Drucker School Makes Global Impact at 2025 Phoenix Financial Forum
GUANGZHOU, CHINA — September 2025
The Drucker School of Management did more than attend this year’s Phoenix Financial Forum for the Greater Bay Area—it was met with wide acclaim and played a defining role.
In front of a live audience of business leaders and diplomats (and more than 8 million viewers across Phoenix TV’s platforms) the Drucker School put forth a bold vision: that management, rooted in purpose and human-centered leadership, is essential to building thriving societies and resilient economies.
The annual forum has quickly become one of the most influential business gatherings in Greater China. As the events sole academic partner, the Drucker School brought Peter Drucker’s legacy to center stage, connecting modern management theory with today’s global challenges.
“Management Must Be Human. Or It Will Fail.”
At the Forum’s opening session, Michael Kelly, Executive Director of the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University, issued a challenge to the international audience.
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence — it’s acting with yesterday’s logic,” Kelly said, quoting Drucker. “Innovation without responsibility is incomplete. Profit without purpose is short-lived.”
Kelly’s keynote was broadcast and replayed across Phoenix TV and Feng Shows and widely cited across social platforms like Weibo and Toutiao. He applauded the Forum’s Phoenix Star Best Listed Companies Awards, which have emerged as a leading barometer of corporate performance and integrity in Asia.
“The companies we recognize here aren’t just outperforming the market—they’re redefining what leadership looks like,” Kelly said.
A Thought Partner—Not Just a Guest
The Drucker School has played a pivotal role in shaping the Forum since 2023. This year, it helped define award criteria firmly grounded in Drucker’s values: sustainability, innovation, shareholder return, social responsibility, and internationalization.
Michelle Bligh, Interim President of CGU and Drucker School faculty member, previously served on the Forum’s expert committee and delivered last year’s keynote. David Sprott, Henry Y. Hwang Dean, and Professor Bernie Jaworski, the Peter F. Drucker Chair, have also contributed as speakers and advisors.
Together, they’ve elevated the school’s visibility in a region where global trade, investment, and leadership are being rapidly reimagined.
Worldwide Audience, Deep Local Impact
The Drucker School’s name, logo, and leadership were featured prominently throughout the Forum. Its reach was equally impressive, reflecting the event’s growing influence:
• 8 million+ viewers via Phoenix TV’s mobile and online platforms
• 200,000–300,000 average reads per article across financial news outlets
• First-listed academic partner on banners, media backdrops, and VIP visuals
• More than 10 livestream mentions during the Forum’s broadcast coverage
The school was positioned not as an observer but as a key architect of the event’s intellectual foundation.
Building Global Leadership, Not Just a Management School
In an era of AI, geopolitical flux, and market disruption, the Drucker School isn’t just teaching management theory — it’s demonstrating what modern leadership must be: responsible, ethical, and relentlessly human-centered.
“The Forum proved that Peter Drucker’s ideas aren’t just historical—they’re urgent,” said Kelly. “The future of management will be defined by those who lead with clarity, courage, and conscience.”
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