Top Companies For Leaders 2007 Study Officially Launches to Recognize Organizations with Innovative Leadership Programs

Top Companies For Leaders 2007 Study Officially Launches to Recognize Organizations with Innovative Leadership Programs

January 22, 2007

FORTUNE Magazine, the RBL Group and Hewitt Partner to
Create the Most Comprehensive Global Leadership Study


    HONG KONG, Jan. 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Hewitt
Associates, a global human resources services company,
today launched the Top Companies for Leaders 2007 study,
conducted in partnership with The RBL Group, a firm
dedicated to helping clients deliver the strategic HR
agenda, and FORTUNE magazine.  The study will represent the
most comprehensive research on leadership in the global
marketplace to date, and aims to:

    -- Explore the organizational levers that contribute to
the development of 
       leadership capability;
    -- Examine how organizations identify and develop
future leadership 
       potential; and
    -- Analyze the links between leadership practices and
organizational 
       performance.

    The study will also provide valuable insights into how
top organizations use leadership practices to drive
business success. 

    The Top Companies for Leaders 2007 study will rank top
companies from Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and
North America with innovative leadership programs.  Hewitt
has conducted leadership studies in the United States,
Europe, and Asia Pacific since 2002.

    "Effective leadership is one of the most
significant determinants of organizational success.  The
manner in which companies assess, develop, manage and
retain their leadership and top talent plays a vital role
in creating competitive advantage.  This study will provide
valuable insights into to how the world's greatest
organizations use their leadership practices to clearly
differentiate them in the battle for attraction,
development and retention of leadership talent," said
Stephen Barrow, head of Hewitt Leadership Consulting in
Asia.  "We look forward to partnering with The RBL
Group and FORTUNE magazine in making this study a great
success and unlocking the secret to how leading companies
consistently produce great leaders."

    "We are delighted to be working with Hewitt and
FORTUNE magazine on this important project.  There are
exciting things happening around the world in leadership
development, and we look forward to recognizing the
companies who are setting the new standard for developing a
strong leadership brand that creates intangible value,"
said Dave Ulrich, a founding partner of The RBL Group.

    Participation Requirements and Judging Process 
   
    In Asia, Hewitt's Top Companies for Leaders 2007 study
is open to all organizations in Australia, China, Hong
Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand,
Singapore, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. 
Participation in the study is free.  All respondents will
receive a complimentary research brief, highlighting both
global and regional findings, and will have the opportunity
to benchmark against the Top Companies for Leaders both in
Asia and around the world.

    The first part of the selection process is completing
the survey. Each submission will be screened and those
companies selected as finalists will conduct interviews
with senior executives and survey a random sample of
current leaders.  An independent panel of judges, composed
of leading authors, academics and business journalists will
select the Top Companies for Leaders 2007 list.  The judges'
panel will evaluate data from the company and leader
surveys, empirical interview data, financial measures of
performance and company reputation.  For more information
on participating in the study, please email
[e-mail] .

    About Hewitt Associates

    With more than 65 years of experience, Hewitt
Associates (NYSE: HEW) is the world's foremost provider of
human resources consulting and outsourcing services.  The
company consults with more than 2,300 organizations and
administers human resources, health care, payroll and
retirement programs on behalf of more than 340 companies to
millions of employees and retirees worldwide.  Hewitt
Leadership Consulting combines world-class consulting
capabilities with state-of-the-art assessment and
diagnostic tools and leading edge develop strategies to
help Asia's leading organizations build a robust leadership
proposition that will drive the future success of their
business.  Located in 33 countries, Hewitt employs
approximately 24,000 associates.  For more information,
please visit http://www.hewittasia.com .

    About The RBL Group

    The RBL Group specializes in helping clients deliver
the strategic HR agenda.  The firm's founding
partnership-Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood-are particularly
well-respected thought leaders whose books and Harvard
Business Review articles on leadership have helped
companies drive more business results-focused leadership. 
For more information, please visit http://www.rbl.net .


    For more information, please contact:	

     Melinda Earsdon
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
	
     Cynthia Lu
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
	
     Erin Burns (The RBL Group)
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail] 


SOURCE  Hewitt Associates