The Business Council is a nonpartisan organization of business leaders headquartered in Washington, D.C.[1][2][3][4] It holds meetings several times a year for high-level policy discussions.[5]
Mission
The Business Council allows global CEOs to gather and network along with leaders in politics, science, and academia.[6] The organization is guided by the belief that the business community's contributions to public discourse and governance are in the interest of the common good of the American people.[7][8]
Membership is by invitation-only and limited to CEOs of leading multinational businesses personally selected by fellow members of The Business Council.[1][5][9][10] The organization is strictly nonpartisan and headquartered in Washington, D.C.[5]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Business Council helped global companies navigate the public health crisis.[11] The organization conducted weekly CEO calls at the height of the pandemic, inviting chief executives and other experts to discuss COVID vaccines, treatments, and other topics.[12]
In collaboration with The Conference Board, The Business Council issues a quarterly “Measure of CEO Confidence,” surveying more than 100 CEOs about current economic conditions and expectations about the future.[13] The chief executives also share their sentiments about U.S. employment, recruiting, wages, capital spending, and other economic indicators.[14]Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., vice chairman of The Business Council, has appeared on CNBC to discuss the survey findings.[15]
Leadership
Marlene Colucci serves as CEO of The Business Council.[16] Appointed in 2013, Colucci has held leadership positions in public policy at the White House, U.S. Department of Labor, and American Hotel and Lodging Association.[17] She describes the organization as "an important voice for the business community with a high level of personal engagement by its members.”[18]
Prior to Colucci, Philip Cassidy served as executive director of The Business Council for more than two decades.[19]
According to the Detroit Free Press, the organization was designed “for corporate titans to offer counsel and advise to the federal government.”[21] It was renamed The Business Council as an organization independent from the Department of Commerce in 1961, under President John F. Kennedy.[22] In 2009, then-President Barack Obama claimed, “Every President since Franklin Delano Roosevelt has sought the advice of the Business Council.”[23]
Current executive committee
The executive committee is composed of the following people:[24][25][26]