Meet Debbie Adler | CEO of Global LA

We had the good fortune of connecting with Debbie Adler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Debbie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the most important factor for me personally – and I hope for Global LA – is being genuine, authentic, and trustworthy. I focus my energy on the people I’m meeting and take an interest in what they need and who they are. I listen, ask questions, and am sincerely curious about what makes people tick. With respect to my colleagues, partners, and stakeholders – I care about the well-being of others and always come from a place of being that cheerleader and champion for other people’s success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Global LA is dedicated to promoting Los Angeles to the world to attract international companies, NGOs, entrepreneurs and students to set up in the greater LA region. We’re an economic development organization, which is a really critical component of a healthy city’s efforts to diversify and grow its business ecosystem. The more companies that operate from here, the more jobs we create for Angelenos, and the more resilient we are to macroeconomic and geo-political volatility.

Our core mission is to direct new companies and jobs towards traditionally disenfranchised communities — a strategy that is called “inclusive FDI” (FDI stands for Foreign Direct Investment). Global LA was also established to collaborate on establishing a dynamic business legacy from the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Global LA was born out of the Mayor of LA’s office and I was hired as the first CEO in April. As a long-time Angeleno (although not a native), it was like a dream come true to get this job. We have a huge vision for what’s possible. I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of people across the region that make LA tick and forging new partnerships and connections along the way. At the end of the day, I’m a match-maker and economic development is often about putting the right people together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
OK – this is both hard and fun to do! Assuming my pal is a woman as there are ladies-only options here. Also assuming money is no object!

Coffee and breakfast at Strings of Life in West Hollywood. Walk along Melrose to shop, esp at The Real Real and the latest pop-up. Many of the online-only brands have physical stores in this area, so it’s fun to get up close with the goods.

Hike up in Topanga Canyon… eat at Cafe on 27 to enjoy being outside in the Canyon.

Epic session at Olympic Spa, Women-only Korean Spa. They remodeled during covid and the spa area is fabulous. Get a Goddess Scrub.

West Third Street is my favorite area. I used to workout at Swerve several days a week, it’s now a rental dance space and my friend Kristin Stanley teaches a class once a week or so. Sweat it out with KS then ramble along W 3rd,

Breakfast at Republique. Drinks at Neuehouse Hollywood. Pizza at Roberta’s at The Platform in Culver City. You can take the girl out of Brooklyn, but you can’t take the need for Brooklyn Pizza out of the girl.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Every single one of my friends – from LA to Edinburgh. I have gone through so many ups and downs, definitely a lot of downs. Without those friends I would not have felt cared for and loved during the times when it was hard to do that for myself.

I’ve also had a few terrific bosses who set an excellent example for me of how to manage, be strategic, get things done, and be creative. People like Andrew Paryzer at Blue State, and Mike Howells and Time Crouch at the UK government, among many others.

Website: Global.la

Instagram: GlobalLosAngeles

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globallosangeles/