Fitch Ratings The Why? Forum 2015
Empire recently worked with Fitch Ratings to present the third edition of the Why? Forum, an exclusive thought leadership forum. This year’s Why? Forum focused on emerging markets, featured presenters such as Dr. Condoleezza Rice and Fareed Zakaria, and took place at the new Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. As with past Why? Forum events in New York and London, this year’s Why? Forum explored the ‘reasons behind the rating’, focusing on emerging markets, the global economy and investment risks and opportunities around the world.
Empire worked closely with Fitch and its branding firm Addison to design the insightful and engaging stage program and to the transform the minimalist space into a Fitch-branded environment.
Fitch Group CEO Paul Taylor kicked off the Forum welcoming guests and introducing the afternoon’s Leader Panel. Moderated by renowned journalist Dr. Fareed Zakaria, the informative and riveting panel also featured economist Austan Goolsbee, Retired Citigroup Vice Chairman Bill Rhodes and Fitch Rating’s James McCormack. Topics ranged from income inequality and anticipated Federal Reserve and Central Bank moves, to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and changing demographics.
Following an audience Q&A with the Leader Panel, Paul Taylor returned to the stage to introduce the afternoon’s keynote speaker, former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Dr. Rice covered subjects including U.S. immigration policy, the Middle East, Russia and China. Afterward, Dr. Zakaria returned to the stage to lead a candid conversation with Dr. Rice.
At the conclusion of the stage program, Nate Silver, founder of the website FiveThirtyEight, gave a brief presentation recapping the prior night’s elections and forecasting the upcoming 2016 Presidential Elections. In summary, don’t always trust the polls.
For this unique program, Empire served as overall producer, helping to secure the keynote speaker and panelists, handling all technical production, scenic and staging, catering, and guest logistics. Empire also worked to negotiate approvals for the use of footage, photos, digital and social media content for press and web purposes.
To learn more about this innovative series, check out the Why? Forum website at www.whyforum.com
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
