The APEC CEO Summit, one of the most highly anticipated global business events of the year, is shaping up to be a landmark occasion in Singapore from 12-14 November, with an over-subscribed 1,000 of the Who's Who in global business signing up for the event.

APEC Leaders who have confirmed their attendance are Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia, President Michelle Bachelet of Chile, President Lee Myung-Bak of Korea, Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand, President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of Thailand, and President Nguyen Minh Triet of Vietnam. President Barack Obama of the US, President Hu Jintao of China, Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Razak of Malaysia, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, as well as Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan are also expected to speak at the prestigious Summit.

As the world prepares for economic recovery, industry chieftains will join these heads of government in two days of important dialogue on the overall theme, "Rebuilding the Global Economy: Crisis and Opportunity," and they will be out in full force.

Mr Dennis McNally, Global Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Dr Victor Fung, Group Chairman of Li and Fung Group, and Dato Timothy Ong, Chairman of the Brunei Economic Development Board, are slated to debate the topic, "Is the worst of the global crisis over?" Others such as Mr Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr John Watson, Vice Chairman of Chevron Corporation, Ms Carol Hansell, Chairperson of the Corporate Governance Commission of the American Bar Association, and Dr Euh Yoon Dae, Chairman of the Korean Investment Corporation, will discuss the regulation of the global economy following the crisis.

Mr Stephen Green, Chairman of HSBC Holdings, will reflect on the global financial crisis and the way ahead. Lending their insights to China's response to the global financial crisis are Mr Jiang Jianqing, Chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Mr Hermann Ude, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, and Ms Marjorie Yang, Chairman of the Esquel Group. Thought leaders Mr Bjorn Lomborg, Director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, and Prof Tim Flannery, Chairman of the Copenhagen Climate Council, will turn their attention to the "Economic Sense and Nonsense about Global Warming".

Industry stalwarts Mr Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer of Microsoft, Mr Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten Inc, and Ms Deborah Henretta, Group President for Asia at Procter & Gamble have been roped in to discuss "the next Big Thing" in innovation, while an eminent panel comprising Dr Tony Tan, Deputy Chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, Mr Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, and Mr Bader Mohammad Al-Sa'ad, Managing Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority, will be giving their views on the role of sovereign wealth funds and multilateral institutions in rebuilding the global economy.

To discuss the "shape of things to come" in the new global economy are Mr Rex Tillerson, Chairman & CEO of Exxon Mobil, Mr Peter Loescher, President & CEO of Siemens AG, Mr Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra, as well as Mr Stephen Roach, Chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, at a session chaired by Prof Kishore Mahbubani.

And Singapore's Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew will give his take on the implications of the global financial crisis in the session, "How will the global crisis change the world?".

It will be a full capacity turn-out at this exclusive international forum to be held in Singapore for the first time, alongside the APEC Leaders Meeting, which involves the leaders of the most powerful nations in the Pacific Rim.

"The APEC CEO Summit this year brings together the most powerful and influential personalities in governance and international business to discuss the most pressing and wide-ranging socioeconomic and business issues facing the Asia Pacific today," said Ms Chong Siak Ching, Chair of the APEC CEO Summit 2009 Organising Committee.

"We believe this Summit will play an indispensable role in shaping the complexion of the global economy in the next year. There is an urgency to come up with sustainable new business models, right here, right now, and our Summit is designed to facilitate this process," added Ms Chong. "For the first time, views about the future of the global economy are being sought from all delegates and this will be shared with the APEC Leaders prior to the Summit. In addition, the Summit conclusions will be submitted to the Leaders for their deliberations at their retreat."

In addition to the keynote addresses and panel discussions during the day, a special Summit Dine Around Singapore programme on the first night will set the stage for further interaction and dialogue. Six parallel dinners will take place at some of Singapore's iconic attractions.

At the waterfront restaurant, One Degree 15, Mr Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation will deliver a keynote address on the global energy challenge. Over at the Jewel Box on Mount Faber, Prof Tim Flannery, Chairman of the Copenhagen Climate Council, will speak about the challenges of sustainable development, followed by a panel discussion featuring Mr John Watson, Vice Chairman of Chevron, and Ms Barbara Kux, Chief Sustainability Officer of Siemens AG.

Other Dine Around Singapore dinner highlights include talks on "CSR partnerships that make a difference" at the Asian Civilisations Museum and "Competing for talent in a shrinking talent pool" at One on the Bund.

"We will spare no effort in making 2009 one of the most successful and memorable Summits ever," said Ms Chong, who is also President and CEO of Ascendas Pte Ltd, Asia's leading business space provider. "On behalf of Singapore, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the world's business community at this significant event."