3 DAYS OF A PREMIER CONFERENCE
OVER 40 INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
25 HOURS OF STIMULATING DISCUSSION AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING
40 HOURS OF NETWORKING
www.competitivenessforum.org
WHY THE HUMAN IMAGINATION ?
There can
be no
innovation
without
imagination.
The VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum’s theme
seeks to encapsulate the objectives agreed to in the
Consensus of Santo Domingo, 2011, while recognising
that the roots of competitiveness lie in fostering
and exploiting the human imagination to drive our
competitive advantage. Traditionally, the argument
usually centers on the competitiveness of firms, how
they compete and how we add to the competitiveness
of value chains. In examining these theories, we must
ask, where is the individual in all of this and where does
innovation come from?
Within the framework of this paradigm, the human
imagination emerges as the centerpiece of the Forum.
The power to imagine and conceive ideas is universal;
it is not bound by nationality, ethnicity, wealth or
education. The human imagination therefore can be
stimulated and nurtured in order to build competitive
capacity as it is a pre-requisite for innovation. In the
thrust to put people at the centre of development, the
human imagination and the creative process must be
seen as the genesis.
Imagination is a valuable intellectual resource that spurs
inventiveness, exploration, discovery, and learning,
all of which culminate in the form of an original idea.
Creative ideas are born through our ability to imagine
things outside the boundaries of our current capabilities.
In order to turn a creative idea into an innovation, the
idea has to be developed. This entails nurturing it into
acceptance and widespread use. Going forward, it
means putting in place mechanisms to evaluate its
performance, measure its impact and identify areas
that merit improvement so the system can remain
relevant and competitive.
WHAT IS THE ACF ABOUT ?
From October 8-10 this year, over 1,000 local, regional and international representatives from
business, government, civil society and academia will converge at the HYATT Regency Hotel
in Port of Spain to participate in the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF). The ACF is the
preeminent economic and commercial event in the Americas focused on competitiveness and
innovation. Trinidad and Tobago is the first English speaking Caribbean country to host the ACF.
The ACF is usually a three-day event comprising plenary sessions, panel discussions,
competitiveness workshops and specialised sessions which are hosted by high-level speakers.
The ACF facilitates government-to-government, business-to-government and entrepreneurial
meetings as well as hosts social and cultural events to further facilitate networking among
participants. The number of participants usually ranges between 1,000 to 2,000 persons
representing the public and private sectors, academia and other non-governmental bodies.
The overarching goal of the ACF is to inspire programmes, policies, and partnerships that will
improve economic prosperity at local, regional, and international levels and ensure a brighter
future for all the people of the Region. As a consequence, the VIII ACF will focus on:
Panel 1: Energy Competitiveness and Innovation
Panel 2: Financing Business, Investment and Growth
Panel 3: Creativity, Innovation, Research and Application
Panel 4: Breakthrough Innovations and the New Generation
Panel 5: Services Industry as a Driver of Innovation
Panel 6: Innovation in Education
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
WHO SHOULD ATTEND ?
•
Heads of State and/or Government and other Senior-level Government Officials of the 34 Member Countries of the Organisation of American States (OAS)
•
High-level Representatives from Competitiveness Authorities
•
Business Executives from across the Americas
•
Global thought-leaders on Innovation and Competitiveness
•
Innovators, Entrepreneurs and SMEs
•Academia
•
Civil Society
•
Tertiary-level students and graduates
WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND ?
The Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) is an assemblage of high-level government, private
sector, academia and civil society committed to advancing the competitiveness agenda of the
Americas. It delivers a unique opportunity for the countries of the Americas to have a focused
engagement on issues pertaining to improving competitiveness, innovation, entrepreneurship,
and economic growth issues that are of critical importance to the economic well-being and
sustainable development of our Region.
Furthermore, the ACF provides a venue for companies to explore growing markets and industries
across the Hemisphere, a market that includes approximately 900 million inhabitants and accounts
for approximately $1.5 trillion in trade in goods and services . The principal goal of the ACF is to
inspire programmes, policies, and partnerships that will improve economic prosperity at local,
regional, and international levels and ensure a brighter future for all the people of the Region.
