- Korn/Ferry International and The Wharton Club of New York to Host Event Targeted Specifically to New CEOs -

NEW YORK, NY, April 7, 2005 – Korn/Ferry International (NYSE:KFY), a premier global provider of talent management solutions, along with The Wharton Club of New York and PrimeGenesis, have created a “CEO Boot Camp” offering new CEOs leadership strategies to effectively tackle challenges they may encounter in their high-profile positions.

“In the current business climate, new CEOs are facing unprecedented challenges,” said Joe Griesedieck, vice chairman and managing director of the CEO practice at Korn/Ferry International, the executive recruiting firm that has selected and invited the participants. “We created this Boot Camp to help them anticipate these challenges, build on their own capabilities and equip them with the necessary skills to succeed.”

The Korn/Ferry CEO Boot Camp will kick off the program for its initial corps of chief executives at an opening dinner on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at the Harvard Club in New York. The next day’s program will include a series of presentations and roundtable discussions on topics including the following: developing a value-creating imperative; linking team actions to plans and rewards; focusing on early wins and opportunities; aligning and developing talent; and guiding progress towards the new culture.

The opening dinner will feature Estée Lauder Chairman Leonard Lauder, who served as Chief Executive Officer of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. from 1982 to 1999 and is a Wharton School graduate. Lauder will speak about his experience and legacy as CEO of this global cosmetic giant. The following day, attendees will hear Joseph M. Tucci, Chief Executive of EMC Corporation, speak of lessons he has learned as CEO and what knowledge he wishes he had had when he was new in the role. Ray Troubh, an experienced director and the recently retired non-executive Chairman of Enron Corporation, will participate in a group discussion on board governance.  

“The manner in which you execute is critical,” noted Kenneth Beck, president of The Wharton Club of New York.“This is especially true in today’s business world where statistics show that 40 percent of new executives fail in their first two years. The Korn/Ferry Boot Camp will focus on the latest trends and innovations in critical areas of human resources, operations, and finance, in an effort to hone the leadership skills of these CEOs.”

Boot Camps Unlimited, an entity created by Beck and George Bradt, CEO and managing director of on-boarding and executive transition firm PrimeGenesis, will facilitate the event. “We’re confident that the Korn/Ferry CEO Boot Camp will provide this group with additional skills to turn strategies into actions decisively, rapidly, and effectively under even the most daunting conditions,” said Bradt.

About Korn/Ferry International
Korn/Ferry International, with more than 70 offices in 35 countries, is the premier provider of executive search, outsourced recruiting and leadership development solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm partners with clients worldwide to deliver unparalleled senior-level search, management assessment, coaching and development and middle management recruitment services through its Futurestep subsidiary. For more information, visit the Korn/Ferry International Web site at www.kornferry.com or the Futurestep Web site at www.futurestep.com.

About The Wharton Club
The Wharton Club of New York is the networking, career guidance, educational and social forum for the 18,000 plus MBA and undergraduate Wharton alumni in the New York City metropolitan area. The club conducts a variety of events each year through the coordinated hard work of alumni, who are dedicated to the furtherance of the Wharton network and to giving back to the Wharton School and community at large. For additional information, visit www.whartonny.com.

About PrimeGenesis
PrimeGenesis is an executive on-boarding and transition acceleration group that helps leaders in challenging and new positions develop high-performing teams in their first 100 days to deliver sustainably better results faster and reduce the risk of failure. Its expert specialists have senior line management and organizational consulting experience with leading companies throughout the world and are based in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and London. For additional information, visit www.primegenesis.com.

About Boot Camps Unlimited
Boot Camps Unlimited was the brainchild of Kenneth Beck, President of The Wharton Club of New York. Kenneth is a lifelong entrepreneur who has started and run several successful ventures.  He was most recently CEO of Beck Office Furniture until he sold it in May 2004. He and George Bradt created Boot Camps Unlimited to help new CXO level executives build and maintain long term relationships with each other while providing an extensive network of CXO level private resources unavailable anywhere else in the world. There’s more about them at www.bootcampsunlimited.com.

Media Contacts

Korn/Ferry International
Anneli Ballard
+1 212 984 9350

Goodman Media International
Sakura Komiyama
+1 212 576 2700, ext. 235