Over 150 experts to attend the 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives: Jeffrey Sachs, Dr. Rüdiger Krech, David K. Foot, and Dr. Andrew Crane just a few of the notable attendees

QUEBEC CITY, March 12, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives will welcome over 150 international experts to share with participants their vision, knowledge, and perspective on challenges and future prospects facing cooperative and mutual enterprises. Some of the cooperative movement's biggest names from the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America, and Canada have already confirmed their participation in the second edition of the Summit. They will give presentations, take part in round tables, and unveil the results of groundbreaking, world-class studies conducted specifically for the Summit.

Experts will lead an in-depth exploration of this year's five themes:

• Developing cooperative and mutual enterprises
• Economics, financing, and capitalization
• Employment
• Food security
• Health and social care services

This commitment by so many experts to attend the Summit, to be held in Quebec City October 6-9, 2014, is proof positive that the Summit is a must-attend event, both for cooperative and mutual leaders and their counterparts from the political and socioeconomic spheres.

Here are a few of the speakers who will be on the program in the fall:

• Dr. Udai Shanker Awasthi, CEO, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) (India)
• Michael Beall, President and CEO, National Cooperative Business Association (United States)
• Bill Cheney, President and CEO, Credit Union National Association (United States)
• Tan Suee Chieh, Group Chief Executive, NTUC Enterprise (Singapore)
• Li Chunsheng, President, All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives (ACFSMC) (China)
• Dr. Andrew Crane, CEO, CBH Group (Australia)
• David K. Foot, Author and Professor of Economics, University of Toronto (Canada)
• Dario Foschini, CEO, CMC (Italy)
• Alain Fradin, Director General, Confédération nationale du Crédit Mutuel and Caisse Centrale de Crédit Mutuel (France)
• Dr. Eudes de Freitas Aquino, President, UNIMED (Brazil)
• Liz Green, Senior Vice President - Communications, International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) (United Kingdom)
• Dr. José Carlos Guisado, President, International Health Cooperative Organisation (IHCO) (Spain)
• Toby A. A. Heaps, Co-founder and President, Corporate Knights (Canada)
• Wolfgang Kirsch, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors, DZ Bank (Germany)
• Dr. Rüdiger Krech, Director, Office of the Assistant Director-General, Health Systems and Innovation, World Health Organization (Switzerland)
• Michel-Edouard Leclerc, CEO, E. Leclerc (France)
• Paul Macmillan, Global Public Sector Industry Leader, Deloitte (Canada)
• Philippe Mangin, President of InVivo, President of Alliance des Coopératives Agricoles, and President of Coop de France (France)
• Berry Marttin, Member of the Executive Board, Rabobank (Netherlands)
• Laura Peracaula, Deputy Director General, Suara Cooperativa (Spain)
• Bruno Roelants, Secretary General, Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal, and Service Producers' Cooperatives (CICOPA) (Belgium)
• Jeffrey Sachs, Professor and Director of The Earth Institute, Columbia University, and Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General (United States)
• Hugues Sibille, Vice President, Crédit Coopératif (France)
• Marcela Villarreal, Director, Gender, Equity, and Rural Development Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (Italy)
• Bill York, CEO, AgriBank (United States)
• Greg Wickham, CEO, Dairylea, Dairy Farmers of America (United States)

This is just a snapshot of the speakers who will be joining us at the Summit. The full list will be released over the next few weeks.

The most important international business event of its kind, the 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives will bring together managers, decision makers, and leaders from the cooperative and mutual movement to shape the present and future of cooperatives alongside some of the world's most respected experts. The event is a unique opportunity to tackle the great challenges of the 21st century and find cooperative solutions. The results of studies announced on February 19 will be unveiled at the Summit, providing a valuable framework for discussing solutions.

Related links

Website of the International Summit for Cooperatives: www.intlsummit.coop

The current list of speakers and panelists is available on the Summit website at: http://www.sommetinter.coop/cms/en_CA/home/edition-2014/conferenciers-1.html

The full list of studies to be unveiled at the Summit is available on the Summit website at: http://www.sommetinter.coop/cms/en_CA/home/edition-2014/etudes.html

About the 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives

Decision makers and influencers from the international cooperative and mutual community will gather in Quebec City, Canada, from October 6 to 9 for the 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives. The Summit's bold, ambitious themes will garner the attention and interest of cooperatives from around the globe as well as world leaders and politicians.

SOURCE: Sommet international des coopératives 2014

(for journalists only):
Vanessa Roland
Media Relations
International Summit of Cooperatives
[phone] | [phone], ext. 405
[email protected]

Jan Schiettecatte
Director of Communications
International Co-operative Alliance
+ 32 2 285 00 76
[email protected]