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
OBJECTIVES OF THE VIII ACF
• Highlight competitiveness and innovation as drivers of a knowledge-based economy committed
to economic inclusiveness, equity and meaningful citizen participation;
• Share the findings of studies focused on innovation and competitiveness and showcase the
innovators and innovations of the Region;
• Contribute to the cultivation of an innovative society in Trinidad and Tobago where citizens are
engaged and empowered; human imagination drives social transformation and economic growth
is propelled through trade facilitation, showcasing the possibilities within the creative sector and
informing private sector strategies;
• Change the conversation on innovation and competitiveness in the Americas with a view to
providing feasible and implementable strategy options for policy makers and business executives;
• Provide the opportunity to expand and deepen the engagement with, and among, the private
sector from across the Americas;
• Provide the opportunity for business networking and matchmaking;
• Elevate and strengthen the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector as a serious contributor to competitiveness and innovation in economies;
• Encourage collaboration amongst regional leaders, private sector, academia, and civil society in
keeping with the principles agreed to in the Consensus of Santo Domingo (2011);
• Promote business and trade;
• Strengthen the work and dialogue of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC), the
main multilateral collaboration for driving competitiveness in the Americas.
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
OCTOBER 8TH, 2014
FORUM FOR PARTNERSHIP IN THE AMERICAS
Your imagination has no boundaries, why should your business?
Ignite your imagination and harness it to power your business
through sustainable innovation.
Tapping Imagination for Sustainable Business Innovation
An inaugural event being launched at the VIII ACF focused on business leaders and
centered around the theme of Tapping Imagination for Sustainable Business Innovation.
The programme will focus on tangible solutions and actionable results connected to the
theme of ‘using imagination to drive competitiveness.’
What can you expect at the Private Sector Forum?
•
• Exposure to highly relevant, inter-related topics which will enable you to re-imagine the boundaries of your business
•
• Hands-on application of the globally recognized innovation framework that connects creativity with smart strategy
•
• Interaction with other participants, gaining valuable insights and sharing ideas across industries, markets and nationalities
•
• Involvement in formulating specific, post-event initiatives to propel the development of the regional private sector
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
OCTOBER 8TH, 2014
FORUM FOR PARTNERSHIP IN THE AMERICAS
Main Areas of Focus
•
Segment 1 – What can business do for itself?
Key trends that businesses need to monitor and apply to create emotionally invested
customers
Application Collaborative: Identify Customer Pan Points and use key trends to turn them
into Infatuation, All you can Eat Buffet Exercise
Segment 2 – How to stimulate and proliferate entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship and new
business creation?
The Importance of defying conventional wisdom in successful entrepreneurship
Segment 3 – How can we strengthen small and medium enterprises and facilitate their
growth?
Overcoming social end economic constraints to effectively apply innovations that will
trigger SME growth and sustainability
Segment 4 – How can you harness your imagination to drive the success of your company?
Igniting the imagination to overstep artificial boundaries to achieve broad customer
relevance and sustained growth
Application Collaborative: Application of Accordion Chart. The Accordion Chart is a
visual tool that enables you to explore the market spaces you currently occupy from its
most narrow to most broad definition.
These inter-related topics will be anchored around the main concepts of the Slingshot
Framework, the globally recognized innovation framework for connecting creativity with
smart strategy.
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
INVEST AMERICAS
InvestAmericas is a bilingual Investor Network developed by the Inter-American Investment
Corporation. The Network will be launched in Trinidad and Tobago at the VIII ACF.
Strengthen interaction with investors, third party service providers, enterprise support
organisations and other enterprises through the InvestAmericas Network.
CONNECTAMERICAS
Strengthen SMEs through the ConnectAmericas platform by increasing access to clients,
suppliers and investors in the region through an online platform of global industries before, during
and after the VIII ACF. ConnectAmericas will:
• Connect companies and entrepreneurs indicating their industries of interest and segments of
markets intended to reach (clients/suppliers/investors);
• Build a directory of professional communities globally;
• Facilitate business to business meetings using Trinidad and Tobago as the first country in the
region to use the platform to expedite onsite meetings during the October Forum;
• Educate SMEs on the procedures and regulations for international commerce and financing
opportunities in IDB member countries; and
• Provide educational resources through online courses accessible to all users.
