2014 is right around the corner, but some of next year’s biggest stories and trends are already shaping up.
This week’s South Florida Business Journal featured the opinions of several of the region’s top business leaders, representing a cross-section of industries including real estate, law, banking, technology, finance and more.
Among the topics that will drive the conversation next year: South Florida’s education infrastructure and the availability of skilled labor; the rise of mega-developments including Brickell CitiCentre and Miami World Center; continued momentum in the tech sector anchored around the eMerge Americas conference; the impact of high-speed rail between Miami and Orlando; downtown Miami’s rise as a residential, cultural and commercial hub; and more.
You can read the full article here; an excerpt follows after the jump. Join the conversation by sharing your point of view in the comment section below.
Critical Conversations-Regional Economic Future
Our panel of experts has high expectations for the region
Shaun Bevan
If we had a crystal ball, we would know what markets to invest in, what contracts to sign and where to broker our next land deal. But since we don’t have one of those mystical devices, the South Florida Business Journal assembled the next best thing: experts at the forefront of our region who have executed countless successful strategies for their companies.
Our Critical Conversations panel of experts discussed the challenges of South Florida’s skilled workers gap, the region’s global profile and the strengths and weaknesses of its market.
Critical Conversations is the Business Journal’s ongoing series that examines key issues in business. Reporter Oscar Pedro Musibay moderated the discussion, which took place at the Tower Club in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The following has been edited for clarity and brevity:
Q: What adjectives would you use to describe South Florida as a region today?
A: Diane S. Sanchez, CEO, Technology Foundation of the Americas: I would say transformation, vibrant, innovative and robust.
Tere Blanca, CEO and founder, Blanca Commercial Real Estate: I would describe it as a destination for the residents, certainly for new businesses, tourists and young professionals that want to have a choice of where they want to live and have it all. It certainly is an economic engine for the state.
Neisen O. Kasdin, managing shareholder, Akerman LLP: I would say dynamic, emerging and schizophrenic.
Matthew Allen, COO, The Related Group: Look out the window. I’d say gorgeous.
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