Titanium Lens

Our annual G-49 Summit convenes prominent leaders and influencers from key sectors in the US. The event offers a unique chance for discussions on trends and issues affecting the US economy and its critical industries.  

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Nick Santhanam, Executive Chairman of Ayna, presented on the theme of the 2023 Summit: May we live in interesting times.  

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The participants explored our current economic conditions, discussing how these factors influence the broader market landscape and the operations of individual sectors.  

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Themes from 2023

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The 2023 Summit touched on themes such as the dynamics of inflation and interest rates, the economic outlook (pondering between mild recession and soft landing), and strategies for preserving value amidst inflation.  

We explored the importance of timing, luck, and execution to achieve success. Discussions included how to stay competitive through innovation, disruptive technologies, and sustainability practices. The aim was to dissect the complexities of our times and identify the hurdles and opportunities ahead.

The Summit revolved around four key questions that steered the conversations:

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The Question: Are we living in interesting times?

The Answer: All the markers of the “new normal” have been seen before. We’ve always lived in interesting times!

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The Question: Will the next decade be different or the same as the past decade?

The Answer: The next decade will differ but with one feature in common: discordant market trends—a shift from no penalty for risk to no reward for risk.

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The Question: Is it our time?

The Answer: With a low-risk and higher-returns profile, sub-$5B industrials have arrived at their time to shine!

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The Question: If it’s our time, how do we make hay while the sun shines?

The Answer: Focus on active portfolio management, balance sheet and liquidity management, and operating performance, and play the game.

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2023 Summit Attendees and Speakers

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The event's attendee list was a directory of influential names from industry and technology. Attendees from organizations such as Battelle, Cognex, GRACO, Harvard Business School, Hubbell, Logitech, McKinsey, Titan, Turtle, and Wabash made the summit a melting pot of innovative leaders.

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This impressive assembly was further enriched by a lineup of speakers renowned for their expertise in various industrial and academic fields:

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• Gaurav Batra, CEO of Ayna.AI presented on data analytics.
• Dan Boneh, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at Stanford, lead a conversation on Blockchain.
• Ameya Prabhu, President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, lead a conversation on India becoming the next industrial powerhouse.
• Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, presented on leadership.

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Further adding to the diversity of thoughts were Rafael Pardo of Helm, Bobby Singh of Real Truck, Darron Ash of Sammons Enterprise, Neil Chatterjee, formerly of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Brent Yeagy of WABASH.

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2023 participant feedback  

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Feedback on the Summit was encouraging, and most participants praised the event's organization, quality of discussions, and the networking opportunities.  

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Here’s what a few attendees had to say:

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• “Great venue, speakers, attendees, and well organized.”
• “Always informative! Thank you for invitation.”
• “Amazing venue. Beautiful dinner. Great food.”
• “Outstanding. Great mix of leaders.”

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The Road to 2024: Industrial Renaissance—Back to the Future?

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The 2024 Summit will offer an in-depth analysis of how major economic factors such as inflation and interest rates will impact growth in the industrial sector. We’ll investigate the constantly changing economic forces and newly developed technologies.  

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Discussions will include:  

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• The role of AI in reshaping the nature of work.
• The challenges with supply chains and labor markets.
• The potential and obstacles that come with new, disruptive technologies.  

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A Gathering of Industry Leaders

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The 2024 Summit promises a lineup of over 60 CEOs and leaders ready to shape the dialogue on the industrial sector's future. Speakers and sessions will concentrate on identifying the best ways to build leadership skills, foster talent and drive successful transformations, with a special focus on understanding global political changes and the shifting economic environment.

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Among the speakers are:

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• Douglas Duncan, Chief Economist, Fannie Mae  
• Hany Farid, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, UC Berkley  
• Nataly Kogan, Co-founder & CEO, Happier Inc
• Sanjay Khosla, Former President, International Business, Kraft

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Our power packed panels feature an enormous amount of talent including - Kevin Wheeler, CEO, A.O. Smith; Mark Sheahan, CEO, Graco; Tom Ferguson, CEO, AZZ; John Pfeifer, CEO, Oshkosh; Paul Sternlieb, CEO, Enerpac, and Shyam Kambeyanda, CEO, ESAB sharing their stories on successful transformation and growth.

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Join us this August

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Just like 2023, G-49 in 2024 will also be held in Napa Valley. The scenic Montage Healdsburg in Sonoma wine country will host the Summit from August 29-30.  

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Sign up here for information on the 2024 Summit!

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Reflecting on the success of last year’s event and anticipating the next one, it's clear how crucial these conferences are for advancing industry knowledge and ideas. We’ll continue this work in 2024 and leverage our shared wisdom and forward-looking views of the G-49 community.  

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This year’s Summit will be more than just a conference; it's a chance for industry leaders to meet and influence what comes next. If you’re not already sold, attendees can enjoy the 11,500-square-foot Spa Montage, two pools, and farm-to-table dining!  

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Don’t miss out.