ST PETERSBURG, Russia, March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

On May 22-24, 2014 in St. Petersburg, the XVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be convened under the theme 'Sustaining Confidence in a World Under Transformation'. SPIEF 2014 programme is organized under the three main topics: 'Spurring Growth while Mitigating Risks', 'Realizing Russia's Competitive Edge', and 'Managing Disruptions and Embracing Change'. The current list and description of the sessions are available at http://www.forumspb.com in the Programme section.

This year, the Forum will convene under the theme 'Sustaining  confidence  in  a  world  under  transformation'. The Forum programme will be structured around four major topics and will include discussions in the form of panel sessions, industry breakfasts, and round tables involving politicians and business leaders from around the world.

Sessions focussed on the  global  economy will cover the following:

• key factors and prospects shaping the development and future of the world economy
• key risks and opportunities
• characteristics of emerging markets
• demand for primary commodities in the international market
• attracting investment
• the global competition for talent, and other topics

Sessions on Russia will focus on discussing and unlocking Russia's competitive potential, as well as ensuring sustainable economic growth in both the short and long terms. These sessions will feature a number of presentations from key figures in the Russian government.

Sessions that fall under the heading 'Managing  disruptions  and  embracing  change' will offer an opportunity to discuss major technological, demographic, and social changes and the response of government and business to these shifts.

In addition, the Forum will once again include the acclaimed 'Conversations  to  make  a  difference' leadership series, in which leading international business, finance, technology, and politics experts will share their perspective on the current global situation for business and the economy.

SOURCE St Petersburg Economic Forum