HR and Talent Management Take Center Stage at GDS International's Industry-leading Summit

BRISTOL, England, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

On 15-17 May, leading human resources executives from North America's biggest firms will head to the Château Élan Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, for what promises to be the best attended and most well respected event for HR professionals during 2012 - the HR Summit US.

The summit will bring together CHROs, EVPs and SVPs of HR to explore critical people-centric issues essential to organizational effectiveness and determine where their investment priorities lie. The strategic goal for the summit is to partner HR executives with solution providers who have positioned themselves at those precise investment hot-spots, and can link tangible cost benefits to the solutions they provide.

Rick Stephens, SVP HR at Boeing; Kristin Mitchell, SVP HR at 7-11; Andrew Scoggin, SVP HR at Albertsons; and Alan Maxwell, CHRO at Lockheed Martin, are among the delegates scheduled to attend the upcoming event. Caroline Stockdale from Medtronic, Cargill's Melissa Leick, Honeywell's Mark James and Donna Morris of Adobe are also amongst those attending.

"This event is unique because it's much smaller in size and you get a lot more one-on-one attention and opportunities to meet with people in the industry," says previous attendee Rich Jacquet, VP for HR at Yahoo.

Caryn Roth, Director at GDS International - the global business event company behind the HR Summit - believes that with firms currently focused on doing more with less, a clear HR strategy supported by resources and technology will prove to be advantageous to organizations across North America.

"The HR Summit US is designed specifically with forward-thinking Chief Human Resource Officers in mind to help them meet the demands of transformation and prepare for the impact their role will have on the organization's bottom-line and future success," she says. "It will provide a vital means of communication and an ideal framework for new business relationships to flourish."

As well as comprehensive workshops, the summit will involve panel discussions offering delegates moderated, peer-led discussions on major industry issues. Meanwhile, one-to-one meetings give delegates the chance to meet with business analysts and solution providers to discuss strategy and technology demands in a rapidly evolving business climate.

"HR Executives in the US face a myriad of challenges ranging from increased legislation, healthcare reform, to the war for talent and reducing costs - all while dealing with the pressing challenge of keeping employee morale and loyalty high," explains Rob Davis, Vice President, Americas for the HR Summit US. "The key to formulating a successful business model is aligning HR with organizational strategy while minimizing costs, and in order to remain competitive, forward thinking companies must stay ahead of the game and implement strategies and solutions that address these pressing challenges."

See what previous delegates had to say about the event at http://www.hrsummitus.com

About GDS International:

GDS International is one of the most innovative events and media companies worldwide and a globally renowned producer of business-to-business summits, conferences, online information and advisory group gatherings.

Founded in 1993, GDS International specialises in meeting the B2B marketing needs of our clients. Having a strong presence in mature industrial sectors but a finger on the pulse of emerging markets - as well as up-and-coming B2B business verticals - means we are perfectly placed to capitalise on the exciting developments brought about by the advent of a globalised economy.

Our value proposition is simple: we deliver tangible business results from world-class events. http://www.gdsinternational.com

Contact: Rachel Sandeman (Rachel.Sandeman@gdsinternational.com) +44-117-9261421