Some major conferences take place this month; others begin planning cycles

Noteworthy conferences taking place this month

The 2010 event calendar starts off strong – not least because of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos!

• The INSEAD Middle East Leadership Summit; January 17; Abu Dhabi. The invitation-only event features “open dialogue and interactive sessions” on such topics as corporate citizenship; the formation of human capital; the evolution of capitalism; social and organizational change; and leadership dynamics. Attendees include “global leaders from business, government, media and academia” active in Middle East countries. 2010 theme is Leadership in a Changing World—From Dreams to Action. INSEAD Leadership Summits are also held in Asia and Europe.

• The Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF); January 23 – 26; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Program aims to be “a global platform that raises awareness and enthusiasm around competitiveness challenges, and critically evaluates the state of competitiveness theory and practice as they relate to international trade, regional development, FDI, the environment, innovation, human resources development, globalization and the micro- and macroeconomic requirements for becoming globally competitive.” 2010 speakers selected to date include Dell CEO Michael Dell; GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt; Cisco CEO John Chambers; and Yale Professor of Environmental Law and Policy Daniel Esty.

• The Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee State of the Net Conference; January 27; Washington, DC. The conference focuses on “technology trends and the disruptive challenges facing lawmakers, industry leaders, and consumers,” and addresses such topics as privacy and security; intellectual property protection and innovation; and Internet governance. Attendees are senior executives, academics, government staff, and public officials.  

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting; January 27 – 31; Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting convenes approximately 2500 attendees, the majority of whom are representatives of WEF partner organizations and include heads of state and other government officials; CEOs of major multinational companies; scientists; writers; artists; and academics. The 2010 meeting theme is Improve the State of the World—Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild, and aims to address “increasing expectations for positive change” in six “ideas of inquiry” topic areas: How to Strengthen Economic and Social Welfare; How to Mitigate Global Risks and Address Systemic Failures; How to Ensure Sustainability; How to Enhance Security; How to Create a Values Framework; and How to Build Effective Institutions.

Noteworthy conferences beginning agenda planning this month

• The Global Creative Leadership Summit is an invitation-only event for senior executives and offers attendees “a platform to form new partnerships, receive briefings from experts in all disciplines and unveil the most relevant new research on global issues.” Organizers are just now beginning the agenda planning process for the 2010 conference (but will accept speaker suggestions through the end of July). The 2010 summit will be held September 22 – 24 in New York.

• Agenda planning for the 2010 La Baule World Investment Conference will get underway in early January. Self-described as “the only platform that brings together European economic and social development stakeholders to make Europe more attractive and competitive,” the event features plenary sessions, roundtables, and workshops, and addresses such topics as economic development and social innovation. Attendees are described as “decision-makers concerned with the issues of European attractiveness and competitiveness,” and include senior executives, entrepreneurs, investors, academics and political leaders worldwide. The 2010 conference will be held June 2 – 4 in La Baule, France.

• TED Global is a variation on the venerable US-based TED Conference, and focuses on “dreams from the intersecting worlds of science, business, globalization, invention, and creativity.” The majority of speakers at TED conferences are selected pro-actively by program organizers, but suggestions are still welcomed through an online submission form on the TED website. Format is one of “conversations with the audience.”  Agenda development is currently underway for the 2010 conference taking place July 13 – 16 in Oxford, UK.

• Agenda planning for the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Asia Summit, which has a self-described aim “to be the most innovative and challenging conference on CSR in the Asia-Pacific region,” will begin in mid-January. Per the organizers, “agenda development and speaker selection are done by CSR Asia’s expert team, who identify the most cutting-edge and valuable topics that would appeal to the target audience, and speakers are invited primarily through our existing networks.” Although 2010 event information has not yet been finalized, the summit will likely take place this October in Hong Kong.