Alexandria, VA (26 January 2010) — The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) announced today that leading authority on global foresight and innovation Andrew Zolli – Curator and Executive Director for Pop!Tech and Fellow for National Geographic’s Picture of the Future Project – will open the 2010 ACTE Global Education Conference in Chicago on Sunday, May 16, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Zolli is known as one of the world’s top experts on the complex transformations shaping the world over the next few decades. He will capture the essence of these trends and discuss the critical implications for business, government, and society. Zolli’s presentation will zero in on a key trend with particular relevance to the business travel industry – The Participation Revolution – where individuals use the tools of digital participation to reinvent the way they relate to corporations, customers, and each other.
According to Zolli, “The ‘mobile app revolution’ is having a paradoxical impact on business travel: mobile services enable us to have more informed, relevant, and engaging conversations with clients, partners, and prospects, even as they enable us to be more seamlessly connected in more than one place at the same time.”
Richard Crum, President of ACTE, noted “Andrew Zolli opened the eyes of the business travel community to the importance of innovation and foresight at the 2007 ACTE Global Education Conference in Miami. His insights are just what the leaders in our industry need as we re-emerge from economic turbulence and refocus on the emerging trends that will define our future.”
As Curator and Founder of Pop!Tech, the renowned thought leadership forum and social innovation network, Zolli is at the forefront of change. In his capacity as Fellow of the National Geographic Society, he leads the development of a global initiative to envision new scenarios for a sustainable world in 2030 and beyond. Zolli is also a Visiting Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, and has been named one of Fast Company’s Fast 50, one of Red Herring’s “Top 20 Under 35”, National Geographic’s Emerging Explorer, and part of Vanity Fair’s list of “The Next Establishment”.
The 2010 ACTE Global Education Conference will host the world’s business travel leaders, who will share new ways of thinking and successful strategies that are driving change within our industry. The conference will provide an unprecedented attendee experience for participants to learn from industry experts and thought leaders, while expanding their network of senior-level business travel colleagues and peers from around the world.
Members of the press are invited to register for the Global Education Conference on a complimentary basis. Attending press will have access to a press room during conference hours. On-site press will also be given a press kit upon registration at the conference.
