Highlighting Importance of the World’s Bay Areas

The Bay Area Council took center stage as co-hosts of the Global Bay Areas Cooperation and Development Forum (GBAF) last Friday in San Francisco. Chinese Consul General Wang Donghua kicked off the event, which gathered thought leaders from the world’s most famous bayside metropolitan areas and technology hubs to exchange ideas about regional development. Council CEO Jim Wunderman spoke alongside Steven C. Rockefeller Jr. and People’s Daily Online Editor-in-Chief Hua Luo about the importance of international cooperation between regional governments.

Bay Area Council members Jaana Remes of McKinsey & Company, Dennis Rodriguez of Siemens, Scott Mauvais of Microsoft and Matt Middle Brook of Airbnb held an instructive discussion about the major regional challenges facing the San Francisco Bay Area and talked in length about the work of the Bay Area Council in addressing them. The event was held in partnership with Bay Area Council member People’s Daily and is expected to be the first in a continuing series held in prominent bay areas around the world. To get involved with future GBAF activities, please contact Director of Global Business Development Alex Foard.