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
CALL FOR EXHIBITORS
The Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development will host a three-day “Innovation Village”
on Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th October, at the Jean Pierre Complex, Wrightson Road, Port of
Spain.
A symbolic space that is emblematic of the best in innovativeness, where the workings of the
human imagination is creatively and beautifully expressed.
The Village will be a platform where exhibitors can showcase innovations in the areas of Information and Communciation Technology, Military Defence, Health & Safety and the Environment.
Participating exhibitors from countries which include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France and
Germany.
The space will offer an opportunity to connect the people of Trinidad and Tobago to the Forum in
an atmosphere that is positive and interactive.
REACH A TARGETED AUDIENCE OF INNOVATIVE PROFESSIONALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
For more information, please contact:
Innovation Village Secretariat
Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development
T (868) 339 5551
E [email protected]
VIII ACF PANELLISTS AND SPEAKERS
Over forty international and regional speakers including high powered executives, entrepreneurs
and academics have already been engaged as key speakers and panellists. Some of these include:
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr. Raúl Cuero
President and Research Director of
the International Park of Creativity
Dr. Howard Alper
Chair of the Government of Canada’s
Science, Technology, and Innovation
Council (STIC), and Distinguished University Professor at the University of Ottawa
Orlando Dovat Mela
President of Zonamerica
Andy Stefanovich
Chief Curator and Provocateur at
Prophet
Isidoro Hodara
Vice- President of Zonamerica
Luis Alberto Moreno
President of the Inter- American
Development Bank
A. Norman Sabga
Group Chairman & Chief Executive,
ANSA McAL Group of Companies
Robert Bermudez
Chairman of the Board at Bermudez
Group of Companies, Deputy
Chairman of the Massy Group
Andy Thorburn
Group Chief Operating Officer,
Digicel Group
Bruno Lanvin
Executive Director, INSEAD
European Competitiveness Initiative
Matthieu Pigasse
Chief Executive Officer of Lazard
France and Head of The Sovereign
Advisory Group, Lazard Ltd.
The Honourable Anthony Hylton
Minister of Industry, Investment
and Commerce, Jamaica
PANELLISTS AND MODERATORS
Frans Johansson
CEO of the Medici Group
Roberto Veluttini
Former Vice President of the InterAmerican Development Bank
Jane Allen
Global Leader - Renewable Energy,
Deloitte
Suhas Gopinath
CEO and Founder of Global Inc.
Dr. Fred Mednick
Founder, Teachers without Borders
Deborah Wince-Smith
President, Global Federation of
Competitiveness Councils
Dr. Warren Smith
President of the Caribbean
Development Bank
Chris Young
Executive Director, CIFAL Atlanta
Claude Zdanow
Founder of Stadiumred
Dr. Michael Penfold
Director for Public Policy and Competitiveness, CAF – Development
Bank of Latin America
Dr. Kiran Akal
President and Creative Director of
Infinite Worlds
Dr. Keith Nurse
Professor and CEO of UWI
Consulting Company
Mehul Trivedi
CEO and Co-Founder of NoiseToys
Inc.
Kyle Maloney
Co-Founder of Novus Technologies
PANELLISTS AND MODERATORS
Kris Singh
President and CEO, Service
Research and Innovation Institute
(SRII)
Gadi Mazor
General Partner, CTO, Our Crowd
Dr. Roger Hosein
Senior Lecturer, Coordinator Trade
& Economic Unit, U.W.I.
