Carlos Slim Helú, Shakira and Howard Buffett, seated from left, at a press conference in Mexico City to promote an early-childhood education foundation
The Mexican telecommunications billionaire Carlos Slim Helú does not seem to like appearing in public, but he apparently could not resist an invitation from the Colombian pop star Shakira and about a dozen other Latin music stars.
Mr. Slim was on hand in Mexico City for the announcement of two free rock concerts to raise awareness of ALAS, a foundation started by Shakira and other musicians. The concerts were scheduled to be held on Saturday in Mexico City and Buenos Aires.
The goal of ALAS, which means “wings” in Spanish, is to press business leaders and governments to finance early-childhood development programs in Latin America. The foundation claimed a major success on Thursday: Mr. Slim pledged $110 million to children’s programs.
Mr. Slim sat stiffly in a leather chair during the press conference last week, but he appeared to loosen up backstage when Shakira planted a kiss on his cheek.
Also in attendance was Howard Buffett (son of the billionaire Warren E. Buffett), who pledged $85 million to existing Latin American projects.
“When Shakira calls, you show up, so here I am,” said Mr. Buffett, who noted that he did not usually publicize his philanthropy.
ELISABETH MALKIN
ADVICE FROM THE BIG NAMES When it comes to money matters, who better to steer professional women from common mistakes than Pearl Meyer, the executive compensation expert, or Alexandra Lebenthal, a third-generation investment adviser?
One of the biggest errors women make, Ms. Meyer said, is that they “undersell their value.” Ms. Lebenthal, meanwhile, cautioned that “even the smartest women, and even those who have conquered compensation, still take a back seat when it comes to investing.”
The two spoke at a recent gathering organized by the legal recruiters Greene-Levin-Snyder and held at Kentshire Galleries, an antiques and jewelry store in Manhattan.
Coincidentally, both Ms. Meyer and Ms. Lebenthal have the distinction of knowing what it’s like to lose their names, professionally speaking.
When Ms. Meyer sold the firm bearing her name to Clark Consulting in 2000, she relinquished professional rights to her name, and now works at a firm named for her longtime business partner, Steven Hall.
In 2001, the Lebenthal family sold its name, along with its business, to the Advest Group, which was acquired by Merrill Lynch in 2005. Ms. Lebenthal ultimately persuaded an executive at Merrill to allow the family to use its name in a new wealth management and bond business.
When she finally got her name back last fall, “I was complete again,” Ms. Lebenthal said.
ELLEN ROSEN
HIP-HOP HUB Within the business world, Russell Simmons is not known for sitting still. Mr. Simmons, who founded the Def Jam music label and the Phat Farm clothing brand, among other ventures, is training much of his attention these days on a new Web site called Global Grind.
The purpose of the site, in which is he a major investor, is “to connect the hip-hop generation — motivate them politically and socially,” he said.
The site includes crowd-pleasing links to gossip, and sections on entertainment, sports and fashion (along with ads for his new clothing collection, Argyleculture, and his recent book, “Do You!”).
But Mr. Simmons says he also hopes the site will mobilize young people to become involved in the coming election — he supports Barack Obama for president — and to take big and little steps to save the environment, even if it’s just “to turn off the water while we’re brushing our teeth,” he said.
PHYLLIS KORKKI
STEPPING DOWN Henry Samueli, co-founder of the chip maker Broadcom, stepped down as the company’s chairman last week after the Securities and Exchange Commission charged him and another company co-founder, Henry T. Nicholas III, with improperly backdating stock options between 1998 and 2003. Because of backdated options, regulators said, the company failed to record more than $2 billion in compensation expenses.
Mr. Nicholas resigned as chief executive in 2003. Mr. Samueli, who owns the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, also served as Broadcom’s chief technology officer. The company said he would take a leave of absence from that post.
In April, Broadcom as a company agreed to pay $12 million to settle charges over the backdated options. The company did not admit or deny wrongdoing.
Mr. Samueli’s lawyer, Gordon A. Greenberg, said that a 2006 audit, commissioned by outside board members, cleared his client of wrongdoing. Mr. Nicholas’s lawyer declined to comment.
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