The Peace Operations Policy Program of the School of Public Policy, George Mason University is proud to present the following in its “Peace and Stability Operations Colloquium Series” of events:

Can Private Sector Approach of Enterprise Fund Model Be Adapted to Rebuilding Fundamental Institutions in Post-Conflict Countries?

Date:

Wednesday, 13 December 2006

Time:

1:00 PM-3:30 PM

Location:

George Mason University

3401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 317

Arlington, Virginia 22201

(Virginia Sq/GMU Metro station)

Speaker:

Francis J. Skrobiszewski

Francis Skrobiszewski has 30 years of experience spanning investment fund management, law, socio-economic development, crisis communications/public affairs, government agency reform and strategy development working in the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.  He is currently senior executive advisor at Monolith Capital Management LLC, a Washington, DC-based hedge fund, where he is focusing on fundraising and expanding services to development of private equity vehicles to fuel growth in new emerging market countries.  Since 1990, he has played a leading role in the US Government-sponsored Enterprise Fund, serving as an officer of the Polish-American (PAEF) and Hungarian-American Enterprise Funds (HAEF), and creating and managing HAEF subsidiary Hungarian Innovative Technologies Fund to finance indigenous high-tech firms with global market potential (1994-2004).  Subsequent work on behalf of Booz Allen Hamilton (2004-06) included advising an investment fund bank for Eurasia and the MCC on formation of a fund in the Republic of Georgia.  Previously, Skrobiszewski provided crisis communication advice to major multinational corporations facing high profile controversies (1985-91) following service at the US Environmental Protection Agency, where he participated in the review of the Agency and report to the President on the precipitating factors in the Superfund scandal (1982-85).  Skrobiszewski received his B.A. in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, M.S. in systems management from the University of Southern California, and J.D. from the University of Virginia.  His talk will focus on the conceptual framework for the Enterprise Funds, which following the fall of Soviet Communism in Poland and Hungary were capitalized with US Government grant funds, but privately and independently managed, with the mission of promoting private sector development.  Skrobiszewski will raise for discussion whether the principles behind this results-oriented approach could be applied to rebuilding fundamental institutions in post-violent conflict societies.

Host:

Amb. Robert W. “Bill” Farrand (ret.)

Peace Operations Policy Program, GMU

RSVP: Please contact Ms. Kim Formo at 703.993.4403 or <kformo@gmu.edu>