Manpreet Badal to lead Punjab's delegation at WEF

A Punjab government delegation, led by Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, will attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, from January 21 to 26.

Additional Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan and CEO Invest Punjab Rajat Agarwal will be accompanying Badal at the yearly gathering that brings together leaders, top executives of global companies and some of the most prominent faces in the world of business.

The agenda includes brainstorming on global topics and issues ranging from food security, healthcare, road safety, to shaping the future of mobility, finance and technology. The discussions help define the world's top priorities and shape global industry and regional agendas.

At the event, Badal will speak at multiple sessions such as 'Country Strategy Dialogue for India', 'Discussion around strengthening Global Food Systems', 'Global Road Safety Initiatives and Road Safety Partnerships for India' and 'Food Safety Innovation: Towards a New Leadership Agenda for Action'.

These sessions offer a great opportunity to mark Punjab's presence at the global level and lend its voice on world issues, said an official spokesman.

The delegation shall also be engaging in one-on-one meetings with global leaders including Chris Johnson, CEO of Nestle (Asia, Oceania and Africa), Christoph Wolff, Head of WEF (Mobility Industry and System Initiatives), Magesvaran Suranjan, president of Proctor and Gamble (Asia-Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa) and Teresa Carlson, vice-president of Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon (web services) to discuss investment opportunities and pilot projects that could be undertaken in Punjab.

Punjab has, over the past two years, undertaken a number of measures to improve the investment climate in the state, the spokesman said.