Global Initiative

The Economic Club’s Global Initiative offers members, many of whom represent businesses with extensive global interests, the opportunity to enjoy the best and most informative international programming. The Club presents from global companies based outside the United States and representatives of governments from other nations. (Pictured Above: H.E. Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, President of Colombia, is interviewed by Economic Club President David Rubenstein on May 18, 2017.)

Past Speakers

Recent international speakers have included: 

• Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars
• Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Federal Republic of Germany
• David MacNaughton, Canadian Ambassador to the United States
• Akio Toyoda, President and Member of the Board of Directors, Toyota Motor Corporation
• His Excellency Juha Sipilä, Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland
• His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel
• Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore
• Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon, Vice Chairman & CEO, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd.
• His Excellency Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, President of the Republic of Panama
• His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, President of the Republic of Colombia 
• Bob Dudley, Group Chief Executive, BP plc
• Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division
• Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President, The World Bank Group
• Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board, Toyota Motor Corporation
• The Honorable Robert B. Zoellick, President, The World Bank Group
• The Right Honourable Tony Blair, Former British Prime Minister  

Diplomatic Advisory Council

A key part of the Global Initiative is cooperation with the diplomatic community. Ambassadors are regularly invited to attend Signature events and encouraged to host Executive Conversations. Ambassadors of Singapore, Mexico, Russia and Germany were featured speakers at Executive Conversations during the 2016-2017 season, and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom has been featured during the 2017-2018 season.

The Economic Club has established a Diplomatic Advisory Council to raise the Club’s international visibility and assist in reaching out to speakers from other countries. His Excellency Ashok Mirpuri, Ambassador of Singapore, is the inaugural Chair of the Council. (Pictured Above: Economic Club board members join the Ambassadors of Afghanistan, Finland, Italy, Kuwait, Singapore, and Russia.)

• Chair - H.E. Ashok Mirpuri, Ambassador of Singapore
• H.E. Roya Rahmani, Ambassador of Afghanistan
• H.E. Dick Wouters, Ambassador of Belgium
• H.E. Yasser Reda, Ambassador of Egypt
• H.E. Kirsti Kauppi, Ambassador of Finland
• H.E. Dr. Emily Haber, Ambassador of Germany
• H.E. Daniel Mulhall, Ambassador of Ireland
• H.E. Ron Dermer, Ambassador of Israel
• H.E. Armando Varricchio, Ambassador of Italy
• H.E. Shinsuke Sugiyama, Ambassador of Japan
• H.E. Salem Al-Sabah, Ambassador of Kuwait
• H.E. Martha Bárcena Coqui, Ambassador of Mexico
• H.E. Rosemary Banks, Ambassador of New Zealand
• H.E. Jacques Pitteloud, Ambassador of Switzerland

Global Partner

The Club’s Global Initiative is supported by eight sponsors at the Global Partner level – Cartica Management, LLC, Chevron Corporation, CTIA, Daimler AG, Delta Air Lines, Johnson & Johnson, Marriott International Inc., and United Technologies Corporation.