Latest news with #InnovationandGrowth
Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Bulgaria and Japan Expand Bilateral Cooperation Across Key Sectors
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev emphasized the importance of building on the strong political relations between Bulgaria and Japan by expanding cooperation across all fields - particularly in technology, education, culture, and the economy. His remarks came during the opening of the Bulgarian-Japanese Business Forum titled "Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization", held in Sofia. The event was organized by Bulgaria's Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in partnership with Japan's External Trade Organization (JETRO), bringing together numerous companies from both nations. The forum was part of the official visit of Japan's Parliamentary Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akiyoshi Kato. Speaking to representatives of leading companies from both countries, Donchev highlighted the importance of such forums as steps toward tangible results in bilateral cooperation. ?Japan has a good impression of Bulgaria,? he said, ?but I?ll take the liberty to challenge that impression. The reality of Bulgaria today is quite different - it goes beyond gourmet products, agricultural exports, or famous talents. Bulgaria is developing rapidly. Since joining the EU, its nominal GDP has quadrupled.? Donchev pointed to Bulgaria's resurgence in fields such as industry, mechanical engineering, and mechatronics. He also underlined the country's position as a regional leader in information technologies and artificial intelligence, arguing that these strengths open new avenues for cooperation. During the forum, two significant documents were signed to formalize and support economic collaboration between the two countries. The first was a joint statement by Deputy Prime Minister Donchev and Parliamentary Vice Minister Kato. The document outlines commitments to sharing information and experience in energy transition, fostering innovation through Bulgaria's highly skilled IT sector, and advancing digital and railway infrastructure. It also includes a shared intention to identify joint initiatives in support of Ukraine's reconstruction. The Japanese side expressed readiness to enhance cooperation through the transfer of advanced technologies, particularly in areas such as energy security - an issue made more urgent by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Investment interest from Japanese businesses in Bulgaria is expected to rise, and both parties committed to exploring financial support mechanisms for upcoming projects, including infrastructure developments. Additionally, the reopening of the JETRO office in Sofia was highlighted as a step to facilitate ongoing business engagement. The second agreement signed was a Memorandum of Understanding between Bulgaria's Investment Agency, operating under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, and JETRO. This memorandum aims to attract and promote investments in both directions. It also outlines efforts by both institutions to broaden opportunities for establishing business connections between interested investors from Bulgaria and Japan. A bilateral meeting between Donchev and Deputy Minister Kato took place on the sidelines of the forum, during which the two discussed deepening economic ties in sectors such as artificial intelligence, information technology, energy, railway transportation, and achieving carbon neutrality. The meeting was attended by key figures, including Japan's Ambassador to Bulgaria H.E. Hisashi Michigami, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Martin Danovski, JETRO President Kataoka Susumu, and representatives from major Japanese companies.
