Event to examine global economy, projected international trends

Media Contacts: Nicole Kampe, Automation Alley, kampen@automationalley.com, 248.457.3301; Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications, barbara@eafocus.com, 248.260.8466

TROY, Mich. — Dec. 12, 2017 —  Automation Alley, Michigan’s leading technology and manufacturing business association, will host its annual Global Business Outlook event on Thursday, Jan. 11, from 8-11 a.m., at its Troy headquarters.

The 2018 event will be keynoted by Paul Traub, senior business economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Detroit Branch, and John Caldwell, executive director of JP Morgan Chase. In addition, Pavan Muzumdar, Automation Alley’s chief operating officer, will speak about Industry 4.0’s impact on the global economy.

The event will focus on the shifting dynamics of the global economy and how companies can best position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges of doing business in the U.S. and overseas. Speakers will also examine projected trends in two-way trade and investment flows and identify industries that will either benefit or be challenged by globalization in the short, medium and long terms.

“This is a must-attend event for business and industry leaders looking to gather information on the state of the global economy, examine trends and plan accordingly,” said Noel Nevshehir, Automation Alley’s director of international business services. “For the first time in recent memory, the world economy is running on all twelve cylinders. But this optimism may lull us into a false sense of complacency. While there are plenty of bright spots out there, we can’t ignore geopolitical blind spots that could derail global growth such as North Korea and Iran or, domestically speaking, an overheated stock market correction.”

Topics will include the impact of interest rate hikes on the world economy, the bid to renegotiate free-trade agreements, deregulation, tax reform, health care, potential stock market corrections and geopolitical risks, including China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.

Closer to home, the event will highlight how these and other factors affect Michigan’s business and industry climate, especially the automotive and other advanced manufacturing industries.

The event includes breakfast and networking and there will be time for an audience Q-and-A following formal presentations.

Automation Alley Headquarters is located at 2675 Bellingham in Troy.

For more information, or to register, visit automationalley.com or contact Automation Alley at 800-427-5100 or info@automationalley.com.

About Automation Alley

Automation Alley is Michigan’s leading nonprofit technology and manufacturing business association, connecting industry, academia and government to fuel Southeast Michigan’s economy and accelerate innovation. Automation Alley focuses its efforts on innovation and technology, entrepreneurship, talent development, defense and international business, providing knowledge, resources and funding to help members grow and prosper in the digital age. The mission of Automation Alley is to position Southeast Michigan as a global leader in Industry 4.0 by helping our members increase revenue, reduce costs and think strategically as they keep pace with rapid technological changes in manufacturing.

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