LEAD-Europe

Thomas Grammig (mailto:100115.524@COMPUSERVE.COM)
Tue, 31 Mar 1998 06:42:48 -0500

Message-ID:  <199803310643_MC2-3875-B702@compuserve.com>
Date:         Tue, 31 Mar 1998 06:42:48 -0500
From: Thomas Grammig <mailto:100115.524@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject:      LEAD-Europe
To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU

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         A N N O U N C I N G    C A N D I D A T E    S E A R C H
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Associate Programme  -  Leadership for  Environment & Development
                                LEAD-Europe    1998  -   2000
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As in every year, LEAD-Europe now invites candidates for a new group of
mid-career professionals, whom it will support with training individually
and as a group of "LEAD-Europe Associates" over a two-year period.  A
considerable network of potential future leaders in many walks of life is
being built up.  The aim is that these leaders will help to establish
sustainable development actions globally to replace much of the more
profligate and environmentally damaging practices currently in place.  
Approximately 15 Europeans will join the seventh cohort of LEAD Associates
(1998 - 2000) and, upon graduation, become LEAD Fellows in a world-wide
network now at 800.  LEAD was initiated in 1991 by the Rockefeller
Foundation, first  in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and
Pakistan, later on in Japan, Canada and Southern Africa. 

SELECTED SO FAR: ************************** LEAD-Europe maintains the balance between industry, media, government, academia and NGOs within each group of Associates, as part of the didactic approach oriented towards the inter-sectoral dialogue. The following list shows the positions of current LEAD-Europe Associates:

INDUSTRY and COMMERCE: Marketing director Rhone-Poulenc Hungary, Head of Environment in Tarom Airlines, Director research department in utility company, Advisor Polish Chamber of Commerce, Senior consultant Bossard, Operations manager SME marine pollution, Manager national railway company, Energy efficiency specialist Bechtel Consulting Corp., Director technology planning Industry Federation, Head of regional waste utility company; GOVERNMENT: Policy assistant health care provision with WHO Europe office, Programme manager for Njimengen municipality, Program associate conventions and EU cooperation in Environment Ministry, Research assistant for Palestinian Environmental Authority, Vice chair of Bulgarian Green Federation, Program associate energy conservation in Environment Ministry, Senior examiner at patent office; ACADEMIA: Research assistant at Applied Research Institute, Junior agronomist ENEA (Nat. Agency for Technology, Energy and Env.), Consultant for environmental management in Nat. Academy of Sciences, Instructor at Central European University Hungary, Assistant Professor physical chemistry Uppsalla University; NGOs and MEDIA: Head of Environment Dep. at national TV (ZDF), Coordinator environmental partnership, Advisor to trade union on health and safety, Project director Eurasia at Int. Institute for Sustainable Communities, Project coordinator Int. Network for Env. Mgmt. (INEM-Germany), Director Environmental Partnership, EU-coordinator in D. Naturschutzring, Project officer Regional Environmental Center Hungary, Manager Environmental Partnership, Director in training NGO. Average age: 34 16 of 38 European countries represented so far

Over a longer period, the selection results in an even distribution of Associate origin amongst all European countries and all sectors of society. The foremost criteria being the professional potential of an individual, LEAD-Europe does not maintain an even distribution within each group. LEAD-Europe continues to look for leadership talent, irrespective of the direct professional context.

ASSOCIATE PROFILES: ****************************** To demonstrate the diversity amongst the previous careers of these associates, two short descriptions will give an impression of their motivation to join LEAD-Europe: Dr. Biczo's experience as a researcher and as a lecturer comprise the standard field of surface physics as well as environmental engineering, combining both. Directing a laboratory in Budapest University, he developed instruments for environmental analysis. Furthermore he has participated in East-West co-operation efforts regarding the cleanup of the military bases of the former Warsaw Pact. He has been involved in ISO 14000 consulting (in the chemicals and food sector) and has recently joined Rhone Poulenc Hungary as Marketing Director for site remediation. Having been engaged in different East-West co-operation efforts at governmental as well as on the industrial level, he is keen on identifying new forms of East-West co-operation, their management as much as the subject area in which new synergies can be found.

Mr. Smeets has followed KLM's efforts to introduce environmental management since its beginning. He had been in flight operations, finally as head of international affairs, for 12.5 years before acting as manager strategy and planning, responsible for policy on environment and air traffic control in 1989. Like many other corporations KLM learnt the hard way, by being subject to increased criticism for noise pollution around Schiphol airport. Mr. Smeets' interest and perspective is formed by his experience of public opinion not responding to aviation's efforts in this field. KLM, offering a service and responding to growing demand, does not find opportunity space between environmental concern and economic growth and sees itself caught in a Catch-22 style dilemma. As a LEAD Associate, Mr. Smeets has established the first environmental report for KLM and assessed different environmental communication strategies.

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION: *********************************************** Candidates must be ready to attend three residential training sessions per year (10 days each), for which they are expected to get paid leave from their employers, and participate in various electronic distance learning sessions. Every year, two residential sessions gather the European Associates, and the worldwide LEAD session brings all Associates to China (October, 1998) and in 2000 to Canada (please study the session reports on the LEAD-Europe website).

Commercial employers of West European Associates cover the cost of participation. LEAD-Europe provides funding for Eastern European Associates. Candidates are selected based on their record of accomplishments and achievements, a 400-word essay, references and on occasion an interview. There are no forms to be filled in or strict procedures to follow. Based on that information, summary profiles of the candidates will be reviewed by the European Steering Committee during May 1998, who will then appoint the Associates.

There are two major criteria for the selection. The individual leadership potential (based on the past career) of a candidate, and second, the composition of a group of associates. Representing all categories of stakeholders within each group is a central element of LEAD-Europe's didactic approach. LEAD-Europe is open to candidates from all European countries and keeping in mind the differences in economic structure, the diversity of the background within a group of associates is crucial. Furthermore, institutional factors do result in different criteria to judge the career of a candidate. A professional trajectory in a large corporation is quite different from a career in a grass-roots NGO. For further information about LEAD-Europe, please consult: www.lead.ch/lead/ or www.lead.org Candidates send their CV and inquiries to: mailto:director@lead.ch or to: Director LEAD-Europe C.P.8 3, rue Varembe CH-1211 Geneva 20 Tel: +41-22-748.14.30 Fax: +41-22-748.14.39