Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The World Economic Forum has announced that Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder and managing director of trailblazing footwear brand soleRebels, will be a featured speaker at this years Annual Meeting of the New Champions.

In 2007 the World Economic Forum established the Annual Meeting of the New Champions [AMNC], held annually in China and alternating between Dalian and Tianjin. The AMNC has since become known as the “Summer Davos”, and provides a platform for emerging, high-growth companies to work alongside already established global companies and top political and academic leaders to identify fresh new ideas and innovative new technologies that will lead to further global growth. This year's AMNC will take place 14-16 September in Dalian, China. Premier Wen Jiabao will deliver the plenary address.

This year's meeting takes place under the theme MASTERING QUALITY GROWTH. An intensive and interactive three-day program will explore the following four elements of this new business matrix:

• Embracing Disruptive Innovation
• Pursuing New Frontiers of Growth
• Shaping New Industry Models and Policies
• Sustaining a Creative and Entrepreneurial Culture

Bethlehem’s session is titled New Frontiers of Consumption and will examine how consumer priorities are evolving across new economic, demographic and technological frontiers. She will also address the following core issues:

• Emerging and frontier market consumers
• Young consumer attitudes
• The role of technology
• Satisfying demand for quality and sustainability

“I am honored and excited to be addressing this forum . It will give me a chance to share what soleRebels has been doing in regards to creating a global footwear brand while simultaneously promoting a very dynamic model of sustainable development. It will also be a great forum to hear what others think of this model and discuss where elements from this model can have meaningful + global impact,” stated Bethlehem.

Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab described Bethlehem’s upcoming speech in the context of the meeting:

“Complexity, interconnectivity and sustainability are emerging as the dominant new realities of the 21st century. A consequence of these realities for industry leaders and policy-makers is the rebalancing of the global economy, which in turn requires recognition of both the qualitative and quantitative measures of growth. To master quality growth at the global level, leaders must discern various policy priorities of multiple government ministries and industry regulators. At the regional level, leaders need to determine the next frontier for growth. At the organizational level, leaders must determine if the entrepreneurial and creative talent is in place to work across all these levels. Bethlehem is extremely well positioned to address all of these interlinking realities in a comprehensive manner, most of all with an authentic voice , one that comes from her experience of having implemented this exact type of vision.”

Notes to editors

• More information about soleRebels at www.solerebelsfootwear.co
• More information about Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2011 at www.weforum.org/events/annual-meeting-new-champions-2011
• More information about the World Economic Forum at www.weforum.org
• More information about the Forum of Young Global Leaders at www.younggloballeaders.org