Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Facebook Twitter YouTube Trending Globally Podcast Instagram LinkedIn Tumblr Email list

Commencement Forum ─ Policy in Action: Getting the Relationship between Business and Government Right

Saturday, May 27, 2023

9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

True North Classroom, Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook Street

Join Brown alumni for a panel discussion about how the private sector and government interact on critical public policy issues. Featuring Rima Alaily '94, Corporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Competition Law Group at Microsoft, Angel Brunner '94, CEO of EB5 Capital, Malika Saada Saar '92, Global Head of Human Rights Partnerships at YouTube; and Eileen Shy '96, Partner at Bain & Company. During the event, the Watson Institute will also recognize retiring Professor Ross Cheit for his many contributions to the study of public policy at Brown.

Rima Alaily is Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel in the Competition and Market Regulation Group at Microsoft.

Rima and her team help Microsoft to comply with competition laws and market regulation around the world, to secure regulatory clearance and approval of mergers and acquisitions, and to respond to competition investigations and enforcement actions. They also engage with regulators, legislators, policymakers, and others to consider the role of competition law and market regulation in the face of our changing economy and the development of new technology.

Prior to joining Microsoft in 2008 as a Senior Corporate Counsel, Rima was a partner at Heller Ehrman LLP, where her practice focused on antitrust litigation. She received her B.A. from Brown University in 1994, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1998.

In addition to her work with Microsoft, Rima is a long-standing advocate for diversity and inclusion as well as for civil legal aid, working with local and national organizations to provide access to justice for those in need. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Endowment for Equal Justice.


Angelique G. Brunner, a 1994 Brown graduate, is the CEO of EB5 Capital, an $800 million commercial real estate investment firm connecting foreign investors with job-creating projects designed to fulfill the requirements of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Prior to founding EB5 Capital, Brunner held various senior management roles in finance, including at Fannie Mae and National Capital Revitalization Corporation. A leader in economic development and impact investing, Brunner has been nationally recognized for her work by media and industry. She currently serves on the board of Cushman & Wakefield. Brunner holds a master's of public administration from Princeton University and is a first-generation college graduate.


Malika Saada Saar is a human rights lawyer who serves as YouTube’s Global Head of Human Rights Partnerships. She leads the platform’s efforts in working alongside activists, nonprofits and external partners to advance human rights issues, including in the areas of criminal justice reform, gender equality and racial justice. She was previously Google’s Senior Counsel on Civil and Human Rights.

Prior to her time at Google, Malika was a leader in the nonprofit community, having founded and served as Executive Director of both Rights4Girls and The Rebecca Project for Human Rights. She also served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS during the Obama Administration. Newsweek and the Daily Beast have named Malika as one of “150 Women Who Shake the World.” She also served as Special Counsel on Human Rights at The Raben Group. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights and the Essie Justice Group.

Ms. Saada Saar holds a B.A. from Brown University, M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

She has also been honored by Brown University’s highest alumni award, the Roger Williams award, and by Georgetown Law Center’s esteemed Robert F. Drinan Award for Public Service.


Eileen Shy is a Senior Partner in the New York office of Bain & Company. Eileen has over 20 years of experience in strategy consulting and is a leader in Bain’s Global Consumer Products Practice. Eileen is an expert in the consumer goods and retail sector, leading long-term engagements with Fortune 500 corporate clients on growth strategy, performance improvement and organizational re-design. She has extensive cross-category experience, including packaged food, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, beauty, personal care, and beyond. Eileen is also an active member of Bain's Customer Strategy & Marketing and Digital practices, including leading Bain's acquisition of digital marketer FRWD in 2018.

Eileen has been a leader of Bain's Social Impact efforts, including founding the New York "Bain Cares" chapter, and leading multiple pro bono caseteams along with authoring articles on education policy. She is a former member of the Board of Uncommon Schools and a current member of the Leadership Now Project, which is a membership organization of business professionals taking action to protect our democracy.

Eileen holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.