A countdown lighting ceremony was held at the Canton Tower at 8 pm on August 27, witnessed by guests at home and abroad, FGF messengers and their parents, FGF volunteers and media representatives. [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
On December 6 - 8, at least 210 CEOs from world leading companies will gather in Guangzhou for the 2017 Fortune Global Forum.
This year’s forum, with the theme ‘Openness & Innovation: Shaping the Global Economy’, will see the attendance of at least 129 of the Fortune Global 500 such as Walmart, Philips, Qualcomm, Ford, FedEx, Cisco, Morgan Stanley, Johnson and Johnson, HSBC, Air Holland, Michelin, Metro, SABIC Innovative Plastics, SAP, Nike, ABInbev, Mitsubishi, and Telecom Italia.
More Events
As part of the 2017 Fortune Global Forum, a Mayor Round Table, jointly proposed by Guangzhou and Chicago, will also be held here in Guangzhou. Mayors of many world cities will share their experience regarding economic development and seek to explore new means for economic cooperation between cities.
Another event worth-mentioning is the first-ever Fortune Brainstorm TECH International. It will be held in Guangzhou from December 5 to 6, this year and Guangzhou will remain the permanent venue for the event in the future.
An activity titled “Global Fortune Stories · 100 Guangdong Faces” was launched at the 100 day countdown lighting ceremony. Stories of Guangdong people creating wealth around the world will be published on Nanfang+, the premier news APP in Guangdong. [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
Invitation letters sent to CEOs
200 FGF messengers will write letters to CEOs of Fortune Global 500 enterprises, inviting them to attend the Forum.
Judy, a nine-year-old girl living in Guangzhou and an FGF messenger, wrote a letter to the Fortune 500 President Alan Murray on July 24, inviting him to visit beautiful Guangzhou and asking whether after the Forum, people “can get access to a larger variety of delicious food from all over the world of higher quality and lower price in Wal-Mart.”
Alan Murray wrote back to Judy today (August 28), thanking Judy for her cordial invitation and expressing that he is looking forward to meeting her in Guangzhou. Alan writes, however, that he can’t guarantee the Forum will mean lower prices at Judy’s local Wal-Mart, a matter which may have to be taken up directly with Greg Penner, Wal-Mart’s CEO, but he promises that they will “talk about ways global companies doing business in China can reach more customers and serve them better, and how Chinese companies can do the same in global markets.”
(Click here to read Judy’s and Alan’s letters in full)
A screen shot of the video featuring people from all over the world sending messages of support to Guangzhou ahead of the forum.
Support from Guangzhou’s international friends
With only 100 days to go until the curtain is raised on the 2017 Fortune Global Forum, the host city Guangzhou has received many messages of support from its international friends.
Emilia Saiz, Deputy Secretary General of UCLG: Guangzhou is a wonderful city and muti-cultural city, a city full of innovation.
Sorut Suk Thaworn, Deputy Consul General of Thailand in Guangzhou: Openness and innovation are the crucial forces in guiding economic development and leading the world to prosperity and progress.
Mr. Olah Lajos, Congress Member of Hungary: Thank you people of Guangzhou that we would open a Hungarian National Day in Guangzhou this year.
Philippe Pasquet, Managing Director of GL events Exhibitions: Thanks to all that can be discovered here in the city such as public efficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, and willingness to be really at the forefront of the international gastronomy.
Harley Seyedin, President of American Chamber of Commerce in South China: I find Guangzhou a city of business and openness, bringing great opportunities for everyone from all parts of the world.
Eric Apelgren, Head of Department - International and Governance Relations of Durban Area, South Africa: The event that will be happening in Guangzhou will be taken to a new level, promoting openness and innovation.
Jaime FlorCruz, China Chairman of Fortune Global Forum: For centuries, Guangzhou has been China’s gateway for global trade and commerce, an icon of China’s commitment to openness, diversity and globalization. And now it is an emerging hub of innovation.
John S. Needham, Managing Director of the Fortune Global Forum: We are looking forward to bringing to Guangzhou some of the world’s leading CEOs from multinational companies from all over the world, and we are confident that they too will also experience the beauty and great qualities that Guangzhou has to offer the world.
Author: Monica Liu; Editor: Simon Haywood
Letter to Mr. Alan Murray from Judy
July 24th, 2017
Dear Mr. Alan Murray,
Fortune Editor-in-Chief
My name is Judy. I’m a nine-year-old girl living in Guangzhou. I have heard from my mum and dad that there will be a big event held in my city in December this year, that is the 2017 Fortune Global Forum. By that time, you will lead chiefs of the world’s renowned companies to come to GZ and discuss important issues here.
