The Center for Business and Industrial Marketing has been organizing this International Conference since 1996, the year of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

The aim of the CBIM International Conference is to gather academics, professionals and doctoral students from around the world to promote a rigorous, candid and friendly discussion of current and potential future topics in B2B marketing and sales. Because of our long relationship with the IMP Group we also discuss relationships and networks in business.

This year our 23rd meeting will take place in Madrid (18-20 June 2018).

More than 1.000 academics from around the world have participated in the conferences. Recent meetings have been hosted in Atlanta, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Changsha (China), Bilbao and Stockholm. Keynote speakers have included Joe Hair, Ajay Kohli, Jaana Tahtinen, Pervez Ghauri, Christina Mele and others.

As editor of the Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing I always ask the hosts of the conference to develop a special issue around the topic of the conference. In addition, Marketing Intelligence & Planning will also develop a special issue focusing on the conference. Papers presented at the conference always receive careful considerations for publication in these special issues.

I hope you will considering joining the meeting in Madrid and enjoying the fellowship of thought leaders in business-to- business markets and the atmosphere of friendly, and rigorous discussion.

Prof. Wesley J. Johnston