I In the run-up to the forthcoming IX edition of CC Forum "Investment in Sustainable Development" on 6-7 December during the UN's COP28 in Dubai VISIONNAIRE interviewed its Founder and Chairman Max Studennikoff.
© All images courtesy of www.cc-forum.com
What is the mission and objective of the CC Forum?
Since its very inception, the mission and ethos of CC Forum have been to convene senior decision-makers—C-level executives, partners, founders, institutional investors, and private investors—and get them to brainstorm on cracking down on the pressing issues we are all facing today. The CC Forum has also been conceived as a global launching pad for ground-breaking projects to showcase their initiatives, gain visibility and exposure, and eventually get funded. Simply put, the practical objective of CC Forum has been to connect the savviest of investors to the brightest of startups.
How was the concept of the CC Forum born?
The concept of the forum was certainly not born overnight. Having been in event management for a number of years and being both a serial entrepreneur and myself a sought-after speaker at major international events, I have spent quite a few years pondering over the right concept of the conference. After having attended so many sustainability-related events worldwide, I have come to the conclusion that, while most of them do provide a larger picture of the scale and scope of the climate change crisis, they simply fail to drive home the most important. That is identifying, working out, and showcasing concrete investment-based and down-to-earth solutions to the problems this planet and mankind are confronting today. In other words, they provide with the whats and whys, but rarely with how and almost never with how much. An eye-opening moment occurred back in 2017, when I happened to be having a
cup of coffee over the table with one of the former Bank of England's governors at a global world economic conference in the Swiss Alps.
Nomina sunt odiosa (smiling). We engaged in a random conversation, and at this point, my interlocutor dropped a phrase: "Max, this is not what the world wants. We do not need a vanity fair. But if you were to get together the doers, the world transformers, the movers and shakers willing to put their mouth where their money is, THAT would make a difference". This resonated perfectly with my own thoughts prior to this cusp encounter. Ever since that moment, it has become abundantly clear to me that the only way forward would be to create a new type of conference. one that, while being laser-focused on investment in sustainability, would essentially act as a club. The club of impact investors is made up of individuals more concerned with the long-term environmental and social impact than just pure profit-making. Little did I know back then what it would take to get to where we are now. But there you go. It is now safe to assume that it is governments and kingdoms that are vying to host the CC Forum's future editions in their home countries.
What does CC stand for?
It stands for Climate Change, as investment in climate change action has been consistently the backbone of all of our editions. But we have been taking a holistic approach to the subject matter. We consider that climate change action is not possible without engaging related areas. For example, we have been including in our agendas discussions on investment in education, since I firmly believe that reaching any tangible results would be futile without educating our youth. Another topic is healthcare, as I have always thought the health of the planet is our own health. Emerging technologies for resolving sustainability issues have been another mainstay of our programs. Climate change action is also inextricably linked with social impact and social inclusion. Hence, our agendas have always been quite broad and have covered such areas as government strategies, waste management, finance, fintech, real estate, healthcare, education, agriculture, emerging technologies, social inclusion, charity, and philanthropy. The CC Forum is essentially about ALL good causes, since I am convinced that it is through the cross-interaction of all adjacent and relevant domains that humanity has a chance of bootstrapping itself from the man-invoked disaster.
What does a typical program in the CC Forum look like?
There is no such thing as a typical program on the CC Forum (laughing). Wherever in the world we take the forum, we are always trying to align our agendas with what the country (or region) in question has to offer. Our large editions are traditionally four-day events full of at least two fully-fledged conference days with plenary sessions, investors' meetings, round tables, etc. However, since we attach so much importance to high-level networking, traditionally our programs have included our black-tie investors' Gala Dinner alongside a whole string of VIP networking events. Now, these networking events vary depending on the locale. For instance, when it comes to Monaco, we tend to organize our pre-event get-togethers on board a large private yacht; in London, this may include receptions at the House of Lords or the House of Commons; in the Middle East, we held, with much panache, private networking outings in the desert. Delegates travel to attend CC Forums from all over the world to experience our signature blend of on-stage brainstorming sessions and a string of high-level networking events. This is how contacts are made and partnerships are forged.
What about the agendas? Do these vary too?
Indeed. We always do our best to make sure that our agendas are not only fully aligned with the larger frameworks of investing in climate change action and related areas, but truly reflect the strengths, benefits, as well as concerns and challenges of the particular country or region where the forum is held. This is particularly true as far as our across-the-industry workshop tracks are concerned. For example, our three editions in London were focusing on finance and fintech given the fact that the UK's capital, despite the Brexit implications, is still largely considered to be a major global financial hub. By contrast, the two editions in Monaco dealt largely with such topics as the preservation of the oceans and the future of mobility. Finally, the two of our editions in the Middle East, in Dubai and Bahrain, embraced such topics as involving big oil and gas in cracking down on sustainability issues, family office governance, investment in potable water solutions, and real estate, as it is this particular content that has always been synonymous with the GCC. In Malta, the basis of our content was innovation and investment in emerging technologies, including blockchain and AI.
Does the forum enjoy the support of senior government officials? Very much so. In 2020, our Monegasque edition benefited from the high patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, who also graciously bestowed his presence on the forum. Prior to that, the Maltese edition was held under the patronage and in the presence of the then PM of Malta, Dr. Joseph Muscat. Last year, our 7th edition, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, benefited from the auspices of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. It always helps when the two are in one (laughing). An endorsement of the senior figurehead is of paramount importance for the success of the forum in that it provides both further credibility and, most importantly, sends out a powerful signal to all parties at home and abroad that the event should be taken seriously.
Are geopolitical conflicts in the way of the world's working out a coherent strategy of fighting the climate change? Absolutely. The Russian-Ukrainian war, which unfortunately keeps on raging, triggered a major energy and food crisis last year. This has not only been a significant distraction from the global community's efforts to work out climate change solutions but has in many ways presented a direct obstacle to implementing both net zero policies and the UN's SDG goals. So much so that a number of European countries ended up introducing what they described as temporary measures, including the re-usage of coal mines and the re-initiation of nuclear power projects. The current crisis in Palestine has the potential to divert mankind's attention from resolving sustainability issues. We cannot afford to be distracted or diverted.
Is there any chance of the world staying within the limits of 1,5 climate benchmark? Time is playing against humanity in the climate change race. And yet, it is still not too late to avert the disaster. In order to do that, we should collectively set about patching the gushing hole in our ship and setting it back on a safe course. www.cc-forum.com
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