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International Chamber of Commerce Elects New Chairman and Vice Chairman
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN and NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - June 16, 2008) - The International
Chamber of Commerce (ICC) elected a new chairman and vice chairman during
last week's ICC World Business Summit in Stockholm.
Victor Fung, chairman of the Li & Fung Group of companies, will become the
first ICC chairman from Hong Kong. American executive Rajat Kumar Gupta,
senior partner emeritus of McKinsey & Company, was elected vice chairman of
the world business body. Both will serve two-year terms beginning July 1.
The Paris-based ICC is the largest, most representative private sector
association in the world, with hundreds of thousands of member companies in
over 130 countries. The United States Council for International Business
(USCIB), based in New York, serves as ICC's American national committee.
Mr. Fung will succeed the current ICC chairman, Marcus Wallenberg of
Sweden, who will become ICC's honorary chairman.
Mr. Fung has written and spoken widely on international trade matters and
is a strong advocate of the multilateral trading system. He has served as
chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, as the Hong Kong
representative on the APEC Business Advisory Council and on the Informal
Business Advisory Body to the World Trade Organization. He has also served
as chairman of the Hong Kong Airport Authority.
"With the global economy facing numerous interrelated challenges that are
creating worldwide economic uncertainty, there has never been a greater
need for world business to speak loudly and forcefully in favor of the
multilateral trading system," said Mr. Fung. "ICC, which has a worldwide
network of experts and works closely with governments and intergovernmental
organizations, is well positioned to help find global solutions to these
obstacles to economic growth."
Mr. Gupta, in his 34-year career in consulting, including nine as
McKinsey's managing director worldwide, has served many leading companies
on a broad set of topics related to strategy, organization and operations.
He has played a leadership role in organizational thinking throughout his
career and led McKinsey's organization practice.
With an in-depth knowledge of the United Nations, having served as the UN
Secretary General's special advisor on UN reform, Mr. Gupta said he looked
forward to building on ICC's long history of providing vital services to
business.
"Like ICC's founders, I believe international trade and investment are
critical factors for economic growth and job creation, with important
implications also for cross-border cooperation," he said.
USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can
flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of
the environment. Its membership includes over 300 U.S. companies,
professional service firms and associations whose combined annual revenues
exceed $3.5 trillion. As American affiliate of the leading international
business and employers organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides
business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and
works to facilitate international trade. More information: www.uscib.org.