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Ben W. Heineman Jr.

Ben W. Heineman Jr.

Ben Heineman Jr. has held top positions in government, law, and business. He is the author of High Performance with High Integrity. More

Ben W. Heineman, Jr. was GE's Senior Vice President/General Consultant from 1987-2003, and then Senior Vice President for Law and Public Affairs in 2004 and 2005. He is currently a Senior Fellow at two Harvard schools: the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School's Program on Corporate Governance. He is also a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School's Program on the Legal Profession and Senior Counsel to the law firm of Wilmer Hale. A former Rhodes Scholar, editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal, and law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, Mr. Heineman practiced constitutional law prior to his service at GE. His book High Performance with High Integrity was published in June 2008. In 2007, he served on the Independent Review Panel on the World Bank Group's Department of Institutional Integrity and is currently on an international panel advising the President of the World Bank on governance and anti-corruption. He is a recipient of the American Lawyer's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award of Board Member Magazine. Ethisphere Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential individuals on business ethics in 2008.
News Corp's Internal Inquiry Poses the Greatest Threat Yet to Rupert Murdoch

News Corp's Internal Inquiry Poses the Greatest Threat Yet to Rupert Murdoch

The investigation into 300 million emails has the media chief's support, but it could do more damage to him and his empire than anything that's come before.… More »

Can America Lead the World's Fight Against Corruption?

Can America Lead the World's Fight Against Corruption?

Each nation has its own unique history and culture and meaningful change can only start from within, but the U.S. can help.… More »

Super PACs: The WMDs of Campaign Finance

Super PACs: The WMDs of Campaign Finance

How the opaque and increasingly powerful organizations are shaping the future of American elections -- and how they might be stopped.… More »

The Real Story of War Horses on the Western Front

The Real Story of War Horses on the Western Front

The upcoming Spielberg feature 'War Horse' tells one compelling tale, but it misses the larger one about cavalry's role in World War I… More »

Why Egypt's Economy Matters

Why Egypt's Economy Matters

Egypt's declining reserves and looming currency crisis could complicate the country's already tenuous political transition… More »

Legendary Tech Entrepreneurs: Who Made the Biggest Impact on Society?

Legendary Tech Entrepreneurs: Who Made the Biggest Impact on Society?

Who is the most influential tech innovator of all time? Here, a case for each of the top six contenders.… More »

Penn State's Dangerous Culture of Silence at the Top

Penn State's Dangerous Culture of Silence at the Top

Former university president Graham Spanier, not Joe Paterno, deserves the majority of the blame for covering up the child-molestation allegations… More »

The 4-Letter Word That Can Boost Obama's 2012 Chances: V-E-T-O

The 4-Letter Word That Can Boost Obama's 2012 Chances: V-E-T-O

In 2012, it's likely that the Republicans will win more seats in Congress. Can the president win re-election by pledging to block them?… More »

In Russia, a Demographic Crisis and Worries for Nation's Future

In Russia, a Demographic Crisis and Worries for Nation's Future

The country's plunging population crisis -- low birth rates and high death rates -- has serious implications for the future of the world's largest nation… More »

The Origins of Today's Bitter Partisanship: The Founding Fathers

The Origins of Today's Bitter Partisanship: The Founding Fathers

The political rivalry between Obama and Boehner pales in comparison to the animosity rampant among Jefferson, Hamilton, Washington, and Adams… More »

Can the Fracking Industry Self-Regulate?

Can the Fracking Industry Self-Regulate?

A new report from the Department of Energy calls for the creation of a shale gas production organization -- a private sector agency that would set safety standards and address environmental concerns… More »

In (Partial) Defense of Obama

In (Partial) Defense of Obama

Critics who attack the president for "surrendering" to Republicans are being naïve about the difficulties of pushing policies through a divided House… More »

Is Murdoch to Blame for 'This Whole Fiasco'?

Is Murdoch to Blame for 'This Whole Fiasco'?

The media magnate denies personal responsibility for the phone-hacking scandal… More »

'News of the World' Shuts Down: Who Should Take the Blame?

'News of the World' Shuts Down: Who Should Take the Blame?

Rupert Murdoch should fire Rebekah Brooks for failing to create a culture where reporters respected the law… More »

In China, Corruption and Unrest Threaten Autocratic Rule

In China, Corruption and Unrest Threaten Autocratic Rule

With local protests driven by official corruption plaguing China, how much longer can Communist Party last?… More »

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes and Memorial Day

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes and Memorial Day

Renowned as a jurist and scholar, Holmes was most proud of his service in the Civil War. A look back at his famous 1884 oration on the holiday in Keene, N.H.… More »

Sex Between Superiors and Subordinates: What Are the Rules?

Sex Between Superiors and Subordinates: What Are the Rules?

The answer depends heavily on organizational culture and national laws… More »

A Free Pass for Warren Buffett? Berkshire Audit Committee's Mistake

A Free Pass for Warren Buffett? Berkshire Audit Committee's Mistake

They blasted David Sokol days before Berkshire's annual meeting, but what of the company's chairman? Ethical questions remain.… More »

Will Obama Throw a Grenade to Blow-Up Hidden Campaign Donations?

Will Obama Throw a Grenade to Blow-Up Hidden Campaign Donations?

Stymied by legislative and regulatory avenues, the president may turn to executive means for curbing federal election expenditures -- and risk a partisan uproar… More »

Can Women Be a Catalyst for Japan's Renewal?

Can Women Be a Catalyst for Japan's Renewal?

The country can no longer afford massive gender inequality if it wants to recover from the earthquake… More »

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