Wharton alumnus humbly leads Disney takeover effort

Humility is not the first word that comes to mind when thinking about a man who would have the guts to attempt a takeover of Walt Disney Co.

Yet that is exactly how those close to Brian Roberts characterize him.

Roberts, the chief executive officer of the Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp., has been the focus of the media spotlight ever since his company's bold move to buy Disney on Feb. 11. Although Disney's board of directors rejected the proposal, it said that it would consider a higher offer.

The overwhelming amount of public attention is a change for the man who is described as preferring a more behind-the-scenes approach to the role of celebrity CEO.

"If you met him on the street or just saw him walking by, you would never know he was a influential, front-page CEO," said Rabbi Meyer May, executive director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. "He's not caught up in his wealth."

In addition to being a member of the board of trustees of the Wiesenthal Center, Roberts is a large supporter of other charities as well, including co-chairing the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania's 2003-2004 campaign.

"Brian has been quite involved in helping on many different committees and raising contributions for United Way," said Edward Montgomery, vice president of planned giving and endowments for United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. "He is a big leader in the community, as well as being a big promoter of the United Way within Comcast itself."

Roberts, a Wharton alumnus, followed his father, Comcast founder and fellow Wharton alumnus Ralph J. Roberts, into the business by working his way up the corporate ladder. Comcast has been based in Philadelphia -- as has the Roberts family -- since its inception, despite repeated offers to transfer offices to New York.

"Brian and his father are both totally committed to Philadelphia," Montgomery said. "There have definitely been pushes to move Comcast headquarters to New York, and the Roberts family said, 'no way.'"

Roberts has also been a leader in the Philadelphia political scene. He was a founding co-chairman of Philadelphia 2000, the committee that brought the Republican National Convention to Philadelphia.

Fellow Philadelphia 2000 Co-Chairman and Executive Vice President of Comcast David Cohen has known Roberts for over a decade, also co-chairing the United Way 2003-2004 campaign with him.

"He is a remarkably accomplished leader of Comcast, as well as being an important business leader in the greater Philadelphia community," said Cohen, a Penn Law School alumnus. "But no matter what he's accomplished, he has never let it turn his head."

Roberts is being honored for his service by the Simon Wiesenthal Center at the 2004 Humanitarian Award Dinner in Los Angeles this year.

The award "is given to one very substantial person every year, with past recipients like Margaret Thatcher, President [Ronald] Reagan, Billy Crystal and the Dalai Lama," May said. "It's given to some people in entertainment and some statesmen, and Brian knows the difference between the two."

Roberts' humility does not mask his skill as a consummate leader in both business and the community.

"Brian demonstrates leadership in everything he does: leadership within the company and the community, but personal individual leadership as well," Montgomery said.

"He uses the whole team and gets everyone involved and engaged," Cohen added. "He's a great delegator and consensus builder, and those tools have enabled him to accomplish the things he has at Comcast."

However, it is still Roberts' humble nature and down-to-earth style that distinguish him from other leaders in the business world.

"You can meet him on the street and talk with him about anything from politics to the cable business," Cohen said. "You would never recognize from his manner or the way he treats people that he is one of the most important CEOs in America."

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