Chris Camacho

Q: What most notably stands out about your leadership style or what is an example of leadership success you can share with our readers?

At GPEC, we prioritize excellence in execution, striving to represent Greater Phoenix properly and leveraging all advantages the region offers to develop the economy and improve the lives of residents. Staff members are empowered to display their expertise in conversations with clients and community members, on panels and in other groups or organizations with whom they work. Coalition-building is also at the forefront of our mission — GPEC cannot accomplish its work without the open communication, collaboration and trust of our partners at the public, private and nonprofit levels.

Q: What impact has any disruptions of the past 18 months had on you as a leader?

Economic development has evolved from selling the market to futureproofing it by identifying the key levers that affect one’s competitive position. In recent years, geopolitics have forced a change in supply chains, business practices and the speed at which companies operate, and that has affected my leadership as GPEC’s vision has adjusted. We must have much more technical depth in industry competency to match the speed of change in industry and be prepared to stay ahead of the curves in eVTOL, air mobility, climate technology and other quickly developing areas.

Arizona has been fortunate to be at the forefront of investment due to smart legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, demonstrating the value of long-term planning. We must continue to do so to lead from the front as national policy, workforce trends, artificial intelligence and hybrid work scheduling evolve.

Q: What do you feel we can be doing as a business community to empower economic growth here?

First and foremost is being aware of trends that allow us to envision the future and build a plan of execution around it. I’m consistently evaluating market trajectory and how we can position infrastructure, workforce and the education system to align with the growth potential of Greater Phoenix. Business leaders can work with policymakers and the civic community in a bipartisan fashion to embrace the kind of change needed for our market to leverage everything around us, from demographic trends to arts and culture, reshaping education and intensifying innovation outcomes, to build world-class quality-of-life attributes that attract more people and more businesses.

Q: What is new and notable for your company’s near future that will impact our economy?

GPEC will continue building upon the successes of recent years to establish a strong international brand identity for Greater Phoenix recognized by executives and leaders around the world. Regional leaders have helped reposition the market away from one driven by construction and call centers into a dynamic global tech hub anchored by leading semiconductor companies. These businesses, along with the burgeoning startup ecosystem bolstered by groups like StartupAZ, will allow for more collaboration and partnerships to create innovation and build upon the local supply chain. As GPEC partners with these groups, we’ll also continue working with policymakers to advance policies and investments that are attractive for both emerging industries and residential prosperity to improve equity and accessibility across the board.