The conversation with Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot showed us the her work and vision for Chicago. Mayor Lightfoot is the first African American and LGBTQ+ Mayor in the history of Chicago. They analyzed the Chicago-Mexico trading, economic, and social relationship, along with its role in North American dynamics both now and in the future.

Interview by Karlo Terán, Monro Capital

As the traditional automotive value chain shifts from the combustion engine to a rich, evolving ecosystem around electrification, what new business opportunities can mobility players uncover, and what must they do to remain competitive? The panel “Future Mobility and Electrification: Trends and Opportunities” convened mobility leaders to discuss how electrification is transforming the sector around the world and how this is playing out in North America. Drawing from industry experiences, panelists will share insights on key trends and winning strategies that can help other players successfully navigate this transition.

Affiliate: William Davidson Institute, UM

Speakers:

• Patricia Baires - Blink

• Juan Carlos Rodriguez - Dalton

• Neva Zhang - BYD

• Edward Hightower - Lords Town Motors

• Fernando Alba - State of Chihuahua

Moderator: Diana Paez - William Davidson Institute

Public diplomacy, also known as people's diplomacy, includes all efforts to convince targeted sectors and non-state actors of foreign opinion to support a government's strategic objectives. The private sector and the civil society have an increased interest in engaging with foreign citizens and promoting their corporate social responsibility work as diplomacy transforms into a non-traditional form of foreign direct investment. The panel “Diplomacy and Softpower to Further North America’s Identity” dove into the advantages of public diplomacy across sectors and break down ways stakeholders can navigate this new territory.

Affiliate: Meridian International Center

Speakers:

• Teresa Verthein - Salesforce

• Brittany Masalosalo - HP

• Daniela Michel - Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia

• Rachel Poynter - Department of State, USA

• Enrique Acevedo - Journalist, CBS

Moderator: Natalie Jones - Meridian International Center

Interview by Rafael Sanchez Loza - Microsoft Mexico

*Ms. Clouthier is now former Secretary of Economy of Mexico

In a region as vast as North America, inclusion and diversity (I&D) are a competitive advantage and a crucial component in the region’s potential. The task of promoting and ensuring I&D across all sectors and industries is a shared responsibility among governments, the private sector, civil society, and multilateral organizations in the three countries. The panel ”Diversity and Inclusion in North America” focused on ongoing efforts to foster I&D in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Affiliate: Inter-American Dialogue

Speakers:

• Blanca Treviño - Softtek, NCF22 Co-Chair

• Monica Lozano - Board Member of Apple, Target, Bank of America, NCF22 Co-Chair

• Anne McLellan - Fmr Deputy Prime Minister Canada, NCF22 Co-Chair

• Marisol Argueta - World Economic Forum

• Antonio Villaraigosa - Former Mayor of LA

Moderator: Rebecca Bill Chavez - Inter-American Dialogue

The U.S. - Mexico binational relationship is subject to constant change, challenges, and even uncertainty, from the COVID pandemic to technological changes, or animosity among political leaders. In this environment, institutions today matter more than ever; they provide stability and perspective to the relationship and also help anchor expectations The panel “Institutions Work: The Role of Binational Institutions into Providing Stability and Predictability to the U.S. - Mexico Relationship” served as the CBI’s Second Annual Seminar where experts and practitioners provided an overview of bilateral institutions and an insight on future scenarios from their institutional perspective.

Affiliate: Center for Binational Institutions (US-Mexico Foundation)

Speakers:

• Calixto Mateos-Hanel - NAD Bank

• Dina Siegel - AJC

• Guillermo García - Texas A&M

• Gaston Luken - Coppel

Moderator: Cristina Martinez - CBI

Interviews by Ross Laver (Business Council of Canada)

The panel was focused on how to strengthen the relationship between the countries who are neighbors but somehow, feel so distant. Canada and Mexico have a great trade relationship but there are sectors where we could use some work. The geopolitical situation is one that can bring a lot of benefits for the region, and we need to take advantage of that.

The mobility and labor issues keep being two of the most important topics, and that needs to be addressed with a regional conversation about migration; including North America, and the countries in Central America that are affected by this situation. It’s essential to have a conversation with all the players in the table.

The migration linked to education needs to be more present, we need to have more agreements between these two countries to encourage more people going to Canada, and more coming to Mexico.

The North American Private Capital market is highly competitive, and has expanded in recent years with the inclusion of international and domestic Venture Capital actors. Venture Capital uncovers opportunities at earlier stages and with unorthodox expectations for growth and profitability, which is expected to uncover unprecedented opportunities and drive market competition.

The panel “Is Venture Capital truly uncovering unprecedented opportunities in the region? Evolution and Prognosis” presented an overview of the present state and perspectives of VC and Private Equity in the region, as well as some success stories and synergy opportunities.

Affiliate: QED Investors

Speakers:

• Barbara González Briseño - BITSO

• Jordi Tasias - CDPQ

• Ryan Croft - PACTO

• Hayden James Poudrier - Fraction

Moderator: Fernando Gonzalez - QED Investors

ESG requirements are changing the business environment as stakeholders increasingly expect companies to make their operations more sustainable. Broadly, the term ESG refers to the examination of a company’s environmental, social, and governance practices, their impacts, and the company’s progress against benchmarks. The panel “ESG Fundamentals in North America“ explored the ways ESGs have transformed the financial and business industries.

Affiliate: JP Morgan

Speakers:

• Devry Boughner-Vorwerk - Devry BV, U.S.-Mexico Foundation

• Pablo Gonzalez - Kimberly Clark México

• Jessica Matthews - JP Morgan

Moderator: Juan Pablo Medina Mora - JP Morgan

The North American Way is both an individual and collective mindset. It describes a holistic approach toward innovation, efficiency, economic progress, and social responsibility. It is grounded in cultural and family ties, regional values, labor mobility, shared history, and traditions. The panel “North American Way” addressed how the region is most competitive when united, which is why it is necessary to focus on strengthening North America as an economic and geopolitical powerhouse.

Affiliate: NCF/USMF

Speakers:

• Arturo Sarukhan - Former Ambassador of Mexico to the US

• Scotty Greenwood - CABC

• Amy Glover - Agil(e)

• Rolando Pablos - Former Secretary of State, Texas

Moderator: Enrique Perret - U.S.-Mexico Foundation