The FINANCIAL — ICC is bringing together 350 business leaders from over 70 countries, including the WTO’s Pascal Lamy, at the first ever ICC World Business Summit on 12-13 June in Stockholm to discuss free trade and the current threats to the global economy.
According to ICC, the global economy is today at a crossroads, facing numerous interrelated challenges that are creating worldwide economic uncertainty and putting the multilateral trading system under intense pressure: obstacles to the Doha Round, increased demand for bilateral and regional trade agreements, financial market turmoil, a food crisis, an energy crisis, climate change, and increased counterfeiting and piracy.
In response, the Summit will address protectionism towards foreign investment; the role of the world’s biggest emerging economies; and whether globalization can be sustained without stronger international governance. Participants will also discuss what is being done, and what more needs to be done, to stop the $600 billion annual drain on the global economy from counterfeiting and piracy.
The ICC Summit will be a historic opportunity for world business leaders to influence the global debate and create solutions to the critical issues of free trade.
Industrial and political leadership is needed to avoid going down the wrong path . It is at critical moments such as these that courageous decision-making is necessary to safeguard the long-term growth and stability of the global economy.
Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman of ICC, said: “It is time for business to voice a strong commitment to trade rules in a globalized world. We must make politicians understand that bilateral arrangements do not meet the needs of companies sourcing and marketing globally. Doha must succeed. We are also determined to highlight the economic cost and consequences of illegal products based on the theft of intellectual property. Our goal for the Summit is to bring these issues closer to a solution.”
Confirmed speakers and panelists include:
Nani Beccalli-Falco, President and CEO, GE International
Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
Manfred Bischoff, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Daimler
Ewa Björling, Minister for Trade, Sweden
Sandro Calvani, Director, UNICRI
Jean-François Dehecq, President, Sanofi-Aventis
Johan Eliasch, Chairman, Head
Leonardo Ferragamo, Chairman, Altagamma
Victor Fung, Chairman, Li & Fung Group
Luiz Fernando Furlan, Former Minister of Development, Industry and Trade, Brazil
Nik Gowing, Main Presenter, BBC World
Alan Hassenfeld, Chairman, Hasbro
Rita Hayes, Senior Advisor, Hogan & Hartson
Pascal Lamy, Director-General, World Trade Organization
Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra
Sergio Marchionne, CEO, Fiat Group
Pradeep Mehta, Founder Secretary General, CUTS International
Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden
Peter Dirk Siemsen, Senior Partner, Dannemann, Siemsen, Bigler & Ipanema
Peter Sutherland, Chairman of BP and Goldman Sachs International
Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman of ICC, SEB, Saab and Electrolux
Eden Woon, Managing Director, Toys LiFung
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