SUPPORT FROM: THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY,
AND THE EAST-EAST PROGRAM OF THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE
The Center for International Private Enterprise and
the Center for the Study of Democracy, with support from the
National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the East-East Program of
the Open Society Institute (OSI), held a regional conference
entitled "Business Views on Corporate Governance: Building New
Structures in Emerging Markets". The fourth in a series of
regional conferences focusing on reform issues, this conference was
aimed to craft a unique dynamic-in which the business community,
market participants and think tanks forge their own approach to
corporate governance.
Transparency, accountability, responsibility and
fairness are vital for crafting governance practices both in
business and government in emerging democracies. Effective
corporate governance allows owners and other stakeholders to be
secure in their rights in the company. They also foster investment
and growth. The topics discussed at the conference included:
- corporate governance as an antidote to
corruption;
- corporate ownership patterns in emerging
democracies;
- transparency of financial institutions and
corporate infrastructure;
- local policy implementation; and
- defining corporate governance strategies
Sessions were designed for participants to share
their experiences and views, and to highlight successful approaches
to policy, advocacy and implementation. Participants included
public officials, business leaders and international experts in the
field of corporate governance.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, established in
1983 to promote private enterprise and market-oriented reform
worldwide. As a principal participant in the National Endowment for
Democracy, CIPE supports strategies and techniques that address
market-based democratic development. CIPE also receives support
from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as well
as private corporations and foundations. Since its inception, CIPE
has funded more than 500 projects in 90 countries and has conducted
business association management training programs in Africa, Asia,
Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the
New Independent States. Together with the United States Information
Agency, CIPE publishes Economic Reform Today, a quarterly
magazine.
CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE ENTERPRISE -
An affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 1155 15TH Street, NW
Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005
www.cipe.org
cipe@cipe.org
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AGENDA
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September 21, 2000
(Thursday) - Arrival and hotel registration |
|
18:30 |
Evening reception hosted by the
Center for the Study of Democracy |
|
September 22, 2000
(Friday) |
|
8:30 - 9:00 |
Registration |
|
9:00 - 9:10 |
Conference opening and introductions
by John Sullivan, Executive Director, CIPE and Ognian
Shentov, President, Center for the Study of Democracy |
|
9:10 - 9:25 |
Welcoming remarks by Richard M.
Miles, United States Ambassador to Bulgaria |
|
9:25 - 9:40 |
Keynote address by Radoslav Tzonchev,
Chairman, Bulgarian State Securities Commission: "Corporate
Governance in a Central and Eastern European Context" |
|
9:45 -11:00 |
Creating Demand for Corporate
Governance
Presentations will provide an overview of the situation in Slovakia
and Poland, highlighting locally developed initiatives and
strategies, which have increased awareness of the need for sound
corporate governance.
Panelists include:
- Eugen Jurzyca, INEKO/Institute for
Economic & Social Reforms (Slovakia) discussing the monitoring of
corporations through improved quarterly reporting, and
- Mieczyslaw Bak, Institute for Private
Enterprise and Democracy (Poland) discussing how awareness of best
business practices is a crucial element in building corporate
governance.
|
|
11:00 - 11:15 |
Coffee/Networking Break |
|
11:15- 12:00 |
Questions and follow-up discussion to the morning
panel. |
|
12:15 - 13:30 |
Lunch
Attracting Foreign Direct Investment Through Corporate Governance
Best Practices
Speaker: Willard A. Workman, Vice President, United States
Chamber of Commerce, International Division |
|
13:30 - 15:15 |
Market Participants and the Supply Side Links
to Corporate Governance
Presentations will address the advocacy response of the business
community in Bulgaria and Romania by highlighting the effectiveness
of locally developed best practices initiatives. Presenters will
include:
- Bistra Boeva, Bulgarian State Securities
Commission and Head of the CGI Task Force, and
- Valentin Ionescu, Romanian National
Corporate Governance Task Force leader and former Minister of
Privatization
Joint Chairman introducing the panel:
- Ognian Shentov, Center for the Study of
Democracy (Bulgaria) and
- Ion Anton, International Center for
Entrepreneurial Studies (Romania)
|
|
15:15 - 15:30 |
Coffee Break |
|
15:30 - 17:00 |
Discussion Session
Breakout into four groups of 20 to identify and discuss relevant
corporate governance issues within the context of the day's earlier
presentations. Focus will be on distinguishing regional
implications and possible future paths.
Joint chairmen for the breakout session:
- Willard Workman, USCC,
- Eugen Jurzyca, INEKO,
- Ognian Shentov, CSD
- John Sullivan, CIPE
|
|
19:30 |
Dinner
Private Equity, Corporate Governance and Economic Growth in
Southeast Europe
Speaker: Keith
Crane, Director, PlanEcon, Inc., Washington D.C. |
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September 23, 2000
(Saturday) |
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9:00 - 12:00 |
Corporate Governance Clinic-The Main Pillars:
Institutions of Governance, Corporate Codes, and Institutional
Investors
- Paul Marer, Professor and Director, MBA
Program, IMC Graduate School of Business, Budapest (Professor
Emeritus, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University,
Bloomington), discussing international systems of corporate
governance and their effectiveness.
- Darrin Hartzler, Senior Operations Manager
- Corporate Governance, Central and East European Department,
International Finance Corporation (Kiev), discussing the technical
competencies of financial institutions in fostering corporate
governance and the impacts on investors.
- John Sullivan, Executive Director, CIPE,
Corporate Governance Clinic main panel discussant.
|
|
10:30 - 10:45 |
Scheduled coffee break |
|
12:30 |
Closing Lunch
The Transitional Economies Corporate Governance Initiative
Speaker: Andrew Wilson, CIPE |
More information from e-mail: economicprogram@online.bg
See Also: Corporate Governance Initiative in Bulgaria (Also in
Bulgarian)
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