KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 04,2009 – To mark its 30th anniversary, Korn/Ferry International’s (NYSE:KFY) Kuala Lumpur office recently embarked on a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at ‘giving back’ to the local and corporate community.

A premier global provider of talent management solutions, Korn/Ferry teamed up with the graduate schools of two renowned Malaysian universities to conduct workshops for their MBA students to better position themselves in the marketplace.

The first workshop with the University Kebangsaan Malaysia – Graduate School of Business (UKM) was conducted on February 4th, 2009, with a second workshop with the University of Malaya - Graduate School of Business (UM) to be held on February 14th.

The topics of the workshop will focus on Malaysian and global employment trends, what employers look for when hiring, and what job seekers can do to develop their own ‘personal brand’ in terms of leadership qualities, communication skills and values.

According to Reza Ghazali, Office Managing Director of Korn/Ferry Malaysia, “In light of the turbulent economic conditions, we felt we had a very important role to play in helping to develop the country’s future leaders. We deal with talent management issues on a daily basis and we wanted to equip the students with the necessary skills to see them succeed in their chosen careers.”

The participants from UKM will primarily be MBA students who will be graduating this semester and next while UM has invited their MBA and Masters of Management students. Each workshop will have about 50 foreign and local students.

The Dean of UKM’s Graduate School, Prof. Dr Fauzias Mat Nor, believed the workshops were timely and beneficial to the students. “By partnering with Korn/Ferry, we hope to give our students a leading edge. This will widen their horizons and provide them with the exposure to learn about the latest global business trends and to develop their leadership and communication skills.”

The Deputy Dean of UM's Graduate School of Business, Associate Prof. Dr Sharifah Latifah Syed A Kadir, echoed the same sentiment. “With globalisation, the demand for talent has become increasingly competitive. Students need to ensure they continue to develop the right skills to stay relevant and progress in the workforce.”

“Just like successful organizations, leaders need to find creative ways to quickly steer themselves in the right direction during uncertain times,” said Reza. “Successful executives are those who do not wait for opportunities to come their way but are more aggressive, proactive and resourceful with their job search and personal development.”

About Korn/Ferry International Asia Pacific
Korn/Ferry International, with more than 90 offices in 40 countries, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions. Korn/Ferry was the first major U.S. executive search firm to operate in Asia Pacific when it opened its doors in Tokyo in 1973. Today it has 18 offices in key business centres throughout the region, including: Auckland, Bangalore, Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Wellington.

Based in Los Angeles, the Firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to identify, deploy, develop, retain and reward their talent. For more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, visit www.kornferryasia.com.