The talk is part of the "Lecture Series on Innovation in the Global Economy". The series provides a platform for renowned researchers in Business and Economics to present their research results and thoughts on “Innovation in the Global Economy” to a broad audience. The events tackle the challenges of globalization and new technologies for society, policy makers and companies.

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On December 5, 2024, the Center for International Economics and Business (CIEB) hosted a notable public lecture by Prof. Pol Antràs at the University of Basel. The event was part of the broader Lecture Series on Innovation in the Global Economy, designed to address the pressing challenges imposed by globalization and increasing technological competition. The lecture titled "The Power of Multinational Companies: Global Value Chains and the Future of Globalization" attracted a diverse audience eager to gain insights from one of the foremost experts on economic growth and innovation. The inspiring event focused on multinational companies, world trade and the future of globalization. The presentation included two topics: 1. The role of multinational firms in global trade We will learnt about the importance of multinational firms (and US multinationals in particular) in world trade. Drawing on his forthcoming article “Exporting, Global Sourcing, and Multinational Activity” in RESTAT, Professor Antràs will explained in which way these firms affect world trade. 2. The future of globalization in a changing world Building on his highly-cited 2021 ECB Forum article “De-Globalisation? Global Value Chains in the Post-COVID-19 Age”, Professor Antràs will showed how recent geopolitical changes are reshaping worldwide production in significant ways. After the presentation and the panel discussion, there was time for questions from the audience. Prof. Pol Antràs / Speaker Pol Antràs is Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where he has taught since 2003. He is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), where he served as Director of the International Trade and Organization (ITO) Working Group. He is also a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and is a member of CESifo’s Research Network. Prof. Antràs made early and pioneering contributions to our understanding of how international trade and production is organized and affected through international firms, global value chains, offshoring, foreign direct investment and trade agreements. His numerous scientific work has typically been published in the top journals of economics, starting with “Firms, Contracts, and Trade Structure” in the Quarterly Journal of Economics in 2003. His book “Global Production: Firms, Contracts and Trade Structure” (Princeton University Press, 2015) has become a widely used standard work in the field. His Ohlin Lectures (2018) on “The Economics of Global Value Chains” are in preparation for publication. Antràs served as an editor of top journals in economics. Among many other distinctions, he was elected Fellow of the Econometric Society in 2015, and Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024. Dr. Jörg Reinhardt / Guest on the Panel Chairman of the Board of Directors of Novartis (since 2013). Healthcare industry veteran whose career spans nearly 40 years. Doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences. Senior leadership positions at Sandoz Pharma Ltd., Novartis and Bayer HealthCare AG. Prof. Rolf Weder / Host Professor of International Economics at the University of Basel. His research focuses on the effects of globalization on countries and the environment. Co-leader of a research project on innovation (Innoscape.ch) at the Center for International Economics and Business (CIEB).