Boston College Finance Conference
General James N. Mattis (U.S. Army photo by Monica King)
Appearances by leading figures in global security, technology, and monetary policy will highlight the annual Boston College Finance Conference on May 3, with such speakers as former United States Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, artificial intelligence researcher and innovator Anima Anandkumar, former Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren, Kraft Group President Jonathan Kraft, and New York Giants President and CEO John Mara ’76.
“While our annual financial conference always brings together an impressive set of speakers, the lineup this year is exceptional, bringing together a former U.S. secretary of defense, a former Fed president, a leading expert on AI, and two high-ranking executives from the NFL,” said Associate Professor of Finance Jonathan Reuter, the faculty co-chair of the event. “It promises to be a fascinating day.”
Hosted by the Carroll School of Management, the Finance Conference brings together academic researchers, policy makers, and leaders in financial services, who engage with alumni and other conference participants on urgent issues affecting the industry.
During his 44 years in the Marines, Mattis rose from reservist to four-star general. He led the U.S. Central Command, where he was in charge of all American forces serving in the Middle East and oversaw operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as parts of Syria, Iran, and Yemen. He retired from the post in 2013, but in 2017 he was named Secretary of Defense, a post he held for two years during the Trump administration.
Anima Anandkumar
Anima Anandkumar is a leading academic researcher with equally deep experience in business and practical applications. She specializes in using AI in cloud computing to solve real-world problems.
Anandkumar is a 2023 Guggenheim Fellow in computer science, former Senior Director of AI Research at NVIDIA, and a Bren professor at Caltech. She formerly served as Principal Scientist at Amazon Web Services.
Eric Rosengren
Eric Rosengren is a 35-year veteran of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, serving the last 14 of those years as president and CEO. He was on the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee during some of the most turbulent periods in the past 50 years, leading the Boston Federal Reserve Bank through the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic.
Rosengren’s deep understanding of financial markets and financial institutions enabled him to play a central role in designing and operating emergency facilities to bolster the national economy.
Jonathan Kraft
Jonathan Kraft is president of the Kraft Group, which comprises companies in sports and entertainment, the paper and packaging industry, real estate, and private equity investing.
He oversees the day-to-day operations of each company including Gillette Stadium and the New England Revolution, and serves as president of the New England Patriots.
John Mara '76
Now in his 33rd season with the Giants, John Mara is one of the NFL’s most prominent and respected owners.
He was at the forefront of planning and negotiations for MetLife Stadium, where the Giants have now been playing for 13 seasons. He is also the chairman of the league’s Management Council Executive Committee, and serves on several other NFL committees.
“Our Finance Conference isn't just about the field of finance per se. It's also about global conditions, the economy, technology, and this year about AI and the dynamic business of the NFL, America’s passion," said Carroll School John and Linda Powers Family Dean Andy Boynton. “It promises to be another day of great speakers, important ideas, and engaging conversation.”