Wharton Global Business Forums Address Economic Development MBA Students Host Conferences on Five World Regions
On November 18-19, Wharton MBA students organized five Global Business Forums at locations across Philadelphia. Focused on Africa, Asia, Europe, India, and Latin America,
the sessions addressed significant economic, social, and political trends in these major regions of the world, especially how they respond to and participate in the demands of the global economy.
Wharton’s Global Business Forums began from the idea that regional discussions could not effectively tackle the most pressing issues affecting the world. Instead, the forums address issues particular to each region within a wider global context.
Sponsored this year by Wharton and by Wharton’s prestigious Lauder Institute, as well as by numerous corporate partners, the Global Business Forums have become the pre-eminent business school events of their kind, extending Wharton’s world-leading knowledge to issues that affect most of the world’s population.
Global Business Forums Cover the World
This year’s five forums addressed the globalization of world economies while also concentrating on domestic trends and concerns. For example, the Europe Forum, titled “Charting a Course for Europe,” aimed to articulate a vision for European economic growth in light of recent political, structural, and macroeconomic developments in the area. Panelists explored success stories of European businesses that have competed in global industries, with the aim of identifying opportunities and strategies that can help European firms differentiate themselves in the global environment.
Titled “Fueling Sustainable Growth,” the Asia Forum highlighted the region’s emergence as an economic leader and explored the paths of its future economic growth. Similarly, the India Forum, titled “India’s Mantra for Success,” included panels on investing in India, fostering entrepreneurship, and strategies for individuals and businesses to drive social change. Keynote speakers included Ahmass Fakahany, Vice-Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer of Merrill Lynch; Charles (Chip) Kaye, Co-President of Warburg Pincus; and Jairam Ramesh, Secretary of Economic Affairs in India’s Congress Party.
The Latin America Forum focused on “Capturing Untapped Potential,” looking at opportunities to advance the economic, social, and political well-being of the region and its people in innovative areas that might have been overlooked in past. Highlights included a session on Tourism: A New Source of Income and an address by Hon. Jaime Aparicio Otero, Ambassador of Bolivia to the US.
Africa Forum Features Alumni and New Opportunities
Titled “Unveiling the Value, Demystifying the Risk,” the 2005 Africa Forum opened with a keynote address from Nkosana Moyo, former Minister of Industry and Trade for Zimbabwe.
“Have you ever heard anyone speak of a British Diaspora?” asked Moyo, who disagrees with the terms “brain drain” and “diaspora” to describe the situation of human capital in his home continent.
“Resources are mobile,” Moyo explains, “and people are going back to their home countries.”
“We want people to be aware of the opportunities,” says Rekia Maikarfi, WG’07, a member of the Wharton African Students Association, which helped to organize the event. Maikarfi, a finance major, says that she will return home to Niger after graduating to help create more of these opportunities there.
Now in its 13th year, the WABF exceeded its capacity of 300 participants, many of whom were Wharton alumni. Some alumni came to the forum to network, while others came to contribute their expertise in the field. In one of the forum’s nine panel discussions, three alumni analyzed the Wharton case study, “Private Equity in Africa: Emerging Markets Partnership’s Investment in Getma.”
Among them was Papa Madiaw Ndiaye, WG’92, a director with the African Fund at EMP, who was featured in the case. In his presentation, Ndiaye brought the case to life for panel attendees, describing the relationships that forged the partnership with Getma, an independent shipping network in West Africa.
In addition to providing an overview of the investment environment for emerging markets, the panel provoked dialogue about the obstacles and opportunities for future investment.
“It’s a new world,” says Moyo, “a world based on commercial relationships, which are sustainable, and not a world based on favors.”
