Vancouver 2000 Looks at the World.

Hamish McRae, author of "The World in 2020: Power, Culture and Prosperity," will be the keynote speaker at the IABC international conference general session Monday, June 26, in Vancouver.

In his presentation to IABC, McRae will describe his vision of a future in which the "hardware"

changes brought on by the technological revolution will lead to significant social change. Some of the changes already seen include the need for skill development, "lifelong learning" and more flexible lifestyles. McRae predicts we will also see changes in competitiveness, in the corporate environment, in customer decision-making, and in privacy concerns.

Some may feel daunted by the rate of change and the pervasiveness of the online world, but McRae suggests that people and companies can learn to cope. His presentation will examine some of the adaptive strategies being adopted today that will determine the state of the world in 2020.

Hamish McRae is principal economic columnist of the Independent newspaper, London, U.K. He is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and has been editor of the Banker and of Euromoney. His career has included stints as financial and business editor for major national newspapers, and he has won several awards for his work as a journalist.