The Torrenzano Group helps organizations take control of how they are perceived™.
Rich has counseled chief executives and boards of international corporations in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia, as well as several heads of state.
He has extensive hands on experience in the world’s financial markets. Throughout a period of rapidly developing public policy issues, historic levels of market activity, unprecedented change in world affairs and intense media coverage, Rich planned and directed the New York Stock Exchange’s worldwide activities and programs.
For nearly a decade, he was a member of the Big Board’s management (policy) and executive (operations) committees. On the firing line as the NYSE’s chief spokesman, he has a unique vantage on corporate America.
Global Crisis Expert
A recognized global expert in crisis management, he managed the public strategies for significant global financial crises, including the market crash, October 1987, and the1998 Federal Reserve Bank’s billion recapitalization of Long-Term Capital Management, financed by a consortium of 14 of the world’s largest financial institutions. His counsel and work helped restore confidence in the NYSE and U.S. capital markets.
Following the September 11th terrorist attacks, he provided counsel to top executives at Merrill Lynch, Lloyd’s of London, Nasdaq Stock Market, National Association of Securities Dealers, American Stock Exchange and Security Traders Association – all significantly affected by the crisis.
In the current global economic downturn, he has been visible in the national and international arenas, advising corporations on an array of market, reputation and corporate branding issues.
Rich developed and implemented public strategies to deal with other significant market moments including insider trading scandals, corporate mergers, acquisitions and IPOs, corporate governance and shareholder activism issues, bankruptcies, regulatory and disciplinary actions, and digital trading.
As a top corporate officer, he has made a specialty of identifying emerging issues and managing responses for digital attacks, large scale computer system buildups or breakdowns, product tampering and liability, planned or unexpected management and board changes, fires, bomb threats, special interest protests, terrorism, as well as local, regional, federal and international government oversight committees, commissions, studies, testimony and rulings
International Scope
At the request of the President of the United States – following the Bush-Gorbachev Malta Summit - Rich was instrumental in negotiating and planning the landmark NYSE USSR-US Moscow seminar on financial markets. It was attended by several hundred academic, business, financial, and government leaders in the Soviet Union. The program served as a catalyst for the opening of new exchanges in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Rich was also part of the delegation that advised key political and business leaders of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland on their transition to capitalism and opening of the financial markets in those countries.
He negotiated and planned the historic China-US symposium on financial markets in Beijing. Those meetings with key government and business galvanized the opening of the stock exchange in Shanghai, moving China towards a new economic system. Concurrent with those activities, Rich coordinated White House-related activities for the NYSE chief executive officer - in his capacity as chairman of President Reagan’s Board of Advisors on Private Sector Initiatives.
Corporate Positions
Rich also served as director and senior vice president-corporate affairs and a member of the Executive Management Committee for SmithKline Beecham, Plc. SB, which was one of the world’s leading healthcare companies with more than 300 products marketed in 130 countries and revenues exceeding billion. SB merged with Glaxo in 2000.
Based in London, he had worldwide responsibility for government affairs and public policy, investor relations and financial communications, issues management and industry relations, media relations and philanthropic activities.
Under his leadership, during an intense political climate in healthcare, corporate affairs was re-energized through management changes, deployment of technology and integration of strategic business plans – all of which strengthened and enhanced SB’s global policy reach.
Honors and Awards
Rich was awarded The Ellis Island Medal of Honor and has been recognized by several distinguished international organizations. He is a Knight of Malta; Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Holy Sepulchre; Knight Commander Jus Patronato of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, and Knight Grand Cross, Royal Order of Francis I, both Royal House of Borbone; Knight, Order of Merit, Republic of Italy; Knight Commander, Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, and Knight Commander, Order of Merit, both Royal House of Savoy.
He is the recipient of several significant professional awards, including two Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil awards for institutional and investor relations programs.
In the United States, Rich serves on the board of the New York State Trooper Foundation, a member of the Economic Club of New York and National Press Club, Washington, D.C. In England, he is a member of the Royal Society of Medicine and Reform Club. He also served as a member of the Private Sector Advisory Committee to the United States Information Agency, US State Department, Washington, DC.
He received a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences from the New York Institute of Technology. He served on the university’s board of trustees and its executive committee for more than twenty years. Rich holds NYIT’s two highest honors: the president’s medal for outstanding service to the community and an honorary Doctor of Letters. He completed the executive program of the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, California.
An avid sailor, he is a trustee of the Whaling Museum, Cold Spring Harbor, New York.
Frequent Speaker
Rich is a frequent speaker and author on digital and computer attacks and issues, crisis management, new social media, and conducting business with cross cultural barriers.He helps businesses understand how to survive the fish bowl of global competition in an era of intense public scrutiny, media proliferation and hype.
He is often quoted in business periodicals and makes numerous appearances on network news programs. To book him as a conference speaker or review some of his appearances visit: www.torrenzanotalks.com or the news section of www.torrenzano.com
Less about Richard
A former White House speechwriter, Mark is now a frequent commentator and writer on politics, technology and the future. His writings have appeared in many of the world’s leading publications.
Mark has advised many companies about the political, regulatory and international positioning of their products and services. He has helped marshal public support for successful mergers of large national corporations. And he has helped companies manage their messaging in the face of class-action litigation with “bet-your-company” stakes.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University, Mark has taught at U.C. Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and lectured at some of the nation’s leading institutions.
Richard Torrenzano is chairman and chief executive of The Torrenzano Group, a reputation and high-stakes issues management firm specializing in building and protecting corporate reputations, enhancing shareholder value and helping clients grow their businesses.
Mark Davis is a business consultant and writer in Washington, D.C., who advises many technology and other kinds of Fortune 500 companies.