This case describes the March 2018 Ransomware attack on the information technology (IT) systems of the city of Atlanta and the response by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and her administration. The case includes a brief background on Bottoms and her young administration at the time of the attack. The case also includes background information about the trend of ransomware attacks against organizations, including government entities such as municipalities. Several cybersecurity experts describe the tactics of ransomware attackers and potential strategies to respond when ransomware attacks occur. The (B) case concludes with a description of Bottoms and her administration’s approach to managing the crisis, including her decision to not pay the ransom and instead use Atlanta’s cyber-insurance policy award to invest in remediation and upgrading of the city’s IT systems.
Birla Carbon, a flagship business of the nearly $60-billion global conglomerate and India-headquartered Aditya Birla Group (ABG), is one of the world's top manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon black. The largest among its 16 manufacturing plants is Birla Carbon Egypt (BCE), situated in the port city of Alexandria. BCE started its operations in 1994, to become the first carbon black manufacturing unit in Egypt and the Middle East. Over three decades it has grown to become a leading exporter in the region, playing a significant role in the Egyptian economy. However, the journey has not been without its challenges as BCE has tackled political unrest and frequent changes in government, besides growing concerns about pollution. Given Egypt's recent volatile political history, would BCE be able to successfully continue to separate business from politics? More broadly, what would BCE's success or failure mean on a global scale? As India seeks to grow into a great power, how would its economic footprint abroad distinguish it from other great powers? Could BCE represent a new, Indian version of FDI?
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Alicia Dadlani is the Director of the Mid-US Research Office (MRO). She works closely with HBS faculty developing case studies and supporting faculty research in the region. She also serves an important role in building and strengthening strong partnerships with companies and alumni in the region and supporting a wide range of initiatives across the school.
Alicia has extensive international experience in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. She started her career as a CPA for Ernst & Young (E&Y), working in the Midwest and Japan. After E&Y, she joined The Coca-Cola Company and held various leadership roles in Japan and the corporate office (Atlanta, GA) managing mergers and acquisitions and working on key strategic initiatives around the world. Upon graduating from Harvard Business School, Alicia joined McKinsey & Co, working in Atlanta and Europe with a focus in the consumer goods sector. Raised in Ohio, Alicia returned to the Midwest and lives there with her family.
Alicia received her MBA from Harvard Business School and her B.S. in Accounting from Miami University. She is also fluent in Japanese.