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PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
London, United Kingdom, 2010/05/20 - Over 400 industry luminaries, visionaries, leaders and gathered together this week at London’s Emirates Stadium for Frost & Sullivan’s annual gathering – the Global Growth, Innovation & Leadership Congress, GIL 2010: Europe.
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This year’s theme focused largely around leveraging innovation as a resource to help shape a better future of our companies and our careers, improving planet health.
Frost & Sullivan Partner Dorman Followill opened this year’s event and introduced Frost & Sullivan Chairman, David Frigstad. In his keynote speech, Mr. Frigstad set the stage for a stimulating and interactive event by comparing current economic markets to modern Olympic Games, as both are becoming more fiercely competitive, more demanding and ever faster paced. “Markets are increasingly competitive and the bar continues to rise” said Mr. Frigstad, “working toward gaining insight into the future and where you will be in the year 2020 is key.”
The Economic Summit keynote speech was presented by Mr. Holger Schmieding, Chief Europe Economist for Bank of America – Merrill Lynch, who discussed the current financial crisis and how the global economy can return to growth in an uncertain future. “This financial crisis was as bad as we have ever seen and we have little idea of what to expect next,” he said. “Although the EU economy started to grow again in mid-2009, we must now contend with spiraling government debt,” he warned.
Dr. Peter J. Buckley, Professor of International Business and Director of the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds (CIBUL), delivered the Global Summit keynote, discussing strategies for globally distributed operations and the Global Factory, a new structure that “provides flexibility and resilience, allowing firms to survive downturns, crises and panics.
GIL 2010: Europe featured eight industry tracks allowing delegates to brainstorm with peers, management teams and Frost & Sullivan’s own experts exploring mega trends for the future and gaining insight and a 360 Degree Perspective of their Industry. The Aerospace & Defence Track addressed change, challenges and consolidation in European defence and security. The Automotive and Transportation Track focused on electric vehicles. The Chemicals, Materials & Food Track discussed capitalising on downstream global market mega-trends. The Energy and Environment Track examined green and smart energy and sustainable water management. The Building Technology & Security Track analysed smart buildings. The Healthcare & Lifesciences Track looked at innovation in healthcare. The Information & Communications Technologies Track discussed cloud computing and the Industrial Automation Track looked at mega-trends that will lead to the creation of the factory of the future.
Each day culminated with the 2010 Growth Excellence Awards Reception and Banquet at which the prestigious Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards were bestowed upon 50 companies that proved most resilient to the worst recession in a generation. “During these past months we have seen extraordinary companies and leaders achieving great success despite the economic challenges across all market sectors in our coverage,” said Frost & Sullivan Partner Dorman Followwill. “We believe their stories must be told as best practices to inspire other companies to accelerate their own growth in 2010."
GIL 2010: Europe also featured four career focused tracks including marketing, research and design, corporate development and corporate strategy. During the sessions, participants networked with cross-industry executives to benchmark and validate strategies, share best practices and gain access to necessary and proven tools in order to become greater contributors to the bottom-line.
This year’s GIL 2010: Europe will resonate all over the world throughout the rest of the year and several continued GIL Global programs (gil-global.com) planned for: Bangalore (September 1,)Silicon Valley (September 12 – 14), Abu Dhabi (October 5 -6), Kuala Lumpur (October 19 – 20), Shanghai (November) and Sao Paulo (December 1). To obtain the congress presentations and to register for future GIL programmes, please contact Chiara Carella, Head of Corporate Communications for Frost & Sullivan in Europe, at chiara.carella[.]frost.com.
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents.
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