London and Shanghai Social Challenges to be Tackled With Support of Mayors Boris Johnson and Han Zheng

LONDON, June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Thirty experienced and successful leaders from London and Shanghai will meet in London next week to tackle social challenges common to both cities.

The inaugural Dao Xiang Venture, run by international leadership development organisation Common Purpose, will take place at Devonport House and City Hall from 2-5 July 2012.

During the four day Venture, participants will be set the challenge of developing collaborative practical methods to tackle social challenges caused by ever increasing urbanisation in the two cities.

The group will also meet Mayor of London Boris Johnson at City Hall where he will host a reception for the participants.

"Dao Xiang is a great project. Bringing together the brightest and best young leaders from Shanghai and London is a fantastic way to learn from each other and strengthen the developing bonds between our two great cities," said Mr Johnson, who is also a member of the Dao Xiang Advisory Group. "I know previous Common Purpose Ventures have delivered some creative, innovative solutions to different problems and I can't wait to see the ideas that are produced this time."

"Both London and Shanghai have long history, dynamic entrepreneurs, young and growing populations and huge challenges in common," said Julia Middleton, Chief Executive and Founder, Common Purpose. "Getting the next generation of their leaders together to tackle common problems seems only right. The outcome will strengthen relationships which defy the cultural differences. Our Ventures reveal just how small the world is."

Participants are from organisations including: UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co. Ltd, Constructing Futures, UBM China, UBM London, British Council Shanghai, Small Axe, Shanghai Cultural Square, PwC, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Southbank Centre, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group and CBN weekly.

International sponsors supporting the Venture include Cisco, PwC, UBM and GlaxoSmithKline.

"For UBM, supporting the development of leaders of our businesses in China and in the UK is an important enabler of our strategy for growth," says Jennifer Duvalier, Group People and Culture Director at UBM. "We also believe that experience is the best classroom, and that bringing leaders from different cultures and backgrounds to learn together is very powerful in creating positive outcomes. Dao Xiang is a great vehicle for this kind of development experience, and UBM is proud to be involved."

Notes to Editors

Common Purpose

Common Purpose is an independent international leadership development organisation. Over the past 22 years, Common Purpose has designed and delivered courses that help people at all stages of their career become more effective leaders in society.

Common Purpose was founded by Julia Middleton in 1989 and currently delivers leadership development opportunities in nearly 40 cities across 12 countries, including: France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, MENA, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey and the UK.

Common Purpose runs courses that give people from the private, public and not-for-profit sector the inspiration, skills and connections to become better leaders both at work and in society. Common Purpose helps people, organisations, cities and regions to succeed, by broadening the horizons of their leaders and developing their ability to work together and lead complex change.

Common Purpose deals with real life issues and insights. We connect people who might otherwise never meet and give participants an understanding of the local context in which they do their jobs, the impact of their decisions and the contribution they can make. We operate in countries across the world - and connect them together. So participants are exposed to a broader international perspective of leadership.

There are 35,000 Common Purpose alumni around the world and each year, 3,000 people complete a Common Purpose course. To attract the widest range of potential participants from a diverse range of backgrounds, Common Purpose provides approximately 600 bursaries a year for those who could not otherwise afford to attend.

http://www.commonpurpose.org  

Common Purpose Ventures

Dao Xiang, meaning 'direction' in Mandarin, is part of a series of Ventures run by Common Purpose that will expand, enrich and energise relations between two or more locations.

Other Ventures Common Purpose is currently delivering include Dishaa (India, UK), Itijah (Europe and the Arab World), and Kompas (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania), with further Ventures in development including Phambili (South Africa, UK) and Yon (Turkey, UK) Dou Heung (Hong Kong, Scotland).

http://www.commonpurpose.org/ventures

Contact
Isabella Betkowski
Communications and Alumni Officer
Telephone: +44(0)20-7608-8122 (direct)
Mobile: +44(0)7958-560-943 (including out of hours)
Email: isabella.betkowski@commonpurpose.org