Foremost Forums Upcoming this Month

Ho, hum – another new year. Yawn. We all know the drill by now, right? Next comes February, then March, then….Oh, well, you get the idea. It’s all so predictable. But what is not predictable is all the excitement that will come from the outstanding speakers and topics at the following upcoming forums!

Foremost forums upcoming

• Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF) (January 18 – 20; Riyadh). Forum is self-described as "an annual meeting of top business executives, international political leaders, selected intellectuals, and academics who share an interest in global competitiveness," and aims to be "a global platform that raises awareness and enthusiasm around competitiveness challenges, and critically evaluates the state of competitiveness theory and practice….” 2014 theme: "Building Competitive Partnerships."

• Horasis Annual Meeting (January 21 – 22; Zurich). Meeting has a goal "to be the foremost annual gathering of business leaders from emerging and developed markets" and a mission to "advance solutions to the most critical challenges facing corporations today." The operating concept, according to founder Frank Richter, is "to provide a platform for emerging countries to meet with international business leaders." Driving concept of the meeting is for participants to "jointly identify globally relevant business issues and develop sophisticated and interdisciplinary solutions."

• World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (January 22 – 25; Davos-Klosters). Event has increasingly come to focus on ecological, cultural, and socio-political issues, as well as its traditional concerns of economics, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility issues. Event is self-described as "the foremost creative force for engaging leaders in collaborative activities focused on shaping the global, regional and industry agendas," and has a mission to "remain committed to improving the state of the world." The theme for 2014 is "The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business."

Noteworthy conferences beginning agenda planning this month

• Innovation and Knowledge (INK) will begin solidifying the agenda for its Conference scheduled for October 17 – 19, 2014 in Kochi, India. Event, which was designed to "take up from where TEDIndia left off," aims to bring together "individuals with eclectic backgrounds under one roof. INK hopes to script new success stories and lay the foundation for a non-stop learning experience." Representative topics include: Environmental activism; exploring outer space; and rural innovation.

• Atlantic Monthly Group will begin developing the agenda for its New York Ideas taking place May 6, 2014. Forum aspires to "draw out the strands of genius from leaders whose work and passion are changing our world." Program is designed to "showcase the trends, innovations, and technologies driving the business landscape and identify what matters most, what works, and what's coming next." Representative topics include: Whether cities are the new global building blocks; what must be done to save the US and global economies; and the future of healthcare policy.

• Wired Magazine will begin agenda development for its Wired Conference being held October 16 – 17, 2014 in London. Event brings together "thought-leaders and opinion-formers" with an aim to "reveal cutting edge developments, from business to science, pop culture to technology, in a live environment designed to stimulate as much debate off stage as on it in an exclusive environment of like-minded individuals." Representative topics include: Innovation for a better world; the future of interaction; and ideas are the power of the people.