University Trustee Ronald P. O'Hanley '80 B.A. (PSc), chairman and chief executive officer of State Street Corp., recently joined Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke for a conversation that explored the intersection of geopolitics, business and government.

The event was attended by students, faculty and staff and coincided with O’Hanley’s participation in the IMPACT speaker series at the Whitman School of Management.

Van Slyke and O’Hanley discussed partnerships between public and private institutions on the global landscape, the implications of changes in the international environment, and the critical need for collaboration between the two sectors.

O’Hanley said businesses face increasing challenges in complex and divergent regulatory environments; he drew particular attention to the European Union, which has struggled to live up to the “one market” ideal. He also shared how his Maxwell education, with lessons in problem solving and collaboration, prepared him for a dynamic and successful career, and helped him understand what it takes to be a leader, which he said often includes a lot of listening. O'Hanley holds decades of leadership experience at the highest levels of global finance. His roles at State Street since 2015 have included president and COO.

Previously, O'Hanley held senior executive roles at Fidelity Investments and BNY Mellon, where he served as president and CEO of BNY Mellon Asset Management and vice chairman of Bank of New York Mellon. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he founded the firm's Investment Management practice.

O'Hanley led the Maxwell Advisory Board from 2015-25, and he continues to serve as a board member as well as a Syracuse University Trustee.

“It was an honor and a privilege to have an alumnus with such a strong global business background speak to our students about his education and experiences,” said Van Slyke, professor of public administration and international affairs and Louis A. Bantle Chair in Business-Government Policy.

The event was sponsored by the Maxwell School, the John L. and Stephanie G. Palmer Center for Career Development, and the Arts and Sciences | Maxwell Office of Student Success. 

By Cort Ruddy