Cairo, Egypt: June 16, 2011 - Around 100 leaders from the Middle East and Europe are expected to attend a Business Forum organized by leading global business school IMD on the topic of 'Mapping the new Egyptian Business Landscape' on June 20th and 21st in Cairo.

IMD Business Forums are held in different countries every year and are a platform to share IMD's insights on the latest developments affecting businesses and decision-makers. The Cairo Business Forum demonstrates IMD's intention to be among the first leading global business schools to contribute to the development of a new Egypt.

The event will focus on how the judgment of business and government leaders is affected by different economic, social and political elements, and will look at how to improve decision-making skills in an uncertain environment.

Jean-Pierre Lehmann, Professor of International Political Economy at IMD, will be among the main speakers at the event. He will share his extensive knowledge on globalization, global governance, trade, development and the role of business in reduction of poverty and inequality. During the forum, participants will be able to directly interact about the challenges and opportunities in the current situation with the various government officials, members of the European business community, professors as well as regional and international investors present at the event.

Dr. Ahmed Hassan Al-Boraei, Minister of Manpower and Migration, has already confirmed his participation. Other government officials are expected to confirm in the next days. Senior executives from leading international companies such as ABB LTD, Cisco Systems INC, Du Pont Products SA, Siemens, Egon Zehnder International, IBM, Nestlé, Siemens, UBS, Veolia, Abraaj Capital, Azadea Group, Mobinil, Jumeirah Group and Khalid Ali Alturki & Sons will also be participating in the Forum.

Discussions will be taking place around different topics such as:

  • New business perspectives

  • Business clusters: exploring business opportunities in different sectors such as automotive & engineering, infrastructure, textile and education in particular

  • Developing new dynamics for growth with the new geopolitical landscape

"Uprisings in the Arab Region and economic stagnation in Europe provide an ideal opportunity for redesigning the greater Mediterranean and African space. The current situation is unsustainable. There are strong complementarities and potential synergies. If these are properly identified and exploited, the Mediterranean space could thrive. If they are not, there are strong risks of permanent instability and conflict," stated Professor Lehmann, who is also the founder of the Evian Group at IMD, an international coalition of corporate, government, and opinion leaders, united by a common vision of enhancing global prosperity for all.

Dr. Hischam El-Agamy, IMD Executive Director and an expert in family business and competitiveness, will lead the Forum. He stated: "Witnessing the start of a new era in Tunisia and Egypt has been historic, not only for the people of North Africa but also for the entire global community. Of course, these are also challenging times in the direct aftermath of such massive change. The impact on both the regional and international business communities cannot be overestimated. During these times of re-allocation of resources and reformulating of identity, it is crucial to support a dialogue between the government and the international business community. IMD wants to contribute in this new dawn by stimulating a productive dialogue between the government as well as local and international investors and by mapping the business opportunities in Egypt."

The IMD Business Forum will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel, Cairo at the Nile Plaza (www.fourseasons.com/caironp/).

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About IMD
More than a business school, IMD has pioneered executive education for over 60 years in an open and collaborative environment with a strong client focus. Our unique Real World, Real Learning approach stems from our long-standing partnerships with leading global companies. Located on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, we partner with you -- as an individual, team or organization -- to redefine your ambitions, realize performance breakthroughs and achieve sustainable high performance in an ever-changing world. Combining practical experience, thought leadership and a borderless global mindset, our top-ranking programs and services inspire challenge, action and change -- daring you to deliver more, to be more. (www.imd.org)

To arrange an interview with Professor Jean-Pierre Lehmann or IMD Executive Director Dr. Hischam El-Agamy, please contact:

Lamia Kamel
Managing Director
Corporate Communications Plus, Egypt
Cell: +2 0101010551
Tel: + 227538919
E: mail: lamiakamel@cc-plus.com

Alessandro Sofia
IMD, Switzerland
Tel: +41 21 618 0636
Mobile: +41 79 458 1864
Email: alessandro.sofia@imd.ch

© Press Release 2011