9th World Investment Conference

Business leaders and policy makers from across the world will meet in la baule, france, in may to devise policies to boost europe’s attractiveness as a place to do business and turbo-charge economic growth.

Paris, April 18th, 2011 - Discussions at the 9th World Investment Conference (WIC) will highlight a recovery of investment inflows to Europe and explore how to modernise the European economy to ensure it remains competitive in a global market. Titled “Gearing up European Growth for Global Benefits”, the conference debates will focus on three of the most promising areas in which Europe’s competitiveness can be enhanced:

Financing growth and innovation
Creating a more favourable environment for the development of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Accelerating infrastructure connectivity
Ensuring Europe’s logistics, telecoms, and transport systems remain at the forefront of global standards.

Fransforming industry and services
Highlighting ways for Europe to profit from investment in research and development in industry, and the expanding services sector.

The WIC will showcase the undeniable advantages of Europe, ranging from its highly diversified employment pool to its diversity and capacity for innovation. These competitive strengths are levers which must be used to better develop a solid attractive base that can offer a stable and prosperous investment zone for international companies.

After the three-day conference, recommendations from the workshops and plenary sessions will be presented to the European Union and governments as an agenda to enhance the world-wide attractiveness of Europe and assure its future growth.

“We are living in a multi-polar world where capital is now clearly flowing in multiple directions, with new corporate giants emerging to compete as international players. This environment has created opportunities that should be seized and challenges to face: the thought process of the WIC begins here”, says Pierre guénant - Co-President Europe+ Foundation.

“In a globalised economic context, Europe has to formulate a new direction and make plain its capacity and its willingness to adapt”, comments Jean-bernard guerrée - CEO World Investment Conferences.

During the WIC, the much-awaited annual European attractiveness survey from Ernst & Young will be presented. It shows the way in which
international investors see Europe going forward and suggests ways in which the region could become more attractive and competitive.

WIC: what is new in 2011?

With its internationally renowned participants, the WIC provides an unique opportunity to discuss with economic leaders, officials, politicians, and the most innovative companies in the world. The WIC provides a real meeting point where the three major challenges for the stimulation of European growth can be discussed.

Financing growth and innovation

  • Thomas Enders - President & CEO, Airbus
  • Ronald Kent - CEO, NYSE Euronext London
  • Rhomas C. barrett - Director, European Investment Bank
  • t.K Kurien - CEO, Wipro Technologies
  • Bronwyn Curtis - Head of Global Research, HSBC
  • Michel madelain - President & COO, Moody’s Investors Service
  • Laurent Wauquiez - French Minister of European Affairs
  • Uli Fricke - Chairwoman, European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association
  • James Turley - Chairman & CEO, Ernst & Young

Accelerating infrastructure connectivity

  • Michel Barnier - European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services
  • Ana Palacio - Founder of Palacio y Asociados, former Spanish minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the World Bank
  • Bas Boorsma - Director, Internet Business Solution Group, Global Lead Work Life Innovations Program, Cisco
  • Clara Gaymard - City initiative global leader and President & CEO France, GE
  • Carc Duval-Destin - Vice-President Automotive Research and Advanced Engineering, PSA Peugeot Citroën
  • Anne Skovbro - Head of Planning, Urban Development, Finance Administration, City of Copenhagen
  • Christophe de Maistre - President, Siemens France
  • Cees de Wijs - Senior Vice-President of International Operations of the Transportation Division, Xerox ACS
  • Ralf Christian - CEO Power Distribution, Siemens AG

Transforming industry and services

  • Jan mühlfeit - Chairman Europe, Microsoft
  • Olivier Fecherolle - COO, Viadeo Europe
  • Philippe Varin - Chairman of the Managing Board, PSA Peugeot Citroën
  • Jan de Witte - President & CEO Performance Solutions, GE Healthcare System EMEA

Europe must build up its competitiveness along with the development of fast-growing countries. They will also be at the forefront of the conference, most especially India and Morocco: ahmed reda Chami - Moroccan Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies; nizar baaraka - Moroccan Minister-Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of General and Economic Affairs; anand sharma - Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry.

For the 2011 conference, the WIC has four new prestigious partners: Assystem, Europ Assistance, FedEx and Wipro Technologies. This confirms businesses’ growing interest in this unique meeting which brings together political and business leaders from around the world.