Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman - known for his writings on global trade and globalisation, the Middle East and environmental issues - will host a forum in Singapore this month.
The theme of the first Global Forum Asia organised by The New York Times is "Thomas L. Friedman's The Next New World". It will be held on Oct 25 at the Four Seasons Hotel.
The Straits Times is the forum's exclusive local newspaper partner, and ST readers will get a special price.
The forum brings together chief executive officers, technology pioneers, government officials, influential decision-makers and scholars to discuss a changing world, built on a whole new electronic, digital and mobile infrastructure.
"Our world is going through a huge technologically induced inflection point today," Mr Friedman said. "It is affecting everything - business, education, societal relations, politics and geopolitics. Our conference aims to explain this inflection and identify how companies, countries and individuals can thrive within it."
Speakers will discuss wide- ranging topics from "How the digital revolution is accelerating everything" and "The shape of things to come" to "Using data to build better schools" and "Hire learning: How to thrive in a changing workplace".
The keynote speaker is Ms Meg Whitman, president and chief executive of computer giant Hewlett-Packard, who will speak on the potential of new servers that use the least amount of power possible.
This is said to be revolutionising energy economics for data.
Before becoming HP's CEO in 2011, she spent 10 years as president and CEO of Internet auction site eBay Inc.
Besides Ms Whitman, other notable speakers include:
- Mr Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of online home rental service Airbnb;
- Dr Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who coined the phrase "Enterprise 2.0", which refers to the use of social software platforms within companies; and
- Ms Elli Sharef and Mr Nick Sedlet, co-founders of HireArt, a recruiting tool that helps employers find and vet applicants.
Mr Friedman, too, will give an address, on the interconnectedness he observes between people today.
Tickets for the one-day forum cost US$795 (S$998) a person. Early bird tickets at US$650 are available until Oct 11.
Readers of The Straits Times. however, will pay US$520 a person.
ST editor Warren Fernandez said: "NYT and ST are two old, established media brands and such a partnership is natural given we are both committed to bringing the global story home to our readers."
He added: "The line-up of speakers will interest some of our readers and we would like to give them special access to such sessions."
The Singapore Global Forum follows the "Next New World" Global Forum in San Francisco that Mr Friedman hosted in June.
The Straits Times is the exclusive local newspaper sponsor of the NYT Global Forum Asia.
ST readers can enter promo code STS20 to enjoy a discounted rate of US$520 (regular price US$795) for the forum.
For more details about the event, visit nytfriedmanforumasia.com
