Washington, March 5, 2015.- Hundreds of leading businesspeople and heads of state from throughout the Western hemisphere will gather in Panama City April 8-10 for the II CEO Summit of the Americas, organized by the government of Panama with the help of the Inter-American Development Bank.

At the meeting, which takes place just before the start of the Seventh Summit of the Americas, political and business leaders will analyze and discuss current and future trends in business, trade, and investment in the Americas.

Topics will include key areas for the private sector and the development of the region, such as food security and agribusiness, financial integration and inclusion, energy, empowerment of women entrepreneurs, corporate social innovation, infrastructure, and innovation and information technology.

In addition, the Americas Business Dialogue, a high-level public-private dialogue initiative formed as a result of the first CEO Summit in Cartagena in 2012, will present its report with recommendations and proposals on how the public and private sectors can work together more effectively to increase competitiveness and promote inclusive development in the region.

Among the business leaders who have confirmed their participation are James McNerney, Boeing; Andrés Gluski, AES Corporation; Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo; Marcel Smits, Cargill; Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company; Kelvin Dushnisky, Barrick Gold; Reinaldo Garcia, GE; Angelica Fuentes, Omnilife; Brian Porter, ScotiaBank; Luis Carlos Sarmiento, Grupo Aval, Marcelo Odebrecht, Odebrecht; Stanley Motta, Copa Holdings; Gustavo Grobocopatel, Los Grobo; Arthur Lok Jack, Associated Brands; Francisco Aristeguieta, Citigroup Latin America; Enrique Ostalé, Walmart; Blanca Treviño, Softtek; Marcos Galperín, Mercado Libre.