Conference season commences again!

Summer’s over and the bloom is off the rose, but the conference season is now in full flower. Beginning with these bloomin’ beauties!

Foremost forums upcoming

• Forbes Global CEO Conference (September 12–14; Kuala Lumpur). Provide its CEO audience with the opportunity to discuss topics centering on the global economy and related issues that impact business practices globally. While the scope of the program agenda is international, there is special attention paid to Asia-specific topics. The theme for 2011: “At the Crossroads.” Read more.

• Economist Ideas Economy Series: Human Potential (September 14–15; New York). Examines challenges related to how human potential can be optimized “for individuals, companies, and society at large in the decades to come.” Program addresses such topics as demography and worldwide population trends; global education best practices; redesigning corporate cultures; healthcare for an aging workforce; and human-centered design. The 2011 theme is “The Next Level of Competition.” Read more.

• World Economic Forum Meeting of the New Champions (September 14–16; Dalian, China). Forum is described as attracting “the most dynamic high-growth companies that have the potential to be tomorrow’s industry leaders…[based on the companies’] revenue, growth rate, internationalization and leadership.” Focus in 2011 will be on four elements of “the new business matrix”–embracing disruptive innovation; pursuing new frontiers of growth; shaping new industry models and policies; and sustaining a creative and entrepreneurial culture. 2011 theme: “Mastering Quality Growth.” Read more.

• Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting (September 19–22; New York). Self-described as a “non-partisan catalyst for action, bringing together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.” Bringing together current and former heads of state, top CEOs, and leaders of non-profit organizations, major philanthropists, and Nobel Prize Laureates, each event focuses on specific Action Areas. For 2011, these areas are Girls and Women–Scaling What Works; Sustainable Consumption–Ensuring Long-term Prosperity on a Finite Planet; and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs–Generating Employment for the 21st Century. Read more.

• Blouin Creative Leadership Summit (September 19–20; New York). An invitation-only event for senior executives that brings together “leading figures in the areas of science, technology, culture, business, and politics” to focus on “the critical threats and opportunities presented by globalization at the local and global levels.” Program addresses such topics as globalizing the mind; political leadership in the 21st century; and partnerships, power and potential. Read more.

• Commit! Forum (September 26–27; New York). Self-described as “the world’s largest-ever CR event” and focused on the power of CR “to create competitive advantages for superior corporate citizens.” Program addresses such topics as environmental compliance; affordable sustainability; green power; responsible sourcing; and social entrepreneurship, from a variety of stakeholder perspectives. The theme for 2011 is “Good Business Makes the Difference.” Read more.

• Green Initiatives Conference (September 29–30; Fort Lauderdale). Self-described as “the perfect forum for professionals to learn from each other and discuss the way forward with regards to the latest trends in sustainability.” Attendees “will learn how leading corporations and organizations are moving their environmental initiatives from beyond just being a ‘cost center’ to being a viable way to make a huge impact not just on the environment but on their financial and social bottom lines as well.” Read more.

• Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit (October 3–5; Laguna Niguel, CA). By-invitation-only program is “the highest-level gathering of women leaders in business, government, and the arts.” Summit aims to provide successful women leaders with the opportunity to explore key issues impacting business as well as subjects impacting their organizations and their careers. The program addresses business topics such as global competitiveness; new media; technology trends; and management issues such as building great brands and mastering organizational change. Read more.

Noteworthy conferences beginning agenda planning this month

• Milken Institute will begin agenda development for its Global Conference scheduled for April 29–May 2 2012 in Los Angeles. Conference examines the factors impacting the world’s economies, financial markets, and societies. Program addresses such topics as health/medical research; energy/climate change; regional outlooks; industry outlooks; government; media/entertainment/high tech; and education. Read more.

• HSM Global will begin solidifying the agenda for its World Innovation Forum, taking place May 8–9 2012 in New York. Event focuses on how “innovation paves the way to increased profitability, business solutions, and growth.” The WIF agenda is described by organizers as taking a “more theoretical” perspective than HSM’s World Business Forum program, focusing on “innovation as a corporate core competency.” Program addresses such topics as why innovations never follow a straight line; the climate challenge to effective corporate innovation; and strategic best practices for moving from ideas to execution. Read more.

• University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business will begin developing the agenda for its Leadership Conference being held June 20 2012 in Philadelphia. Program focuses “on leading in a period of greater risks and higher stakes” and addresses such questions as “how can executives in the private sector, public service, and non-profit world prepare themselves and their teams to lead in this uncertain environment.” Program began with a focus on leadership selection and development, and has since broadened to cover a range of leadership-related topics. Read more.