OREANDA-NEWS. April 03, 2015. Hundreds of top businesspeople and 12 heads of state from throughout the Western hemisphere will gather in Panama City April 8-10 for the II CEO Summit of the Americas, organized by the government of Panama with the help of the Inter-American Development Bank.

At the meeting, which takes place just before the start of the Seventh Summit of the Americas, the heads of state from the hemisphere will join CEOs and top business leaders to analyze and discuss current and future trends in business, trade, and investment in the Americas.

Topics will include key areas for the private sector and the development of the region, such as food security and agribusiness, financial integration and inclusion, energy, empowerment of women entrepreneurs, corporate social innovation, infrastructure, and innovation and information technology.

In addition, the Americas Business Dialogue, a high-level public-private dialogue initiative formed as a result of the first CEO Summit in Cartagena in 2012, will present its report with recommendations and proposals on how the public and private sectors can work together more effectively to increase competitiveness and promote inclusive development in the region.

The heads of state from Belize, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States have confirmed their participation.

Among the business leaders who have confirmed are:

James McNerney, Boeing; Andr?s Gluski, AES Corporation; Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo; Marcel Smits, Cargill; Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company; Kelvin Dushnisky, Barrick Gold; Reinaldo Garcia, GE; Angelica Fuentes, Omnilife; Brian Porter, ScotiaBank; Luis Carlos Sarmiento, Grupo Aval, Marcelo Odebrecht, Odebrecht; Stanley Motta, Copa Holdings; Gustavo Grobocopatel, Los Grobo; Arthur Lok Jack, Associated Brands; Francisco Aristeguieta, Citigroup Latin America; Enrique Ostal?, Walmart; Blanca Trevi?o, Softtek; Marcos Galper?n, Mercado Libre.

The forum will be held at the Hotel Riu Plaza Panam?.

Journalists who wish to cover the II CEO Summit of the Americas must register for the Seventh Summit of the Americas and then should register separately for the CEO Summit on the registration page before March 31.

Due to space restrictions, a limited number of journalists will be granted credentials for the CEO Summit. Confirmation of registration will be provided via email. Proceedings will be broadcast via closed circuit television at the venue’s press center and via Livestream everywhere else, at www.livestream.com/idbevents1 and www.livestream.com/idbevents2

Questions regarding media may be directed to mediaCEOsummit@iadb.org.