Saudi and International Academics, Business and Political Leaders Head to Riyadh for 7th Global Competiveness Forum

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, January 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Experts will examine factors enabling competitiveness of nations and businesses when international and Saudi experts gather at an elite forum in Riyadh under the theme 'Building Competitive Partnerships'.

With speakers including Saudi government ministers, international business leaders and academics, the Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF) at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh from January 18-20 will discuss global and regional trends in business competitiveness and developing a world class infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

For the first time since its inception in 2006, the GCF will also include the 'Invest in Saudi' exhibition which will both showcase investment opportunities in the Kingdom and provide an ideal networking platform for participants.

Among the panels and workshops in the three day event, the following will be discussed:

Global Competitiveness and the Kingdom

HE Mohammed Al-Jasser, Minister of Economy & Planning will lead the discussion of global competitiveness and setting the stage for building a partnership framework in Saudi Arabia, in a session moderated by BBC journalist Nik Gowing. Also on the panel will be Hans-Paul Bürkner, Chairman of Boston Consulting Group; Professor Dong-Sung Cho from Seoul National University; and Philip Yeo, chairman of SPRING, the Singapore governmental agency responsible for innovation and growth.

Fostering Entrepreneurship - Catalyzing Innovation

Nik Gowing will also chair this session focused on boosting entrepreneurship, problem solving, and creating a positive environment for entrepreneurs, contributors will include Daniel Isenburg, an expert in entrepreneurship; and Dr Jean-Lou Chameau, President of King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST).

Women Stimulating Economic Development

This panel discussion encourages and empowers women to play an active role in Saudi Arabia's economic development, with Rafiza Ghazali, Chief Financial Officer at Cagamas Berhad; and Thurayya Obaid, member of the Shoura Council and former UN Under-Secretary-General.

Employability - Synergizing Job Creation and Education

HE Eng Adel Fakieh, the Minister of Labor, heads an expert panel discussing the links between Saudi's education system and the job market, asking whether the Kingdom's universities deliver the right type of graduates and examining the role that vocational training plays in developing human capital, among other employment-related issues.

Founded in 2006 by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), the GCF has grown into one of the largest and most important annual gatherings of academics, business leaders, politicians and journalists in the region.

For more information, go to: http://www.gcf.org.sa

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Nick Cash: +966(0)114623632 gcfe@alefinternational.com