Political leaders and industry chiefs to headline CBI event
THE economy will take centre stage at this year’s CBI conference with a ‘routes to recovery’ theme dominating the event.
Conservative party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will speak at the business organisation’s conference, which is being held on November 23, to set out how they plan to restore business and consumer confidence.
The CBI will look at how sustainable growth might be achieved and how decisions taken during the coming months could make a big difference with the help of leading economists, businessmen and politicians,
The day will begin with an international perspective and prognosis for 2010 from Dominique Strauss- Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Lord Adair Turner, chairman of the FSA, and Christine Lagarde, France’s minister for the economy, industry and employment, will debate how far the regulation pendulum should swing in the wake of the banking crisis, and how far innovation in the financial sector will still be possible.
The spotlight will be shone on key sectors with Pfizer’s global chairman and chief executive Jeffrey B Kindler giving a keynote speech about lessons from the pharmaceutical sector.
Stephanie Flanders, the BBC’s economics editor, will lead a debate on ‘The Shape of Things to Come’, with Sir Stuart Rose, chief executive of Marks & Spencer, Stephen Hester, chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland and Chris Hyman, chief executive of Serco.
CBI director-general, Richard Lambert said: “At a time when all our minds are focused on a return to sustainable economic growth and the need to restore business and consumer confidence, this year’s CBI conference will be asking the big questions about how to get there.
“We will be joined by a formidable array of speakers who will be able to provide valuable new intelligence and insights into what 2010 might hold.
This year’s interactive conference will be sponsored by Deloitte, the professional services firm, and Harvey Nash, the recruitment specialist, and will take place at the London Hilton, Park Lane.
