Leading edge

When the Forbes Global CEO Conference involving the leaders of the world's top 100 companies launched in Sydney, there was a lot of flak. Barricades went up outside the Sydney Opera House forecourt to keep protestors (and the public) at bay – about 500 people caused a kafuffle at the barriers with four being arrested – and apparently about $1 million of taxpayer money was spent on the security operation, which tied up about 200 police officers. On top of that, it was reported that $1 million in advertising had been given to Forbes' publications as an inducement to hold the conference in Sydney.

All this ruffled quite a few feathers, and as a great believer in the value of bringing major conventions to Australia, I feel that the event should be put into perspective. The fact that the world’s top business leaders came to meet in Sydney and rubbed shoulders with their Australian counterparts as well as federal and state politicians should be lauded. Other cities are green with envy – just ask Melbourne!

It is likely the conference will be reported in most corners of the world, and the spotlight will be fair and square on Sydney, giving the city untold publicity. The flow-on could be extremely beneficial in the months and years to come – if the hotels and venues involved rise to the occasion and put in the effort and follow-up and don’t sit back and wait for business to fall in their laps, as some did following the Olympic Games in 2000.

By the time you are reading this, the success or otherwise of the conference will be world knowledge, but at this point I am proud that Sydney was chosen and is flying the flag and being seen by the world again as the wonderful destination that it is.

Rob Yeomans
PUBLISHER