The Foreign Policy Association Medal, which is the highest honor bestowed by the FPA, is awarded to individuals who exemplify responsible internationalism and make significant contributions to the public’s understanding of international affairs. Peter received the medal recognition alongside Charles Emond, President & CEO of CDPQ and Baroness Shriti Vadera, Chair of Prudential plc at the Foreign Policy Association’s 2024 Annual Dinner.
In Peter's remarks, he reflected on the Association's storied history of fostering awareness and informed opinion on foreign policy and global issues and the critical importance of successfully navigating these domains, as geopolitics has become more central to the daily activities of global business operations. "Corporations are now not only the object of but also a crucial instrument for the most important foreign policy challenges of our time. Whether we are talking about encouraging resilient clean-energy supply chains, or relocating key semiconductor fabs, or tackling cyber-security, or shaping the impact of generative AI, foreign policy outcomes depend not just on public policy but also on the actions of corporate decision-makers, and vice versa...Lazard has always prided itself on this ability to combine business insight with strong engagement in public policy, from the groundbreaking work that Felix Rohatyn did on the New York City fiscal crisis almost 50 years ago, to our new geopolitical advisory team that is helping our clients navigate today’s complexities," he stated following an introduction from the 70th Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury, Robert E. Rubin.