Sir Nick Faldo will join a stellar line-up of speakers at the ninth annual KPMG Golf Business Forum in Italy 17-19 September, 2012. The six-time Major Champion and former World Number One golfer will take the spotlight during an onstage interview and interactive session with delegates at the golf industry’s leading business-to-business event, at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa.
Sir Nick, who heads up Faldo Enterprises and Faldo Design, the course architecture practice involved in more than 50 projects worldwide, and is also a lead analyst on American broadcaster CBS coverage of the PGA Tour, will share this thoughts about his work and experience, as well as the Faldo Series, encouraging young people to participate and excel at golf.
Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG’s specialist Golf Advisory Practice in EMA, said: “Sir Nick Faldo, through his course design work and corporate activities, brings a wealth of professional experience and deep understanding on the issues related to developing golf courses, resorts and residential communities. I feel sure that investors, developers and golf industry professionals attending the Golf Business Forum, especially from the numerous Italian golf projects being planned, will benefit from Sir Nick’s insights and wisdom.”
Commenting on the upcoming Golf Business Forum in Italy, Sir Nick Faldo said: “I look forward to attending the Golf Business Forum and learning from those in our business of golf. It is an exciting time in the golf industry with the sport growing in new ways and in new regions of the world.”
The Golf Business Forum brings together leading players from the golf, real estate, finance and tourism sectors in 40 countries and is firmly established as the most important golf industry event to meet and do business in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.It is sponsored by leading brands including Syngenta, Troon Golf, Toro, Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Nicklaus Design, Faldo Design and Gary Player Design, as well as Colt Mackenzie McNair, EDSA and Ransomes Jacobsen.
Central to this year’s agenda will be the refocusing of interest on integrated golf and real estate developments in the Mediterranean region, including Italy, a trend underlined by a recent opinion poll published on the Golf Business Community website (www.golfbusinesscommunity.com) that indicated the Mediterranean as a hotspot for golf course development in the next five years.
Sustainability in golf will be another key topic, with the social, environmental and economic aspects of golf development being debated. There will also be sessions on key market trends and sponsorship.
This year, for the first time, Golf Inc. magazine will announce its influential Most Powerful People in Golf ranking, live at the Golf Business Forum. During a special presentation, the winners – industry leaders and personalities who have shaped and driven the international golf development business – will receive their awards in person.
Dana Garmany of Troon Golf, who topped Golf Inc’s list in 2011, will also receive KPMG’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Joining Sir Nick Faldo as speakers during the two-and-a-half day event are:
- Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman, The Rocco Forte Collection
- Dana Garmany, Founder and CEO, Troon
- Mike Parkin, Global Head Turf and Landscape Business, Syngenta
- J. Rhett Evans, CEO, Golf Course Superintendents Association ofAmerica
- Scott Ferrell, President, Gary Player Design
- Paul Stringer, Senior Vice President of New Business Development, Nicklaus Design
- Andrea Sartori, Partner, Head of KPMG’s Golf Advisory Practice in EMA
- CostantinoRocca, President, Professional Golf Association ofItaly(PGAI)
- Carlo Manca, Director of Advisory Services and Studies, Istituto per ilCreditoSportivo
- ArnaldoCocuzza, Vice President, Club Manager Association
- Flavia Maria Coccia, Member of the Board of ENIT (Italian Tourism Board)
- Roberto Lauro, President, CampusGolf & TourismAcademy
Golf Business Forum www.golfbusinessforum.com