Citadel's Griffin, Dow's Fitterling to Chair B20 USA Task Forces

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has named Ken Griffin of Citadel, Jim Fitterling of Dow, Scott Strazik of GE Vernova and David Zapolsky of Amazon to chair the four B20 USA Task Forces ahead of the B20 Summit in Washington on November 9-11.

Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel, will chair the Task Force on Economic Growth. Fitterling, Executive Chair of the Board of Dow, takes the Task Force on Trade. Strazik, CEO and President of GE Vernova, leads the Task Force on Energy. Zapolsky, Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer of Amazon, heads the Task Force on Innovation. The summit will be held at the Wharf in Washington, D.C.

The B20 unites business leaders from the world's 20 largest economies and beyond to advocate for growth-oriented policy. The Chamber helped found the coalition after the 2008 financial crisis to secure private sector leadership in global economic policymaking. This year marks the first time the Chamber hosts the B20, and the task forces will focus on removing barriers to investment.

Suzanne Clark, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber and Co-Chair of B20 USA, said the chairs bring deep practical experience to the job.

"The B20 USA Task Force Chairs bring decades of experience solving real-world challenges and driving growth," Clark said. "Their work will be instrumental in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, from building supply chain resilience and reskilling workers, to securing the energy needed to meet surging demand. The private sector is poised to lead on these issues and more, and the B20 task forces will be where these conversations translate into action. As the Chamber prepares to host the B20 for the first time, the leadership of our task force chairs will ensure that our work has a lasting impact on the global economy."

Each task force consists of senior executives from leading global companies. The four chairs are joined by 34 Co-Chairs from 12 countries. The task forces have begun regular meetings to draft practical, business-driven policy actions and recommendations, which will be released before the summit. Thousands of business delegates and organizations from around the world are expected to attend.

Griffin framed the summit as a chance to align the economies that dominate global commerce. "The B20 USA is an important opportunity that brings together the companies and countries that drive two-thirds of international trade to advance the ideas of free markets, entrepreneurship and innovation that underpin the global economy," Griffin said. "I look forward to contributing to this dialogue on how business can shape a more prosperous future."

Fitterling pointed to trade friction as the core problem his task force will address. "Trade is more complex than ever, but the opportunity to bring together business leaders from across the G20 has never been more important," Fitterling said. "The B20 provides a unique platform to develop practical recommendations that reduce barriers to investment, strengthen supply chains, and support the innovation and manufacturing needed for long-term growth. I'm honored to chair the Trade Task Force and help ensure the private sector plays a leading role in shaping a more competitive and prosperous global economy."

Strazik tied his mandate to surging global power demand. "The world needs more electricity so that people and the planet can thrive, and the private sector is meeting this moment with speed and at scale," Strazik said. "I look forward to leveraging the B20's unparalleled partnership to advance public and private thought leaders to drive the future of energy around the globe. The work we put in now will drive impact for decades to come."

Zapolsky noted the summit's timing as the United States hosts the G20 for the first time. "There's a unique opportunity to advance AI, strengthen supply chains, and invest in the talent that powers the next generation of technology," Zapolsky said. "These are challenges Amazon works on every day, and they're challenges no single company or country can solve alone. I'm honored to chair the B20 Innovation Task Force and to work alongside business leaders from across G20 economies to turn shared priorities into practical policy recommendations."

The task forces' policy recommendations, due before the November summit, will test whether this lineup of executives can convert corporate priorities into actionable proposals for G20 governments.