New York, N.Y., November 6, 2014 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), the New York-based group representing America’s leading global companies that works to promote cross-border trade and investment, will celebrate its annual International Leadership Award Dinner gala in the nation’s capital for the first time. The November 19 event, at the Four Seasons Hotel, will honor Roberto Azevêdo, director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Azevêdo, a Brazilian career diplomat who took over as head of the WTO in 2013, is the 35th recipient – and the first from the public sector – of the USCIB award, which recognizes vision, international success and excellence in leadership in individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to improving the global framework in which business operates. The event comes as WTO members seek to implement a landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), agreed at last December’s WTO in Bali, to remove administrative barriers to cross-border trade.
“Roberto Azevêdo has shown vision, courage and tremendous leadership in shepherding the TFA and the rest of the Bali package through to completion,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “The business community is pushing hard for their swift implementation, and the presentation of this award signifies our strong commitment to this goal as well as our appreciation for a job well done.”
The International Leadership Award was presented most recently to Fred Smith of Fedex and Andrew Liveris of Dow Chemical. The annual USCIB award gala draws hundreds of business leaders and dignitaries from government and diplomatic circles. This is the first time in the 35-year history of the event that it has been held outside New York City.
Among those attending this year’s event will be members of executive board of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world business organization for which USCIB serves as the American national committee. Both USCIB and ICC are currently chaired by Terry McGraw, chairman of McGraw Hill Financial [now S&P Global], who will serve as master of ceremonies for the gala. More information on the event is available at www.uscibgala.com.
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business and employers groups, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.
Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB
(212) 703-5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org
