Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres Co-chairs World Economic Forum on Europe

BRUSSELS, May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Manpower Inc., a world leader in innovative workforce solutions, is a strategic partner of the World Economic Forum on Europe, taking place from 10 – 11 May in Brussels. Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO, Jeff Joerres, will co-chair the Forum which focuses on the WEF's vision for the future of Europe and its role in the world. The Forum offers business leaders, academia, heads of state and government and key decision makers a platform to discuss their aim to turn 'green shoots' into sustainable recovery.

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"When you consider the economic challenges facing Europe at the present time, it is important that European countries achieve stabilization," said Joerres. "The countries that are really struggling need a plan that can stabilize the entire Euro zone. Once stabilization occurs, the required momentum will follow for Europe to drive productivity and GDP growth."

Joerres will be participating in the plenary session titled Delivery Inclusive Growth: Lessons from the Lisbon Strategy and also speaking at the interactive session; Drivers: The Talent Gap Question. The Lisbon Strategy launched in 2000 set the goal of making Europe the most competitive economy in the world with full employment by 2010, whereas the new 10-year vision focuses on fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion ("inclusive growth"). The panel will discuss what lessons can be learned from the 2010 objectives that can ensure that the 2020 vision is realized.

"The biggest difficulty is striking a balance between nationalism and the Eurozone, so that Europe can be the force within the world that it should be in terms of delivering products and services to the world," added Joerres. "Finding that balance between nationalism and cohesiveness is what will make the Eurozone a true global power."

The Talent Gap session will focus on the blend of immigration, education and mobility policies required to enable European businesses to compete in the global marketplace. In order for Europe's 2020 Strategy to succeed, the European Union must draw on a pool of skilled, innovative and creative young people.

"With working age populations in most European markets shrinking due to shifting demographics and a 'graying' of the population, it is more vital than ever to ensure that the young people who are coming into the workforce have the skills that employers need," added Joerres. "The right education and employment is needed to prepare young people for the changing world of work, and far-sighted, fact-driven national government policies around immigration are a must in order to successfully harness talent mobility."

Among Manpower executives participating in the World Economic Forum on Europe Summit, Manpower President of Corporate and Government Affairs, David Arkless, will moderate a cross-industry session on "Stimulating Innovation and Growth."

Manpower is frequently asked by national governments to give advice based on its expertise in the world of work on how they can transform their labor markets to compete in the global economy. In February, Joerres testified at a hearing of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee focusing on the labor market, and policies to foster economic growth and job creation.

About Manpower Inc.

Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in innovative workforce solutions; creating and delivering services that enable its clients to win in the changing world of work. With over 60 years' experience, Manpower offers employers a range of services and solutions for the entire employment and business cycle including permanent, temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment and selection; training; outplacement; outsourcing and consulting. Manpower's worldwide network of nearly 4,000 offices in 82 countries and territories enables the company to meet the needs of 400,000 clients per year, including small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world's largest multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower's work is on raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction across their total workforce, enabling clients to concentrate on their core business activities. Manpower Inc. operates under five brands: Manpower, Manpower Professional, Elan, Jefferson Wells and Right Management. More information about Manpower Inc. is available at www.manpower.com.

SOURCE Manpower Inc.