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Keynote Presentations
Global Affairs and the Future of Europe
Sunday, 12 October 18:00 -19:30
Carl Bildt
Former Prime Minister of Sweden
Visionary, statesman, and international leader—Carl Bildt’s view of world affairs offers
privileged insight into the future structure of Europe and the world. The speaker draws
on a lifetime of public service to illustrate the challenges of leadership under adverse
conditions and the art of negotiating at the highest level. Bildt’s presence as a speaker
is especially timely considering his current focus in international policy and business.
The speaker is also qualified to address issues dealing with government policy regarding
security and terrorist activity. He has an honorary degree from the University of St.
Andrews in Scotland, where is he a Fellow at its Institute for the Study of Terrorism and
Political Violence. During his tenure as Prime Minister, he negotiated Sweden’s accession
to the European Union and launched Sweden as a country of the information technology
revolution. Most recently, he served as the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for
the Balkans.
Challenges of the Global Economy
Monday, 13 October 08:15 - 09:45
The Honorable Robert B. Reich
Economist, Author and former US Secretary of Labor
National boundaries are becoming meaningless, global capital is flowing faster and more freely,
corporations are headquartered anywhere, brands and franchises circle the globe, and talented
employees come from all over the world. The emerging global economy offers unusual
opportunities. But it also poses new hazards. Currencies can suddenly lose their value.
Patents and trademarks can lose their legal protections. Political instability or terrorism
can strike with unrelenting force. Protectionism can re-emerge in a variety of forms.
How can businesses make the most of the new opportunities while minimizing the hazards?
What is the future of the global economy? Robert Reich delivers a fresh vision of where
the world economy is heading and how these new economic realities will affect business,
the workforce and general economic well being. Judged by Accenture as one of the world’s
three leading business thinkers, Reich has served in three US national administrations,
most recently as Secretary of Labor and is currently a distinguished professor at Brandeis
University. His seminal book, The Work of Nations, translated into 22 languages, remains
one of the most influential guides to the workforce of the future.
The Future of Distribution
Monday, 13 October 14:15 - 15:15
Eamonn Quinn
Deputy Chairman, Superquinn & Cranfield University
& Dr. Fariba Alamdari, Head of Air Transport Group, Cranfield University
The future of distribution is a hotly debated topic in the travel industry as technological,
regulatory and market forces converge to reshape the traditional landscape. Just where will
it all end up and what does it mean for the corporate purchaser? This provocative series of
sessions will open with high-level perspectives on travel distribution and the lessons learned
from other industries. Hear a case study by Superquinn, an Irish based supermarket, on how
their industry navigated the challenges of distribution in order to deliver a high-service
product in a highly competitive environment. Then, researchers from the acclaimed Air
Transport Group at Cranfield’s College of Aeronautics, Cranfield University will lead a
keynote presentation and series breakout sessions that apply a revolutionary approach to
the fundamental economic debate of the travel industry.
Leadership and Cross-Cultural Competence
Tuesday, 14 October 11:30 - 12:15
Fons Trompenaars
Management Consultant and Author
In a business environment of shrinking national and cultural borders, cultural knowledge is an imperative. Fons Trompenaars, acclaimed management guru and author, has helped numerous Global Fortune 500 companies address the specific business challenges and dilemmas that occur between people from different national and corporate cultures. He has authored numerous books on cultural competency in business, including the award-wining Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business which sold over 120.000 copies and was translated into nine languages. This dynamic presentation will focus on how developing culture-for-business competencies is an essential leadership skill--that also improves the bottom line.
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