International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Chairman Harold (Terry) McGraw III, who is also chairman of USCIB, held a series of roundtable meetings with Australian business leaders and government officials to begin ICC’s planning process for the G20 Summit to be hosted in Brisbane in November 2014.

At the center of the week-long activities were policy discussions hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Sydney Chamber of Commerce. During both meetings McGraw and leading Australian business representatives explored key policy issues of most importance for the Australian G20 presidency. Topics included the need for the G20 to moderate financial regulation, bring better balance to public finance, increase private investment in infrastructure, address the global challenge of youth unemployment and implement tangible solutions to the Doha trade negotiations.

McGraw also met with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who stressed the importance of the G20’s attention to trade and investment and confirmed his belief that business has a critical role in the process for generating the commerce behind economic growth and jobs. McGraw emphasized that Australia’s leadership will be essential for the G20 to maintain momentum in the global economic recovery.

For this year’s Russian cycle of the G20, ICC has been deeply engaged in the policy development process, and the G20 Advisory Group of CEOs were leading participants in the B20 Summit held in Saint Petersburg last month. McGraw is serving as co-chair of the B20 task force on trade and will join a group of CEOs presenting business recommendations to G20 heads of state during the G20 Summit being held September 5-6, also near Saint Petersburg.

Click here to read more on ICC’s website

Staff contact: Jonathan Huneke

McGraw Talks Trade on Australian TV

ICC Chairman Harold McGraw III appeared on the morning edition of the Australian News Network’s program Business Today, on August 2.

McGraw was interviewed on the subject of trade liberalization ahead of the upcoming G20 Summit, being held on September 5-6 in Strelna, Russia, and in preparation for business participation in the 2014 G20 Summit being organized in Brisbane, Australia.

“ICC has been instrumental in the business policy development process since the Seoul G20 Summit and we are keen to continue to play a key role as Australia takes over the G20 presidency in 2014,” said McGraw, who is also chairman, president and chief executive officer of McGraw Hill Financial. “We are here in Australia to encourage the G20 to lead the way in lowering trade barriers and unlocking jobs and growth.”

Click here to view McGraw’s interview. Click here to read an op-ed piece featured in The Australian by McGraw and Peter Anderson, chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on the topic.

This entry was posted in International Chamber of Commerce.