Beth Brooke: A Role Model for Women in International Business

By Marah Bukai

As Global Vice Chair of Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Ernst & Young, Beth Brooke has been at the forefront of the accounting profession engaging in dialogue with regulators and key stakeholders about the critical issues facing the profession and the global capital markets. Through her diplomacy and policy expertise, Brooke has worked to enhance confidence and trust in the capital markets and has become one of the profession’s most prominent voices in the public policy arena, earning her recognition by Forbes magazine as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

Brooke is passionate about using her leadership position as one of the highest ranking officials at Ernst & Young to make a difference in the world. She strongly believes that corporate leadership in the 21st century is not only about creating profit, it’s also about making a difference. She advocates for the economic empowerment of women and speaks to audiences around the world about the importance of advancing women in business and society. Brooke is also active in the civic and business community serving on the boards of The White House Project, The Women Leaders Program of the World Economic Forum, The Atlantic Council of the United States, The Committee for Economic Development, the Partnership for Public Service and TechnoServe.

Passion for Making a Didference

Brooke’s passion for making a difference fits well at Ernst & Young. She played a prominent role creating Ernst & Young’s Corporate Responsibility group, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurship around the world and improving access to education. Brooke believes that it is increasingly important to embed global citizenship into business strategy by aligning the unique skills of an organization with the societal needs and challenges of its surrounding environment and to team with the public sector to accelerate change.

One innovative example is Ernst & Young’s Corporate Responsibility Fellows program which came about as a result of Brooke’s involvement with TechnoServe, an organization that assists entrepreneurs in rural Africa. Through the Fellows program, Ernst & Young’s top performers spend three months working with aspiring entrepreneurs in developing countries to help them grow their business. It is an extension of Ernst & Young’s multi-decade commitment to entrepreneurs and even to micro entrepreneurs who don’t necessarily have the resources to pay for the services of a major firm.

Brooke says the Fellows program is one of her most proud accomplishments because of the impact it has both on the entrepreneurs and the firm’s people. “Our people emerge from the program with a global mindset. They have worked across cultures and understand in a totally different way that what we do really matters to the capital markets and to entrepreneurs in the most remote regions of the world. The Fellows come back forever changed and that’s a huge benefit to them and us as a firm. The program reflects the values of our organization and our people are very proud of that.”

Brooke has also been a vocal advocate for education and mentoring programs within Ernst & Young as a way to strengthen communities. She states, “We focus our efforts around improving education of young people in various ways depending on the unique needs of a local community. The competitiveness of our communities and our countries depends on having an educated workforce.”

Brooke also stresses the importance of mentoring in the business world, acknowledging that she is “the benefit of some great mentoring.” She comments, “All leaders—men and women—need to mentor future leaders, and make sure that they are challenged and supported to make a difference in the broadest sense. But I think as women, we all have a particular role to play in helping other women.”

Her passion for empowering women was evident as she helped to kick off the Corporate Ambassador event in Jordan with opening remarks emphasizing the need for increased empowerment of women not only in Jordan, but across the world. She also shared her perspective on the global business environment, particularly on the current credit crisis in the US and its possible repercussion for Jordan and the Middle East as a whole.

Development of Business

Speaking on a panel about advocacy in Jordan, Brooke suggested collaborating with non profit organizations in order to focus resources and encourage coordination within the Jordanian business community. Collaboration with key stakeholders has become part of her strategy for success. She explains that the private sector, NGO sector and public sector are all necessary for success. She remarks that while it is sometimes difficult to have successful cooperation in these three parts of society, it is essential that they “all work together to accomplish a certain goal. Respectful partners committed to a goal require diplomacy and cooperation.” With the dedication of all three groups, progress can be made which will enhance the development of businesses financially and socially.

Brooke believes that businesses are some of the most powerful forces for change in the world, and with that power come responsibility and obligation. She acknowledges that Ernst and Young, as a $20 billion global company with 130,000 people in 140 countries around the world, has “an enormous obligation to build future financial leaders of tomorrow, help companies from entrepreneurial start ups all the way through global companies, and strengthen the communities in which they operate.” She also comments that with the increasingly global market, “there is no question that being a socially responsible organization today is expected and necessary.”

By setting new standards for defining success within the business world, Brooke is transforming the definition of leadership and the measures of impact. She remarks, “When you have truly embedded social responsibility into the fabric of how you operate and make money, it is sustainable in your business.” This business model recognizes that success is also about strengthening the global business community and surrounding societies.

The Corporate Ambassadors program, with cooperation and dialogue between U.S. and Jordanian businesswomen, serves as an important link for idea sharing and networking for businesswomen across cultures. The participation of women like Beth Brooke at this event, and other similar events across the world, emphasizes the importance of cooperative business building and the empowerment of women.

Beth Brooke is a powerful example of a business woman who is strengthening the global business community by looking at her own business through a broader lens to give back and make a difference in society. She has created an atmosphere where productivity, collaboration and making a difference are the norm. Brooke has set a high standard for success in the business world, redefining what it means to be a role model and a leader in the 21st century.