Summernight Symposium 2011
On June 20, 2011 evening, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants' annual Summernight Symposium took place for the thirteenth time in Vienna's Palais Liechtenstein. This year's discussion explored the topic of "The price of growth – Sustainable development versus GDP orientation". The panel included EU Commissioner László Andor, Economics Prof. Zhang Weying (University of Peking), top executive Andreas Ludwig (CEO Umdasch AG), capitalism critic Christian Felber (Attac Austria) and the consultancy's founder Prof. Roland Berger.
Also in this year, the annual Summernight Symposium again attracted around 400 prominent guests from the worlds of finance, industry and the public sector to a discussion of key developments in the economy. Up for debate was one of the central questions raised in times of global economic instability: Sustainable development versus GDP orientation. Cracks have appeared in many of the pillars of our economic system. And if we are to believe recent studies of values in society, the public are increasingly questioning the universally palpable dominance of market-oriented GDP as the measure of economic success.
All the speakers agreed that new challenges need new solutions: It would take more than the expansion of GDP to achieve a sustainable economy. But the differences among the panel members over just what a move away from the GDP orientation might look like in practice led to a lively and stimulating discussion.
Among the guests at this year's Summernight Symposium were Austrian Airlines COO Peter Malanik, BAWAG PSK Board Member Andreas Arndt, Pater Maurus and Pater Maximilian (Benediktinerstift Göttweig), Karl Stoss and Bettina Glatz-Kremsner (Casinos Austria AG), Peter Layr (EVN AG), Rudolf Kemler (Hewlett-Packard), Michael Gröller (Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG), Peter Mitterbauer (Miba), ÖBB Holding-CFO Josef Halbmayr, Walter Hitziger and Peter Umundum (Österreichische Post AG), Karl Sevelda and Martin Grüll (Raiffeisen Bank International AG), Reinhard Wolf (RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria), Ante Todoric and Ljerka Puljic (Agrokor d.d.) as well as Wilfried Stadler. Animated by the official part of the evening, the guests in Palais Liechtenstein then continued to discuss the issues in a relaxed atmosphere.
Speakers:
Rupert Petry, Managing Partner Austria, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Vienna: Welcome
Dr. Roland Falb, Managing Partner SEE, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Vienna: Words of introduction
László Andor, European Commissioner responsible for employment, social affairs and inclusion, Keynote speaker: "Europe 2020 – Europe as a smart, sustainable and growing economy"
Prof. Zhang Weiying, Professor of Economics, Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Keynote speaker:"China 2015 – Understanding China's Economic Trajectory"
Panel discussion:
Prof. Dr. h.c. Roland Berger, Honorary Chairman, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, München
Christian Felber, Attac Austria
Dr. Andreas Ludwig, Chairman, Umdasch AG
László Andor, European Commissioner responsible for employment, social affairs and inclusion
Prof. Zhang Weiying, Professor of Economics, Guanghua School of Management, Peking University
Dr. Roland Falb, Managing Partner SEE, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Vienna: Moderation
