DETROIT — The Detroit Auto Show announced today that Malcolm Gladwell, top global thinker and author of six New York Times bestsellers, will be the featured speaker at the Detroit Auto Show’s new Mobility Global Forum on Thursday, Sept. 14 at Huntington Place in Detroit. The Forum is a two-day event featuring powerful perspectives from thought leaders and CEOs in mobility, design and technology. The Mobility Global Forum is Sept. 13 – 14, and the Detroit Auto Show is Sept. 13 – 24.
Gladwell is the author of six New York Times bestsellers – “The Tipping Point,” “Blink,” “Outliers,” “What the Dog Saw,” “David and Goliath” and “Talking to Strangers.” He has been named one of the 100 most influential people by TIME magazine and one of the Foreign Policy’s Top Global Thinkers.
“We’re extremely pleased to launch the first year of our Mobility Global Forum with a phenomenal best-selling author who has taken the business world by storm,” said Detroit Auto Show Chairman Thad Szott. “Mr. Gladwell’s presentation, together with the incredible roster of speakers we have planned over two days, will provide a compelling look at the dynamic world of new mobility and our place in it.”
In addition to Gladwell’s featured presentation, the Mobility Global Forum will include a powerful speaker lineup of 30+ top executives and industry experts from numerous mobility and technology companies, including Pininfarina SpA CEO Silvio Pietro Angori presented by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit; Google will host two panel discussions with industry experts discussing AI’s impact in automotive and the evolution of in-vehicle experiences; and Carla Walker-Miller, founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Services, will be hosting a fireside chat about “Driving the Future with Equitable Clean Mobility.”
BBB Industries will feature John Boyer, president, TerrePower, BBB Industries, and Maria Caballero, president e-Mobility, BBB Industries, sharing perspectives on “Sustainable Manufacturing of Components Driving Our Clean Energy and Mobility Future.”
Reuben Sarkar, president and CEO of the American Center for Mobility, will also be on the roster of Mobility Global Forum speakers as well as Joe George, president of Cox Automotive – Mobility Solutions, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) along with other national, state and prominent agency policy makers.
Further adding to the lineup will be Chip Ganassi, race team owner and member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame, who will be featured on a panel entitled “Sustainable Growth and Innovation Through Design and Racing,” hosted by John Waraniak, CEO of Have Blue, with fellow guests Troy Lee, Troy Lee Designs, and Stefano De Ponti, CEO and General Manager, Dallara US. MICHAuto with the Detroit Regional Chamber, and the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation will also be presenting. The prestigious EyesOn Design Awards is scheduled for the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 13 with the Plug and Play Detroit Pitch Night Competition planned for the end of the day on Thursday, Sept. 14.
A complete schedule of all presentations will be released soon.
AutoMobili-D, the show’s technology showcase presented by the MEDC and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, will also be on full display during Technology Days and the Mobility Global Forum. There, show visitors will experience 50+ technology displays in addition to a Startup Arena of 150 emerging innovators, hosted by Plug and Play Detroit Startup Arena.
Technology Days tickets allow access to the Mobility Global Forum and Gladwell’s presentation. Tickets are available for purchase at $75 each, per day, per person, at naias.com/buy-tickets. Media Day credentials are available for qualified journalists and can be applied for at naias.com/media. Deadline for application is Aug. 31.
ABOUT THE DETROIT AUTO SHOW:
The Detroit Auto Show is one of the most influential annual automotive events in the world and a showcase for emerging technologies. The iconic show features brand-defining vehicles, product ride-and-drives and dynamic experiential activations. The event includes: Media Day, an opportunity for automakers and industry suppliers to debut new products and technologies; Technology Days, a chance to preview emerging mobility technologies and engage with innovators; Mobility Global Forum, a two-day symposium on mobility trends and new technologies; AutoMobili-D, an inside look at future mobility platforms; Charity Preview, a signature fundraising gala for children’s charities; and the Public Show, a nine-day mobility and community celebration. For more information, visit naias.com.
DATES FOR THE DETROIT AUTO SHOW:
- Media Day, Wednesday, Sept. 13
- Technology Days and AutoMobili-D, Wednesday, Sept. 13 and Thursday, Sept. 14
- Mobility Global Forum, Wednesday, Sept. 13 and Thursday, Sept. 14
- Charity Preview, Friday, Sept. 15
- Public Show, Saturday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 24
Source: Detroit Auto Show