Welcome Note from Vice Dean Anjani Jain

On behalf of the Wharton School, I am pleased to welcome you to the Wharton Finance Conference 2008. There has never been a more exciting or relevant time for an educational conference of this nature, organized by students of a school with a longstanding tradition of creating financial leaders. The theme of this year's student-run event is "Finance: Past, Present, and Future," and the speakers and panel discussions will address the past forces and changes that are currently re-shaping Wall Street and defining the new products, services, and institutions that will emerge.

The student-run Wharton Finance Conference, now entering its ninth year, continues to focus on delivering the latest knowledge and networking opportunities on a variety of levels. During this turbulent time for all firms, this conference will play a key role in creating and solidifying relationships between today's industry players and tomorrow's financial leaders. We are proud to continue the Wharton tradition of knowledge-sharing and a commitment to excellence by providing keynote addresses and panel discussions from top executives at major firms, whose decisions are rebuilding the current financial landscape.

I would like to thank the speakers for sharing their invaluable experiences, and also the student organizers for helping to make the Wharton Finance Conference the finest event of its kind. I invite you to learn, exchange ideas, meet fellow guests, and enjoy the Wharton Finance Conference.

Anjani Jain
Vice Dean and Director of Graduate Division
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania