WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

January 18, 2024

India reinforces its status as a Resilient Global Economy and a Preferred Investment Destination at Davos.

World Economic Forum

New Delhi, January 18, 2024 — The 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) takes place from January 15 to January 19, 2024, in Davos, Switzerland, with India being the center of attention under the theme “Building Trust.” WEF’s workstreams align with India’s vision of growth, carbon neutrality, sustainability, a robust economy, and the concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: The World Is One Family,” which India championed during its G20 presidency. India’s presence at Davos reinforces its status as a resilient global economy and a preferred investment destination.

Smriti Irani, Minister of Women & Child Development; Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Housing & Urban Affairs; Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics & IT; and RK Singh, Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry will lead the Government of India. They will participate in various sessions of the World Economic Forum, discussing topics such as Education, Biofuels, Gender Gaps, Renewables, Semiconductors, and Manufacturing alongside other global political and business leaders.

India’s presence at WEF secures four distinct spaces, each dedicated to illuminating the India Opportunity and unfolding its Growth Story to global investors:

India Engagement Centre: This lounge will showcase India’s digital public infrastructure, vibrant startup ecosystem, burgeoning energy sector and host fireside chats on globally significant pillars.
Experience India Centre: This lounge will unveil the technological leaps powered by New India, its commitments to sustainability and inclusivity, and its vibrant culture.
India Investment Centre: This will serve as a center for Government-to-Business (G2B) and Business-to-Business (B2B) networking, hosting roundtables, sessions, and panels on leading topics.
We Lead Lounge: This year, a dedicated gender lounge, “We Lead Lounge,” will focus on women’s participation in various walks of life, financial inclusion, and bridging the digital gender gap.

The India centers started with a compelling panel discussion on “Beyond Borders: India’s Impact on the World Stage” on the first day. Organized as a cornerstone event, the panel delved into India’s evolving role in the global landscape. PHDCCI, in collaboration with Invest India, organized this panel, providing a comprehensive exploration of India’s contributions and influence worldwide, offering insights that resonate beyond geographical borders.

The India Engagement Centres will catalyze meaningful dialogues and initiatives, solidifying their role as pivotal hubs for fostering collaboration and business cooperation on international fronts.

At WEF, 21 sessions will be held over five days, showcasing India’s opportunities and opening doors for discussion on Manufacturing, Technology, Gender-based impact, Sustainability, Mobility, Startups, Healthcare, AI, etc.

In tandem with the India Lounges, the establishment of five State Lounges underscores India’s consolidated and prominent role at WEF, fostering collaboration and discourse on a global scale. The five states include Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The Indian business representatives number over 80, and a few Indian companies have established their presence through Lounges in Davos. CII would organize sessions and media panels to promote various aspects of India’s growth story and its successful leadership of the B20. In addition, PHDCCI is also actively participating in showcasing various strong themes representing opportunities in India.

Source: Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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January 20, 2023

India Meets with World Economic Forum to advance Progress in addressing Socioeconomic Challenges and G20 Agenda

World Economic Forum values its nearly 40-year collaborative history with India and looks forward to continued cooperation.
As part of its G20 presidency, India aims to promote just and equitable growth while also making significant progress on the most pressing domestic challenges.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development of India, speaking in the “Economics of Women’s Health” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 17, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Gita Gopinath, International Monetary Fund (IMF), speaking during the “Fiscal Expansion: A Welcome Return or Ticking Bomb?” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 18, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Ciaran McCrickard.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants at the “30x30 Ambition: Next Steps after Montreal” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar, Founder, Art of Living Foundation, India, speaking in the “Renaissance of South Asia?” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Rahul Kanwal, News Director, India Today and Aajtak, India Today Group, India, speaking in the “Renaissance of South Asia?” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Claudia Romo Edelman, Founder, and CEO, Hispanic Star, USA, speaking in the “Press Conference: The Hispanic Promise 2.0” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 17, 2023. Media Village, Press Conference Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/ Greg Beadle.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants at the “Reversing the Tide of Global Inequality” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19, 2023. Congress Centre - Spotlight. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Sandra Blaser.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways; Minister of Communications; and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology of India, speaking in the “Learning from Semiconductor Supply Shocks” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, speaking in the “Renaissance of South Asia?” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19, 2023. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez.

Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2023 - In Davos, world leaders continue to progress on solutions for the most pressing crises affecting the world. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 comes as multiple concerns deepen divisions and fragment the geopolitical landscape. As a result, governments and businesses must address people’s immediate, critical needs while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, resilient world by the decade’s end.

The program simultaneously addresses immediate crises and future long-term challenges and helps set the scene for India’s G20 presidency.

“I had the pleasure of meeting the Indian ministerial delegation and many of its top business leaders,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. “I commend the country’s decisive action on the climate case for renewables, its contribution to the global healthcare ecosystem, the focus on an economic model for women-led development, and its leadership on digital public infrastructure. India remains a bright spot amid global geoeconomics and geopolitical crises.”

The World Economic Forum shares a 38-year history with India and looks forward to continued partnership with the country during its G20 presidency under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India is promoting just and equitable growth for all in the world during its G20 presidency.

“India’s G20 presidency comes at a crucial time. Prime Minister Modi’s leadership is critical in this fractured world,” Schwab said.

World leaders had gathered at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in the first major international gathering to address ongoing economic, energy, and food crises while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, resilient world.

While many economists forecast recessionary risks in 2023 and see geopolitical tensions continuing to shape the global economy, there are glimmers of hope that pressures on food, energy, and inflation may be peaking.

“A perfect storm plagues our world on several fronts,” said United Nations Secretary-General AntÃ³nio Guterres. He called for urgent action on many interconnected challenges, including the global economic crisis, climate, income and gender inequality, US-China relations, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Now more than ever, it is time to forge the pathways to cooperation in our fragmented world,” he concluded.

Cooperation is becoming more virtual, and the Forum’s Global Collaboration Village showed how we could harness the metaverse for inclusive and effective international action. With the golden age of artificial intelligence underway, technology will provide more ways to bring people together.

“We can turn challenges into opportunities through collaboration, innovation, human goodwill, and ingenuity. It is the spirit of solving problems through mutual respect and cooperation. This is the spirit of Davos,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman World Economic Forum.

As crises converge, so too must the solutions. As a result, the Annual Meeting emphasized connections across significant systemic challenges. With over 480 sessions, more than 2,700 leaders - including over 350 public figures, government leaders, and 47 heads of state - came together at the Annual Meeting 2023 to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

Source: World Economic Forum

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January 11, 2023

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023: Cooperation in a Fragmented World, Addressing Pressing Crises, Tackling Future Challenges

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 will convene under the theme, Cooperation in a Fragmented World
It calls on world leaders to address immediate economic, energy, and food crises while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, resilient world
Meeting will convene more than 2,700 leaders from 130 countries, including 52 heads of state/government

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants at the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders Alumni Gathering, Geneva, Switzerland. October 20, 2022. Photographer: Pascal Bitz. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Pascal Bitz. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: World Economic Forum Global Shapers Annual Summit, Geneva, Switzerland. September 3, 2022. Photographer: Pascal Bitz. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Pascal Bitz. [File Photo]

Geneva, Switzerland, January 10, 2023 - The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023, taking place 16-20 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, comes as multiple crises deepen divisions and fragment the geopolitical landscape. Leaders must address people’s immediate, critical needs while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, resilient world by the decade’s end.

“We see the manifold political, economic, and social forces creating increased fragmentation on a global and national level. To address the root causes of this erosion of trust, we need to reinforce cooperation between the government and business sectors, creating the conditions for a strong and durable recovery. But, at the same time, there must be the recognition that economic development needs to be made more resilient, more sustainable, and nobody should be left behind,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum.

The program of the 53rd Annual Meeting focuses on solutions and public-private cooperation to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. It encourages world leaders to work together on the interconnected issues of energy, climate, and nature; investment, trade, and infrastructure; frontier technologies and industry resilience; jobs, skills, social mobility, and health; and geopolitical cooperation in a multipolar world. Particular emphasis is on gender and geographical diversity across all sessions.

Switzerland is the host country for the Annual Meeting. More than 2,700 leaders will participate this year, with a strong representation from all key regions of the world. Top political leaders taking part include:

Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany;
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission;
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament;
Yoon Suk-yeol, President of the Republic of Korea;
Cyril M. Ramaphosa, President of South Africa;
Pedro SÃ¡nchez, Prime Minister of Spain;
Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation 2023 and Federal Councillor of Home Affairs;
Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium;
Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego, President of Colombia;
FÃ©lix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland;
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece;
Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland;
Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova;
Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government of Morocco;
Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands;
Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines;
Andrzej Duda, President of Poland;
Aleksandar VuÄiÄ‡, President of Serbia;
Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania;
Najla Bouden, Prime Minister of Tunisia.

As well as:

John F. Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate of the United States of America;
Avril Haines, US Director of National Intelligence;
Martin J. Walsh, Secretary of Labor of the United States;
Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative;
Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada;
Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank.

Heads of international organizations taking part include:

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General;
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund;
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, World Trade Organization;
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General, North Atlantic Treaty Organization;
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization;
Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency;
Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF;
Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President, International Committee of the Red Cross.

This year will bring about the highest-ever business participation at Davos, with over 1,500 leaders registered across 700 organizations, including over 600 of the world’s top CEOs from the World Economic Forum’s Members and Partners, with top-level representation from sectors such as financial services, energy, materials and infrastructure, information and communication technologies. They come as governments increasingly look to businesses to implement big ideas quickly and inclusively. There will also be a strong representation of Global Innovators who are transforming industries, with more than 90 mission-driven leaders from the Forum’s Technology Pioneers and recently launched Unicorn communities.

Leaders from civil society taking part in the Meeting include:

Seth F. Berkley, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance;
Stephen Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation;
Christy Hoffman, General Secretary, UNI Global Union;
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad;
Azza Karam, Secretary-General, Religions for Peace;
Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2022 and President, Centre for Civil Liberties;
David Miliband, President, International Rescue Committee;
Luisa Neubauer, Climate Activist, Fridays for Future Movement;
Kirsten Schuijt, Director-General, WWF International;
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder, Art of Living Foundation.

Among the new initiatives at the Annual Meeting is the Global Collaboration Village. This purpose-driven metaverse fosters more sustainable public-private collaboration and spurs action to deliver impact at scale. In addition, the first-ever metaverse multilateral meeting hosted by the Forum will bring together experts and leaders from finance, food, and retail to drive action on ocean health and seafood waste.

More than 160 of the Forum’s civic-minded young leaders will join as members of our Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders, and Social Entrepreneurs communities this year. WEF will also welcome nine Indigenous leaders bringing the knowledge and expertise of their communities to advance regional and global efforts in ecosystem restoration, inclusive trade, and sustainable development.

More than 125 experts and heads of the world’s leading universities, research institutions, and think tanks will join the Meeting, bringing the latest facts, insights, science, and data into the program and the Forum’s work.

The Arts and Culture program features several sessions and immersive art installations on preserving coral reefs, displaced peoples and the global refugee crisis, gender equality and female empowerment, and global sea-level rise. In addition, it will include the 27th Annual Crystal Awards and Cultural Leaders.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Open Forum, which welcomes diverse people worldwide to listen and share experiences with experts and leaders on pressing issues. The theme is Our Environment: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities.

The 53rd Annual Meeting will also be climate-neutral for the sixth consecutive year. New initiatives to boost resource efficiency and reduce emissions will build on the Forum’s 2018 ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event management.

Source: World Economic Forum

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May 25, 2022

World Economic Forum's Open Forum returns to Davos.

The Open Forum Davos 2022 is hosting a series of panel discussions on 23-26 May, all open to the public upon registration.
Panelists include:
- Human rights activist and Nobel Peace Laureate Nadia Murad.
- Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
- Climate activist Vanessa Nakate.
- Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel.
Discussion topics range from the climate crisis and youth mental health to the war in Ukraine and the Metaverse.

World Economic Forum

Photo: H.M. Queen MÃ¡xima of the Netherlands, Queen of the Netherlands; United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance, speaking in Unlocking Capital at Scale for Digital Inclusion at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, May 24, 2022. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum/Michael CalabrÃ².

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, May 25, 2022 - As part of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022, this year’s Open Forum Davos is focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the role of multilateralism for peace in Europe as well as other global challenges.

Taking place for the first time since January 2020, the Open Forum offers a platform for debate and interaction on controversial issues between the public and scholars, business leaders, and policy-makers concerning improving the state of the world.

Young and diverse voices are also playing a prominent role in the discussions, with one session on youth mental health co-designed and moderated by students from Geneva, Switzerland. In addition, each session includes at least one member of the Forum’s Global Shapers Community, a wide-ranging network of people from all walks of life and different parts of the world.

Ignazio Cassis, President of the Swiss Confederation, among other high-level panelists, is joined by Ievgeniia Bodnya, who mobilized the Global Shaper Hub she leads in Kyiv to build the Support Ukraine. In another session, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko and his brother Wladimir, Chairman of the Klitschko Foundation, discuss how the Russian invasion has affected them and their country.

Also present at the Open Forum are climate activists, including 26-year-old Vanessa Nakate, author and climate advocate who addressed world leaders at the World Economic Forum 2020. The activists articulate how to turn words into action to fight the climate crisis. Gender equality is also featured prominently in the conversations.

The last two years have seen a blending of in-person and virtual interactions on the digital front. Peggy Johnson, Chief Executive Office of augmented reality company Magic Leap, will introduce the possibilities of the Metaverse. She will then join a panel of experts, including Pascal Kaufmann, President, and Founder of the Mindfire Foundation.

Additional panelists who are participating in this year’s Open Forum Davos include:

Ignazio Cassis, President of the Swiss Confederation and Federal Councillor for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland
Stephane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer, Moderna
Isabella Eckerle, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Geneva
Vivianne Heijnen, Minister for the Environment, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands
Mikaela Jade, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Indigital
Peggy Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Magic Leap Inc.
Marco Lambertini, Director-General, WWF International
Edward Lewin, Vice-President and Head of Government and Public Affairs, LEGO Group
Klaus Moosmayer, Chief Ethics, Risk and Compliance Officer, Novartis AG
Seth Moulton, Congressman from Massachusetts
Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Laureate, Nadia’s Initiative; Co-Founder, Global Survivors Fund (GSF), Global Survivors Fund
Anna Riedl, Cognitive Scientist, and Global Shaper, Vienna Hub
Philipp Wilhelm, Mayor of Davos
Sakena Yacoobi, Executive Director, Afghan Institute of Learning

Open Forum Programme

Monday, May 23
12.30 - 13.30 A Discussion with the Klitschkos
18.30 - 20.00 A Wake-Up Call from Nature

Tuesday, May 24
09.00 - 10.30 Growing Up in the Pandemic
14.30 - 16.00 Working Together for Peace
18.30 - 20.00 Ethical Decision-Making in Times of Crisis

Wednesday, May 25
09.00 - 10.30 Turning Words into Action
12.30 - 14.00 A Discussion about Equality
18.30 - 20.00 Racial Disparities in Refugee Treatment

Thursday, May 26
09.00 - 10.30 The Possibilities of the Metaverse

In its 19th year, the Open Forum Davos opens its doors to the public from 23 to January 26 in Davos, Switzerland. It is being held at the TobelmÃ¼hle Sports Hall, TobelmÃ¼hlestrasse 4 e, Davos Platz, Switzerland.

For over 50 years, the World Economic Forum has been the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Annual Meeting is the focal point for leaders to accelerate the partnerships needed to tackle global challenges and shape a more sustainable and inclusive future. Convening under the theme ‘History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies,’ the Annual Meeting 2022 and its 200 sessions bring together global leaders from business, government, and civil society.

Source: World Economic Forum

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January 17, 2022

Prime Minister Modi of India Urges All Countries to Embrace Sustainable Lifestyles through Vision of One Earth One Health

India challenges the world to ditch throwaway consumerism and shift to a circular economy, emphasizing India’s low per capita emissions.
Modi calls for the reform of multilateral organizations to fashion a more democratic approach to global challenges.
India is in the top three countries globally for unicorns, creating over 40 in 2021 and 60,000 start-ups.

World Economic Forum, Modi

Photo: Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, delivers a ‘State of the World’ special address at the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda 2022 through video conferencing in New Delhi on January 17, 2022.

Geneva, Switzerland, January 17, 2022 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India addressed Davos Agenda 2022 to call on all countries to shift from a throwaway culture towards more sustainable lifestyles. Modi emphasized that while India is home to 17% of the world’s population, it contributes only 5% of global emissions.

“It is essential that we move away from today’s take-make-use-dispose economy and towards a circular economy,” he said. India, which co-launched the International Solar Alliance at COP26 to ensure universal access to affordable solar energy, today generates 40% of its energy from non-fossil sources. Modi underlined that the next phase of India’s growth would be “green, clean, sustainable and reliable.”

The prime minister questioned the ability of the world’s multilateral organizations to meet challenges that did not exist when they were created. He said that reforming these institutions is “the responsibility of every democratic country.” In a clear call for greater global cooperation, he said: “Today, more than ever before, countries need each other’s help - this is the only path to a better future.” He offered India’s vision of One Earth One Health as a means of responding to global challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change.

India is an entrepreneurial powerhouse that has created 10,000 new start-ups in the past six months and over 40 unicorns in 2021, Modi said, propelling the country into the top three in the world for billion-dollar new ventures. Its digital infrastructure is developing rapidly, with over 4.4 billion transactions on its United Payments interface in the past month alone. Over 2020-2021, India attracted $82 billion in foreign direct investment - a new record. Modi said India is committed to becoming a trusted partner for global supply chains.

In a bid to improve the ease of doing business, Modi outlined his government’s measures to reduce government intervention to the minimum. He has done away with over 25,000 tax compliances in the past year and deregulated most sectors for investment, except for defense, aerospace, and telecoms. In addition, his government is investing $1.3 trillion on connectivity-related infrastructure through its GatiShakti National Master Plan, which includes connecting over 6,000 villages through an optical fiber. The plan’s aim, he said, is to “give new impetus to seamless connectivity for movement of goods, people and services.” India is also investing $26 billion to boost manufacturing and resilient supply chains.

The Prime Minister also spoke to the importance of collective and synchronized action to face global challenges. He highlighted new technology as an important area for countries to act together, “Another example is cryptocurrency. Given the kind of technology it is associated with, the decisions taken by a single country will be insufficient to deal with its challenges.”

Modi said India enters 2022 “infused with self-confidence.” Its economic growth is projected to hit 8.5%. It has already administered 1.6 billion COVID-19 vaccines. And, he added: “Our multilingual, multicultural environment is a great strength [that] teaches us not just to think of ourselves in times of crisis but to work in the best interests of the world.”

For over 50 years, the World Economic Forum has been the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Davos Agenda 2022 is the focal point at the start of the year for leaders to share their outlook, insights, and plans relating to the most urgent global issues. The meeting will provide a platform to accelerate the partnerships needed to tackle shared challenges and shape a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Source: World Economic Forum

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January 15, 2022

World Economic Forum: Davos Agenda 2022 to Mobilize World Leaders around Global Challenges

First global platform for crucial world leaders to share their visions for 2022
The Davos Agenda 2022 will convene on ‘The State of the World’
Heads of state and government will join CEOs and other leaders for a virtual week-long dialogue on critical collective challenges and how to address them
Dialogue will be a springboard to the Annual Meeting in Davos, scheduled for early summer

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland, January 14, 2022 - Two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, global leaders will convene for the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda 2022, from 17-21 January. This year, it will be the first global platform to provide an opportunity for crucial heads of state and government, together with chief executives and leaders from civil society and international organizations, to reflect on the “State of the World” and shape solutions for critical challenges in the year ahead.

Radically different pandemic experiences have exacerbated global divisions. Vaccine inequities, combined with new strains, have also slowed global economic recovery. However, as the Global Risks Report 2022 clarifies, COVID-19 is only one of the critical global challenges that may become unmanageable unless world leaders prioritize proactive collaboration. Accordingly, the Davos Agenda will drive concerted action among key international stakeholders.

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, said: “Everyone hopes that in 2022 the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crises that accompanied it, will finally begin to recede. But major global challenges await us, from climate change to rebuilding trust and social cohesion. To address them, leaders will need to adopt new models, look long term, renew cooperation and act systemically. The Davos Agenda 2022 is the starting point for the dialogue needed for global cooperation in 2022.”

Through Special Addresses and panels with leaders of G20 economies and international organizations, the Davos Agenda 2022 will provide crucial insights into a range of critical challenges. In addition, participants will hear first-hand how these leaders will drive action in these and other areas.

• World leaders delivering “State of the World” Special Addresses will include:

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India;
Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan;
AntÃ³nio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations;
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission;
Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia;
Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia;
Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel;
Janet L. Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States;
Yemi Osinbajo, Vice-President of Nigeria.

The Davos Agenda 2022 will also mobilize government and business leaders, international organizations, and civil society to share their outlook, insights, and plans on the most urgent global issues such as climate change, social contracts, and vaccine equity. These sessions will also provide a platform for a broader connection, enabling the international public to engage and get included in the conversation.

• Key sessions will include:

COVID-19 - What’s next? (January 17)
Technology Cooperation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (January 17)
Renewing a Global Social Contract (January 18)
Meeting the Challenge of Vaccine Equity (January 18)
Navigating the Energy Transition (January 19)
Accelerating and Scaling up Climate Innovation (January 19)
ESG Metrics for a Sustainable Future (January 20)
Live from Space: The Next Frontier for Knowledge and Action (January 20)
Global Economic Outlook (January 21)
Building Future Preparedness (January 21)

• The program will feature:

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO);
Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency;
JosÃ© Pedro Castillo Terrones, President of Peru;
Ivan Duque, President of Colombia;
Anthony S. Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health of the United States of America;
Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt;
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Alejandro Giammattei, President of Guatemala;
Al Gore, Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001) and Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management;
Paulo Guedes, Minister of Economy of Brazil;
Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda;
Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda;
John F. Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate of the United States of America;
Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank;
Guillermo Lasso, President of Ecuador;
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO);
Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica;
Abdulaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia;
Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, European Commission;
FranÃ§ois Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Central Bank of France;
Sarah bint Yousif Al-Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, UAE.

Source: World Economic Forum

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December 29, 2021

World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2022 Deferred

World Economic Forum

Geneva, 29 December 2021 - The World Economic Forum will defer its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in the light of continued uncertainty over the Omicron outbreak.

The Annual Meeting was scheduled in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, between 17-21 January 2022. The World Economic Forum now plans it for early summer.

Instead, participants will join a series of State of the World sessions bringing together global leaders online to focus on shaping solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

“Current pandemic conditions make it extremely difficult to deliver a global in-person meeting. However, preparations have been guided by expert advice and have benefited from the close collaboration of the Swiss government at all levels,” WEF stated.

“Despite the meeting’s stringent health protocols, the transmissibility of Omicron and its impact on travel and mobility have made deferral necessary,” the WEF announcement said.

“The health and safety of everyone involved in physical meetings - participants, collaborators, and the host community - have always been the Forum’s priority,” WEF added.

“The deferral of the Annual Meeting will not prevent progress through the continued digital convening of leaders from business, government, and civil society,” said Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. “Public-private cooperation has moved forward throughout the pandemic, and that will continue apace. We look forward to bringing global leaders together in person soon.”

Source: World Economic Forum

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November 9, 2021

India's Transition to a Green Economy Presents a $1 Trillion Opportunity.

A new study by the World Economic Forum presents a sectoral roadmap for India to accelerate decarbonization and drive global climate action efforts.
According to the report, India’s transition to a net-zero economy could create over 50 million jobs and contribute more than $1 trillion in economic impact by 2030.
As the economy transitions from agrarian and service-led towards manufacturing-led growth, India has an opportunity to accelerate its transition to a net-zero and green economy.

World Economic Forum, India

Geneva, Switzerland, 8 November 2021 - As consensus emerges on the urgency and magnitude of the transformation needed to decarbonize the global economy, India’s role and contributions will be critical if the world is to achieve current targets.

World Economic Forum today released a new report outlining how India’s path to decarbonization will have an estimated economic impact of over $1 trillion by 2030 and around $15 trillion by 2070.

The Mission 2070: A Green New Deal for a Net-Zero India report provides a roadmap for India’s transition to a low-carbon economy as it moves from agriculture and services to manufacturing and a greener economy.

Published in collaboration with Kearney and the Observer Research Foundation, the report underlines the potential to save lives, catalyze new industries, create jobs, and boost India’s contributions to addressing climate change.

At the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Prime Minister Modi has committed India to an ambitious five-part Panchamrit pledge.

“How India continues to deliver growth and energy security to its citizens while ensuring the transition to a net-zero and green economy? That will define our collective success in the global fight against climate change,” said Sriram Gutta, Deputy Head, India, and South Asia, World Economic Forum. “We are calling on the government, businesses, and civil society to work with us to accelerate climate action and ensure a future that is good for both people and the planet.”

The report highlights five sectoral pillars and four cross-sectoral enablers for India to maximize the opportunities presented by a Green New Deal, with the potential to create more than 50 million net new jobs and over $15 trillion in economic value by 2070.

The five pillars - energy, mobility, industry, infrastructure and cities, and agriculture - contribute to over 90% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions. According to the report, India will need to address these pillars, alongside four cross-sectoral enablers, as part of its green transition.

These enablers are an accelerated approach to green technology innovation, an overarching framework to catalyze green finance, an integrated approach to carbon, capture, utilization, storage, and climate adaptation plan. The five pillars and four enablers are dependent on India’s continued economic growth, driven by technological development, financial innovation, and strong political leadership.

“This report visualizes India becoming the world’s first $5 trillion and after that $10 trillion ‘off carbon economy”, said Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation. “In the decade ahead, we will all need to work together on sectoral and geographical pathways to build a green subcontinent.”

“India needs to action two transformations: an economic transformation to drive prosperity and a green transformation to drive sustainability. However, our research indicates that the two need not conflict. On the contrary, India’s green transition might be the most viable way to fuel its economic aspirations,” said Viswanathan Rajendran, Partner, Kearney India.

A Green New Deal for India will need all stakeholders - government, the private sector, investors, and civil society - to step forward and catalyze the next green revolution. India has an opportunity to take bold action to achieve robust, equitable, and shared growth and avert the worst impacts of a changing climate.

The report aims to serve as a framework for a collaborative effort across the World Economic Forum, Kearney, and the Observer Research Foundation to accelerate climate action in key sectors of the Indian economy. Together, these organizations will work closely with relevant stakeholders in India to generate new insights, help inform discussions and policy frameworks, and facilitate new partnerships.

Source: World Economic Forum

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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:14 AM | View the original post

November 8, 2021

World Economic Forum and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, launch First Movers Coalition to Drive Demand for Zero Carbon Tech.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Guests and speakers at the launch session of the First Movers Coalition at COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4 November 2021. Image provided by & copyright by World Economic Forum/Iain McLean.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Secretary John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy on Climate, speaking during the launch session of the First Movers Coalition at COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4 November 2021. Image provided by & copyright by World Economic Forum/Iain McLean.

World Economic Forum

Photo: BÃ¸rge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, at the launch session of the First Movers Coalition at COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4 November 2021. Image provided by & copyright by World Economic Forum.

Photo: Bill Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at the launch session of the First Movers Coalition at COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4 November 2021. Image provided by & copyright by World Economic Forum.

Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4 November 2021 — Roughly half of the emission reductions needed to reach the 2050 climate goals rely on technologies in early development, demonstration, or prototype phases. Accelerating innovation in this decade is critical to bringing these technologies to market and making them cost-competitive.

To jumpstart this effort, the World Economic Forum, in partnership with US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, announced the First Movers Coalition - a new platform for companies to make purchasing commitments that create new market demand for low carbon technologies.

The commitments aim to be collectively significant enough to commercialize decarbonization technologies. The First Movers Coalition will create a long-term impact by driving milestones this decade through investment into these technological solutions.

It will work across eight key sectors. Seven of these sectors — steel, cement, aluminum, chemicals, shipping, aviation, and trucking—account for more than a third of global carbon emissions but do not have cost-competitive clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Direct air capture could reduce atmospheric carbon-dioxide levels to help achieve net-zero global emissions and require technological innovation to reach commercial viability.

The First Movers Coalition provides opportunities for a wide range of companies to make commitments, take action and build the clean and profitable supply chains of the future. It also brings together a range of civil society and expert organizations to build momentum, complement ongoing efforts, and input into the initiative’s design.

BÃ¸rge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, said: “Technology has given us the tools to reduce our emissions and build a more robust and more inclusive economy of the future. However, for innovators and investors to tackle the climate crisis, they need apparent market demand. The First Movers Coalition will leverage the collective purchasing power of leading companies and drive the need for these technologies. I call on business leaders to work with us and be the role models keeping our climate goals alive.

John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, said: “The First Movers Coalition is a platform for the world’s leading global companies to make purchasing commitments to create early markets for critical technologies needed to achieve net-zero by 2050. In this critical decade, we not only need to deploy as rapidly as possible existing clean energy technologies, such as wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage but also drive innovation for our long-term decarbonization goals.”

Phase 1 commitments launched.

These commitments target new technologies and create a market by 2030 to achieve decarbonization in 2050. Founding members have made commitments in at least one of these sectors.

• Aviation:

Members commit to using emerging technologies, including sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with significant emissions reductions, electric and hydrogen propulsion for air travel by 2030.
Airlines and air transport companies set a target of replacing at least 5% of conventional jet fuel demand with SAF that reduces life-cycle GHG emissions by 85% or more when compared with traditional jet fuel, or using zero-carbon emitting propulsion technologies by 2030;
Airfare and air freight purchasers set a target to replace at least 5% of conventional jet fuel demand for air transport with SAF that reduces life-cycle GHG emissions by 85% or more compared with traditional jet fuel or zero-carbon emitting propulsion technologies by 2030.

• Shipping: Members commit to using zero-emission fuels in new and retrofitted zero-emission vessels by 2030.

• Trucking: Members commit to purchase or contract zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles by 2030. These can include battery or fuel-cell electric vehicles and incorporate renewable sources of electricity and hydrogen for charging. Trucking owners and operators also set a target that at least 30% of their heavy-duty and 100% of their medium-duty truck purchases will be zero-emission trucks by 2030. In addition, retailers & manufacturers set a target to require all of their trucking service providers to meet the trucking owners and operators’ commitment by 2030.

• Steel: Members commit to purchasing volumes of near-zero-emissions steel by 2030. The deployment of breakthrough iron and steelmaking technology is needed to deliver a net-zero steel sector with minimal residual emissions. These technologies include direct hydrogen reduction, carbon capture use and storage, and electrolysis-based production processes. Steel purchasers set a target that at least 10% of their annual steel procurement volumes by 2030 meet or exceed the First Movers Coalition definition for near-zero emissions steel.

The remaining sectoral commitments will launch in early 2022.

Founding members

A.P. MÃ¸ller - MÃ¦rsk
Aker ASA
Agility
Airbus
Amazon
Apple
Bain & Company
Bank of America
Boston Consulting Group
Boeing
Cemex
Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited
Delta Air Lines
Deutsche Post DHL Group
ENGIE
Fortescue Metals Group
Holcim
Invenergy
Johnson Controls
Mahindra Group
Nokia
Ã˜rsted
Salesforce
ReNew Power
Scania
SSAB Swedish Steel
Trafigura Group
Trane Technologies
United Airlines
Vattenfall
Volvo Group
Yara International
Western Digital
ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Source: World Economic Forum

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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:29 AM | View the original post

August 24, 2021

World Economic Forum to Establish Global Centre for Urban Transformation in Detroit

Leaders from Detroit and around the world call for increased public-private collaboration to address the growing challenges facing cities
The new Centre will mobilize the global business community and key stakeholders to support cities as they chart a course for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
Detroit will serve as the Centre’s global headquarters, providing a model for more inclusive and sustainable urban development

World Economic Forum, Detroit

Photo: Detroit. Image credit: Sebastian Kruk.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Impressions from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 20. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: Impressions from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 19. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum/Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary. [File Photo]

Detroit, August 23, 2021 - The World Economic Forum has announced plans to establish a new global Centre for Urban Transformation headquartered in Detroit. The Centre seeks to increase public-private collaboration in cities and advance more inclusive and sustainable models for urban development.

“Around the globe, cities are facing unprecedented challenges from COVID-19 to climate change, exposing deep systemic inequities,” said Jeff Merritt, Head of Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum. “As we chart a course towards a more sustainable and equitable future, the government cannot carry this burden alone; increased public-private cooperation is essential. Detroit is uniquely positioned to serve as the epicenter for this work - a hub for urban transformation and innovation that the world can look to for guidance and inspiration.”

The World Economic Forum will leverage its global network of leading companies, governments, civil society organizations, and academic institutions to support cities as they seek to rebuild their economies and forge more resilient communities. It includes mobilizing the global business community to commit expertise and resources supporting local communities, advancing models for inclusive urban development, and exploring new approaches to expand urban services and economic opportunities in low-income and traditionally marginalized communities.

The Centre will launch in October with a series of events and announcements, showcasing innovative models of urban transformation from around the globe. Bedrock, Detroit’s largest real estate company, will host the Centre’s work in Detroit, providing a testbed to rethink and redefine the benefits and possibilities of urban living. World Economic Forum’s offices in Beijing, Geneva, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo will do the additional work.

“Bedrock is excited to bring the World Economic Forum and its global platform to Detroit,” said Kofi Bonner, Chief Executive Officer, Bedrock. “This partnership provides an opportunity to showcase Detroit’s extraordinary growth and positions Michigan’s largest city and international border as a global hub for best-in-class thinking on developing a next-generation, inclusive urban economy.”

• What leaders are saying about the Centre for Urban Transformation

” By 2030, six out of every ten people in the world would reside in cities,” said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. “We need an urgent change in mindsets, policies, and approaches towards urbanization to ensure nobody is left behind. We look forward to working with the World Economic Forum to advance the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11 to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.”
“Congratulations to the City of Detroit, and thank you to all the people who championed this iconic American city as the home of the World Economic Forum Global Centre for Urban Transformation,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Michigan has led the way in bringing together public and private sectors to creatively solve issues from transportation to small business relief for decades, and Detroit is the perfect place to leverage that approach to improving urban living worldwide.”
“The World Economic Forum could have chosen any city in the world to locate its global Centre for Urban Transformation, and we are proud they chose Detroit,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “In Detroit, we have always solved major issues and expanded opportunity through innovation and partnership, and that is what the Centre for Urban Transformation seeks to do on a global scale. So we are thrilled they will be doing it from right here in Detroit.”
“Innovation, collaboration, and talent converge in Detroit in ways that change the world, and we are proud to welcome the headquarters of the World Economic Forum Global Centre for Urban Transformation to this great city,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “We have a generational opportunity to address some of society’s most significant challenges, from racial inequity to climate change to the future of industry and mobility. This announcement puts Detroit at the forefront of what inclusive and sustainable urban development can, and should, look like across the globe.”
” As the world looks to address the defining challenges of today, it should come as no surprise it turns to Detroit,” said Maureen Donohue Krauss, President, and CEO, Detroit Regional Partnership. “This news further validates the Detroit Region’s standing as an international business hub with the talent and assets companies need to take on complex problems and thrive. The Center of Urban Transformation will not only succeed here because of everything our regional economy offers, but its presence will also strengthen our appeal as a global destination for innovation and investment for our future.”
“The rethinking of cities can bring about a future of urban living that’s better for all of us,” said Jonathan Hursh, Founding Partner, Utopia. “Public-private partnerships are central to this transformation as these cities find their unique path forward. The Centre will be a critical platform to bring all the pieces together.”
“Building an inclusive economy in Detroit is a priority for the DEGC, and we embrace new partners that are equally committed to creating a major metropolitan city where everyone can thrive,” said Kevin Johnson, President, and CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC). “Whether its small business or large corporations, our focus is on overcoming the barriers to access- be it capital, education, real estate, or jobs - and support from a global resource like the WEF will create new opportunities for solutions. We are looking forward to working together on advancing Detroit.”
“Tremendous energy is building around the world to build back better - with greater equity, resilience, and sustainability,” said Stephen Zoegall, Lead for Global Cities, Transport and Infrastructure, Accenture. “We are excited to continue our collaboration with the Centre and Forum to help convert ambition into reality.”

Source: World Economic Forum

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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:32 AM | View the original post

July 9, 2021

Poll shows Social Distancing and Masks to Continue despite COVID-19 Vaccination.

Experts say variants are likely causing people to proceed with caution as survey shows more than 75% to continue wearing a mask and practicing social distancing even after COVID-19 Vaccination.
Germany and the U.S. have enormous proportions saying they will not continue wearing a mask.
Confidence in returning to restaurants, sporting events, and flying varies widely between countries. For example, only 1 in 3 in Japan will attend sporting events, while nearly all Italians are ready to eat in restaurants.

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland, July 8, 2021 — A majority of adults said they are likely to continue socially distancing and wearing a mask in public even if they are vaccinated against COVID-19. However, there is mixed confidence across countries in returning to sporting events, eating in restaurants, flying, and using public transport.

These findings come from a new IPSOS/World Economic Forum survey that polled some 12,500 people. They conducted it between June 3-6, 2021, in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In each of these nine countries, more than 75% say that assuming they have received a vaccine for COVID-19, they definitely will continue or may continue socially distancing from others in public places. Depending on the country, between six and eight in ten say they definitely will continue or may continue wearing a mask in public.

Genya Dana, Head of Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum, said: “The spread of the delta variant is likely causing people to take a pause and proceed with caution. In this dynamic and changing public health situation, it is even more important for trusted sources to be providing timely and locally relevant information.”

World Economic Forum

Graphic: IPSOS/World Economic Forum

Levels of certainty about continued social distancing and mask-wearing in public places vary across countries:

Â· More than half of those surveyed in Brazil and just under half in Italy, the U.K., France, Mexico, and Germany say they definitely will continue social distancing in public places, compared to only one-third in Japan and the U.S. However, the U.S. shows the highest proportion saying that they will not continue or haven’t been socially distancing pre-vaccination (22%).

Â· Gaps are even wider when it comes to mask-wearing in public: 57% in Brazil say they definitely will continue, compared to 27% in Germany. Germany and the U.S. have the most considerable proportions saying they will not continue or haven’t been wearing a mask (32% both).

• Confidence about returning to various activities

How soon one feels confident resuming different activities after receiving a vaccine for COVID-19 varies widely by type of activity and country. For most activities measured, confidence tends to be most prevalent in Mexico, followed by Spain, Italy, and France, and lowest in Japan.

For relatively common or frequent activities, proportions of those saying they would do so immediately or in a few months range from:

Â· 59% in Japan to 82% in Italy for eating in restaurants,

Â· 48% in the U.S. to 67% in Mexico for using public transit, and

Â· 38% in Japan to 62% in Mexico for attending sports events or concerts.

IPSOS, World Economic Forum

Graphic: IPSOS/World Economic Forum

When it comes to flying, proportions of those saying they would do so immediately or in a few months vary depending on their home country and the destination. They range from:

Â· 38% in Japan to 72% in Mexico for flying with one’s own country,

Â· 24% in Japan to 68% in Mexico for flying to other countries where the vaccine is available, and

Â· 17% in Japan to 52% in Mexico for flying to other countries where the vaccine is not yet available.

