G20 business summit to draw 120 CEOs worldwide

More than a hundred top entrepreneurs from across the world will get together in Seoul next week to discuss ways of promoting global economic growth.

The local organising committee said yesterday a total of 120 chief executive officers, including major entrepreneurs, heads of financial institutions and tech moguls, will attend the Seoul G20 Business Summit slated for  November 10-11.

In addition, 11 head of states, including South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, have also confirmed their participation, the committee said, adding it is arranging the participation of Russian and Indonesian leaders.
    
The inaugural two-day meeting will be held in tandem with the G20 meeting of political leaders on November 11-12 in a bid to provide a venue for corporate heads to discuss ways contribution to the sustainable growth and methods to enhance ties between public and private sectors.
    
The participating CEOs will exchange views on trade and investment, finance, green growth and corporate social responsibility, the committee said. The results of their discussions will be reported to the G20 summit.
    
"The Seoul Business Summit is the first such attempt to go beyond state-initiated stimulus policies and seek ways to promote private-governmental collaboration in economic recovery," Oh Young-ho, Commissioner of the organising committee, said.
   
"If this year's business summit becomes a formal process of the G20 summit, it will be a legacy of Korea's initiative."
    
Some of them will also hold separate business meetings on the sidelines to strike deals and forge partnerships. So far, 21 enterprises have planned 72 one-on-one meetings with chiefs of other companies, the committee said.
    
Among the CEOs to join the gathering are Stephen Green of British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, Josef Ackermann of Deutsche Bank and S Gopalakrishnan of Infosys, one of the largest IT companies in India.
    
South Korea's richest businessman, Lee Kun-hee of Samsung Electronics Co, and Chung Mong-koo of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group will also be present.
    
Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates who initially promised to join the meeting, recently canceled his trip to South Korea, citing personal reasons.