Business Wire
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
FranklinCovey Hosts Exclusive Live Webinar with Bestselling Authors, Amy Edmondson, Stephen M. R. Covey and Liz Wiseman on The Power of Leadership in Uncertain Times
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FranklinCovey (NYSE: FC): Walker added, "Change isn't the exception, it's the rule. How organizations respond to disruptive moments along their journey will determine whether they simply endure the turbulence, or use it as a catalyst to evolve, adapt, and transform." Paul Walker, FranklinCovey CEO, said, 'When uncertainty hits, it doesn't remain outside an organization. It creeps inside into how leaders lead, how teams perform, and how organizations hold it together when nothing feels stable. Leaders are expected to move fast and stay decisive, without a playbook. Teams are expected to deliver more—with less clarity, less connection, and fewer resources.' To help organizations overcome these challenges, FranklinCovey is hosting an exclusive webinar with Edmondson, Covey and Wiseman for a provocative conversation that will explore the hidden costs of uncertainty and how today's best leaders are breaking through to become change agents during times of disruption. Walker added, 'Change isn't the exception, it's the rule. How organizations respond to disruptive moments along their journey will determine whether they simply endure the turbulence, or use it as a catalyst to evolve, adapt, and transform.' The panel of experts will explore the three barriers no leader can afford to ignore in these uncertain times: The Leadership Crisis: Why outdated leadership models are taxing performance and growth—and what leaders must do now to adapt. The Engagement Recession: How exhaustion, disconnection, and cultures of caution are negatively impacting performance and morale—and how leaders can reignite commitment and resilience. The Adaptability Dilemma: How over-analysis, misalignment, and chronic rigidity are stalling performance—and how great leaders move fast, build trust, and create clarity in times of disruption. ABOUT THE PRESENTERS: Amy C. Edmondson: Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021 and 2023; she also received that organization's Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017. She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organizational learning, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, and California Management Review. Her 2019 book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth (Wiley), has been translated into 15 languages. Edmondson's latest book, Right Kind of Wrong (Atria), builds on her prior work on psychological safety and teaming to provide a framework for thinking about, discussing, and practicing the science of failing well. First published in the US and in the UK (Penguin) in September 2023, the book is due to be translated into 24 additional languages and was selected for the Financial Times and Schroders Best Business Book of the Year award. Stephen M. R. Covey: Covey is a New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of T he Speed of Trust and Trust & Inspire. He is the former CEO of Covey Leadership Center, which, under his stewardship, became the largest leadership development company in the world. Stephen personally led the strategy that propelled his father's book, Dr. Stephen R. Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to become one of the two most influential business books of the 20th Century, according to CEO Magazine. As president and CEO of Covey Leadership Center, Stephen nearly doubled revenues while increasing profits by 12 times. During that period, the company expanded throughout the world into over 40 countries, greatly increasing the value of the brand and enterprise. The company was valued at $2.4 million when Stephen was named CEO, and, within three years, he had grown shareholder value to $160 million in a merger he orchestrated with Franklin Quest to form FranklinCovey. Stephen co-founded CoveyLink, a consulting practice, which focuses on enabling leaders and organizations to increase and leverage trust to achieve superior performance. Stephen merged CoveyLink with FranklinCovey, forming the Global Speed of Trust Practice, where Stephen serves as global practice leader. Learn More Liz Wiseman: Wiseman is a researcher and executive advisor who teaches leadership to top organizations worldwide. She wrote the New York Times bestsellers Multipliers, The Multiplier Effect, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers Rookie Smarts and Impact Players. She is the CEO of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. Some of her recent clients include Apple, AT&T, Disney, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Salesforce, Tesla, and X. Liz has received the top achievement award for leadership from Thinkers50. She has also been consistently named one of the world's leading 50 management thinkers in its bi-annual ranking. Liz has conducted significant research in leadership and talent development. She writes for Harvard Business Review, Fortune, and various other business and leadership journals and is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University and Stanford University. She is a former executive at Oracle, where she worked as the Vice President of Oracle University and the global leader for Human Resource Development. Liz holds a bachelor's degree in business management and a master's in organizational behavior from Brigham Young University. Learn More ABOUT FRANKLINCOVEY FranklinCovey (NYSE: FC) is one of the largest and most trusted leadership companies in the world, with directly owned and licensee partner offices providing professional services in over 160 countries and territories. The Company transforms organizations by partnering with clients to build leaders, teams, and cultures that get breakthrough results through collective action, which leads to a more engaging work experience for their people. Available through the FranklinCovey All Access Pass, FranklinCovey's best-in-class content, solutions, experts, technology, and metrics seamlessly integrate to ensure lasting behavior change at scale. Solutions are available in multiple delivery modalities in more than 20 languages. This approach to leadership and organizational change has been tested and refined by working with tens of thousands of teams and organizations over the past 30 years. Clients have included organizations in the Fortune 100, Fortune 500 and thousands of small and mid-sized businesses, numerous government entities, and educational institutions. To learn more, visit and enjoy exclusive content across FranklinCovey's social media channels at: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
