Oakland, California, August 13, 2025 – Some of the East Bay’s most recognized companies will join foreign consulates and global accelerators for a conversation on international collaboration and cooperation.
“The East Bay Global Forum” comes to Berkeley on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. This event, hosted by the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) and presented by Sutter Health, marks the continuation of international programming led by the organization for over three decades.
Despite trade and tariff uncertainty, this event aims to share the success of international partnerships in the tech, manufacturing, and startup spaces that contribute to economic growth in the Bay Area and beyond.
The Global Forum’s keynote speaker is Caroline Winnett, Executive Director of Berkeley SkyDeck, UC Berkeley’s internationally recognized accelerator, whose fund has made over 130 investments globally in the past three years.
The industry and investment panel, moderated by Darlene Chiu Bryant, Executive Director, GlobalSF, will feature speakers from the region’s prominent businesses, including AVEVA, Bayer, and Ripcord. The panel theme is “building bridges across countries and industries – manufacturing, life science, and technology.”
The international panel, moderated by Emily Desai, Chief Deputy Director, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), will feature speakers from the region’s top partners – Canada, Germany, Japan, and Mexico. The panel theme is “international partnerships in the East Bay – highlights from our region’s largest trading partners.”
A hub of international trade, the East Bay region is home to two major international ports – the Port of Oakland and the Port of Richmond, which provide direct and efficient access to global supply chains and international markets, handling 99% of Northern California’s containerized goods.
“California is the world’s 4th largest economy, with $675 billion in two-way trade and more jobs supported by foreign-owned businesses than any other state in the country. We deeply value our international partnerships, and as a very large and diverse state, we know the essential role our local partners play in supporting them,” Desai said. “The East Bay exemplifies so much of what makes California a vibrant global hub – world-class logistics infrastructure, unparalleled educational institutions, and cutting-edge research facilities. The East Bay Global Forum will highlight the important role California plays on the global stage and why it matters to our communities statewide.”
The East Bay Global Forum will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina on September 11. The event Emcee is Ruben Lizardo, Director, Local Government and Community Relations, UC Berkeley. Tickets are on sale at: https://bit.ly/ebglobal.
Industry and Investment Panel
- Dr. Seth Sanders, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Amber Kinetics
- Megan Lehtonen, Sr. Director, Business Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, AVEVA
- Heike Abeck, Sr. Director, BioPartnering and Development Program Lead, Bayer
- Sam Fahmy, President and CEO, Ripcord
- Moderator: Darlene Chiu Bryant, Executive Director, GlobalSF
International Panel
- Consul General Rana Sarkar, Consulate General of Canada to the United States, in San Francisco
- Consul Marta Kujawa, German Consulate General San Francisco
- Kanako Watanabe, Chief Executive Director, JETRO – Japan External Trade Organization
- Consul General Marco Antonio Mena Rodríguez, Consulado General de México en San Francisco
- Moderator: Emily Desai, Chief Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)