YPO's annual EDGE conference makes global impact

Chief executives from more than 130 countries focus on worldwide innovation and disruption

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - 7 March 2017 - YPO , the premier chief executive leadership organization in the world, hosted more than 2,700 business leaders from more than 130 countries at its flagship event, YPO EDGE, in Vancouver this month, where they convened with world-renowned thought leaders to address key global issues in business, politics, philanthropy and humanities.

Industry disruptors and change agents from different fields shared innovative ideas, disruptive technologies and transformative new business models at the 2017 YPO EDGE.

From world leaders, humanitarians and technology pioneers, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; John Chambers, Executive Chairman of the Board of Cisco; Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Group; and YPO member Ziv Aviram, Co-founder and CEO of Mobileye, members heard stories of success and failure, high risk and great reward.           

Other speakers, including Vicki Dobbs Beck, Executive in Charge, ILMxLAB; Dean Kamen, Founder, DEKA Research & Development Corporation; and Chip Conley, Former Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy at Airbnb, inspired YPO leaders to rekindle their imaginations and embrace change as they shared the latest in virtual reality, breakthrough inventions and disruption technologies.

"YPO EDGE is the world's largest gathering of chief executives, and each year, the event encourage participants to push their boundaries, challenge their way of thinking and go beyond their imagination through dynamic lifelong learning and idea exchange," said Scott Mordell, CEO of YPO .

The 2017 EDGE explored advances in medicine, cybersecurity, retail, hospitality, artificial intelligence and robotics amongst other important topics and how leaders can disrupt their business strategy and aspire to go even further.

The EDGE brought together visionaries, leaders, innovators and thinkers offering a wide range of expertise, including business and finance, technology, entertainment, human rights, politics and policy, health, wellness and more.

"The entire YPO EDGE conference is about how innovators and disruptors are changing the world. With the 2,700 global business leaders gathered at the EDGE, we have now begun a discussion about the fourth industrial revolution and what that means to business and to society by incorporating the best practices, inspiration, disruption or innovation that our speakers have shared," said Larry Bond, 2017 YPO EDGE Chair.

Past EDGE events have been held in Dubai, Melbourne, Los Angeles, Istanbul, Singapore, Barcelona, Toronto, Cape Town, and other major cities and have featured prominent leaders. Former participants include His Majesty King Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group; Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company; Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and general secretary of the National League for Democracy; and Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

The 2018 event is slated for Singapore.

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About YPO The premier leadership organization of chief executives in the world.

YPO is the global platform for chief executives to engage, learn and grow. YPO members harness the knowledge, influence and trust of the world's most influential and innovative business leaders to inspire business, personal, family and community impact.

Today, YPO empowers more than 24,000 members in more than 130 countries, diversified among industries and types of businesses. Altogether, YPO member-run companies employ more than 15 million people and generate USD6 trillion in annual revenues.

Leadership. Learning. Lifelong. For more information, visit www.ypo.org .

Contact: YPO Linda Fisk Office: +1 972 629 7305 (United States) Mobile: +1 972 207 4298 press@ypo.org