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Supreme Allied Commander Transformation to discuss NATO-Industry relationship
ACT Public Affairs

Alliance leaders, including the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC, will take part in discussions with leaders from international defence industries during the 2008 Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Industry Day, which will be held in Brussels on Oct 1.

Industry Day is the fifth in a series of strategic level conferences led by ACT to enhance the relationship with Industry and Nations, a relationship that has been evolving from a perspective of education and collaboration to that of a necessary cooperative partnership.

The focus of this year’s Industry Day will be on developing and expanding the relationship between the Nations and Industry and encouraging the use of best practice models. The conference will aim to evolve the relationship between Industry, ACT and the NATO nations to build a framework or mechanism which will improve collaborative interaction. The conference also aims to highlight the roles of Industry in bringing about NATO transformation.

The speakers this year include NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero; the Chairman of the Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo di Paola; the Assistant to the Secretary General, Defence Investment, Peter C.W. Flory; and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Gen. James N. Mattis.
The first ACT Industry Day focused on informing Industry as to who ACT is and what ACT does; subsequent conferences, which have been held annually since 2004, have concentrated on describing what ACT’s business is, and how industry and ACT can work together. Last year in Warsaw, Industry Day focused on the involvement of the 26 NATO Nations.

NOTE TO MEDIA: There will be a media availability conducted in English with SACT Gen. James Mattis, at 1030, Oct 1, at the conference site at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Brussels. Prior to the availability, interested media may also attend the opening sessions from 0900-1030, which will include all of the speakers noted above. Media who would like to attend the availability and/or the opening session must register no later than 2000, 30 Sep, with SACT Public Affairs, U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Michael Jones, at michael.jones@act.nato.int