Just a few days after Louisiana International Trade day on Nov. 4, Biz New Orleans Editor Kim Singletary caught up with World Trade Center CEO Ed Webb to get a rundown on the latest news in international trade, an industry worth $93 billion annually to the state and employs an estimated 500,000 people.
Webb explains how a majority of the industry is made up of small- and medium-sized businesses and it is with them in mind that the WTC is using artificial intelligence to create a new platform to help businesses make valuable connections to help them compete in today’s global economy.
Ed Webb is one of the Louisiana and Gulf Coast region’s leading experts in international trade. Previously president and CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky, Webb is the CEO of the World Trade Center New Orleans, the oldest of more than 300 chapters globally in the World Trade Center Association. He sets the strategic direction for this global trade association that advocates as the Voice of International Trade for Louisiana and Gulf Coast businesses and serves as an economic development catalyst. Webb’s 2020 focus has been on the new solutions businesses need to navigate the “new normal” brought on by digital transformation and more recently COVID-19. In November, he launched a business expansion platform for the World Trade Center, using AI technology to bring new business connections, resources and data to Louisiana and Gulf Coast businesses.