IPSOS, World Economic Forum

Graphic: IPSOS/World Economic Forum

These are the results of an Ipsos survey conducted June 3 to 6, 2021, on the Global Advisor online platform among adults aged 18-74 in the United States and 16-74 in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Where results do not sum up to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of “don’t know” or not stated responses.

IPSOS is the world’s third-largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people. Founded in France in 1975, it serves more than 5000 clients across the globe with 75 business solutions.

Sources: IPSOS, World Economic Forum

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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:28 AM | View the original post

February 4, 2021

World Economic Forum appoints New Member to Board of Trustees

• Julie Sweet joins the World Economic Forum Board of Trustees.

• The Board of Trustees is the guardian of the World Economic Forum’s mission and values.

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland, 4 February 2021 - The Chief Executive Officer of Accenture, Julie Sweet, will join the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum. Sweet’s track record of success and commitment to enhancing gender diversity in business will significantly contribute to strengthening the Forum in its mission of improving the world’s state.

The Board of Trustees, the highest governing body of the World Economic Forum, is responsible for its strategy and advancing its values. As a reflection of its multistakeholder status, membership is divided equally between representatives of the business community and leaders from government, international organizations, and civil society.

“The World Economic Forum is delighted to welcome Julie Sweet to its Board of Trustees. We look forward to working with her to deliver on the Forum’s commitment to advancing stakeholder capitalism and contributing to more resilient and equitable societies,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

“Collaboration between the world’s governments, businesses, and cultural leaders has never been more critical,” said Julie Sweet, Chief Executive Officer, Accenture. “I am honored to join the board of the World Economic Forum and help advance its work to find shared and actionable solutions to our most pressing issues while shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.”

Julie Sweet is CEO of Accenture and serves on the company’s board of directors. Before becoming CEO in 2019, she served as CEO of Accenture’s business in North America and as Accenture’s general counsel, secretary, and chief compliance officer for five years. Before joining Accenture in 2010, Sweet was a partner for ten years in Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.

Outside Accenture, Sweet is a leader in innovation, technology’s impact on business, and inclusion and diversity. She serves on the board of directors for the Business Roundtable, where she is Chair of its Technology Committee. She also serves on the board of directors for Catalyst.

As of 3 February 2021, the Members of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum are:

Klaus SCHWAB - Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum
Peter BRABECK-LETMATHE - Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum, Chairman Emeritus, NestlÃ© SA, Switzerland
H.M. Queen Rania AL ABDULLAH of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Mukesh AMBANI - Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, India
Marc R. BENIOFF - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA
Thomas BUBERL - Chief Executive Officer, AXA, France
Mark CARNEY - Finance Adviser on the 26th Conference of the Parties to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Laurence FINK - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock, USA
Chrystia FREELAND - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada
Orit GADIESH - Chairman, Bain & Company, USA
Kristalina GEORGIEVA - Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC
Fabiola GIANOTTI - Director-General, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Al GORE - Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001); Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management LLP, USA
Herman GREF - Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Sberbank, Russia
Angel GURRÃA - Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
AndrÃ© S. HOFFMANN - Non-Executive Vice-Chairman, Roche Holding Ltd., Switzerland
Paula INGABIRE - Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda
Christine LAGARDE - President, European Central Bank
Jack MA - Alibaba Board of Directors, Alibaba Group, People’s Republic of China
Yo-Yo MA - Cellist
Peter MAURER - President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Switzerland
Luis Alberto MORENO - President, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC (2005-2020)
Patrice MOTSEPE - Founder and Executive Chairman, African Rainbow Minerals, South Africa
L. Rafael REIF - President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
David M. RUBENSTEIN - Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman, Carlyle Group, USA
Mark SCHNEIDER - Chief Executive Officer, NestlÃ©, Switzerland
Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM - Senior Minister, Singapore
Jim Hagemann SNABE - Chairman, Supervisory Board, Siemens AG, Germany; Chairman, A.P. MÃ¸ller-Maersk, Denmark
Julie SWEET - Chief Executive Officer, Accenture, Ireland
Feike SYBESMA - Honorary Chairman, Royal DSM, Netherlands
Heizo TAKENAKA - Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan (2002-2006)
Min ZHU - President, National Institute of Financial Research, People’s Republic of China

Source: World Economic Forum

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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:32 AM | View the original post

January 27, 2021

Global Business Leaders Support Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Convergence by Committing to Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics.

61 business leaders, including members of the World Economic Forum and its International Business Council (IBC), have committed to the core Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics released by the IBC.
Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics offer a set of universal, comparable disclosures focused on people, planet, prosperity, and governance that companies can report on, regardless of industry or region.
The move signals that private sector leaders view environmental, social, and governance factors as critical to the success and long-term viability of all businesses, and a unified voice is gathering pace on a global solution for non-financial reporting.

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland January 26, 2021 - A growing coalition of 61 top business leaders across industries announced today their commitment to the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, a set of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics and disclosures released by the World Economic Forum and its International Business Council (IBC) in September 2020, that measure the long-term enterprise value creation for all stakeholders.

The Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, drawn from existing voluntary standards, offer a core set of 21 universal, comparable disclosures focused on people, planet, prosperity, and principles of governance. They are considered most critical for business, society, and the earth, and that companies can report on regardless of industry or region. They strengthen companies and investors’ ability to benchmark progress on sustainability matters, thereby improving decision-making and enhancing transparency and accountability regarding the shared and sustainable value companies create, WEF elaborated.

These leaders and their organizations, including Dow, Unilever, NestlÃ©, PayPal, Reliance Industries, and Sony, have today committed to:

Reflect the core metrics in their reporting to investors and other stakeholders (e.g., annual report, sustainability report, proxy statements, or other materials) by reporting on the metrics most relevant to their business or briefly explaining why a different approach is more appropriate.
Publicly support this work and encourage their business partners to do so.
Promote the further convergence of existing ESG standards, frameworks, and principles to support progress towards a globally accepted solution for non-financial reporting on standard ESG metrics.

In making these commitments, business leaders signify that ESG factors are increasingly critical to all businesses’ success and long-term viability. It reflects leading global companies’ intent to integrate sustainability into their core strategy, operations, and corporate disclosures.

“Stakeholder capitalism becomes now really mainstream,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum. “The public commitments from companies to report not only on financial matters but also their ESG impacts are an important step towards a global economy that works for progress, people and the planet.”

“We have to deliver great returns for our shareholders and help drive progress on society’s most important priorities,” said Brian Moynihan, Chairman and CEO of Bank of America and Chairman of the International Business Council. “That is stakeholder capitalism in action. Common metrics will help all stakeholders measure the progress we are making and ensure that the resources capitalism can marshal - from companies, from investors, and others - are directed to where they can make the most difference.”

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Bank of America, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC, curated the set of 21 core and 34 expanded metrics over the past two years with the support of over 140 stakeholders.

The metrics include non-financial disclosures centered around the four pillars: people, planet, prosperity, and governance principles. Intentionally built on existing standards, the posts include metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions, pay equality, and board diversity.

By adopting and reporting these metrics and disclosures, the business community will continue to catalyze greater cooperation and alignment among existing standards and encourage progress in developing a systemic, globally accepted set of common standards for reporting sustainability performance.

The full list of companies that have agreed to implement reporting on the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics includes:

Accenture
Adecco Group
African Rainbow Minerals
Allianz
Banco Santander
Bank of America
BBVA
Boston Consulting Group
bp
Clifford Chance
Credit Suisse
Dell Technologies
Deloitte
Deutsche Post DHL
Dow
Eni
Ecolab
Ecopetrol
Equinor
EY
Fidelity International
HEINEKEN
HP
HSBC Holdings
IBM
JLL
Kearney Inc.
KPMG
Mahindra Group
Majid Al Futtaim
Mastercard
McKinsey & Company
Medtronic
Mercuria Energy Group
Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.
NestlÃ©
Novo Nordisk A/S
Palo Alto Networks
PayPal
Publicis Groupe
PwC
Reliance Industries
Repsol
Royal DSM
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Philips
Salesforce
Schneider Electric
Siemens
Solvay
Sony
Sumitomo Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG)
Suntory Holdings
Takeda Pharmaceutical
Total
UBS
Unilever
Yara International
Zurich Insurance Group

“Runaway climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality are some of the biggest problems that the world faces,” said Alan Jope, CEO of Unilever. “Companies’ annual reports and accounts might not be the first mechanism for change that would spring to mind, but standardized and mandatory non-financial reporting is critical to creating a new form of capitalism that tackles these problems. The Forum’s IBC work is an important step forward, and we are providing our wholehearted support.”

The Davos Agenda is a pioneering mobilization of global leaders to rebuild trust to shape the principles, policies, and partnerships needed in 2021. It features a full week of international programming dedicated to helping leaders choose innovative and bold solutions to stem the pandemic and drive a robust recovery over the next year. Heads of state, CEOs, civil society leaders, and global media will actively participate in almost 100 sessions across five themes.

Source: World Economic Forum

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January 18, 2021

World Economic Forum: World Leaders to Meet During Davos Agenda in a Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust.

The Davos Agenda 2021 will convene under the theme: A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust.
The World Economic Forum will gather the world’s foremost leaders to address the economic, environmental, social, and technological challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 1,500 business, government, and civil society leaders from over 70 countries will set the agenda for a critical year ahead and discuss how to catalyze impact in the rapidly advancing Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Davos Agenda week’s conclusions will feed into task forces working on global issues for the upcoming Special Annual Meeting in Singapore.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Impressions from the Annual Meeting 2017. The Conference Center from the outside. At the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 15, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: Actor Forest Whitaker and Popstar Shakira at the Media Welcome Reception at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 16, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Ciaran McCrickard. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 17, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Ciaran McCrickard. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland, January 18, 2021 - The World Economic Forum Davos Agenda, taking place virtually on 25-29 January, will bring together the world’s foremost leaders to address the new global situation. Heads of state and government, chief executives, and civil society leaders will convene under the theme: A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust.

The meeting will create impact, rebuild Trust, and shape the policies and partnerships needed in 2021.

“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to reset priorities and the urgency to reform systems have been growing stronger around the world,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. “Rebuilding trust and increasing global cooperation are crucial to fostering innovative and bold solutions to stem the pandemic and drive a robust recovery. This special meeting will be an opportunity for leaders to outline their vision and address the most important issues of our time, such as the need to accelerate job creation and to protect the environment.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that no institution or individual alone can address our complex, interdependent world’s economic, environmental, social, and technological challenges. The pandemic has accelerated systemic changes that were apparent before its inception. The fault lines that emerged in 2020 now appear as critical crossroads in 2021. The Davos Agenda will help leaders choose innovative and bold solutions to stem the pandemic and drive a robust recovery over the next year, the WEF announcement stated.

The five program themes are:

Designing cohesive, sustainable, resilient economic systems (January 25).
Driving responsible industry transformation and growth (January 26).
Enhancing the stewardship of the global commons (January 27).
Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (January 28).
Advancing global and regional cooperation (January 29).

Addresses from G20 heads of state and government and international organizations will provide crucial insights into a range of essential issues in the year ahead. Participants will hear first-hand how these public figures will demonstrate leadership and drive action in areas such as the environment, jobs, and advances in innovation brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Heads of state and government include:

Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China;
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India;
Yoshihide Suga, Prime Minister of Japan;
Emmanuel Macron, President of France;
Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany;
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission;
Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy;
Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea;
Alberto FernÃ¡ndez, President of Argentina;
Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa;
Pedro SÃ¡nchez, Prime Minister of Spain;
Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation and Federal Councillor for Economic Affairs, Education and Research;
Ivan Duque, President of Colombia;
Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica;
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana;
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece;
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel;
Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;
Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda;
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore.

Many other world leaders may confirm later.

Leaders from international organizations, government agencies, and central banks include:

AntÃ³nio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations (UN);
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO);
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations (UN);
Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Undersecretary-General, and Executive Director, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN);
Dongyu Qu, Director-General, Food, and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO);
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP);
Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF);
David Beasley, Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP);
Fang Liu, Secretary-General, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, USA;
Angel GurrÃa, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
Mauricio Claver-Carone, President, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB);
Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO);
JÃ¼rgen Stock, Secretary-General, International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL);
Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA);
Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Executive Director, APEC Secretariat (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation).
Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank;
FranÃ§ois Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Central Bank of France;
Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England.

More than 1,000 leaders from the Forum’s member and partner organizations will represent the private sector. Seven of the top ten companies by market capitalization are engaged year-round with the Forum, and many will participate in The Davos Agenda week. As a working meeting to advance ongoing project work, more than 500 chief executives and chairpersons will participate in sessions throughout the week.

Leaders from civil society are a critical voice in shaping the agenda. Those taking part in the meeting include:

Seth Berkley, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance;
Gabriela Bucher, Executive Director, Oxfam International;
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC);
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT);
Marco Lambertini, Director-General, WWF International;
Laura Liswood, Secretary-General, Council of Women World Leaders;
Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair, Transparency International;
Peter Sands, Executive Director, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria . Drawn from over 10,000 civic-minded young leaders, members of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders, Technology Pioneers, and Social Entrepreneurs communities will bring unique perspectives to The Davos Agenda.

• Flagship reports, initiatives, and the latest book on Stakeholder Capitalism

On January 25, Professor Schwab will release his latest book, titled “Stakeholder Capitalism: A Global Economy that Works for Progress, People and Planet.”
The World Economic Forum will release its Global Risks Report 2021 on January 19. The flagship report is an important marker for prioritizing public and private sectors in the year ahead.
The Davos Agenda will also mark the launch of several World Economic Forum initiatives to accelerate the race to net-zero emissions, champion new standards for racial justice, develop artificial intelligence ethically in the global public interest, and close the digital divide.
The official program of The Davos Agenda will begin on January 25.

Source: World Economic Forum

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December 10, 2020

"Agile Nations" Sign First Agreement to Unlock Potential of Emerging Tech

Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, UAE, and UK sign world’s first “Agile Nations” agreement at a panel co-organized by the World Economic Forum.
The agreement paves the way for the seven nations to help innovators navigate their rules, test new ideas with regulators, and scale them across their markets.
Collaboration builds on the World Economic Forum and OECD efforts to support more effective technological innovation regulation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Olivia Chang, Anchor, CNNMoney Switzerland, Switzerland, speaking in Investing in the Next Digital Frontier session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sigrid Kaag, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands in the “The Return of Arab Unrest” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum/Faruk Pinjo.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants speaking in the Ending Modern Slavery session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020, Open Forum, in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum/ Patrick Somelet.

Geneva, Switzerland, 9 December 2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought economic and social disruption worldwide. As people and businesses focus on recovery, governments must ensure that outdated regulations do not hold back innovation that will power economic growth and solve the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

World Economic Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) organized a panel for Agile Nations. The ministers from Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom announced their plan to lead the world in fostering responsible innovation and entrepreneurship. The Agile Nations Charter sets out each country’s commitment to creating a regulatory environment in which new ideas can thrive.

In a world-first, the agreement paves the way for the nations to cooperate in helping innovators navigate each country’s rules, test new ideas with regulators, and scale them across the seven markets. Priority areas for cooperation include the green economy, mobility, data, financial and professional services, and medical diagnosis and treatment.

The collaboration results from the World Economic Forum’s project on Agile Regulation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The World Economic Forum today published its guide to better regulation of emerging technologies, developed in partnership with the Global Future Council on Agile Governance.
The OECD launched the development of principles on effective and innovation-friendly rulemaking in the Fourth Industrial Revolution for its 37 member states, to be adopted in 2021.

“Too often, rules and laws are designed with the past in mind,” said Murat SÃ¶nmez, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Our Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution help governments, businesses, and citizens co-design for the future - enabling the innovation that will be needed to create jobs, maintain competitiveness, and ensure resilience to shocks. We’re excited to work with the new Agile Nations network.”

“Against a backdrop of a once-in-a-century global health and economic crisis, governments need to undertake a paradigm shift in their rulemaking activities,” said Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD. “To help governments navigate the challenges and develop more agile approaches to the regulatory governance of innovation, the OECD is developing principles on effective and innovation-friendly rulemaking in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Agile Nations network is an extremely timely initiative to truly foster international regulatory cooperation for better, innovation-friendly, and up-to-date regulations worldwide.”

“The UK has a proud history of entrepreneurship and discovery, but it is only by working together internationally that we can truly unleash the incredible potential of new technology,” said Martin Callanan, Business Minister, United Kingdom. “The Agile Nations will boost collaboration to remove regulatory barriers, ensuring innovators and entrepreneurs can market and scale their innovations across all seven nations involved, and I urge other countries to join this important initiative.”

“Canada’s endorsement of the Agile Nations agreement demonstrates our commitment to creating a regulatory environment where innovation can flourish. And our respective businesses can be more efficient and competitive globally,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board of Canada. “Canada is ready to play its part in sharing ideas and best practices on agile regulation.”

“As an international company, Siemens has always supported cross-border collaboration,” said Torsten Ende, Head of Government Affairs, Siemens. “Cross-border collaboration of regulators is the best way to avoid unnecessary divergence that could hamper innovation and to ensure future-oriented cooperation and technology with purpose. The proposed Agile Nations network, which fosters cooperation on rulemaking, is a great step in the right direction.”

“Regulatory agility, strong business-government partnerships, and constructive international regulatory cooperation are key in enabling innovation and helping businesses to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Low Yen Ling, Minister of Trade and Industry, Singapore. “Singapore looks forward to working closely with the Agile Nations network to strengthen collaboration in agile regulation to enable businesses and emerging innovations to rapidly scale up, offer new solutions, and drive greater growth.”

“We fully support this Agile Nations network as an initiative to promote international cooperation regarding the concept of ‘governance innovation’ agreed at the 2019 G20 Ministerial Meeting held in Japan. We are happy to share our experiences and knowledge about innovative governance, including projects of the Digital Architecture Design Centre established this year,” said Kouichi Munekiyo, Parliamentary Vice-Minister, Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan.

“IBM is pleased to support the Agile Nations initiative,” said Christopher Padilla, Vice-President, Government, and Regulatory Affairs, IBM. “Even as breakthroughs in technology are creating immense opportunities and improving economic and social well-being, these innovations are challenging traditional models of regulation. Promoting agile governance is a key mechanism for ensuring we reap technology’s benefits while mitigating risks. The Agile Nations Charter is an important step in fostering the international cooperation necessary to deliver on the promises of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

“Sperimentazione Italia (Italy Experimentation) allows companies, universities, and research institutions to experiment with frontier innovations, so that disruptive innovations’ opportunities are not missed. The time is ready to extend and apply the testing of ‘agile regulation’ within the international cooperation among countries,” said Paola Pisano, Minister of Technological Innovation, Italy.

“The UAE government is proud to endorse the Agile Nations network. It would help adopt agile governance and innovation to build strong, capable, and resilient governments. It would enable them to tackle future challenges with proactive solutions,” said Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development the Future, United Arab Emirates.

“New technologies can accelerate the transition to a more green and sustainable society,” said Katrine Winding, Director-General, Danish Business Authority. “However, regulatory and other barriers currently prevent start-ups and innovative SMEs in particular from bringing their ideas to market. Through innovation-friendly regulation, we will support the testing and developing of new solutions, ensuring equal competition, and protecting our citizens and the environment. It is no simple task. Denmark looks forward to addressing key challenges through the Agile Nations network.”

Source: World Economic Forum

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November 25, 2020

World Economic Forum: Global leaders to shape the Davos Agenda ahead of ‘the crucial year to rebuild trust.’

The world has experienced unimaginable hardship since the global pandemic outbreak, reversing gains in the fight against unemployment, climate change, and poverty.
Rebuilding trust and increasing global cooperation are crucial to implementing the bold and innovative solutions needed to drive a robust recovery.
To mobilize government, business, and civil society on these solutions, the World Economic Forum will hold a virtual meeting on 25-29 January 2021 on the Davos Agenda.
Heads of state and government will address the state of the world in 2021 to audiences in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and Latin America.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants in the Digital Safety for Youth session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020, Open Forum, in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January. Swiss Alpine High School Auditorium. Image provided by @ copyright World Economic Forum/ Marc Forzi.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Jonathan Haskel, Professor of Economics, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, speaking during the session Accounting for Human Capital at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January. Congress Centre - in Salon. Image provided by @ copyright World Economic Forum/Jakob Polacsek.

Geneva, Switzerland, 23 November 2020 - The Davos Agenda is a pioneering mobilization of global leaders to rebuild trust to shape the principles, policies, and partnerships needed in 2021. The virtual meeting will build momentum ahead of the Special Annual Meeting in the spring. The Davos Agenda will feature a full week of global programming on 25-29 January 2021 with the participating heads of state, CEOs, civil society leaders, international media, and youth leaders from Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and Latin America.

“2021 is a crucial year to rebuild trust,” said Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. “The world is at a crossroads. The pandemic has reversed essential gains in the global fight against unemployment, climate change, and poverty. Leaders must come together for decisive and inclusive action.

Building a better future for work, accelerating stakeholder capitalism, and harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be essential topics on the Davos Agenda.

The five program themes are:

Designing cohesive, sustainable, resilient economic systems (25 January).
Driving responsible industry transformation and growth (26 January).
Enhancing the stewardship of our global commons (27 January).
Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (28 January).
Advancing global and regional cooperation (29 January).

Heads of state and government and international organizations will give addresses on the state of the world and engage in dialogue with business leaders. Industry leaders and public figures will discuss how to advance and accelerate public-private collaboration on critical issues such as COVID-19 vaccination, job creation, and climate change, among others. The Forum’s core communities, including its International Business Council, will share their insight and recommendations from global, regional, and industry initiatives in impact sessions.

The World Economic Forum further announced that the high-level agenda-setting dialogues that characterize the Forum’s January meeting will occur throughout the week and will be live-streamed - providing more opportunities for the public to engage. Sessions will occur across Beijing, Geneva, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo time zones to ensure global participation, the Forum stated.

Source: World Economic Forum

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November 18, 2020

In the Face of Extraordinary Challenges, 36 Pioneer Cities Chart a Course Towards a More Ethical and Responsible Future.

World Economic Forum has selected 36 cities across 22 countries and six continents to pioneer a new global policy roadmap for smart cities developed by the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance, hosted at the Forum.
The selected 36 Pioneer Cities include 4 from India — Bengaluru, Faridabad, Hyderabad, and Indore.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Toronto, Canada. Image credit: Nicolas Vigier.

Photo: Melbourne, Australia. Image credit: Eugene Kaspersky.

Geneva, Switzerland, 17 November 2020 - The World Economic Forum announced today that 36 cities across 22 countries and six continents have agreed to pioneer a new roadmap for safely adopting new technology as part of the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance.

Cities face urgent challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and other major disruptions, which may culminate in a budget crisis that could reach $1 trillion in the United States alone. They need data and innovation to become more resilient, responsive, and efficient. Yet, there is no global framework for how cities should use these technologies, or the data they collect, in a way that protects the public interest.

It would change with the launch of a new global policy roadmap by the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance, designed to give cities the procedures, laws, and regulations they need to use new technology responsibly. The World Economic Forum hosts the secretariat of the alliance.

“This roadmap is not about theoretical ideas and pipe dreams. It is built on practical, real-world policies from leading cities around the globe,” said Jeff Merritt, Head of the Internet of Things and Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum. “City governments are on the frontline of a global crisis and need to be able to act quickly and decisively to curtail this pandemic and set course for their economic recovery. Technology is an essential tool in this fight, but governments cannot risk falling into the usual traps related to privacy, security, and vendor lock-in. That’s where the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance can help.”

To kickstart the roadmap adoption, the alliance has recruited a group of 36 “pioneer cities” that will collaborate with global experts to enhance their city policies in areas ranging from privacy protection and cybersecurity to better services for disabled people and better broadband coverage.

The pioneer cities are launching their activities today at a global event broadcast by Smart City Expo World Congress, the world’s premier smart cities event.

List of pioneer cities (in alphabetical order):

Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Barcelona, Spain
Belfast, United Kingdom
Bengaluru, India
Bilbao, Spain
BogotÃ¡, Colombia
Brasilia, Brazil
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Chattanooga, United States
Cordoba, Argentina
Daegu, South Korea
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
eThekwini (Durban), South Africa
Faridabad, India
Gaziantep, Turkey
Hamamatsu, Japan
Hyderabad, India
Indore, India
Istanbul, Turkey
Kaga, Japan
Kakogawa, Japan
Kampala, Uganda
Karlsruhe, Germany
Leeds, United Kingdom
Lisbon, Portugal
London, United Kingdom
Maebashi, Japan
Manila, Philippines
MedellÃn, Colombia
Melbourne, Australia
Mexico City, Mexico
Milan, Italy
Moscow, Russia
Newcastle, Australia
San JosÃ©, United States
Toronto, Canada

“This initiative originated in Japan last year from our Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a fact I’m very proud of,” said Koichi Akaishi, Vice Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. “I hope to see more cities participating in the Alliance following the model set by these first pioneer cities.”

Leaders of organizations participating in the program:

Miguel Eiras Antunes, Global Smart Cities Leader, Deloitte Global, said, “The transformation from a traditional city to a ‘smart city’ does not just happen overnight. Success depends on the quality of the decisions. Deloitte is committed to working closely together with the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance to co-design policy frameworks that will empower governments to accelerate smart cities initiatives for sustainable developments.”

London’s Chief Digital Officer, Theo Blackwell, said, “We need to work together to realize the potential of data to solve city challenges by putting it in the hands of those who can make a difference. But we also need to do it in a way that is safe, ethical, and responsible. London is proud to join this global initiative as a pioneer city to promote the adoption of ethical, smart city policies.”

“Technology and knowledge are two strategic assets to build inclusive, data-driven, and sustainable smart cities capable of tackling new and emerging challenges,” said Roberta Cocco, Deputy Mayor for Digital Transformation and Services to Citizens, Milan. “That is why Milan is joining the G20 Global Smart City Alliance, as this initiative will allow us to share best practices with innovative cities around the world. Today more than ever, in fact, we need to collaborate to identify the most effective tools to face global threats like COVID-19. It is only by joining our forces that we can beat this common enemy that is threatening the health, the economy, and the future of our citizens.”

Dr. Julia Glidden, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector, Microsoft Corporation, said, “Accessibility and privacy policies are critical to making cities more inclusive and transparent. Microsoft congratulates the Forum and G20 for creating model policies that aid cities in serving all citizens.”

“We will adopt a transparent and participatory philosophy of local governance in the city of Istanbul,” said Ekrem Ä°mamoÄŸlu, Mayor of Istanbul. “We aim to empathize with all segments of society, and value the participation of everyone, ensuring that the majority of the people are represented - not the few.”

Gilvan Maximo, Secretary of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Brazil, said, “The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance will provide us with a global partnership to accelerate the adoption of technologies responsibly and for the benefit of the citizen, debating complex issues and seeking joint solutions. Therefore, Brasilia is eager to participate in this joint work.”

“This opportunity to collaborate as a G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance pioneer city on a new roadmap for safely adopting new technology is very welcome indeed,” said Alderman Frank McCoubrey, Lord Mayor of Belfast. “We’ll be exploiting new technologies and data to tackle city challenges in areas such as health and mobility to improve our citizens’ quality of life - and we must ensure this is done ethically and in a way that prioritizes transparency, privacy, equity, and inclusion. Being part of the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance means that each of the partner cities will benefit from expert, tailored insights and policy tools. This collaborative approach will allow us all to make progress in how we govern technology more swiftly and effectively, for the benefit of all our citizens.”

“Transforming our cities into smart cities is a great tool to improve people’s life quality,” said Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, Mayor of Buenos Aires. “That is why we are committed to continuing incorporating technology, developing innovative public policies, and working together with the G20 cities to build a modern and efficient state that makes life easier for everyone who lives, works, studies, or visits us in Buenos Aires.”

The World Economic Forum’s inaugural Pioneers of Change Summit takes place online on 16-20 November. The summit brings together more than 750 leaders from government, business, and civil society from more than 90 countries. The meeting takes place when there is a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reset the world. Key topics discussed include digital business, sustainable production, infrastructure, health, new work models, financial innovation, and frontier technologies.

Source: World Economic Forum

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November 6, 2020

Green Horizon Summit to Accelerate the Race to Zero, Highlight Innovative Solutions.

Summit on how to close the financing gap between net zero ambitions and reality to be hosted by the City of London Corporation, Green Finance Institute, and the World Economic Forum.
All sessions would be live-streamed on the Forum’s website from 9-11 November.
HRH, the Prince of Wales, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon join leaders from business, civil society, and key international organizations, including the ECB, IMF, and UN, to discuss critical topics like ESG metrics, funding green investments, and accelerating investment in green innovation.

World Economic Forum Green Summit

Geneva, Switzerland, November 6, 2020 - The City of London Corporation, in collaboration with the Green Finance Institute and supported by the World Economic Forum, is hosting a virtual summit 9-11 November that will focus on green finance in the recovery from COVID-19.

The Green Horizon Summit will bring together leaders from government, business, and civil society to close the financing gap between net zero ambitions and reality. Each session will help drive forward the role of green finance in the recovery from COVID-19.

The Summit will cover five major themes:

Reporting, Risk Management, and Return
Financing the Energy Transition
Infrastructure and Green Growth
Financing Resilience and Adaptation
Nature and Net Zero

All sessions will be live-streamed and captioned.

Featured speakers include:

Michael R. Bloomberg
Founder, Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies
Christiana Figueres
Founder, Global Optimism
Larry Fink
Founder, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock, Inc
Kristalina Georgieva
Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
Antonio Guterres
The Secretary-General of the United Nations
Christine Lagarde
President of the European Central Bank

The Forum will host day three (November 11) of the Summit. This ‘practitioners’ day’ will focus on putting the frameworks into place and funnel finance into a net-zero economy. It will feature a range of practitioners covering a new generation of asset managers, banking, big data, professional services to hear how we can make the transition a reality.

Key topics covered on this day include building common Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) metrics, shaping the future of work and skills, and accelerating and finance innovation that will facilitate the race to zero.

Source: World Economic Forum

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September 29, 2020

World Economic Forum: Leaders Rally for a 'Great Reset' to Achieve Global Goals

The global pandemic shows that the world urgently needs a new model for international cooperation.
Public-private collaboration is required more than ever to ensure this reboot is sustainable and inclusive.
The mobilization of 1,200 organizations through the COVID Action Platform shows what we can do to improve lives and livelihoods on a global scale.

World Economic Forum

Photos: Impressions from the Farewell Lunch at the Schatzalp session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. 24 January 2020. Images provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Mattias Nutt.

Geneva, Switzerland, 24 September 2020 - In the closing session of the World Economic Forum’s fourth Sustainable Development Impact Summit, leaders called for governments, businesses, and civil society to create new kinds of cooperation to tackle COVID-19 and the climate crisis.

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), diplomats urged leaders to seize the opportunity for a Great Reset; the idea championed by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

The concept of globalization needs to be redefined, said Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs. “If you do an honest stocktaking of this last six or seven months, I don’t think it would be a good report card on most countries in most regions of the world,” he said, adding that the previous focus on trade, investment, and capital flows has to be broadened.

“Corona anywhere is corona everywhere,” he said. Along with issues such as terrorism and climate change, the pandemic forces us to “revise our sense of what is globalization,” he said.

Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation of Egypt, echoed these themes, saying of the COVID-19 pandemic: “Everybody has to be part of a collective solution. No country has a silver bullet. All of us had a chance to learn from each other. Despite shortcomings and pitfalls in handling certain things in the pandemic, there have also been a few successes. These successes have given us confidence,” she said.

One of the critical areas where more public-private dialogue and cooperation could be useful is between the United States, Europe, and China. Susana Malcorra, Dean, IE School of Global and Public Affairs, IE University, Spain, said that competition between the United States and China is not the only rivalry of concern. “There are tensions around the world,” she said. “So, what I would suggest is that we need to think about what I would call the best possible scenario, which is a competitive multilateralism,” she said. “We will not have in the foreseeable future a multilateral system based on one member state being in the driver’s seat and essentially having the rest lining up, like it or not.”

Pekka Haavisto, Foreign Minister of Finland, said that while European countries value transatlantic cooperation and share many values - Europe needs to “work with China on the big global issues, to find a global solution.”

The World Economic Forum designed the summit around the five pillars of the Great Reset: Better Business, Catalysing Cooperation, Harnessing Technology, Liveable Planet, and Shared Prosperity.

• Better Business

To help companies “walk the talk” on stakeholder capitalism and demonstrate how businesses generate long-term value.
The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Bank of America, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC, released a set of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics and disclosures.

• Catalyzing Cooperation

The COVID-19 Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs launched the Action Agenda with 60 organizations to support over 50,000 social entrepreneurs worldwide.
The World Economic Forum partnered with the International Renewable Energy Agency to help accelerate the industry transition to clean energy.

• Harnessing Technology

UpLink, launched at last year’s summit, now has 4,000 innovators and entrepreneurs on its platform, who have created over 500 solutions to help achieve the SDGs.
Through the UpLink Trillion Trees challenge and 1t.org, for example, 20 innovative and scalable solutions will be fast-tracked to conserve, restore, and grow 1 trillion trees by 2030.

• Liveable Planet

In one year, the Mission Possible Platform grew to over 200 companies covering seven of the most energy-intense and heavy transport sectors. These leaders reaffirmed their commitments at #SDI20 and called for all to reach net-zero by 2050 or sooner.
With the support of Forum’s Tropical Forest Alliance, the Consumer Goods Forum and 17 global corporations officially launched the Forest Positive Coalition of Action to tackle deforestation resulting from palm oil, soy, and paper, pulp, and fiber-based packaging.

• Shared Prosperity

Pooling vaccine procurement will accelerate the distribution of a COVID vaccine around the world. COVAX, which is co-led by GAVI and CEPI, is designed to do this. One hundred fifty-six economies, representing nearly two-thirds of the global population, are now committed to this. The Forum’s Manufacturing Alliance is an emerging initiative to help scale this production.
The World Economic Forum launched the Champions for Technology and Social Justice Community to help companies collaborate more closely with civil society on technology and social justice issues.

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the world’s state, is an International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, and other society leaders to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.

The World Economic Forum convened the fourth Sustainable Development Impact Summit under the theme “Realizing a Great Reset for Sustainable Development.” This virtual summit brought together more than 4,500 leaders from government, business, and civil society from more than 141 countries.

Source: World Economic Forum

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The Great Reset

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:36 PM | View the original post

August 26, 2020

World Economic Forum Appoints New Members to Board of Trustees.

• The Board of Trustees is the guardian of the World Economic Forum’s mission and values.

World Economic Forum,

Geneva, Switzerland, 26 August 2020 - The World Economic Forum appointed two new members to its Board of Trustees today. Rwanda’s Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation Paula Ingabire and Chief Executive Officer of AXA Thomas Buberl join the group serving as guardians of the Forum’s mission and values. The Board oversees the Forum’s work in promoting faithful global citizenship.

The Board of Trustees comprises outstanding leaders from business, politics, academia, and civil society. Its membership is divided equally between representatives of the business community and leaders from international organizations and civil society.

Paula Ingabire has served as the Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda since October 2018. Before her appointment, she was Head of ICT at the Rwanda Development Board and the Head of the Kigali Innovation City initiative. She led the implementation of National ICT programs and coordinated the creation of SMART Africa. She is part of Girls in ICT Rwanda and has worked to propel Rwanda forward in its rapid adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution tools. In March 2020, she joined the Forum’s Young Global Leaders community.

Thomas Buberl has served as Chief Executive Officer of AXA since September 2016. He has been a member of the AXA executive committee since 2012 and held the role of Chief Executive Officer of AXA Konzern AG (Germany). Prior roles include the Chief Executive Officer for Switzerland for Zurich Financial Services and Member of the Management Board of Winterthur in Switzerland, first as Chief Operating Officer and then as Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer. In 2008, he was nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

As of 26 August 2020, the Members of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum are:

Klaus SCHWAB Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum
Peter BRABECK-LETMATHE, Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum, Chairman Emeritus, NestlÃ© SA, Switzerland
H.M. Queen Rania AL ABDULLAH of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Mukesh AMBANI, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, India
Marc BENIOFF, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA
Thomas BUBERL, Chief Executive Officer, AXA, France
Mark CARNEY, Finance Adviser on the 26th Conference of the Parties to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Laurence FINK, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock, USA
Chrystia FREELAND, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs of Canada
Orit GADIESH, Chairman, Bain & Company, USA
Kristalina GEORGIEVA, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC
Fabiola GIANOTTI, Director-General, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva
Al Gore, Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001); Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management LLP, USA
Herman GREF, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Sberbank, Russian Federation
Angel GURRÃA, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
AndrÃ© S. HOFFMANN,* Non-Executive Vice-Chairman, Roche Holding Ltd., Switzerland
Paula INGABIRE, Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda
Christine LAGARDE, President, European Central Bank (ECB)
Jack MA, Alibaba Board of Directors, Alibaba Group, People’s Republic of China
Yo-Yo MA, Cellist
Peter MAURER, President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Switzerland
Luis MORENO, President, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC
Patrice Motsepe, Founder and Executive Chairman, African Rainbow Minerals, South Africa
L. Rafael Reif, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
David M. RUBENSTEIN, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman, Carlyle Group, USA
Mark SCHNEIDER, Chief Executive Officer, NestlÃ©, Switzerland
Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM, Senior Minister of Singapore
Jim Hagemann SNABE, Chairman, Supervisory Board, Siemens AG, Germany; Chairman, A.P. MÃ¸ller-Maersk, Denmark
Feike SYBESMA, Honorary Chairman, Royal DSM, Netherlands
Heizo TAKENAKA, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan (2002-2006)
Min ZHU, President, National Institute of Financial Research, People’s Republic of China

Source: World Economic Forum

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July 15, 2020

Four Hundred Million New Jobs by 2030 if Businesses Prioritize Nature, Says World Economic Forum.

The report finds putting nature first is good for business and economic resilience.
Nature-positive solutions will create $10.1 trillion in business opportunities and millions of new jobs.
COVID-19’s impact is a stark reminder of our imbalance with the natural world, but the report shows businesses and governments’ opportunities to build back better.
Policy companion outlines how finance ministers can kick-start a nature-positive economy.

World Economic Forum,

Geneva, Switzerland, 15 July 2020 - The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented job losses and economic uncertainty. As governments and businesses look to stimulate growth, a new study from the World Economic Forum found that ‘nature-positive’ solutions can create 395 million jobs by 2030.

The Future of Nature and Business Report provides blueprints for businesses to tap into a $10.1 trillion business opportunity, focusing on nature-positive industry actions, meaning that they add value to nature.

The report reflects real-world examples where nature-positive results have improved business outcomes:

In Indonesia, smart farming utilizing sensors and satellite imagery improved crop yields on average by 60%.
In China, Suzhou Industrial Park’s green development has seen its GDP increase 260-fold partially through green growth.
In Viet Nam, people living in coastal communities saw their incomes more than double following the restoration of critical mangroves.

“We can address the looming biodiversity crisis and reset the economy in a way that creates and protects millions of jobs,” said Akanksha Khatri, Head of the Nature Action Agenda, World Economic Forum. “Public calls are getting louder for businesses and government to do better. We can protect our food supplies, make better use of our infrastructure, and tap into new energy sources by transitioning to nature-positive solutions.”

• Food, land, and ocean use: What we eat and grow makes up around $10 trillion of global GDP and employs up to 40% of the worldwide workforce. Nature-positive solutions can create 191 million new jobs and $3.6 trillion of additional revenue or cost savings by 2030. Here are some examples:

Diversifying the diet: Some 75% of the world’s food comes from 12 plants and five animal species. Animal products provide 18% of calories but take up 80% of farmland. A more diversified diet of vegetables and fruits can create $310 billion in business opportunities annually by 2030.
Technology in large-scale farms: Over 4.3 million jobs and $195 billion in business opportunities can come from precision-agriculture technologies by 2030. With 40% improvements in yields expected, investments could yield returns of over 10%.
Retail: Every second, the world landfills or burns the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles. It means that $500 billion is lost every year due to discarded clothing. Using more renewable inputs and reusing, refurbishing, and recycling clothes could lead to $130 billion in savings and prevent 148 million tonnes of textile waste by 2030.
Fishing: It takes five times the effort to catch the same amount of fish now as it did in 1950. If the ‘business as usual’ approach continues, wild fish stocks will decline by 15%. It will cost the industry $83 billion, as boats will have to travel further and fish deeper. Sustainable ecosystem management is one way to tap into a $40 billion opportunity for the maritime industry worldwide.

• Infrastructure and the built-environment: About 40% of global GDP comes from the environment we build - office buildings, homes, and transport. Nature-positive solutions can create 117 million new jobs and $3 trillion in additional revenue or cost savings by 2030. Here are some examples:

Smart buildings: Retrofitting systems and installing more efficient technology in new builds can save $825 billion by 2030. Switching to LEDs and substituting natural light alone could save over $650 billion by 2030. Green roofs can save on energy costs, mitigate flood risk, reduce air pollution, and even produce food. The market for these could grow 12% annually, reaching $15 billion by 2030.
Smart sensors: Reducing municipal water leakage could save $115 billion by 2030. Return on investments in water efficiency can be above 20%.
Waste management: With $305 billion in additional revenue opportunities, the global waste management market could double in 10 years with the right investments in South Asia, East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.

• Energy and extractives: The energy we produce and what we extract accounts for almost a quarter of global GDP and 16% of global employment. With energy demand growing, there is an opportunity to create 87 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in business opportunities by 2030. Here are some examples:

Mining and resource extraction: Improving resource recovery in mining can save $225 billion and reduce water usage by 75% in the next decade. New technologies and more mechanization could enhance material recovery rates by up to 50%.
Circular models in the automotive sector: Refurbishing and reusing automotive parts, such as transmissions, retains more value and uses less energy than recycling. The world can save some $870 billion by recovering manufacturing costs by 2030.
Renewables: By 2030, Renewable energy sources can provide opportunities of $650 billion, and investment returns more significant than 10%. Stimulus packages for solar and other commercialized renewables can generate millions of new jobs. Solar energy without subsidies matched fossil fuel costs in over 30 countries. By 2021, it could be cheaper than coal in China and India.
Doubling down on revenue streams: The land for renewable energy projects is three to 12 times the size of coal-powered ones. Some companies are developing high-rise photovoltaic power stations that combine animal husbandry and ecotourism, providing additional revenue streams on the same land plot.

• Guide for Finance Ministers

A policy companion outlines how governments can complement and enable businesses to act. Finance ministers can combine six cross-cutting policy measures to put the right incentives in place as part of stimulus packages and create jobs without destroying nature. They include better measurement of economic performance beyond GDP, incentives for innovation, improved spatial planning and management of marine and terrestrial assets, the removal of subsidies that endanger long-term job stability, investment in reskilling, and increased financial support for natural solutions.

• Quotes from World Economic Forum Partners

“We must use the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to reset humanity’s relationship with nature. Investing in biodiversity and the environment offers the chance of building better economies and our resilience as a species,” said Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica. “Costa Rica has shown that the transition to a carbon-neutral, nature-positive economy brings greater prosperity, jobs, and new developments. It’s time to mainstream this model.”
“We are entering into a historic decade of action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and address climate change. The business has a critical role to play in environmental stewardship of our planet,” said Inger Andersen, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme. “They have the technology, innovation, and financing to make the shifts we need towards increased investment in nature’s infrastructure and nature-based solutions.”
“While there is still uncertainty in how COVID-19 will unfold, we must recognize this as an opportunity to accelerate efforts to put nature at the center of all decision-making,” said Alan Jope, Chief Executive Officer of Unilever. “There will be no jobs or prosperity on a dead planet!”

Source: World Economic Forum

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June 4, 2020

World Economic Forum to Convene a Unique Twin Summit "The Great Reset" in January 2021.

The twin summit will be both in-person and virtual, connecting key global governmental and business leaders in Davos with a global multistakeholder network in 400 cities around the world for a forward-oriented dialogue driven by the younger generation.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Impressions from the Opening Concert: An International Call for Unity and Joy, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Christian Clavadetscher. [File Photo]

Geneva, Switzerland, 3 June 2020 - “The Great Reset” will be the theme of a unique twin summit to be convened by the World Economic Forum in January 2021. The 51st World Economic Forum Annual Meeting will bring together global leaders from government, business, and civil society, and stakeholders from around the world in a unique configuration that includes both in-person and virtual dialogues.

“We only have one planet, and we know that climate change could be the next global disaster with even more dramatic consequences for humankind. We have to decarbonize the economy in the short window remaining and bring our thinking and behavior once more into harmony with nature,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

“To secure our future and to prosper, we need to evolve our economic model and put people and planet at the heart of global value creation. If there is one critical lesson to learn from this crisis, we need to put nature at the heart of how we operate. We can’t waste more time,” said HRH, The Prince of Wales.

“The Great Reset is a welcome recognition that this human tragedy must be a wake-up call. We must build equal, inclusive, and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient in the face of pandemics, climate change, and the many other global changes we face,” said AntÃ³nio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York.

“A Great Reset is necessary to build a new social contract that honors the dignity of every human being,” added Schwab. “The global health crisis has laid bare the unsustainability of our old system. We lack social cohesion, equal opportunities, and inclusiveness. Nor can we turn our backs on the evils of racism and discrimination.”

“COVID-19 has accelerated our transition into the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We have to make sure that the new technologies in the digital, biological, and physical world remain human-centered and serve society as a whole, providing everyone with fair access,” he said.

“This global pandemic has also demonstrated again how interconnected we are. We have to restore a functioning system of smart global cooperation structured to address the challenges of the next 50 years. The Great Reset will require us to integrate all global society stakeholders into a community of common interest, purpose, and action,” said Schwab. “We need a change of mindset, moving from short-term to long-term thinking, moving from shareholder capitalism to stakeholder responsibility. Environmental, social and good governance have to be a regular part of corporate and governmental accountability,” he added.

According to the World Economic Forum, this innovative summit will be a very different Annual Meeting. It would reflect the spirit of the Great Reset. It will provide a unique opportunity at the beginning of 2021 to bring together the critical global government and business leaders in Davos. It would be a worldwide multistakeholder summit driven by the younger generation to ensure that the Great Reset dialogue pushes beyond traditional thinking and is genuinely forward-oriented.

To do so, the World Economic Forum will draw on thousands of young people in more than 400 cities around the world (the Global Shapers Community), interconnected with a robust virtual hub network to interact with the leaders in Davos. Each of those hubs will have an open house policy to integrate all interested citizens into this dialogue, making the Annual Meeting open to everyone. Also, global media and social media networks will mobilize millions of people, enabling them to share their input while also providing them with access to the Annual Meeting discussions in Davos.

HRH, The Prince of Wales, and Professor Schwab announced the Great Reset during a virtual meeting. Statements by UN Secretary-General AntÃ³nio Guterres and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva followed the announcement.

All stakeholder groups of global society supported the above statements. The Great Reset supporters include:

Victoria Alonsoperez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Chipsafer, Uruguay, and a Young Global Leader
Caroline Anstey, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Pact, USA
Ajay S. Banga, Chief Executive Officer, Mastercard, USA
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Brussels
Ma Jun, Chairman, Green Finance Committee, China Society for Finance and Banking, and a Member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People’s Bank of China
Bernard Looney, Chief Executive Officer, bp, United Kingdom
Juliana Rotich, Venture Partner, Atlantica Ventures, Kenya
Bradford L. Smith, President, Microsoft, USA
Nick Stern, Chair, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, United Kingdom.

In the run-up to the Annual Meeting, the Forum will host a virtual series, The Great Reset Dialogues. These dialogues are a joint initiative of the World Economic Forum and HRH The Prince of Wales.

Source: World Economic Forum

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January 25, 2020

The World faces Four Main Challenges: Climate Change, Mistrust of Leaders, Increased Geopolitical Tension, and the Dark Side of the Technological Revolution, Says UN Secretary-General.

World Economic Forum

Photo: AntÃ³nio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York, and the Global Shapers at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January. Congress Centre. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President White House, United States of America, during World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sara Eisen, Co-Anchor, Squawk on the Street and Closing Bell, CNBC, USA, speaking in the “After Brexit: Renewing Europe’s Growth” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Congress Center - Aspen. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Faruk Pinjo.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Karen Karniol-Tambour, Bridgewater Associates LP, speaking in the “Issue briefing: Black Swan and Grey Rhinos in Financial Markets” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January. Congress Centre - Issue Briefing Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Elena Cherney, Editor, News Features and Special Projects, Wall Street Journal, USA, speaking in the “The Future of Mobility” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Congress Centre - Situation Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Sandra Blaser.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Penny Abeywardena, Commissioner for International Affairs, Mayor’s Office, City of New York, USA; Young Global Leader speaking in the “Striking a Green New Deal” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Congress Centre - Aspen. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Robert J. Shiller, Sterling Professor of Economics, Yale University, USA, speaking in the “Power of Narratives” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Congress Center - Aspen. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Faruk Pinjo.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Somini Sengupta, International Correspondent, Climate Change, New York Times, India, speaking in the Charging the “True Price of Carbon” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January. Congress Centre - Hub B Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sarah Kelly, Anchor-at-Large, Deutsche Welle, USA, speaking during the session “A Decade to Deliver the Global Goals” at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January. Congress Centre. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Jakob Polacsek.

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January 2020 - “I would use two words to describe the state of the world today: uncertainty and instability,” said AntÃ³nio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Guterres made his statement during a plenary session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020.

Using a Christian Biblical reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Guterres described what he called four “enormous challenges” to the world today: climate change, mistrust of leaders, increased geopolitical tension, and the dark side of the technological revolution.

“Climate change is the defining issue of our time,” he said. It represents an “existential threat” to humankind. “The planet will not be destroyed. We will destroy our capacity to live on the planet.”

We need to hold the Carbon emissions below those projected by the Paris Agreement to keep the global temperature within the range targeted by scientists. Countries that he called the “big emitters” will need to make more significant strides; 80% of emissions come from the member nations of the G20 group.

He called for a three-step program to tackle this: carbon pricing, a shift from taxation on income to one on carbon, and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies. “As a taxpayer, I can’t accept the idea that the Government uses my taxes to melt glaciers,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

As a measure of mistrust, Guterres noted that 66 countries experienced major demonstrations last year. “In each country, the pretext is different, but there is an underlying factor: mistrust,” he said. “The lack of trust in local establishments.” People believe that the world does not equitably distribute the fruits of globalization. “Seven in 10 people in the world live in countries where inequality is growing.”

His recipe for improvement would start with governments giving a “voice to the people,” particularly to young people, and with particular attention to gender equality. All stakeholders (including civil society, governments, and businesspeople) should work together, notably in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, he said.

Weaknesses in institutions further exacerbate increased geopolitical tensions. For example, the UN Security Council’s “inability to take decisions” or to enforce the ones they do take, such as the arms embargo for Libya. “We need a global economy,” he said. “And we need multilateral institutions to be in charge.”

To combat “chaos in cyberspace and ensure that artificial intelligence becomes a force for good, we need to boost international cooperation,” he said. To that end, multilateral organizations should change their modus operandi to become more agile, working in networks. “Inclusive multilateralism” would extend beyond national governments to include more participation from local authorities, civil society, business leaders, and others.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 took place from 21 to 24 January 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The meeting brought together more than 3,000 global leaders from politics, government, civil society, academia, the arts, and culture as well as the media. Convening under the theme, Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World, participants focused on defining new models for building sustainable and inclusive societies in a plurilateral world.

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January 22, 2020

The World Economic Forum launches Reskilling Revolution, an initiative to provide one billion people with better education, skills, and jobs by 2030.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Impressions during the Creating a Sustainable Business Culture session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January. Ameron Swiss Mountain Hotel, Symondpark. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Faruk Pinjo.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Pierre Hubbard, General Secretary, Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD, France, speaking in the Humans behind Machines at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January. Congress Centre - Sanada. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Ivanka Trump, Assistant, and Adviser to the President of the United States speaking in the Press Conference: Reskilling Revolution: Better Skills for a Billion People by 2030 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January. Media Village - Press Conference Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive Officer, Google, USA, speaking in the An Insight, An Idea with Sundar Pichai session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January. Congress Centre - Aspen 1 Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/ Greg Beadle.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Deepika Padukone, Founder, Live Love Laugh Foundation, India; Cultural Leader, speaking in the “An Insight, An Idea with Deepika Padukone” session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January 2020. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Boris Baldinger.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Queen MÃ¡xima of the Netherlands, speaking in the High-Level Panel on Africa session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January. Congress Centre - Congress Hall. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Mattias Nutt.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, speaking in “The Future of the Corporation” at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January. Congress Centre - in Spotlight Room. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/Jakob Polacsek.

World Economic Forum

Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, 22 January 2020 - The World Economic Forum today launched Reskilling Revolution, a multistakeholder initiative aiming to provide better education, new skills, and better work to a billion people around the world by 2030.

The Reskilling Revolution platform would prepare the global workforce with the skills needed to future-proof their careers against the expected displacement of millions of jobs as a result of technological change. It would also provide businesses and economies with the skilled labor needed to fulfill the millions of new roles that will be created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, shifts in the global economy, and industrial transitions towards sustainability.

“The best way to foster a more cohesive and inclusive society is to provide everybody with a decent job and income. Here in Davos, we are creating a public-private platform to give one billion people the skills they need in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The scale and urgency of this transformation calls for nothing short of a reskilling revolution,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder, and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum.

• National and industry transformation

To effect such systems-wide change, Reskilling Revolution will serve as a platform for connecting and coordinating individual initiatives within specific countries, industries, organizations, and schools. At the country-level, the governments of India, Oman, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates Denmark, and Singapore would support the Reskilling Revolution.

In the private sector, several companies are already taking coordinated action on workforce transformations through cross-industry collaborations involving business, trade unions, and the training sector. These industry accelerators include Advanced Manufacturing; Aerospace; Aviation, Travel and Tourism; Consumer; Financial Services; Media, Entertainment and Information; Mining and Metals; Oil and Gas; and Health and Healthcare.

• Founding partners, initiatives and coalitions to reach 250 million people

Together, founding partners’ initiatives and coalitions already signed up to the Reskilling Revolution have the capability of reaching 250 million people worldwide. The Reskilling Revolution Platform will enable these coalitions and future business-led initiatives to create system-level change or to be scaled up through replication by other organizations.

Founding business pledges include:

• The Adecco Group aims to support 5 million workers through upskilling and reskilling globally by 2030. The Group’s General Assembly business will play a vital role as a founding member of the Skills Consortium of online training and learning providers, as part of the Reskilling Revolution initiative. The Adecco Group Foundation will contribute as a founding partner to the HR Valley initiative - a hub of human capital management learning.

• Coursera Inc. will be a data partner and a founding member of the Skills Consortium of online training and learning providers hosted by the Reskilling Revolution. It has committed to upskilling 10 million global workers by 2030 in high-demand domains of Data Science, Technology, Business, and Soft skills.

• Infosys is expanding computer science and maker education to K-12 students and teachers across the US, especially among under-represented communities, and will become a founding member of a Skills Consortium of online training and learning providers hosted by Reskilling Revolution.

• LinkedIn will be a data partner for the Reskilling Revolution initiative. Manpower Group’s MyPath is enabling hundreds of thousands of people to access high-growth roles by providing accelerated upskilling, on-the-job training, and certification.

• PwC and its New World. New Skills. The program will deploy skills to support public-private collaborations through the Reskilling Revolution. It will also help clients prepare their workforces for the digital world, upskill each of its 276,000 people and scale up its community programs, particularly in areas where there is an acute need.

• Salesforce has committed to help train 1 million people with relevant skills and reach 10 million active users on Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, within the next five years. Through workforce development initiatives, including Trailhead Military, FutureForce, and the Pathfinder Program, all powered by Trailhead, anyone can skill-up to learn in-demand skills and earn credentials to land a top job in tech.

“The United States is a leading example of when the public and private sector comes together to prioritize workers. The Trump Administration would change one billion lives by 2030 through this Reskilling Revolution through its Pledge to America’s Workers,” said Ivanka Trump, Assistant, and Adviser to the President of the United States.

“We are excited to partner with the World Economic Forum through the Reskilling Revolution initiative. As the availability of digital talent continues to be one of the greatest barriers for enterprises to transform, organizations need to nurture a culture that enables talent - across disciplines and skills - to benefit from a continuum of lifelong learning that prepares them for the future of work. We are keen to help drive the transformation”, said Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer, and Managing Director, Infosys.

The World Economic Forum’s Reskilling Revolution Platform for Shaping the Future of the New Economy and Society provides the opportunity to advance prosperous, inclusive, and equitable economies and societies. It focuses on co-creating a new vision in three interconnected areas: growth and competitiveness; education, skills and work; and equality and inclusion. Working together, stakeholders deepen their understanding of complex issues, shape new models and standards and drive scalable, collaborative action for systemic change.

Over 100 of the world’s leading companies and 100 international, civil society and academic organizations currently work through the Platform. They promote new approaches to competitiveness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:58 PM | View the original post

January 20, 2020

World Economic Forum Presents 2020 Crystal Awards

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hilde Schwab, Chairperson, and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; Cultural Leader and Jin Xing, Choreographer and Founder, Jin Xing Dance Theatre Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; Cultural Leader speaking in The 26th Annual Crystal Award Ceremony session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 20 January. Conference Center - Congress Hall. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/ Valeriano Di Domenico.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hilde Schwab, Chairperson, and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; Cultural Leader and Deepika Padukone, Founder, Live Love Laugh Foundation, India; Cultural Leader speaking in The 26th Annual Crystal Award Ceremony session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 20 January. Conference Center - Congress Hall. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/ Valeriano Di Domenico.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hilde Schwab, Chairperson, and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; Cultural Leader and Theaster Gates, Founder, and Director, Rebuild Foundation, Cultural Leader speaking in The 26th Annual Crystal Award Ceremony session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 20 January. Conference Center - Congress Hall. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/ Valeriano Di Domenico.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Deepika Padukone, Founder, Live Love Laugh Foundation, India; Cultural Leader speaking in The 26th Annual Crystal Award Ceremony session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 20 January. Conference Center - Congress Hall. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum/ Faruk Pinjo.

Geneva, Switzerland, 20 January 2020 - Artist Theaster Gates, choreographer, and media personality Jin Xing, actor Deepika Padukone and artist Lynette Wallworth are the recipients of the World Economic Forum 26th Annual Crystal Award. The award celebrates the achievements of artists and cultural figures whose leadership inspires inclusive and sustainable change. The winners were honored in the opening session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on Monday 20 January.

“These wonderful cultural leaders are bridge-builders. They connect us. They help us reflect on the human condition, and they provide visions of the world that can cut through the limitations of short-term or linear thinking,” said Hilde Schwab, Chairwoman, and Co-Founder of the World Arts Forum, which hosts the awards.

Award recipients

• Theaster Gates, for his leadership in creating sustainable communities

Theaster Gates is an artist who lives and works in Chicago. Drawing on his interest and training in urban planning and preservation, Gates creates works that focus on space theory, land development, sculpture, and performance. In 2010, Gates established the Rebuild Foundation to galvanize communities through neighborhood regeneration and the development of educational and arts programming. Many of the foundation’s initiatives are centered on the revitalization of Chicago’s South Side, creating hubs and archives for the black culture that serve as catalysts for discussions on race, equality, space, and history. Gates is a professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Visual Arts and the Harris School of Public Policy and is Distinguished Visiting Artist and Director of Artist Initiatives at the Lunder Institute for American Art at Colby College.

“Special thanks to the World Economic Forum for this most prized Crystal Award. The impact of the arts and artists is incomparable when we think about the transformation of cities and towns. I am honored to work as a believer in beauty and creativity and hope the work and the ideals that I lead within Chicago have resonance throughout the world,” said Gates.

• Jin Xing, for her leadership in shaping inclusive cultural norms

Jin Xing is a choreographer, media personality, and China’s most popular TV host. She is the founder of the award-winning Jin Xing Dance Theatre, the country’s first independent dance company. Her television shows, which include Venus Hits Mars, The Jin Xing Show, and Chinese Dating, draw more than 100 million viewers a week and create a space for discussion on contemporary life in China. She is a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France and received an honorary Doctorate of Dance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

“In today’s complex and fractured world, I pursue my mission to be true to the society, to be a true voice for the public, as an artist, a public figure and as a human being. I’m grateful and honored to receive this year’s Crystal Award. This honor encourages me to continue my mission and be crystal clear towards life,” said Jin.

• Deepika Padukone, for her leadership in raising mental health awareness

Deepika Padukone is an internationally acclaimed actor, fashion icon, and mental health ambassador from India. She has acted in close to 30 feature films across genres and won several awards for her performances. Many of her films also rank among the highest-grossing movies of all time. Padukone was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2014 and sought professional help to aid her recovery. In June 2015, she founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF) to give hope to every person experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD). The foundation’s programs and initiatives include nationwide public awareness and destigmatization campaigns, adolescent mental health programs, funding support for treatment in rural communities, general training physicians in common mental health disorders, research, and an annual lecture series featuring the world’s foremost thinkers and achievers.

“With more than 300 million people suffering from the illness, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability in the world today and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. I am humbled and deeply honored to be chosen for this year’s Crystal Award and dedicate the award to the millions around the world who experience stress, anxiety and depression, and other forms of mental illness,” Padukone said.

• Lynette Wallworth, for her leadership in creating inclusive narratives

Lynette Wallworth is an Australian artist whose immersive video installations, virtual reality, and film works reflect the connections between people and the natural world. She won an Emmy Award for her virtual reality film Collisions, which the World Economic Forum commissioned, premiered, and executive-produced. Wallworth was named one of the “100 Leading Global Thinkers” by Foreign Policy magazine for immersing audiences in the destructive power of nuclear weapons. Her 2018 mixed-reality film Awavena, the story of the first woman Shaman from the Yawanawa tribe in Brazil, as well as her most recent works, have been made at the invitation of indigenous communities. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Virtual and Augmented Reality and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sundance Institute.

“I have sought to use my skills as an artist to bring unheard voices, including indigenous voices. These voices ring out with resilience, persistence, power, and grace. In supporting my work, the creation and the presentation of it, the World Economic Forum has helped me place it in front of those I most wished to impact, those whose decisions help shape our shared future. I am immensely grateful that these works, these voices, have been heard and are being honored by a Crystal Award,” said Lynette Wallworth.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting brings together leaders from government, international organizations, business, civil society, the arts and culture and media, foremost experts, and the young generation from all over the world, at the highest level and in representative ways. It engages some 50 heads of state and government, more than 300 ministerial-level government participants, and business representation at the chief executive officer and chair level.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:07 PM | View the original post

January 18, 2020

Piyush Goyal to lead Indian Delegation to World Economic Forum 2020

Photo: Impressions from the Conference Center. At the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell. [File Photo]

New Delhi, 17 January 2020 — Union Minister of Commerce and Industry & Railways, Piyush Goyal, will lead the Indian delegation to the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos from 20 January to 24th 2020. The Commerce and Industry Minister will participate in the WEF along with Union Minister of State for Shipping and Chemical & Fertilizers, Mansukh L. Mandaviya, and Chief Ministers of the States of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, the Finance Minister of Punjab, and the IT Minister of Telangana. Secretary Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Invest India are also part of the delegation.

Commerce and Industry Minister will hold bilateral meetings with Ministers of Australia, South Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Korea, and Singapore. He will also meet the Director-General of the World Trade Organization and Secretary-General of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Apart from this, Commerce and Industry Minister will hold bilateral meetings with CEOs of companies, attend WEF sessions and round tables on Accelerating Investments in Indian Railways and attracting Global Institutional Investments in India.

Commerce and Industry Minister will also participate in an informal WTO Ministerial gathering in Davos.

The WEF annual meeting in Davos engages the world’s top leaders to shape global, regional, and industry agendas at the beginning of the year. The theme of the 2020 meeting is “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:24 AM | View the original post

January 14, 2020

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 will convene under the theme, Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Bhairavi Jani, Executive Director, SCA Group of Companies, India; Young Global Leader, speaking during the Session “Future Frontiers of Global Value Chains” in “Situation Room” at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: A Participants during the Session “What Should Globalization 4.0 Look Like?” in “Ideas Lab” at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sarah Kelly, Anchor-at-Large, Deutsche Welle, USA, captured during the Session “A ‘Fourth Social Revolution’?” at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos Congress Centre. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary. [File Photo]

Geneva, Switzerland, 14 January 2020 - The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020, taking place on 21-24 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, will focus on establishing stakeholder capitalism as a way of addressing the world’s most significant challenges. These challenges include societal divisions created by income inequality and political polarization to the climate crisis we face today.

Underpinning the meeting will be the Davos Manifesto 2020. This document builds on the original Davos Manifesto of 1973, which set out for the first time the stakeholder concept that businesses should serve the interests of all society rather than merely their shareholders. The Davos Manifesto 2020 provides a vision for stakeholder capitalism that touches on a range of essential issues of our time, including fair taxation, zero tolerance for corruption, executive pay, and respect for human rights.

“Business has now to fully embrace stakeholder capitalism, which means not only maximizing profits but use their capabilities and resources in cooperation with governments and civil society to address the critical issues of this decade. They have to contribute to a more cohesive and sustainable world actively,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

Building on the Manifesto 2020, this year’s program focuses on achieving maximum impact on the Forum’s platform for public-private cooperation across six core areas of activity: Ecology, Economy, Society, Industry, Technology, and Geopolitics. More than 160 individual initiatives, each capable of delivering system-wide transformation, are active on the Forum platform. Significant advances in a number of these, especially in the fields of responsible business, the environment, and social mobility, are expected to be confirmed during the meeting.

Among the initiatives to be launched at the Annual Meeting is one that aims to plant 1 trillion trees over the next decade and to equip 1 billion people with the necessary skills in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Nearly 3,000 leaders will participate in this year’s Annual Meeting. Top political leaders taking part include:

Donald Trump, President of the United States of America;
Han Zheng, Vice-Premier of the People’s Republic of China;
Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany;
Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy;
H.R.H. The Prince of Wales;
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission;
Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain;
Simonetta Sommaruga, President of the Swiss Confederation;
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan;
Sebastian Kurz, Federal Chancellor of Austria;
Ivan Duque, President of Colombia;
FÃ©lix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo;
Lenin Moreno GarcÃ©s, President of Ecuador;
Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland;
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana;
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece;
Barham Salih, President of Iraq;
Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland;
Omar Al Razzaz, Prime Minister of Jordan;
Khaltmaagiin Battulga, President of Mongolia;
Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands;
Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway;
Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan;
Mohammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh, Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority;
Andrzej Duda, President of Poland;
Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation;
Macky Sall, President of Senegal;
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore;
Kais Saied, President of Tunisia;
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.

Leaders from international organizations include:

Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations;
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund;
Roberto AzevÃªdo, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO);
Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary-General, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC);
David Beasley, Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP);
Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
Liu Fang, Secretary-General, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO;
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO);
Angel GurrÃa, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank;
Peter Maurer, President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC);
Luis Alberto Moreno, President, Inter-American Development Bank;
Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO);
JÃ¼rgen Stock, Secretary-General, International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL);
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

More than 1,680 leaders from the private sector will participate in the Annual Meeting this year, including Members and Partners of the World Economic Forum.

Leaders from civil society taking part in the meeting include:

Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC);
Luca Visentini, General Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC);
Micah White, Co-Creator, Occupy Wall Street;
Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch;
Jennifer Morgan, Executive Director, Greenpeace International;
David Miliband, President, International Rescue Committee;
Seth F. Berkley, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance;
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT);
His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.

Adding a new dimension this year is the Arts and Culture Festival. Running alongside the Annual Meeting, the Festival will feature several sessions and immersive art installations, including those featuring the participation of the winners of the 26th Annual Crystal Awards and WEF Cultural Leaders.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

The world appreciates World Economic Forum’s unique heroic profession of improving the state of the world and commends its 2020 Annual Meeting’s theme “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.”

The world trusts that all companies would read and acknowledge the “Davos Manifesto 2020”, which sets forth “The Universal Purpose of a Company in the Fourth Industrial Revolution”.

The world expects that the World Economic Forum 2020 Annual Meeting would set the ball rolling by extensively publicizing forceful recommendations that are balanced, universally acceptable, strategic, holistic, achievable, operational, and friendly.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:08 PM | View the original post

November 18, 2019

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2020 in Davos, Switzerland to focus on 'Defining Stakeholder Capitalism'

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland, 18 November 2019 - The World Economic Forum recently announced the theme and details for its 50th Annual Meeting, to be held 21-24 January 2020, in Davos, Switzerland.

The Meeting’s theme will be ‘Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.’ It will bring together 3,000 participants from around the world, and aim to give concrete meaning to “stakeholder capitalism,” assist governments and international institutions in tracking progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and facilitate discussions on technology and trade governance.

“People are revolting against the economic ‘elites’ they believe have betrayed them. And our efforts to keep global warming limited to 1.5Â°C are falling dangerously short,” said Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman at the World Economic Forum. “With the world at such critical crossroads, this year we must develop a ‘Davos Manifesto 2020’ to reimagine the purpose and scorecards for companies and governments. It is what for which we founded the World Economic Forum 50 years ago, and it is what we want to contribute to for the next 50 years.”

The Programme for the Annual Meeting will prioritize six key areas:

• Ecology: How to mobilize businesses to respond to the risks of climate change and ensure that measures to protect biodiversity reach forest floors and ocean beds.

• Economy: How to remove the long-term debt burden. And how to keep the economy working at a pace that allows higher inclusion.

• Technology: How to create a global consensus on deployment of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and avoid a ‘technology war.’

• Society: How to reskill and upskill, a billion people in the next decade.

• Geopolitics: How the ‘spirit of Davos’ can create bridges to resolve conflicts in global hotspots. Informal meetings to set kickstart conciliation.

• Industry: How to help businesses create the models necessary to drive enterprise in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. And how to navigate an enterprise in a world influenced by politics, driven by exponential technological changes, and increasing expectations from all stakeholders.

The Forum’s first Meeting in 1971 was established to further the idea put forward by Professor Klaus Schwab that business should serve all stakeholders - customers, employees, communities, as well as shareholders.

According to WEF, the 2020 Annual Meeting will be among the “most sustainable international summits ever held.”

“Awarded the IS0 20121 standard for sustainable events in 2018, the Annual Meeting is fully carbon neutral through reducing, calculating and offsetting event-related emissions”, WEF stated.

Meanwhile, Muriel PÃ©nicaud, Minister of Labour of France, and Mark Schneider, Chief Executive Officer of NestlÃ©, Switzerland, will join the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.

“The World Economic Forum, as the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation, is delighted to welcome Muriel PÃ©nicaud and Mark Schneider to its Board of Trustees. We look forward to working together to deliver positive, transformative solutions to our most critical global, regional and industry challenges,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

As of 15 November 2019, the Members of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum are:

Klaus SCHWAB Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum
Peter BRUBECK-LETMATHE Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum
Mukesh AMBANI Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, India
Marc BENIOFF Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA
Mark CARNEY Governor of the Bank of England
Laurence D. FINK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock, Inc.
Chrystia FREELAND Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
Orit GADIESH Chairman, Bain & Company, USA
Fabiola GIANOTTI Director-General, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva
Al GORE Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001); Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management, USA
Herman GREF Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Sberbank, Russian Federation
Angel GURRÃA Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris
AndrÃ© HOFFMANN Non-Executive Vice-Chairman, Roche Holding Ltd., Switzerland
Christine LAGARDE President, European Central Bank (ECB), Frankfurt
Jack MA Alibaba Board of Directors, Alibaba Group, People’s Republic of China
Yo-Yo MA Cellist
Peter MAURER President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Switzerland
Luis MORENO President, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC
Muriel PÃ‰NICAUD Minister of Labour of France
H.M. Queen Rania AL ABDULLAH of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
L. Rafael REIF President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
David M. RUBENSTEIN Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman, Carlyle Group, USA
Mark SCHNEIDER Chief Executive Officer, NestlÃ© SA, Switzerland
Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies of Singapore
Jim Hagemann SNABE Chairman, Supervisory Board, Siemens AG, Germany; Chairman, A.P. MÃ¸ller-Maersk, Denmark
Feike SYBESMA Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Managing Board, Royal DSM, Netherlands
Heizo TAKENAKA Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan (2002-2006)
Min ZHU President, National Institute of Financial Research, People’s Republic of China; Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC (2011-2016)

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:24 AM | View the original post

October 13, 2019

"G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance" Launched to Counter Growing Tensions

Global Smart City Alliance

Photos: The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance launch event in Yokohama, Japan. 11 October 2019.

Yokohama, Japan, 11 October 2019 - Fifteen of the world’s leading city networks and technology governance organizations announced today a new partnership. The “G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance” will create global norms and policy standards for the use of connected devices in public spaces. It is the most significant and most ambitious undertaking to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies on a global level.

Smart city technologies can help decrease traffic congestion, combat crime, improve resilience during natural disasters, and reduce greenhouse emissions. Without proper governance, these technologies pose a significant risk, notably to privacy and security. The Global Smart Cities Alliance will develop, pilot, and collectively implement new global policy standards. It would ensure the safe and ethical use of data collected in public places.

“Our cities stand at a crossroads. Rapid urbanization threatens to paralyze local economies and undermine the quality of life,” said Jeff Merritt, Head of IoT, Robotics, and Smart Cities at the World Economic Forum. “Smart city technologies offer huge promise, but they can be a Pandora’s box. Today’s announcement is a critical first step to accelerate global best practices, mitigate risks, and foster greater openness and public trust regarding the collection of data in public spaces.”

Established in June 2019 in conjunction with the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, the Alliance comprises fifteen of the world’s leading city networks and technology governance organizations. The partners represent more than 200,000 cities and local governments, leading companies, start-ups, research institutions, and civil society organizations. The World Economic Forum serves as the secretariat.

“The advancement of smart cities and communities is critical to realizing Japan’s vision for Society 5.0. It is also essential to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. These challenges include climate change and inclusive economic growth,” said Koichi Akaishi, Vice Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. “The Government of Japan is proud to have championed this initiative as part of our G20 presidency. We hope that cities will pledge support for the Alliance and participate in its activities to cooperate and form shared global principles in the future.”

Working together with municipal, regional, and national governments, private-sector partners, and city residents, the Global Smart Cities Alliance, has committed to co-design and roll out a first-of-its-kind global policy framework on smart city technologies in advance of the 2020 G20 Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The first policy design workshops with city leaders will take place in conjunction with the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, in November.

• The Global Smart Cities Alliance’s founding set of institutional partners include:

The presidents and host nations of the Group of 20 (G20) in 2019 and 2020;
Japan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
The Smart City Mission of India;
Cities for All;
Cities Today Institute;
Commonwealth Local Government Forum;
Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network;
Connected Places Catapult;
Digital Future Society;
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability;
International Telecommunication Union;
Open and Agile Smart Cities;
Smart City Expo World Congress;
United Cities and Local Governments;
What Works Cities;
World Economic Forum; and
World Enabled.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:16 PM | View the original post

October 9, 2019

World Economic Forum publishes Global Competitiveness Report 2019

World Economic Forum

Geneva, Switzerland, 9 October 2019 - Ten years on from the global financial crisis, the global economy remains locked in a cycle of low or flat productivity growth despite the injection of more than $10 trillion by central banks. While these unprecedented measures were successful in averting a deeper recession, they are not enough to catalyze the allocation of resources towards productivity-enhancing investments in the private and public sectors. The Global Competitiveness Report 2019, published today, points to the path forward.

The Report, launched in 1979, provides an annual assessment of the drivers of productivity and long-term economic growth. The World Economic Forum prepares the Report on the bases of the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), which maps the competitiveness landscape of 141 economies through 103 indicators organized into 12 pillars. These pillars are Institutions; Infrastructure; ICT adoption; Macroeconomic stability; Health; Skills; Product market; Labour market; Financial system; Market size; Business dynamism; and Innovation capability. For each indicator, the index uses a scale from 0 to 100, and the final score shows how close an economy is to the ideal state or “frontier” of competitiveness.

With a score of 84.8 (+1.3), Singapore is the world’s most competitive economy in 2019. The United States remains the most competitive large economy in the world, coming in at a second place. Hong Kong SAR (3rd), Netherlands (4th), and Switzerland (5th) round up the top five. The average across the 141 economies covered is 61 points, almost 40 points to the frontier. This global competitiveness gap is of even more concern as the global economy faces the prospect of a downturn. The changing geopolitical context and rising trade tensions are fuelling uncertainty and could precipitate a slowdown. However, some of this year’s better performers in the GCI appear to be benefiting from the trade feud through trade diversion, including Singapore (1st) and Viet Nam (67th), the most improved country in this year’s index.

The report documents emerging areas of promising policies, reforms, and incentives to build more sustainable and inclusive economies. The Report recommends a transition to a greener economy and suggests four critical areas of action: engage in openness and international collaboration, update carbon taxes and subsidies, create incentives for R&D, and implement green public procurement.

The Report also recommends: increase equality of opportunity, encourage fair competition, update tax systems, modernize social protection measures, and foster competitiveness-enhancing investments.

The United States (2nd overall) is the leader in Europe and North America. The United States remains an innovation powerhouse, ranking 1st on the Business dynamism pillar and 2nd on Innovation capability. The Netherlands (4th), Switzerland (5th), Germany (7th), Sweden (8th), the United Kingdom (9th), and Denmark (10th) follow the USA. Among other large economies in the region, Canada is 14th, France 15th, Spain 23rd, and Italy 30th. The most improved country is Croatia (63rd).

