Eisenhower Global Leadership Award to Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO of Salesforce, acknowledging his unwavering commitment to using business as a force for good. “Another thing I love about Marc is he doesn’t just talk; he acts,” said Huffington. Referencing Benioff’s book Trailblazer, she noted how he challenges CEOs to solve the world’s complex problems with the same rigor they apply to their businesses.

Speaking virtually, Benioff shared Salesforce’s ethos: “How do we use business as the greatest platform for change?” He emphasized the need for companies to evaluate their impact not only on their stakeholders but also on humanity. “As we move into this new horizon of business, we’ll be challenged to evaluate how we use our platforms for the good of all,” he said. Sebastian Niles, Salesforce’s President and Chief Legal Officer, accepted the award on Benioff’s behalf.

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Dominique Senequier on international collaboration

Tony James, Chairman of Jefferson River Capital, introduced Dominique Senequier, President of Ardian, as the recipient of the Eisenhower Global Citizenship Award. “[Dominique] started Ardian and rapidly built it into a leader in the industry,” said James, “While remaining a supportive and generous member of all the communities they touch.” Senequier’s leadership embodies the award’s mission to further economic welfare and social responsibility.

While accepting the award, Senequier cited international cooperation as the impetus for the firm’s success. “At Ardian, we see ourselves as a global company with strong relations with the U.S. and European heritage,” she said. “Our story is a wonderful example of the spirit of international cooperation and the values advocated by BCIU.”

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Driving transformation with Yasir Al-Rumayyan

Ruth Porat, 2022 Eisenhower Award honoree and CFO of Alphabet and Google, presented the Eisenhower Global Transformation Award to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). “His Excellency has translated Vision 2030 into action,” Porat said, referencing the ambitious blueprint for Saudi Arabia’s social and economic reforms. She attributed Al-Rumayyan’s role in translating the Vision into action, inspiring hope and opportunity within Saudi Arabia.

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