As a little host with great hospitality, I shall definitely show you around my city. Guangzhou is endowed with mountains and rivers, wetlands and gardens. You shall spend at least a day or two to explore the natural beauty of the city. I will take you to see the ancient roads dating back to Song dynasty to know something about Guangzhou’s past and spend a cosy afternoon in Fang Suo, a bookstore with stylish design, to appreciate the modern side of the city. We shall end our perfect day in Bing Sheng, a must-to-go restaurant, with shrimp dumplings and bread with crispy pastry on top and creamy smooth butter inside. I believe you will never be tired of this fascinating city.
As a young girl who is curious about the Forum and the future world, I wonder what topics the CEOs would like to discuss and deal with in December. From the list of the Fortune Global 500, I see many familiar names. I wonder, after the Forum,whether we can get access to larger variety of delicious food from all over the world with higher quality and lower price in Wal-Mart. I wonder when the newly-opened ‘Amazon Go’ will have its presence in Guangzhou. It is exciting to imagine that the future world may be a wholly automatic place run by robots and machines, however it is also worth thinking about what we human beings can do to make a living at that time. What’s more worrying is that you see Shai Hai is Extremely hot these days since we all know that our earth is getting warmer and warmer. So will the CEOs from big oil, energy or automobile companies come up with new ideas as for how to tackle climate change even without President Trump’s endorsement for the 2015 Paris Agreement?
Dear Mr. Murray, I’m looking forward to the Forum and, if I’m lucky enough, to meeting you, since I know what you would share with us will help make our world a better place.
Yours,
Sincerely
Judy
Letter to Judy from Fortune's Alan Murray
August 28, 2017
Dear Judy,
Thank you for your thoughtful letter. It is always so nice to make a new friend from Guangzhou—especially one who writes so well!
Your mother and father are correct. We’re bringing the Fortune Global Forum to Guangzhou on December 6-8. I couldn’t be more excited.
We’ll welcome top executives from hundreds of the world’s leading businesses to your city. So far 114 Chinese companies have confirmed they’ll join as well. We’ll talk about “openness and innovation” in the global economy. We’ll also talk about China and how rapid growth in your country creates opportunities—and sometimes some challenges—for the rest of the world.
I look forward to meeting you in Guangzhou. I’ve been to your city several times now. With each visit I discover something new. I have walked through some of the beautiful gardens you describe, and taken a boat-ride through those wetlands. I have been amazed to find so much natural beauty in a city teeming with so many people. I love bookstores, and know I would enjoy visiting Fang Suo with you. And just the thought of shrimp dumplings at Bing Sheng makes me hungry. We’re working closely with Guangzhou’s city leaders to make sure guests who travel to Guangzhou for the Global Forum also have a chance to experience the city itself. Thank you for helping to show us all around!
You mentioned some of the important issues you hope business leaders who come to the Fortune Global Forum will discuss. I’m afraid I can’t guarantee you the Forum will mean lower prices at your local Wal-Mart; you may have to take that one up with Greg Penner yourself. But I can promise you we’ll talk about ways global companies doing business in China can reach more customers and serve them better, and how Chinese companies can do the same in global markets. Yes, we’ll talk about the environment and robots and all the many ways technology is changing the way we live and work. It’s hard to picture what the world will be like by the time you graduate and are ready to look for a job. But I like to think that if the leaders of big companies like those at the Global Forum act responsibly—if they consider the long-term interests of investors, employees, customers, and the communities where they do business—the world you grow up in will be a richer, safer and happier place. Bringing leaders together and helping them to share ideas about how to reach those goals is what the Global Forum is all about.
I’m writing you on an auspicious day. There are exactly 100 days until the Global Forum. Let the countdown begin! I look forward to seeing you in Guangzhou soon.
Warm Regards,
Alan Murray
President, FORTUNE
A poster of the 100 day countdown. [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
Cai Chaolin (L), member of the standing committee of CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee and director of Executive Committee of 2017 Fortune Global Forum Guangzhou, talks to the FGF messengers and volunteers after the lighting ceremony at Canton Tower. [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
Cai Chaolin (L), member of the standing committee of CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee and director of Executive Committee of 2017 Fortune Global Forum Guangzhou, talks to the FGF messengers andvolunteers after the lighting ceremony at Canton Tower.[Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
Cai Chaolin (L), member of the standing committee of CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee and director of Executive Committee of 2017 Fortune Global Forum Guangzhou, talks to the FGF messengers andvolunteers after the lighting ceremony at Canton Tower.[Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
FGF messengers andvolunteers [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
A FGF messenger shares her experience at the lighting ceremony. [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
