Globalization, Technology, Diversity: Business leaders and search firms will convene to address critical issues impacting global executive talent at AESC’s Elevate 2017

With new political leaders across the world, what is the state of the global economy? Where can machines replace humans? How will automation affect jobs in the next decade? How do you embrace and implement diversity to make it an economic and social asset?

These are the issues CEOs, CHROs and leaders from executive search and leadership consulting firms will address at AESC's annual global conference in New York on March 29 & 30, 2017.

Bart van Ark, Executive Vice President, Chief Economist, and Chief Strategy Officer of The Conference Board, will give the opening keynote presentation on the state of the global economy. Brexit, the new Trump administration, tensions in the South China Sea and turbulence in Brazil are creating more uncertainty to the economic outlook than at any time since the global financial crisis almost a decade ago. Van Ark will discuss the fundamental drivers underlying the global trend in economic growth and provide leaders with the penetrating up-to-the-minute analysis they need to plan for the year ahead.

As automation technologies such as machine learning and robotics play an increasingly great role in everyday life, their potential effect on the workplace has, unsurprisingly, become a major focus of research and public concern. McKinsey research has begun to show that the story is more nuanced. While automation will eliminate very few occupations entirely in the next decade, it will affect portions of almost all jobs to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the type of work they entail. Michael Chui, partner at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), will present insights from MGI's new study, “Where machines could replace humans—and where they can’t (yet).”

In her book, Crossing the Thinnest Line, Lauren Leader-Chivee argues passionately and persuasively for the possibility, power, purpose, and payoff of embracing difference. Leader-Chivee will discuss the importance of dealing with bias, conscious and unconscious, and paint a picture of how any leader, in any job, can make a difference in creating a more inclusive workplace.

Karen Greenbaum, AESC President and CEO, commented: "As part of our commitment to excellence in the executive search and leadership consulting profession, it is imperative AESC provide its global membership and leaders from the business community opportunities to come together to engage for learning and thought leadership on the day's critical issues that impact global business. AESC conferences are crafted to prepare not only for those challenges today, but to have an eye toward the future and anticipate the challenges businesses will be grappling with tomorrow."

AESC's two-day event is sponsored by AESC partners The Cluen Corporation, Invenias, Mintz Group, PrivCo and The Wall Street Journal.

To learn more about Elevate 2017, or to register, please visit the AESC website at www.aesc.org.