Date: 16 Jun 2009
Over 200 of the world's most influential business leaders have gathered at Gleneagles in Perthshire for the annual Forbes CEO forum.
The theme of the three day event is global innovation.
It provides a platform to highlight Scotland’s reputation for innovation, and re-affirm its position as a world class business and conferencing destination
Speakers include the chief executive of Cairn Energy, Sir Bill Gammell, Bruce Gardner, managing director of the Multinational Logistics Partnership, Lady Barbara Judge, chairman, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, French Government Minister, Christine Lagarde and the European Commissioner for Competition, Neelie Kroes.
This is the first time the conference has been held in Scotland and is part of the Homecoming celebrations. It was previously staged in New York, Paris and Sydney.
The event is hosted by the Forbes family, who are originally from Aberdeenshire. After leaving Scotland, BC Forbes founded a media empire in New York in 1917. His three grandsons, Steve, Robert and Kip will all make the journey to Perthshire.
Steve Forbes said he was thrilled to be coming to Scotland to host the forum.
He said: "How fitting that Forbes is participating in Homecoming Scotland, which is sending out a unique invitation to Scotland's global family to come home."
Business leaders will take part in a programme of seminars covering topics such as the global economy, emerging markets and climate change.
Lena Wilson, the chief executive of Scottish Development International, sees the conference as an opportunity to enhance Scotland's reputation as a good place to do business.
She said: "The CEO forum can only help develop this reputation by enabling some of the world's key business leaders to see at first hand what Scotland has to offer."
A recent report said foreign direct investment into Scotland was worth £41 billion a year to the economy.