Stanford Business School Honors General Atlantic's Steven A. Denning with Excellence in Leadership Award

GREENWICH, CT - Stanford University's Graduate School of Business honored Steven A. Denning, chairman of General Atlantic LLC, with the School's 2007 Excellence in Leadership Award at a dinner of more than 300 guests here Thursday.

On a regular basis, the Business School marks the importance of leadership in business by highlighting the achievements of an alumnus or alumna who has made significant contributions to the corporate world and the community.

"Socially responsible and insightful management is a critical resource in short supply," said Robert L. Joss, the Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. "This award recognizes the achievements of an alumnus who has exhibited the integrity and leadership ability that we hope all our students will demonstrate throughout their careers."

Denning, who earned his MBA at Stanford Business School in 1978, has been with General Atlantic, a leading global private equity firm, since 1980. He has built the organization around investments in technologies that have the potential to change markets and industries in ways that contribute to society. Through the firm's investments in innovative ideas, Denning and his management team have helped shape the future of more than 160 companies. "Steve brings a passion to his professional, personal and service life," said Joss. "He takes a stand and pulls people along with him."

With more than $12 billion in capital under management, General Atlantic has current holdings in some 50 companies. The Greenwich, Conn.-based company's offices span continents from New York to Palo Alto, Dusseldorf, Hong Kong, London, and Mumbai.

Between earning his MBA and joining General Atlantic, Denning worked for McKinsey & Co. Prior to the MBA, he served six years in the U.S. Navy, where he obtained an MS from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He earned a BS degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1970.

Denning is chairman of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University. He also serves as cochair of Stanford's $4.3 billion fundraising effort, "The Stanford Challenge: Seeking Solutions, Educating Leaders," announced in October 2007.

"At Stanford, Steve appreciated early the changes coming in global business," said Robert L. Joss. "He has exerted tremendous leadership to encourage the school to innovate in the global dimension," said Joss.

Denning's wife, Roberta Bowman Denning, also MBA '78 and a 1975 graduate of Stanford University, has been a dedicated and active partner in their philanthropy, particularly in the development and support of the arts. Her service to the University includes involvement in the Stanford Arts Initiative, membership on the University's Humanities and Sciences Council and on the Steering Committee for The Stanford Challenge. The Dennings have been generous donors to Stanford University and the Graduate School of Business over many years.

Denning is also vice chairman of the board of the National Parks Conservation Association. He is a member of the board of the American Museum of Natural History, a member of the advisory board of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University in Beijing, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the McKinsey Investment Office Advisory Council, and a member of the board of governors of the Partnership for Public Service.

The award dinner, held at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center, was generously supported by Premier Partner Sponsors including C.V. Starr & Co., General Atlantic LLC, David and Laurie Hodgson, Jefferies & Co., Mario Morino & VPP Friends, Morgan Stanley, Oak Hill/Robert M. Bass, Michael and Vikki Price, Alan and Jill Rappaport, Thomson Corporation, Time Warner Inc., TPG, and The Woodbridge Company Limited.

Dean's Circle Sponsors included Bank of America, Lewis W. Bernard, Capital One, Steve and Diane Ciesinski, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Robert A. Jeffe, Lexington Partners, Makena Capital Management, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, Perry Capital, Spencer Stuart, Sykes Family Foundation, and TIAA-CREF.

Corporate Investor Sponsors included Cisco Systems, JPMorgan, McKinsey & Co., Susan and Bill Oberndorf, Pfizer Inc., Sageview Capital, Carl W. Stern and Holly Hayes, and Svoboda, Collins LLC.

Stanford Barbara Buell, 650-723-1771 Fax: 650-725-6750 buell_barbara@gsb.stanford.edu