Byron G. Auguste

Byron is one of the original founders of Hope Street Group and Chairman of the Board of Directors. A co-creator of the "Building the Opportunity Economy" policy package, he also co-authored the opinion piece in the Boston Globe entitled "The Biggest Tax is Debt", and has represented Hope Street Group in coalition-building discussions with political and business leaders and the media.

Byron is the senior partner in the Los Angeles Office of McKinsey & Company, where he was elected Principal in 1999, and Director in 2005. He is also the lead manager for McKinsey's newly created global Social Sector office. His client work focuses on helping technology, media, and services companies to achieve faster growth, greater productivity, and higher profitability. He also specializes on how to build information and services businesses across a wide range of industries. In addition, Byron helps public sector and non-profit clients to improve their delivery of services. Since starting at McKinsey, he has founded McKinsey's High Tech Services Sector, co-leads its High Tech Knowledge Committee, has served on the global committees that elect and evaluate new partners, and leads the firm's Diversity initiative globally. Before joining McKinsey & Company in 1993, Byron worked as an economist in international trade, finance, and economic development at the African Development Bank, at LMC International, and at Oxford University.

Byron is an active writer and public speaker on the impact of globalization, deregulation, and technology changes on industry structure, corporate strategy, and public policy. Most notably, he authored the publications "A Revolution in Interaction" (1997), a seminal analysis of the emerging new economy; "What's So New About Globalization?" (1998), a widely cited synthesis of global economic trends and their implications; "The Other Side of Outsourcing" (2001), an analysis of success factors in developing, marketing, and selling outsourced services; "The Right Services Strategy for Product Companies" (2006); and The Economics of International Payments Unions and Clearing Houses, published by MacMillan Press (1997).

Byron serves on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Council on International Policy.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and serves on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. He has worked closely with the Mayor of Los Angeles on a range of strategic and performance management issues for the city, and serves with other senior business leaders on the Los Angeles Economy and Jobs Committee. He is a Senior Fellow at the UCLA School of Public Affairs for 2006-07.

Byron received a B.A. in economics and political science summa cum laude from Yale University, where he was chosen as a Truman Scholar, and a M. Phil. and D.Phil. (doctorate) in economics from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar.