Excitement Builds as 2011 Competitiveness Summit And GFCC Annual Meeting Draw Closer

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2011  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2nd Annual Meeting of the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils (GFCC), under the leadership of Chad Holliday, Chairman of the GFCC; Chairman of Bank of America; and Chairman Emeritus of the Council on Competitiveness, will be held in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil at the Plaza Sao Rafael on November 21st and 22nd, 2011. Participants will include leaders of competitiveness councils, CEOs of large corporations, researchers, and government representatives from around the globe.

"As the world's first international organization to focus exclusively on the private sector and national competitiveness policies, the GFCC promotes the idea that economic success is no longer a zero-sum game. Recognizing the accelerating pace of global competition, the most successful countries will be those most willing to engage with the international community," said the president of the GFCC, Deborah L. Wince-Smith.

Launched in 2010, the GFCC is an international non-profit organization that brings together private and public sector competitiveness councils and organizations from countries including the United States, Brazil, Australia, Egypt, Russia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

"Together, the nations represented by the Federation account for more than 50% of global GDP. Brazil plays a leading role in the group and has contributed to the discussion of a new set of competitive metrics to position these countries in the face of global competition," said the president of ABDI, Mauro Borges Lemos.

GFCC Chairman, Chad Holliday, sees the Federation as vital for the promotion of dialogue between the various participating countries and as a vehicle for strengthening their ties and expanding opportunities for cooperation. "Brazil is a historic partner of the United States and has had a very important role in the creation of GFCC. The fact that the country will be hosting the 2nd Annual Meeting consolidates this important role," said Holliday, who is also a board member of different global companies and research institutions.

On November 21st, an invitation-only Competitiveness Summit will feature GFCC Members, high-level Brazilian ministers, and CEOs discussing the current state of global competitiveness. "The event will be the chance to discuss development strategies and methods to promote competitiveness from the formulation of a new set of metrics. The contribution of representatives of national and international entities will leverage competitiveness of the countries involved in the debate," said Erik Camarano, CEO of the Competitive Brazil Movement. On the evening of November 21st, the Governor of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Mr. Tarso Genro, will graciously host a Gala Dinner for attendees.

Highlights of the day will include the release of the first ever report on competitiveness best practices from GFCC member countries and the release of the 2011 GFCC Competitiveness Principles. On November 22nd, the GFCC members and their delegations will meet to discuss the implementation of the GFCC's initiatives and lay the groundwork for an ambitious 2012 agenda.

In addition to releasing the report on competitiveness best practices, the agenda of the meeting also includes a discussion of the Competitiveness Metrics project, spearheaded by Korea's Presidential National Competitiveness Council.

For more information, see www.thegfcc.org.

ABOUT THE GFCC
The Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils (GFCC) is a global network of leaders from Competitiveness Councils around the world. It formed with the understanding that the fundamental drivers of national competitiveness are being knitted together in networks that now underpin global economic growth. Innovation, sustainability and resilience, which were once the foundation for national competitiveness advantage, are now global platforms for prosperity. Acting globally is now a prerequisite to economic competitiveness nationally.

The GFCC seeks to bring together existing national competitiveness organizations—and to stimulate the creation of new ones—to foster an ongoing annual dialogue on national competitiveness and global collaboration.

Douglas Rohde
202-383-9507
[email protected]

SOURCE Council on Competitiveness