"MEETING POINT FOR SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE STRENGTH"

Established in 1952, İstanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) is the most powerful representative of the Turkish manufacturing industry. Celebrating 55th Anniversary in 2007, ISO has been working for the development and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in Turkey. 1st Industry Congress, held in 2002, formed a platform for dialogue on industrial policies and strategies with both macroeconomic and micro issues in mind for the sustainable competitiveness of Turkey. Motivated by the vast interest and firm response of the participants and the public, ISO decided to further this discussion platform in an annual base.

6th Industry Congress will be held in Istanbul on November 26-27, 2007 with the theme of "Sustainable Competitiveness: Industrial Technology and Innovation". Guests, representing the manufacturing companies, especially SMEs, the public sector, the academia and the non-governmental organisations participate in the 6th Industry Congress where distinguished national and international experts and practitioners are also being invited as speakers to share their knowledge, experience and insight.

The aim of the Industry Congress is to discuss the ways in which the Turkish manufacturing industry can acquire sustainable competitive power in the global markets focusing on aspects of technology and innovation and further elaborate the problems faced on the way and the suggestions for solution alternatives. The audience of the Congress has the chance to listen both experts' opinions and views, and the real life experiences or success stories in a world of dynamic business environment to acquire sustainable competitive strength.

Day 1: Monday, 26 November 2007

Day 2: Tuesday, 27 November 2007

Click for download The Congress Programme (PDF)

HONORARY GUEST - RICCARDO ILLY, President of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region

Riccardo Illy worked in the family's coffee business, founded in 1933. He re-organised the sales structure of the parent company and of the subsidiaries and created a marketing division for "illycaffè". Formerly the sales director and then managing director of "illycaffè SpA", he is now its vice-president and president of "Gruppo Illy SpA". In the past, he has also held the posts of vice-president of the Association of Industrialists of Trieste and of president of the Seminario Permanente Veronelli.

He was twice elected mayor of Trieste in 1993 and in 1997. He has been president of the Committee for the Promotion of the Transpadana European Railway Link.

He has received the title of Commendatore from the President of the Italian Republic and the "golden honorary title" from the President of the Austrian Republic. He has been awarded an honorary degree in Political Sciences from the University of Trieste on the theme of the "Eastern Expansion of the European Union".

In 2001, he was elected as member of the Italian parliament, adhering to a mixed political grouping as an independent. He was a member of the 9th Parliamentary Commission (Transport, Post and Telecommunications) and has been secretary of the Consultative Parliamentary Commission examining the implementation of the administrative reforms.

Riccardo Illy was elected President of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region in the elections of June 2003.

Friuli Venezia Giulia Region is one of the top research areas of the world with 10,5 researchers for every 1.000 inhabitants compared with the Italian ratio of 3.3/1,000 and the one that consists of 5.3/1,000 in the European Union as a whole. FVG Region, located in north of Italy is home for three universities, Trieste and Udine and to the International School for Advanced Studies with 1,236 researchers and 70 Scientific or Technical Departments. Located in Trieste is the main multi-sector scientific and technological park in Italy, the AREA Science Park; 1,600 people work in the campus and there are 75 laboratories or research centers operating.

In November 2006, Riccardo Illy was unanimously elected president of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), which includes 250 regions from 30 European countries as members.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - RAY HAMMOND, Business Strategist

Ray Hammond is Europe's most experienced and most widely published futurologist with his researchs and publications about how future trends will affect society and business. In his speeches he provides a view of the future which is both visionary and of practical use in a business environment. His topics include climate change, the impact of technology on business and the future of energy.

His non-fiction writing includes The On-Line Handbook was published in 1984, world's first book to describe the commercial potential of the internet. He is the author of 15 books which have been translated into 32 languages. As an inspirational keynote and motivational speaker, he is in world-wide demand by business, government and non-government organizations.

A contributing editor at the University of Maryland, U.S.A. and a visiting lecturer at the London Business School, in February 2007 Hammond was elected a Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation (WIF), a Swiss-registered charity which counts 91 Nobel-laureate scientists among its 3,000 strong fellowship.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - SOUMITRA DUTTA, Professor of Business & Technology INSEAD

Soumitra Dutta is an authority on all aspects of knowledge management, with a refreshing global perspective on technology-enabled business innovation. Throughout his distinguished career, he has focused on how to drive business innovation and growth through the right combination of innovative people and information technology.

Soumitra is the Professor of Business and Technology and Dean of External Relations at INSEAD. He is the former Dean of Executive Education at INSEAD, the largest executive education program in the world. He is also a visiting professor, UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business; Solvay Business School (Brussels); Athens Laboratory for Business Administration and a Fellow of World Economic Forum.

He is the author of The Bright Stuff, explaining how traditional businesses can develop innovative business models that exploit the potential of technology the way that start-ups do. Soumitra Dutta is the writer of seven other business books and many articles and an expert on off-shoring and outsourcing strategies, with special depth on India and China.