The Global Direct Investment Forum

Sustainable Prosperity for a Networked World

On The Short List

Join Us

We have shared our vision of how we can change the world together.  Tell us your vision.

Explain what you think we could achieve together.  How will you have an impact?

What are your priorities?  What is motivating your interest?  Are there communities in transition, or potential locations for future growth, that are the main focus of your interest?

We welcome suggestions and constructive criticism in the spirit of continuous improvement.

The GDI Forum and GDI Foundation are new organizations in 2006.  The plan is to grow them rapidly to scale because of the potential impact of such work.  The plan anticipates a truly global structure within 5 years or less, starting with a regional structure in the USA and Europe.  Our growth will be driven by market demand and the resources invested by members in our work.

Unlike associations which focus on organizing events, seminars, workshops, professional development programs or other types of services to members which bring in membership and service fees, our focus is largely on the social impact which we can achieve together.  Our work which should also deliver high value for members - such as through our support of major capital investment projects by the member companies or in communities of interest to them.

Our focus is to work closely with members as appropriate to their interests and priorities.  Rather than push traditional services at them to grow the budget and perpetuate the GDI Forum and GDI Foundation, the basic premise is that both should soon cease to exist whenever the members are no longer convinced that they are delivering high value for members and a clear "social ROI".  As we try to drive innovation, social entrepreneurship, and better economic development results, the work needs to become sustainable because of results achieved, rather than funds raised..

That was an advertising tag line used in a brand campaign when PricewaterhouseCoopers was formed several years ago, after a merger created a new organization of 150,000 professionals with offices in most countries of the world - before the consulting division was sold off to IBM.

It was not just aimed at attracting and retaining clients, but also at attracting, motivating, and retaining top professionals.  The founder of GDI Solutions worked there ( OnTheShortList.com ).

It was a nice, inspiring slogan.  It reflected the fact that PwC clients are, indeed, changing the world every day.  The work of PwC professionals makes valuable contributions in that regard since, as should be intuitively obvious, they wouldn't keep their clients or keep growing otherwise.

Of course, the same could be said of most professional service providers.  Others came up with their own clever advertising campaigns and slogans over the years.  Corporate missions and thought leadership matter.  Rhetoric about the shared values and ethics of an organization matters.  At the end of the day, however, what really matters is whether the actions are as inspiring as the rhetoric, and deliver high value in a consistent way.

The way to work together to really change the world is across organizational boundaries by networking more than one global organization into an action-oriented process designed to deliver high value for business and society as a whole.  No matter how large any service organization may be, other specialists can make valuable contributions, too - without having to join them.

Collaboration within large, global organizations is complex.  Collaboration across organizational boundaries with other professionals is typically even more challenging.  Our focus is to work with successful professionals whose vision extends beyond pursuit of their own career advancement or direct business self-interest.

Self-nomination is expected in general, although we will also extend invitations selectively to executives who we perceive as likely to have potential interest in working together.

One purpose of GDI Forum membership is to support the growth interests of member companies, whether at existing business locations or potential future ones, by developing a strong network among peers with similar interests or valuable experience and contacts.  Another purpose is more philanthropic in nature - to support the mission of the GDI Foundation to drive innovation in economic development and promote sustainable prosperity through the power of business and capital investment projects to deliver high corporate and social value locally and globally.

We welcome participation by executives and professionals in the "second half of life" who, whether "retired" or not, choose to support our work through the value of their experience and networks of contacts as developed through successful business careers.

Our focus will be to attract individuals who top executives will still regard as their peers.  Once again, membership is by invitation, but self-nomination for the selection process is expected.

Self-nomination is expected, but membership invitations will be selective.  Nomination by corporate members will be helpful.  It is not the purpose of the GDI Forum or GDI Foundation to create a sales channel for promoting services to members.  The capabilities of participating professionals, however, will obviously be very easy for members to find when they need them.

The GDI Forum is intended to be a very high-level group of business leaders working together as a network on a shared mission.  In general, despite the potential of some academic leaders and enthusiastic students to also add value to help achieve our mission, we do not anticipate making many invitations to membership among such individuals.  Exceptions will likely be rare.

The GDI Forum is mainly intended to be a network of top executives with a strong interest in economic development, whether through their support of specific communities of interest to their companies or because of their own corporate location interests - present or future.

Self-nomination is expected, but membership invitations will be selective.  Nomination by corporate members will be helpful.  It is not the purpose of the GDI Forum or GDI Foundation to create a sales channel for promoting communities.  The work of Global Direct Investment Solutions through www.OnTheShortList.com , www.gdi-solutions.com and professional marketing and referral work already serves as a channel for communities.  The GDI Forum is intended to be a network of executives working together according to their own economic development priorities, such as to support places where they already do business, or may plan to do so in the future..

The capabilities of participating communities, however, will obviously be very easy for members to find when they need them.  The point is that communities will primarily be invited to participate because corporate members of GDI Forum have chosen to support their development.

The cost of membership in the GDI Forum is expected to be minimal - sufficient to sustain the work involved to develop and maintain the networks and do the work expected by members.

The GDI Foundation will be the larger organization, funded by investments made by GDI Forum members, and leading the work according to priorities as suggested by GDI Forum members.

Details will be shared on request with prospective members, and investment in the Foundation will basically reflect what GDI Forum members decide that they want to achieve through it.