September 07, 2017

8:30AM

On September 7, 2017, the French-American Foundation hosted 21 leaders in business, politics, and culture at a breakfast event to discuss the role of Bloomberg L.P. in crisis management of natural disasters.

Several of the participants have been involved with programs at the Foundation, including the Transatlantic Forum and the Young Leaders Program. Keynote speakers Howard Wolfson of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Cas Holloway of Bloomberg L.P. led a frank examination of disaster response in the US. They reviewed its history over the last decade, its present implementation in the southern United States, and the future of crisis management both domestically and internationally. The event – “The Bloomberg Paradigm: How Merging Business, Politics and Charity Can Change the World” – brought together individuals from the United States and France in an effort to strengthen an international commitment to humanitarian affairs.

Drawing from their experiences in the NYC Mayor’s Office during Hurricane Sandy and their current positions at Bloomberg, the keynote speakers illustrated the multifaceted and complex approaches to natural disasters in the US. Wolfson is the former New York City Deputy Mayor for Government Affairs and Communications (2010-2013); Holloway is the former New York City Deputy Mayor for Operations (2011-2013). Incorporating an analysis of city governments’ responses to Hurricanes Katrina in New Orleans and Sandy in New York, they provided insight into the successes, challenges, and failures of hurricane management throughout the country.

Following their analysis, Wolfson and Holloway suggested improvements moving forward. They responded to questions regarding Bloomberg, the US government, and the relationship between the two. The breakfast concluded with a discussion of international coordination in times of climate crises, particularly as it relates to France and the United States.