In South Asia, India, in 68th position, loses ground in the rankings despite a relatively stable score, mostly due to faster improvements of several countries previously ranked lower. Sri Lanka (84th), Bangladesh (105th), Nepal (108th), and Pakistan (110th) follow India.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:05 PM | View the original post

October 3, 2019

US-India Trade "Surging" Amid Torrid Times, Global Leaders Tell World Economic Forum's India Economic Summit 2019

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sania Mirza, Sportsperson and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia, India; Cultural Leader, speaking during the Session “Opening Plenary” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development, and Textiles, India, speaking during the Session “Inspiring LeadHers, Aspiring Outcomes” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sarah Zhang Jiachen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Guangzhishu, speaking during the Session “India’s Tech Leap” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Devina Gupta, Anchor, BBC World News, India, speaking during the Session “India’s Tech Leap” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Pritika Mehta, Global Shaper, Chandigarh Hub, India, speaking during the Session “India’s Tech Leap” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hindol Sengupta, Editor-at-Large, Fortune India; Young Global Leader, speaking during the Session “Depopularizing Populism” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor, and Deputy Resident Editor, The Hindu, India, speaking during the Session “The Infrastructure Enigma” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Vani Kola, Founder, and Managing Director, Kalaari Capital, India, speaking during the Session “Bigger, Faster, Better?” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 03 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Amishi Parasrampuria, Global Shaper, Mumbai Hub, India, speaking during the Session “Maxing Out Consumption” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 04 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Suvir Saran, Chef, and Author, India; Cultural Leader, speaking during the Session “Connecting Cultures” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 04 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, speaking during the Session “An Insight, An Idea with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar” at the India Economic Summit 2019 in New Delhi, India. 04 October 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

New Delhi, India, 03 October 2019 - Leaders from the world’s two largest and oldest democracies played down talk of “torrid times” over trade at the opening day of the 2019 India Economic Summit in Delhi. Instead, they noted that relations between the two nations are robust and on the up.

“The torrid times in our relations could also be a torrid love affair,” declared Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of Railways of India, at the summit. “Relations between the Indian government and the US government, at our level and the people-to-people level, are better than ever before.”

Goyal noted that trade between India and the US is robust and growing. It is happening amid rising trade tensions between China and the United States and the ripple effect of that on the global economy.

Goyal said, in the last year, imports from the US to India have grown 30%, while exports from India to the US have increased by 20%.

Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce of the United States, responded to the criticism that no trade deal resulted from a meeting in September between India and the US. Ross said he saw no reason why we could not reach one soon.

“Neither government said there would a trade deal in five minutes,” he noted. “I think that was just speculation. We do think there is no fundamental reason why there can’t be one pretty quickly.” “Now that the election is over, and Prime Minister Modi has a strong position in the parliament, it should be a lot easier to take decisive action,” he said.

The relationship between India and the US has the potential to be one of the greatest of the 21st century, but global leaders speaking at the summit acknowledged there would be challenges ahead. India has an important role to play in the geopolitics of the region, and that positioning will inevitably lead to a sensitive question as to how to develop its relationship with China.

“India will have to decide for themselves their relationship with China in a larger context. India and China are trading partners, they are neighbors, and they have a huge population,” said Sunil Bharti Mittal. Mittal is Chairman of Bharti Enterprises. “India will take this advice carefully, but a decision will have to be taken critically by India,” he said. “My view is they should be in play.”

With US companies being encouraged to shift manufacturing outside China, there is an opportunity for a fundamental recasting of global supply chains. Indian industry is ready to take on the challenge to increase its competitiveness, said Vikram Kirloskar. Kirloskar is President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Vice-Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

“Over the last 20 years, we have become part of the global supply chain. To a large extent, a lot of the automotive components we are exporting are fairly competitive now,” said Kirloskar. “I think we are ready to increase capacity more, and we need the domestic market to increase as well as exports. For us, regional cooperation is also crucial.”

The World Economic Forum’s 33rd India Economic Summit is taking place in New Delhi from 3-4 October under the theme “Innovating for India: Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World.” The two-day meeting will convene more than 800 leaders from the government, the private sector, academia, and civil society. The aim is to accelerate the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies throughout South Asia and make the most of the region’s distinctive demographic dividends.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:25 PM | View the original post

August 10, 2019

The World Economic Forum will host the 2019 India Economic Summit in New Delhi from 3 to 4 October.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Dalian International Conference Centre before the start of the World Economic Forum - Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People’s Republic of China 2019. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle. [File Photo]

World Economic Forum

Photo: Zhang Lu, Founding and Managing Partner, Fusion Fund, USA; Young Global Leader, captured during the Session “How China Shapes the Future of Finance” at the World Economic Forum - Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, 1 July 2019. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary. [File Photo]

Geneva, Switzerland, 9 August 2019 - The World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will host this year’s India Economic Summit in New Delhi from 3 to 4 October.

The World Economic Forum would conduct the summit under the theme “Innovating for India: Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World.” The summit will build on its more than three decades of success and explore some of the critical issues facing the region.

Participants will discuss improving technology governance, developing infrastructure, ensuring job creation and skill development, advancing environmental sustainability, and ensuring equitable and inclusive growth for all.

The India Economic Summit will welcome over 800 participants from business, politics, academia, civil society, international organizations, arts and culture, media and members of the Forum’s communities, including Social Entrepreneurs, Global Shapers and Young Global Leaders.

The summit will address strategic issues of regional significance under four thematic pillars:

• The International Affairs Reality - Geopolitical shifts and the complexity of our global system

• The New Social System - Inequality, inclusive growth, health and nutrition

• The New Ecological System - Environment, pollution, and climate change

• The New Technological System - The Fourth Industrial Revolution, science, and innovation and entrepreneurship

“This year marks 35 years of our engagement in India,” said Viraj Mehta, World Economic Forum’s Head of Regional Agenda, India and South Asia.

Mr. Mehta disclosed that the summit would hear the government’s vision of making India a $5 trillion economy. The summit will also focus on South Asia and ASEAN. It would discuss how the two regions can enhance economic collaboration and bring the global best practices to the area.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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June 18, 2019

United Nations and the World Economic Forum Sign Strategic Partnership Framework

United Nations, World Economic Forum

Photo: Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, signs the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the World Economic Forum on the Strategic Partnership Framework for the 2030 Agenda. 13 June 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Manuel Elias.

United Nations, World Economic Forum

Photo: Preparing for a live reporting from the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 22 January 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico. [File Photo]

United Nations, World Economic Forum

Photo: Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 22 January 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Walter Duerst. [File Photo]

United Nations, World Economic Forum,

Photo: Hanzade Dogan Boyner, Chairwoman, Hepsiburada, Turkey, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 22 January 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Christian Clavadetscher. [File Photo]

New York, USA, 18 June 2019 - The World Economic Forum and the United Nations have just signed a Strategic Partnership Framework outlining areas of cooperation to deepen institutional engagement and jointly accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Framework was drafted based on a mapping of the existing collaboration between the two institutions. It would enable a more strategic and coordinated approach towards delivering impact.

The UN-Forum Partnership was signed in a meeting held at United Nations headquarters between UN Secretary-General AntÃ³nio Guterres and World Economic Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab.

“Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals is essential for the future of humanity. The World Economic Forum is committed to supporting this effort, and working with the United Nations to build a more prosperous and equitable future,” said Schwab.

“The new Strategic Partnership Framework between the United Nations and the World Economic Forum has great potential to advance our efforts on critical global challenges and opportunities, from climate change, health and education to gender equality, digital cooperation and financing for sustainable development. Rooted in UN norms and values, the Framework underscores the invaluable role of the private sector in this work - and points the way toward action to generate shared prosperity on a healthy planet while leaving no one behind,” said Guterres.

The Strategic Partnership Framework will focus on the following areas:

• Financing the 2030 Agenda - Mobilize systems and accelerate finance flows toward the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, taking forward solutions to increase long-term SDG investments.

• Climate Change - Achieve clear, measurable, and public commitments from the private sector to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Help create public-private platforms in critical high-emitting areas and scale up the services required to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

• Health - Support countries achieve good health and well-being for all, within the context of the 2030 Agenda, focusing on significant emerging global health threats that require stronger multistakeholder partnership and action.

• Digital Cooperation - Meet the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution while seeking to advance global analysis, dialogue, and standards for digital governance and digital inclusiveness.

• Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - Foster partnerships and coalitions at all levels for full participation and equal opportunities of women . Promote equal pay to women for work of fair value across sectors and occupations as well as within them.

• Education and Skills - Promote public-private partnerships to address global reskilling and lifelong learning for the future requirements for work, and empower youth with competencies for life and decent work.

The leadership across the United Nations will engage in and utilize the different platforms provided by the World Economic Forum to advance impact in the above areas. Both institutions will annually review the partnership to streamline collaboration further, take stock of results, and identify additional areas to invest in efforts jointly.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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January 25, 2019

UN Secretary-General: Fragmented Response to Global Risk a ‘Recipe For Disaster’

World Economic Forum

Photo: Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York, captured during the Session “Special Address by AntÃ³nio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations” at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 24, 2019. Congress Centre - Congress Hall. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary.

World Economic Forum

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January 2019. — “If I have to select one sentence to describe the state of the world, I would say we are in a world in which global challenges are more integrated, and the responses are more and more fragmented. If these are not reversed, it is a recipe for disaster,” warned UN Secretary-General AntÃ³nio Guterres in his address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting today.

Outlining the current risk landscape, one characterized by the megatrends of climate change, migration, digitalization, and protracted conflict, the UN Secretary-General identified climate change as the most critical systemic threat soon and one, he said, “we are losing the race on.”

“Climate change is running faster than we are and we have this paradox,” Guterres observed, “The reality is proving to be worse than what scientists foresaw, and all the large indicators show that, and we are moving dramatically into runaway climate change if we are not able to stop it.”

Pointing to growing complexity in the international community and global trade, Guterres argued that, geopolitically, the world is in a state of turbulent flux. “We no longer live in a bipolar or unipolar world, but we are not yet in a multipolar world; we are in a kind of chaotic situation of transition,” he told political, and business leaders gathered in Davos. “The relationship between the three most important powers, Russia, the US and China, has never been as dysfunctional as it is today and this is true for the economy, and also true in the paralysis of the UN Security Council.”

To address the complexity and interconnectedness of the myriad risks ahead, the real frustrations of the “rust belts of the world” and a trend of “illiberal democracies,” the UN head advocated only one approach. “I am a multilateralist; I am deeply convinced there is no other way to deal with global problems but with global responses. It is also not enough to vilify those that disagree and call them nationalists or populists,” he stressed: “We need to understand the root causes of why large sectors of the population in different parts of the world today disagree with us - and we need to address those root causes and show these people that we care for them.”

Tackling global crises - from combating climate change to developing a set of rules on the “weaponization of AI” - cannot be achieved by any one country, but should be addressed collectively by governments, the private sector, civil society, and academia urged Guterres.

Representing an organization of 100 million people, operating in 40 countries and mobilizing some $15 billion, Guterres said that, in 2019, the UN will be pushing for a surge in diplomacy for peace in some of the world’s hotspots - including Yemen, Syria and South Sudan - and higher spending on mitigating climate change. As part of bureaucratic reform, he added that the UN expects to achieve internal gender parity by 2028.

Turning to the disruptive and transformative impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Guterres suggested engaging more financial institutions to invest in developing countries and promote social and green bonds, dealing with the massive restructuring of the labor force and redesigning our education systems.

“We need to mobilize governments, the business community and civil society to understand what kind of impact the Fourth Industrial Revolution is going to have in the next decade and what kind of measures can we start taking, such as in education,” he mused. “It doesn’t matter how many things you learn but how you learn to learn because you will be doing many different things.”

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting brings together more than 3,000 global leaders from politics, government, civil society, academia, the arts, and culture as well as the media. It engages some 50 heads of state and government, more than 300 ministerial-level government participants, and business representation at the chief executive officer and chair level. Convening under the theme, Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, participants are focusing on new models for building sustainable and inclusive societies in a plurilateral world.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.Com|

There is a contradiction in the world today: global challenges are interlinked, but our response is fragmented. We need more integrated global action to repair broken trust and uphold dignity for all. My intervention at #WEF19 with @borgebrende: https://t.co/1n8s9FB1do pic.twitter.com/Q3Xo79XJOm
— AntÃ³nio Guterres (@antonioguterres) January 24, 2019

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January 22, 2019

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and Jane Goodall at Open Forum in Davos

World Economic Forum

Photo: The Forums Logo is seen in this Picture taken at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 20, 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January 2019 - Sessions on escaping extinction and tackling plastic pollution plus the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s special screening of the documentary, The Price of Free, which portrays the rescue of 80,000 child factory workers in India, are among the events open to the public, on a first come, first served basis at the Open Forum Davos 2019.

Fareed Zakaria, the host of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, will be joined in conversation with Jane Goodall during which they will discuss her life’s journey through the world’s last forests and her work with great apes, humanity’s closest relatives.

The extreme swimmer from Davos, Ernst Bromeis, will discuss his journeys across the waters of Europe and what it takes to protect our planet’s most important resource. There will also be an exceptional performance and dialogue with a quartet of the Sphinx Virtuosi chamber orchestra, which comprises some of the most talented young African-American and Latino soloists in the United States, highlighting how increasing diversity in classical music benefits everyone.

The Open Forum Davos, now in its 17th year and with a fresh new look, will open its doors to the public from 22 to 25 January in Davos, Switzerland. Leading personalities from business, government, academia, and civil society, as well as young people, will discuss and interact with the Swiss public on critical - and, at times, controversial - subjects, opening a unique window onto the most challenging debates of our time.

Panelists at this year’s Open Forum Davos comprise public figures, chief executive officers, representatives from civil society, experts and academics from Switzerland and around the world, including:

Â· Jane Goodall, Founder, Jane Goodall Institute

Â· Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, New York

Â· Marco Lambertini, Director-General, WWF International

Â· Denis Mukwege, Founder, Panzi Hospital and Foundation

Â· Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad

Â· Kailash Satyarthi, Founder, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation

Â· Pascale Baeriswyl, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland

Â· Heather Koldewey, Fellow, National Geographic Society

Â· Ernst Bromeis, Water Ambassador, The Blue Miracle

Â· Marietje Schaake, Member of the European Parliament, European Union

Â· Roger KÃ¶ppel, Member of the National Council, Swiss Parliament

Â· Ricken Patel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Avaaz.org

Â· Rachel Haas, Managing Director, NO MORE

Â· Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education and Research and Innovation of Switzerland

Â· Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences of the United Arab Emirates

Â· Laurie Santos, Professor of Psychology; Head, Silliman College, Yale University

Â· Karan Johar, Head, Dharma Productions, Mumbai

Â· Cristiana Pasca Palmer, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

Â· Jeremy Farrar, Director, Wellcome Trust

Open Forum Programme

Tuesday 22 January

09.00 - 10.00 Water for Life

12.30 - 14.00 Plastic Pollution: An End in Sight?

18.30 - 20.00 Averting “Peak Europe”

Wednesday 23 January

09.00 - 10.30 Escaping Extinction

13.00 - 14.00 An Insight, An Idea with Jane Goodall

18.30 - 20.00 Violence against Women

Thursday 24 January

09:00 - 10:00 An Encounter with the Sphinx Virtuosi

12.30 - 14.00 Loneliness: An Epidemic?

18.30 - 20.00 The Price of Free

Friday 25 January

09.00 - 10.30 Bridging Science with Society

The Open Forum will be held at the Swiss Alpine Mittelschule, Guggerbachstrasse 3, Davos Platz, Switzerland.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.Com|

These are the world's 20 most dynamic cities https://t.co/CoL2xODxG4 #society #future #wef19 pic.twitter.com/nmqdRUzFzR
— World Economic Forum (@wef) January 21, 2019

Meet the Co-Chairs of Davos 2019 @akirakakapo @satyanadella @JuanDavidAristi @NouraBerrouba @JuliaLuscombe https://t.co/cWfEnddkSI #wef19 pic.twitter.com/4h184MH8Gc
— World Economic Forum (@wef) January 21, 2019

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January 23, 2018

Pope Tells Participants Human-Centric Economy Is ‘A Moral Imperative’ as 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Gets Underway in Davos, Switzerland

World Economic Forum

Photo: Cate Blanchett, Goodwill Ambassador, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), London, and Shah Rukh Khan, Actor, Red Chillies Entertainment, India, after the “The 24th Annual Crystal Awards Ceremony” at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, speaking during the Opening Plenary at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Manuel Lopez.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hao Jingfang, Writer, China Development Research Foundation, People’s Republic of China, captured during the Session “The Power of Economic Narratives” at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Sikarin Thanachaiary.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Dina Katabi, Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, speaking during the Session “Intelligent Cyber-Physical Systems for Health with Massachusetts Institute of Technology” at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 25, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Hanzade Dogan Boyner, Chairwoman, Hepsiburada, Turkey, speaking during the Session: Online Consumer Marketplaces, at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 25, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Walter Duerst.

Geneva, Switzerland, 23 January 2018 - His Holiness Pope Francis helped open the 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting with a special message, passionately calling on participants to overcome fragmentation between states and institutions and work together to facilitate more inclusive approaches in an increasingly globalized world.

In a speech delivered by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Pope Francis said: “It is vital to safeguard the dignity of the human person, in particular by offering to all people real opportunities for integral human development and by implementing economic policies that favour the family.”

Echoing the theme of the meeting, Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World, the Pope said, “The entrepreneurial world has enormous potential to effect substantial change by increasing the quality of productivity, creating new jobs, respecting labour laws, fighting against … corruption and promoting social justice.” He continued, “If we want a more secure future, one that encourages the prosperity of all, then it is necessary to keep the compass continually oriented towards ‘true north’,” represented by authentic values.

The World Economic Forum’s 48th Annual Meeting opens today in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. More than 3,000 leaders from around the world are gathering in a collaborative effort to shape the global, regional and industry agendas, with a commitment to improve the state of the world. The meeting brings together governments, international organizations, business, civil society, cultural leaders, media, experts and the young generation, at the highest level and in representative ways.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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January 20, 2017

Preparing for Fourth Industrial Revolution Requires Deeper Commitments to Education

World Economic Forum

Photo: Interaction during the session: Davos Insights: Strengthening Systems for Global Collaboration, at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle.

World Economic Forum

Photo: The New Lead Characters. Karan Johar, Head, Dharma Productions, India, at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 17, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Jakob Polacsek.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Ask About: The Psychology of Populism. Molly Crockett, Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 17, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Sikarin Thanachaiary.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Mukesh D. Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, India, “Preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution” Session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 17, 2017. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico.

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland - January 20, 2017 — The accelerating pace of change driven by emerging technologies threatens to create wider income and opportunity gaps, warned business and technology leaders in a session on preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the opening day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. “We are at a point where it is possible that technological development can accelerate and increase digital refugees,” warned Marc R. Benioff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Salesforce in the US. Added Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer of Infosys in the US: “We have to put in an extra effort so that we don’t create a bigger society of have-nots. That means a deep commitment to education and to addressing the displacements.”

The key to preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution lies in the technologies themselves, argued Mukesh D. Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries in India. “These technologies really are all-inclusive and will benefit all. In a sense they are great equalizers.” The rapid growth of e-commerce and digital cash in India is an example, he observed. “And the fastest way to transmit education in a big country like India is through technology.” Making these technologies inclusive will require designing them so that they benefit everybody and not just a few, Sikka said. “That requires empathy. I’ve always wondered why every company isn’t a technology company.”

Focusing on education and promoting innovation are not new solutions to the challenges of inequality and marginalization. “Education and entrepreneurship are the answers,” Sikka stressed. “We just haven’t been doing enough of it.” And what is required are fresh approaches or new models shaped through debate and collaboration among all stakeholders, Benioff said. He proposed that CEOs each adopt a public school. For initiatives to be effective will require building trust and articulating a vision, explained Mary Barra, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Company in the US. “You need to be incredibly transparent for people to have trust.”

To prepare for the disruptions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, leaders will require radar to pick up on displacement and discontent and a compass to set the values and vision needed to succeed, Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford in the UK, told participants. To weather the challenges will require more collaboration among countries, said Shu Yinbiao, Chairman of the State Grid Corporation of China. “Globalization is inevitable and is good for the development of the global economy. We will need more international cooperation.”

