The New Orleans Business Alliance will host its Annual Meeting, June 27, focused on “Economic Development Reimagined.” The event will highlight the Alliance’s inclusive and equitable economic development business model.

The program also will feature acclaimed international business leader, Arnold W. Donald, a New Orleans native and Carnival Corporation’s president and chief executive officer.

“By creating a new, inclusive business model, we focus on serving markets most traditional economic development organizations do not, thereby making New Orleans more economically competitive,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr. president and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance.

Messer added, “Innovative thinking and pushing the boundaries are what we strive for daily, and we are honored that New Orleans-own Arnold Donald, whose imaginative leadership helped Carnival become one of the world’s leading companies, is our keynote speaker. This event enables us to present a New Orleanian who is making a difference in business internationally and receive insights on how all of us can build a more commercially vibrant, economically secure city.”

Notable St. Aug Alumnus, International Business Leader  

Donald was named Carnival Corp. chief executive officer in 2013 after serving on the company’s board for 12 years. Before taking that role, he held leadership positions within both publicly-traded companies and private equity firms, as well as government appointments and not-for-profits. The St. Augustine High School alumnus also serves on the board of Bank of America Corp. and Crown Holdings, Inc. 

Carnival Corp. is the world’s largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries. It is traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, and it is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

With a portfolio of nine of the world’s leading cruise lines and more than 100 ships based throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, Carnival’s fleet makes it the largest cruise company. It serves more than 12 million guests annually, which makes up nearly half of global cruise travelers.

Connections to New Orleans

Currently, Carnival Cruise Lines runs three ships out of New Orleans: the 2,980-passenger Carnival Glory, the 2,980-passenger Carnival Valor and the 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream.

The New Orleans Business Alliance Annual Meeting is presented by the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.

Sponsorships are available for companies and organizations by contacting Stephanie Bell at sbell@nolaba.org or 504-934-4505. For information, or to purchase tickets or tables, click here.