Michael Silva
Chief Executive Officer, WWIMC. Retired Chief Executive Officer, Wirthlin-Dentons. Former Chief Executive Officer, Wirthlin Worldwide.
Michael Silva is the Chief Executive Officer of WWIMC. He is the retired Chief Executive Officer of Wirthlin-Dentons. Prior to the combination of Wirthlin Worldwide and Dentons in 2011, Michael was the Chief Executive Officer of Wirthlin Worldwide.
Michael is a specialist in the management of crisis, providing strategic redirection during conditions of extreme organizational stress, with an emphasis on government agencies. He has provided advisory services and training in crisis management and strategic direction to Fortune 500 companies and to government agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Michael has been personally involved, writing and consulting, in the following crisis events: Exxon Valdez; Union Carbide Bhopal; Johnson and Johnson Tylenol; FBI Waco, Texas; Parmalat; Jordan–Syria refugee camp abuse; West Bank medical supply shortage; and the Roman Catholic sexual abuse crisis.
In addition to crisis management, Michael developed international-transaction experience in an exclusive partnership with Itochu Corporation commencing in 1985, evolving to Wirthlin Worldwide Itochu Management Consulting. Itochu-related transactions directly involving Michael include Foundation Health Corporation, Del Monte, Dole, Pennzoil, Saarschmiede, Global Steel Consultants, and Samsonite.
Mr. Silva was the first research and graduate assistant to Dr. Stephen R. Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) at the Brigham Young University Graduate School of Business and was involved in the evolution of Covey and Associates (now Franklin Covey), including the origination of written material. He also served on the faculty of Brigham Young University.
Mr. Silva has authored four books, two of which are international bestsellers on corporate strategy and crisis management, translated in over fifteen languages: Creating Excellence; The Future 500; Europe 1992 and the New World Power Game; and Overdrive: Managing in Crisis Filled Times. All books are published by John Wiley & Sons, New York.