Christine Norton
Director and Representative,
UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office
for the Caribbean
Gabriel Zinny
Founder and President of
Kuepa.com
Dr. Roger Pulwarty
Director, Senior Advisor for Climate
Research, and Director, National
Integrated Drought Information System
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Pamela Coke Hamilton
Executive Director; Caribbean
Export Development Agency
Oscar Bazán
Executive Vice President
for Planning and Business
Development, Panama Canal
Authority
Carmen Gisela Vergara
Secretary General; Secretariat
for Central American Economic
Integration (SIECA)
VIII ACF AGENDA
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8TH, 2014
Forum for Partnership in the Americas
Workshop for Competitiveness Authorities in
the Caribbean - Organised by the Compete
Caribbean Programme
RIAC’s Conference with Subnational
Competitiveness Experts
RIAC Meeting of Central American
Competitiveness Authorities - Organised in
Collaboration with the Central American Bank
for Economic Integration (CABEI)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9TH, 2014
Annual Meeting of the Inter-American
Competitiveness Network (RIAC)
Panel I: Financing Business, Investment
and Growth
•Regional challenges for entrepreneurial
growth and development
•Removing barriers to entrepreneurship and
improving the factors for doing business in
the region
•New and innovative forms of financing for
Working Session of the Americas Business
Dialogue (in collaboration with the American
Association of Chambers of Commerce
of Latin America and the Inter-American
Development Bank)
High-Level Dialogue of Ministers and Vice
Ministers of Economy, Finance, Planning,
Industry and Commerce in the Americas,
Heads of Multilateral Institutions and
Business Executives
start-ups and SMEs
Panel II: Energy Competitiveness and Innovation
Modern Nature - A Documentary by Craig
•Reconciling the growth of the Energy Sector
Leon - Future History Films
with regional sustainable development goals
Winner - Best Directing of a Short Documentary
•Challenges facing the growth of the Energy
St Tropez International Film Festival
Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean
Winner - Best Documentary Feature
•Advancing the development of Renewable
Los Angeles Film and Script Festival
Energy Solutions
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10TH, 2014
Panel III: Creativity, Innovation, Research
and Application
Panel IV: Breakthrough Innovations and
the New Generation
•The role of creativity and innovation as
•The socio-economic implications and
valuable sustainable resources in improving
applications of breakthrough industries and
economic development and growth
innovations
•Building research and development
•Can the Caribbean keep up with a dynamic
capacities to boost innovation and develop
global business environment?
competitive products and services
•The key characteristics of the new genera-
•Exchanging best practices on the successful
tion and their impact on global business
application of innovation and creativity to
•Creating a national framework that supports
create value added products, services or
the development of breakthrough innovations
systems regionally and globally
and new industries
Panel V: Services Industry as a Driver of
Innovation
Panel VI: Innovation in Education
•The socio-economic importance of the
and innovation levels.
Services Industry in the region
•Improving the quality of education through
•The potential for the Global Services
new and innovative methods of learning,
Industry in Latin America and the Caribbean
teaching and teacher training.
•Creating the conditions for developing a
•Educational reformation to encourage critical
global services hub
thinking and to cultivate the innovative citizen
•Education as a means to improving creativity
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
REGISTRATION
Local Registration for the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum has 2 components. In order to
attend the forum you must complete the following steps:
1.
2.
o
o
Provide your information and programme preferences
Pay your participant fee:
Early Bird Fee - $1500 TTD (Ends August 15th, 2014)
Regular Fee - $2000 TTD (From August 16th 2014)
Upon completing Step 1, you will receive an Acknowledgement via the email address you
provided.
Upon completing Step 2, after your Payment is received and your details are verified you will
receive a Confirmation to attend the VIII ACF via the email address you provided.
Please register before August 15th to take advantage of our early bird special!
REGISTRATION
International Registration for the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum has 3 components. In
order to attend the forum you must complete the following steps:
1.
Provide your information and programme preferences
2.
Pay your participant fee according to the structure below
Category Early Bird Fees Regular Fees
Ends August 15th, 2014
From August 16th, 2014
AcademiaUSD $275USD $375
GovernmentUSD $275USD $375
MultilateralUSD $275USD $375
Organisation
Non-GovernmentalUSD $275USD $375
Organisation (NGO)
Private SectorUSD $350USD $450
3. Book your hotel accommodation at one of our recommended hotels
Upon completing Step 1, you will receive an Acknowledgement via the email address you
provided.
Upon Completing Step 2, after your Payment is received and your details are verified you will
receive a Confirmation to attend the VIII ACF via the email address you provided.
You must Complete Step 3 if you require accommodation in Trinidad & Tobago to attend the
Forum, please visit the accommodation module on our registration control panel and book directly with one of our recommended hotels.
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
THE ACF THANKS OUR PARTNERS
CHACONIA GOLD
HUMMING BIRD SILVER
SCARLET IBIS BRONZE
For additional information and registration; please visit:
www.competitivenessforum.org
Designed and produced by the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum Secretariat