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Abstract

Today, achieving sustainability and a circular economy attains high priority in public debate, international policy circles, and increasingly also in the business sector. Yet, the relationship between these concepts and the role of various actors and stakeholders are in a state of flux. In many respects, the Middle East appears on the defensive and among the least prone to accept far-reaching adjustment. In this seminar, we'll review some of the global trends, issues, and responses, with particular focus on the positioning of the Middle East and actors resigning there. Contrasts and relations with other regions, notably the East Mediterranean, will be reflected on. Consideration will be paid to climate change, the ongoing transformation of the energy sector, economic diversification, and waste management, as well as to mindset along with social and cultural aspects. Finally, examining the impetus for change through various channels, including government and market forces, the seminar concludes with observations on ways forward for cross-border/regional collaboration in realising untapped opportunities.

About the Speaker

Thomas Andersson earned his Ph.D. in economics at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he became associate professor. He served as director of the International Research programme at the Industrial Institute of Social and Economic Research (IUI), Stockholm, and subsequently as assistant under-secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, then representing Sweden in the European Union in the Directorate-General of Industry group. In 1996-2001, he served as Deputy Director of Science, Technology and Industry at the OECD Secretariat, Paris, where he coordinated the technology part of the OECD Jobs Study, co-coordinated the OECD Growth Project, and established cooperation between the OECD and the World Bank on building knowledge-based economies. He was appointed full professor with specialisation in industrial organisation and international economics at Jönköping International Business School and was president of Jönköping University, Sweden, from 2004 to 2009.

Currently, Thomas Andersson is CEO of the Organisation for Quality and Innovation Strategies (Qualies) in Muscat, Oman, and the Chairman of the International Organisation for Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development (IKED), Malmö, Sweden. A frequent speaker at international conferences, he has published widely and been a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University, the Bank of Japan, Hitotsubashi University, and the University of Sao Paulo. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA).

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