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Brandeis University's Community Newspaper — Waltham, Mass.

IBS’ Magid back from trade trip with governor

Published: March 25, 2011
Section: Front Page


International Business School Dean Bruce Magid returned this week from his role on Governor Deval Patrick’s trade mission to the United Kingdom and Israel, where he represented Brandeis and Massachusetts higher education abroad. The governor himself will speak at campus Tuesday, April 5 to keynote a summit at the business school.

Magid was invited on the mission to “talk about opportunities for the state to collaborate” with businesses abroad, he said. Clean energy, intellectual property and other overlap areas are special of interests of his and were discussed overseas.

“I provided counsel to the governor’s staff, served as a resource to the media,” Magid said, “and worked to establish university relationships with both Israel and the U.K.”

The governor’s trip included some of the state’s most powerful business leaders and prominent employers. New England Patriots owner and CEO Robert Kraft, in particular, is well-known is Israel, where he owns the famous football stadium. Other leaders included the heads of Massachusetts General Hospital, the Technology Leadership Council and Flybridge Capital group.

Magid and the incoming head of the University of Massachusetts system, Robert Caret, represented the focus of higher education on the future of state investment.

“I was selected because I serve on the board of the Massachusetts International Trade Office, and have been providing counsel to its executive director and the rest of the governor’s staff on a strategic plan for promoting investment,” he said.

Other Brandeisians, including alums Mark Sherman and Kraft’s wife, Myra, a trustee, attended and helped to broaden the business group’s connection with the university specifically.

The overall goal was the “promote Massachusetts as a destination for foreign investment,” Magid said, and “promote Massachusetts exports. I see share of mind as the same thing as share of market.”

Magid said the state even competes against the likes of Silicon Valley for headquartering of international corporations. Missions like the governor’s this month, according to Magid, “demonstrate the commitment of the public sector to private sector growth.”