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History of the Business Leadership Forum

A growing dialogue

In 2003 IBM convened some of the world's thought leaders at the first Business Leadership Forum to discuss the growing intersection of business and technology. Since then, the Business Leadership Forum has continued each year, shifting its focus to reflect changing market realities.

Timeline

  • San Francisco

    2003 San Francisco

    In the heart of Silicon Valley, IBM brought together great icons of the business economy like GE, eBay and Cisco to explore the main demands CEOs were facing. The conversation centered on the development of a new framework for business based on the intelligent application of advanced technologies.

  • Paris

    2004 Paris

    The conversation continued in Paris in October 2004, where we explored how computing capacity and open standards were providing the tools to European businesses to enable transformation in ways that were previously impossible.

  • Shanghai

    2005 Shanghai

    In May of 2005, we took the conversation to Shanghai, the rising powerhouse of the East, to explore how technological advancements and innovative business models were creating new economies of scale and revitalizing business opportunities in Asia Pacific.

  • Rome

    2006 Rome

    In April 2006, we convened a global audience in Rome to focus on growth through innovation. As we discovered after visiting San Francisco, Paris and Shanghai, the issues we were facing weren't regional by nature, they were global. By engaging thought leaders from all around the world, we could generate more profound solutions.

  • St. Petersburg

    2007 St. Petersburg

    In June 2007, we expanded the dialogue with a global audience, deepening the discourse by exploring the convergence of innovation and the emerging dynamics of global integration. St. Petersburg was the perfect backdrop to explore how places and companies were transforming themselves to play on a global platform.

  • Istanbul

    2008 Istanbul

    In November 2008, IBM challenged leaders to consider the mandate for change given the global economic environment.

    BLF participants discussed the opportunity and a number of ways to consider new ways of conducting business including:

    • Enabling a Smarter Planet through the creation of more intelligent infrastructures that support both business and society.
    • Seizing the mandate for smarter collaboration and partnerships across all sectors of society.
    • Developing intelligent approaches for new growth.