PRINCETON, NJ – Graeme Maxton, an international authority on the global automotive industry, will offer his insights into the future of the global automotive industry as the keynote speaker of NAFA's Institute & Expo in New Orleans in April 2009. With an eye to global business affairs, he draws on more than 25 years consulting and advisory experience.

Two years ago at NAFA's annual conference, Maxton warned that the global auto industry was in need of a major model change and a complete re-engineering in order to fix all that is wrong with it. With General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler recently gathering in Washington, D.C., seeking billions to help save their companies, his dire forecast looks truer now than ever.

Maxton is also a writer, presenter, and events moderator who specializes in Asian business and economics. Maxton delivers clearly articulated analysis on the challenges of doing business in the world's fastest-growing economic region.

Maxton chairs many of The Economist's meetings and conferences and is the presenter of the "Doing Business in Asia" video series. He writes for a variety of publications, including The Economist, The South China Morning Post, Scotland on Sunday, Business China, and Business Asia. He appears regularly on major international news channels including CNN and BBC, as well as radio stations around the world. Maxton is also an occasional guest commentator/host on CNBC's morning program, Swawk Box.

He authored the book Time for a Model Change, which was Cambridge University Press' Feature Book of the Year in 2005, and co-authored Driving Over a Cliff, which was nominated for the Financial Times Best Book About Business Award. Other books include the EIU's Emerging Markets of Asia-Pacific and Asia Pacific: After the Crisis.

In 1992, he cofounded autoPOLIS, an automotive industry consultancy that advices multinational clients and governments across the globe. Maxton was the managing director for Asia until 2007, providing analysis and presentations at board level for companies building their presence in the region. While there, he conducted assignments for a wide range of clients, including the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office, Renault, No. 10 Downing Street, Thailand's Ministry of Industry, Britain's Department of Trade and Industry, EBRD, Citibank, SKF, Nissan, GKN, Visteon, and TRW.

NAFA's Institute & Expo will take place Apr. 25-28, 2009, at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La. In addition to Graeme Maxton, the I&E will also present the motivational speakers Craig Karges and Ed Rigsbee, and comedy by Jan McInnis. The I&E also features more than 60 hours of fleet training, education, and workshops; the Public Safety Roadeo, a large collection of emergency vehicles, and Green Fleet Ride-and-Drive where attendees can test-drive various alternative-fuel vehicles; the Green Zone, which contains the latest in "green" products, information, and services; and an Expo Floor with more than 150 companies showing their latest products and services. Future I&E locations include Detroit (2010), Charlotte (2011), St. Louis (2012), and Atlantic City (2013).