7th Global Entrepreneurship Conference

A conference presented by the IBA Closely Held Companies Committee and supported by the IBA Corporate and M&A Committee, the IBA Corporate Counsel Forum, the IBA European Regional Forum and the IBA Women Lawyers' Committee

Topics and keynote debate include:

• Keynote debate - Challenges and opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs in the current environment

• A general counsel’s view – supporting business and hedging risks in uncertain times

• Family-owned businesses - managing risks, maintaining stability?

• Energy and natural resources – doing business in dysfunctional markets

• Keynote Address – Switzerland’s economy and business environment, between tradition and innovation

• The innovators & disruptors – Back with a vengeance?

Workshops include:

• Interactive Workshop one - selected corporate governance and M&A topics

• Interactive Workshop two  - selected financing topics

Introduction to the Conference theme

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2023 risk report describes the globe as facing an unprecedented combination of “old” risks that had mostly been forgotten, such as high inflation, trade wars and geopolitical upheaval, and novel issues, like de-globalization, climate change, and natural resources and energy shortage. For this situation WEF used the term “polycrisis”.

This year’s edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Conference is taking place in Switzerland, a country traditionally renowned for the stability of its political system and for a strong and resilient economy. The recent economic indicators of the country - with, among others, the lowest unemployment figures in two decades, a comparatively low inflation and a still (albeit moderate) projected GDP growth - seem to confirm this reputation, and are at odds with the global situation.

We are, thus, meeting at the right place and in the right moment to have a close look at how entrepreneurs, closely held and family owned businesses – in Switzerland and around the globe - are coping with the situation and even finding new opportunities for growth, to understand how the role of general counsel and inhouse legal departments is evolving, and to discuss how “polycrisis” is influencing legal practice in the areas of transactional, corporate and financing work.

Join us in Zurich for a dynamic interactive program, with industry speakers, other panellists and conference attendees from around the world. We will discuss a variety of substantive topics, with our Closely Held committee hallmark of extensive audience participation, including through moderated table workshops. Enjoy the Global Entrepreneurship community and our unrivalled networking and learning environment.