Paul Jacobson, MBA’97, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Delta Air Lines, will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry at Owen Forward. A weeklong virtual celebration of Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management, Owen Forward runs Nov. 9–13 and is open to the entire Vanderbilt community.
Jacobson will be joined by M. Eric Johnson, Owen dean and Bruce D. Henderson Professor of Strategy, for a talk on Nov. 11. Jacobson, who recently announced he will depart Delta to join General Motors on Dec. 1 as chief financial officer, started at the airline as a financial analyst in 1997 and held several positions, including senior vice president and treasurer, before he became chief financial officer in 2012. Throughout his career, he has been a key contributor to Delta’s strategies and has been instrumental in a number of initiatives, including balance sheet plans that have resulted in nearly $10 billion in debt reduction and the airline’s capital allocation strategy.
Owen Forward will include several other discussions with Owen alumni, faculty and students on a wide range of topics, including entrepreneurship and innovation, crisis management, modern securities markets and more. Each day will feature hourlong morning and afternoon sessions, with time allotted for Q&A. Registrants will also get a behind-the-scenes look at the renovation and expansion of Owen’s Management Hall.