The 47th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is taking place on 17-20 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, under the theme Responsive and Responsible Leadership. More than 3,000 participants from nearly 100 countries are participating in over 400 sessions.

The Co-Chairs taking a principal role in shaping the discussion at the meeting are:

Frans van Houten, President and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Philips, Netherlands.
Brian Moynihan, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of America Corporation, USA.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Documentary Filmmaker, SOC Films, Pakistan.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children International, United Kingdom.
Meg Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, USA.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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January 23, 2016

World Economic Forum Announces New Board of Trustees

World Economic Forum

Photo: The WEF Logo is seen in the congress centre during the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Michael Buholzer.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Congress Centre before the Opening of the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 14, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Andy Mettler.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Raghuram G. Rajan, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, speaks during the televised session ‘The Growth Illusion’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Monika Flueckiger.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Saadia Zahidi, Head of Employment and Gender Initiatives, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum, is captured during the session ‘The Gender Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Jolanda Flubacher.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief, Huffington Post Media Group, USA, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum

Photo: H.M. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance, is captured during the session ‘Fostering Financial Inclusion’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Michael Buholzer.

World Economic Forum

Photo: A musician is captured during the open forum workshop ‘Making Music across Borders with Yo-Yo Ma’ during the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Monika Flueckiger.

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January 2016 - The Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum yesterday elected Jim Yong Kim, President, The World Bank, Washington DC; and Marc R. Benioff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA, as its new members.

As of 22 January 2016, the Members of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum are:

Klaus SCHWAB, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Patrick AEBISCHER, President, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne, Switzerland
H.M. Queen Rania AL ABDULLAH of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Mukesh AMBANI, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, India
Marc R. BENIOFF, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA
Peter BRABECK-LETMATHE, Chairman of the Board, Nestle, Switzerland
Mark CARNEY, Chairman, Financial Stability Board; Governor of the Bank of England
Katherine GARRETT-COX, CBE, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance Trust Plc, United Kingdom
Orit GADIESH, Chairman, Bain & Company, USA
Al GORE, Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001); Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management, USA
Herman GREF, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Sberbank, Russian Federation
Angel GURRÃA, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris
Susan HOCKFIELD, President Emerita and Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
Jim Yong KIM, President, The World Bank, Washington DC
Klaus KLEINFELD, Chairman and Chief Executive, Alcoa Inc., USA
Christine LAGARDE, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC
Jack MA, Executive Chairman, Alibaba Group, People’s Republic of China
Peter MAURER, President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Switzerland
Luis MORENO, President, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC
Indra NOOYI, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo, USA
Joe SCHOENDORF, Venture Partner, Accel Partners, USA
Jim Hagemann SNABE, Member of the Board, SAP AG, Siemens AG, Allianz SE, Germany
Heizo TAKENAKA, Director, Global Security Research Institute, Keio University, Japan; Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan (2002-2006)
George YEO, Chancellor, Nalanda University; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore (2004-2011)
Min ZHU, Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC

Over 2,500 leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, academia, media and the arts are participating in the 46th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 20-23 January, 2016.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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January 29, 2015

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015 Ends

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: A participant checks her smartphone during the opening day at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Valeriano DiDomenico.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Pedro Sander, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, captured during the session “Merging Virtual and Physical Worlds” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Construction Company, India, captured during the session “Forum Debate The Bottom Line” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Asher Hasan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Naya Jeevan, Pakistan; Social Entrepreneur, captured during the session “Designing Out Poverty” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Kurt Tidd, Vice-Admiral, Departement of Defence, USA, makes a statement during the session “The Future of the Military” at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Valeriano DiDomenico.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Julia Novy-Hildesley, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Resilience in Action, USA, captured during the session “Thinking Ahead with the New Champions” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has ended with a debate on the Global Agenda 2015. The session closed a week-long meeting on the world’s most pressing issues and long-term challenges, including inequality and climate change.

The meeting created momentum for the Forum’s regional agendas, thanks to strong representation from governments and business leaders from emerging markets, including Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey and South Africa, in addition to those from Brazil, Russia, India and China.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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January 24, 2014

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014: Business Leaders Urge Policy Changes to Restore Trust

Photo: The logo of the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum is seen at the congress centre in Davos, January 20, 2014. The Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum is taking place from January 22 to 25, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hager/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Aerial view of the congress center of Davos/Switzerland where the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014 is taking place, January 22 - 25, 2014. (Archive photo from 2012). Photo © Andy Mettler/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Queen Mathilde of Belgium is seen in the audience of the session ‘Is Europe Back?’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Remy Steinegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Participants are captured in the congress centre during the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Urs Jaudas/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Angelica Fuentes, Chief Executive Officer, Omnilife-Angelissima-Chivas Group, Mexico; Global Agenda Council on Women’s Empowerment, makes a point during the session ‘Making Gains on Gender Goals’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Christof Sonderegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Rola A. Dashti, Minister of Planning and Development and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs of Kuwait (2012-2014) listens to the statement of another participant during the session ‘The Arab World Context’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Michael Buholzer/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Anat Admati, George G. C. Parker Professor of Finance and Economics, Stanford Graduate School of Business, USA; Global Agenda Council on New Economic Thinking, is seen during the session ‘Forum Debate: Are Markets Safer Now?’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Jolanda Flubacher/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan talks to the audience during the session ‘The Reshaping of the World: Vision from Japan’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hager/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Kamal Nath, Minister of Urban Development and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of India speaks during the session ‘The Infrastructure Imperative’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 23, 2014. Photo © Remy Steinegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Espen Barth Eide, Managing Director and Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum, listens to the speech of Benjamin Netanyahu during the plenary session ‘Israel’s Economic and Political Outlook’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the Congress Centre in Davos, January 23, 2014. Photo © Jolanda Flubacher/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Members discuss during the arrival day of the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 21, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hager/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Tea Tasting. Feature of the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hager/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: A participant of in the audience speaks into the microphone during the open forum ‘Higher Education - Investment or Waste?’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the Swiss Alpine School (SAMD) in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Christof Sonderegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Glenn H. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Silver Lake, USA, listens during the session ‘Securing US Competitiveness’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 24, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hage/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Andrew R. Sorkin, Columnist, The New York Times, USA, Young Global Leader Alumnus, moderates the session ‘Securing US Competitiveness’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 24, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hage/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, addresses the participants during the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 24, 2014. Photo © Urs Jaudas/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Richard J. Davidson, William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, is captured during the dinner session ‘The Neuroscience of Leadership’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the Hotel Meierhof in Davos, January 22, 2014. Photo © Jolanda Flubacher/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance, London Business School, United Kingdom, makes a point during the session ‘Making Better Decisions’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 23, 2014. Photo © Christof Sonderegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Eldar Shafir, William Stewart Tod Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs, Princeton University, USA, during the session ‘Making Better Decisions’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 23, 2014. Photo © Christof Sonderegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Marissa Mayer, Chief Executive Officer, Yahoo, USA, Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014, Young Global Leader, speaks during the session ‘Collaborate to Innovate’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 24, 2014. Photo © Moritz Hager/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Caroline Ghosn, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Levo, USA, Global Shaper, is seen during the workshop ‘Learning from Leading Cities’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 23, 2014. Photo © Jolanda Flubacher/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Neil Gershenfeld, Director, The Center for Bits and Atoms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, gestures while speaking during the session ‘From Waste to Wealth’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 25, 2014. Photo © Remy Steinegger/World Economic Forum.

Photo: Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board, Facebook, USA, Young Global Leader Alumnus, gestures while speaking during the session ‘Gender-driven Growth’ at the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 25, 2014. Photo © Remy Steinegger/World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: View to Davos at the last day of the Annual Meeting 2014 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, January 25, 2014. Photo © Urs Jaudas/World Economic Forum.

Business leaders gathered in Davos for the 44th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting called for government policy changes to restore trust between governments, business, and civil society.

• The Annual Meeting is taking place from 22 to 25 January under the theme The reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business. Participating this year are more than 2,500 participants from 100 countries, including 300 public figures, 1,500 business leaders and representatives from civil society, academia, the media and the arts.

“We must change the dialogue from what we do with the money we make to how we make the money,” Indra Nooyi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo, USA, said. “There is an ethical way to run a company and be profitable.” Companies should select board members that understand the importance of sustainable growth, and chief executive officers (CEOs) should inculcate long-term vision in the rising generation of corporate leaders, so policy changes last beyond a single CEO’s tenure. Companies should hire and source locally to encourage job creation and build a larger consumer market.

The business leaders called for corporations to use their influence on business schools to shift business education away from its emphasis on short-term profits. Business schools should teach case studies of companies such as Kodak and Enron that collapsed because of their failures to invest in the long term or manage their businesses ethically. CEOs must remember that short-term investors may be well-organized and vocal, but they do not represent the companies’ true stakeholders. “Many shareholders depend on a company’s long-term performance,” Nooyi said.

The Co-Chairs of the Annual Meeting 2014 are:

• Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Nigeria;

• Kris Gopalakrishnan, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); Vice-Chairman, Infosys, India;

• Jiang Jianqing, Chairman of the Board, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, People’s Republic of China;

• Joseph Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer, Novartis, Switzerland;

• Christophe de Margerie, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Total, France;

• Marissa Mayer, Chief Executive Officer, Yahoo, USA, and

• Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation, USA.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:36 AM | View the original post

January 26, 2013

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: The Logo of the World Economic Forum is seen at the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2013 in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2013. (Photo © Remy Steinegger/World Economic Forum).

World Economic Forum, Global Giants

Photo: Aerial view of the alpine city Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013 is taking place January 23 - 27, 2013. (Photo © Andy Mettler/World Economic Forum).

World

Photo: Ulrike M. Malmendier, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, and Professor of Finance, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, USA, gives a speech during the session ‘From Tribalism to Globalism: The Evolution of Human Cooperation’ at the Annual Meeting 2013 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2013. (Photo © Mirko Ries/World Economic Forum).

The 43rd World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is taking place from 23 to 27 January under the theme Resilient Dynamism. More than 2,500 participants from over 100 countries are taking part in the Meeting. Participants include nearly 50 heads of state or government and more than 1,500 business leaders from the Forum’s 1,000 Member companies, as well as Social Entrepreneurs, Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders and representatives from civil society, media, academia and the arts.

Speaking at the Annual Meeting, Shimon Peres, President of Israel, said the world is becoming ungovernable. “Governments have found themselves unemployed because the economy has become global while governments remain national,” he said.

Peres described his view that global companies are replacing the role of governments. “Forty global companies have more fortune than all the governments in the world,” he pointed out.

The co-chairs of Annual Meeting 2013 are: Frederico Curado, President and Chief Executive Officer, EMBRAER, Brazil; Muhtar A. Kent, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, USA; Huguette Labelle, Chair, Transparency International, Germany; Global Agenda Council on Responsible Mineral Resources Management; Andrew N. Liveris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Dow Chemical Company, USA; Atsutoshi Nishida, Chairman of the Board, Toshiba Corporation, Japan; and Axel A. Weber, Chairman of the Board of Directors, UBS, Switzerland.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“Which is the best government? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:02 AM | View the original post

September 12, 2012

Universities Need to Reform to Reflect Changing Job Market and Skills Needed

• Universities need to do a better job of cooperating with the corporate world to better prepare students for their careers.

• Young workers are changing companies, forcing companies to adapt.

• An MBA should be carefully considered, as it is not always beneficial.

International Brands

Photo: Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Director, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, Yale University, USA; World Economic Forum Foundation Board Member; Global Agenda Council on Institutional Governance Systems at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China 2012 (© World Economic Forum).

International Brands

Photo: Rajeev Bhargava, Director and Senior Fellow, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, University of Delhi, India, at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China 2012 (© World Economic Forum).

International Brands

Photo: Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Prime Minister of Denmark at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China 2012 (© World Economic Forum).

As the labour market rapidly changes, universities need to play a stronger role in preparing graduates for life in the workplace, according to a panel on talent development on the second day of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of New Champions 2012 at Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, 12 September 2012.

“There is a mismatch between where talent is and where it’s needed,” Mark Du Ree, Regional Head, Japan and Asia, and Member of the Executive Committee, Adecco Group, Japan, told participants. “We have very good students who have a great academic career, but we seem to have a disconnect between what’s needed in a corporation and the skills brought to the table.”

N. V. (Tiger) Tyagarajan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Genpact, India, agreed that training the next generation of workers to cope in fast-paced and quickly changing environments is key. He said graduates frequently lack the skills necessary to succeed.

Du Ree added that some universities employ professors or instructors from the corporate world, but many are staffed solely by academics. “What we need to do is have more corporate cooperation with the academics,” he said, noting that young people need to be better prepared. “How can we get academics to spend time in the real world - in the working world - so they know what they’re talking about?” he asked.

Matching talent with demand is another challenge. Ronald Bruder, Founder and Chair, Education For Employment (EFE), USA, a Social Entrepreneur, said that his organization works with employers to find and train talent that meets their needs.

Kevin Taylor, President, Asia-Pacific, BT, Hong Kong SAR, said young workers are also changing the nature of companies. He said young workers are not interested in working seven days a week, or staying up into the early hours of the morning to get their work done. His company has 20,000 employees working from home in the United Kingdom alone. “It’s great,” he said. “The desktop is dead.” He said workers now get their work done anywhere, at any time. According to Taylor, the future will not be how young workers adapt to companies, but how companies can adapt to the working habits and ideals of young workers.

The panellists also tended to agree that an MBA is not as useful as it is perceived to be. Taylor encouraged new graduates to get job experience first, and then pursue an MBA later if it aligns with their career aspirations. Du Ree said he originally planned to pursue his MBA, but, “after working for a few years and finding my passion, I realized I didn’t need it anymore.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:38 AM | View the original post

September 7, 2012

World Economic Forum releases The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013

• Competitiveness gap widening among European countries

• US remains world’s innovation powerhouse despite decline in overall ranking

• People’s Republic of China most competitive among large emerging markets; India, Russia fall

Global Giants World Economic Forum

Photo: Aerial view of the congress center of Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 took place January 25 - 29, 2012 (© World Economic Forum/Andy Mettler).

Switzerland, for the fourth consecutive year, tops the overall rankings in The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013, released by the World Economic Forum.

Singapore remains in second position and Finland in third position, overtaking Sweden (4th). These and other Northern and Western European countries dominate the top 10 with the Netherlands (5th), Germany (6th) and United Kingdom (8th). The United States (7th), Hong Kong (9th) and Japan (10th) complete the ranking of the top 10 most competitive economies.

Global Giants World Economic Forum

The large emerging market economies (BRICS) display different performances. Despite a slight decline in the rankings of three places, the People’s Republic of China (29th) continues to lead the group. Of the others, only Brazil (48th) moves up this year, with South Africa (52nd), India (59th) and Russia (67th) experiencing small declines in rankings.

Despite growing its overall competitiveness score, the United States continues its decline for the fourth year in a row, falling two more places to seventh position. According to the report, in addition to the burgeoning macroeconomic vulnerabilities, some aspects of the country’s institutional environment continue to raise concern among business leaders, particularly the low public trust in politicians and a perceived lack of government efficiency. On a more positive note, the country still remains a global innovation powerhouse and its markets work efficiently, the report says.

The report indicates that Switzerland and countries in Northern Europe have been consolidating their strong competitiveness positions since the financial and economic downturn in 2008. On the other hand, countries in Southern Europe, i.e. Portugal (49th), Spain (36th), Italy (42nd) and particularly Greece (96th) continue to suffer from competitiveness weaknesses in terms of macroeconomic imbalances, poor access to financing, rigid labour markets and an innovation deficit.

Global Giants World Economic Forum

Behind Singapore, several Asian economies are performing strongly, with Hong Kong SAR (9th), Japan (10th), Taiwan, China (13th) and the Republic of Korea (19th) all in the top 20.

In the Middle East and North Africa, Qatar (11th) leads the region while Saudi Arabia remains among the top 20 (18th). The United Arab Emirates (24th) improves its performance while Kuwait (37th) slightly declines. Morocco (70th) and Jordan (63rd) improve slightly. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa (52nd) and Mauritius (54th) feature in the top half of the rankings.

In Latin America, Chile (33rd) retains the lead and a number of countries see their competitiveness improve, such as Panama (40th), Brazil (48th), Mexico (53rd) and Peru (61st).

“Persisting divides in competitiveness across regions and within regions, particularly in Europe, are at the origin of the turbulence we are experiencing today, and this is jeopardizing our future prosperity.” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum. “We urge governments to act decisively by adopting long-term measures to enhance competitiveness and return the world to a sustainable growth path.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:24 PM | View the original post

January 29, 2012

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 — The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models

World Economic Forum

Photo: Aerial view of the mountain resort Davos, Switzerland where the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 took place. © World Economic Forum / Andy Mettler.

World Economic Forum

Photo: John W. Hickenlooper, Governor of Colorado, USA, is captured during the Open Forum session ‘Water: Scarcity and Stress’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the Swiss Alpine High School (SAMD) in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Michael Wuertenberg.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Lael Brainard, US Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs is seen before the session ‘Fixing Capitalism’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Sebastian Derungs.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank, Germany; Foundation Board Member, gestures during the session ‘Trust and the Social Contract’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Monika Flueckiger.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Bob Diamond, Chief Executive, Barclays, United Kingdom is captured during the session ‘Building Trust’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Moritz Hager.

World Economic Forum

Photo: John Donahoe, President and Chief Executive Officer, eBay, USA is captured during the session ‘Digital Norms’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Moritz Hager.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Chander Prakash Gurnani, Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Satyam, India is captured during the session ‘Leadership Models across Generations’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Monika Flueckiger.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012; Young Global Leader is captured during the session ‘Women as the Way Forward’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Moritz Hager.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Han Jian, Associate Professor of Management, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), People’s Republic of China is captured at the session ‘New Leadership Models from China with the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Remy Steinegger.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Doug McMillon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wal-Mart International, Wal-Mart Stores, USA addresses the audience during the session ‘The Global Growth Context’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2012. © World Economic Forum / Moritz Hager.

With record participation of over 2,600 leaders from government, academia, business and civil society, the theme of this year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting was The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models.

The Co-Chairs of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 were: Yasuchika Hasegawa, President and Chief Executive Officer, Takeda Pharmaceutical, Japan; Vikram Pandit, Chief Executive Officer, Citi, USA; Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever, United Kingdom; Alejandro Ramirez, Chief Executive Officer, Cinepolis, Mexico; Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook, USA; and Peter Voser, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Dutch Shell, Netherlands.

The Meeting closed today, with business leaders urging resolute action to promote growth and employment.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:33 AM | View the original post

January 30, 2011

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Davos, Switzerland: Business Leaders Point to Key Risks Facing Global Economy

• Asset bubbles in emerging markets, soaring commodity prices, state debt are key risks.

• World’s financial system is in better shape than three years ago.

• No consensus on how to tackle high state debt.

Davos World Economic Forum

Photo: Aerial Photo of Davos, the biggest tourism metropolis of the Swiss alps, captured before the opening of the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2011. Davos is in the middle of Swiss Alps and the city for holidays, sports, congresses, health, development and culture. © World Economic Forum/Andy Mettler.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Oriana Bandiera, Professor of Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, is captured during the ‘IdeasLab with the London School of Economics: Doing Better with Less’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Jolanda Flubacher.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Daniel Goleman, Co-Director, Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations, Rutgers University, USA, speaks during the session ‘The New Reality of Consumer Power’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Michael Wuertenberg.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Om Prakash Bhatt, Chairman, State Bank of India, India, speaks during the session ‘Redeploying Development Finance’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Moritz Hager.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Timothy F. Geithner, US Secretary of the Treasury is captured during the session ‘Priorities for the US Economy’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Moritz Hager.

World Economic Forum

Photo: William H. Gates III, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, speaks during the session ‘Polio: Eradicating an Old Reality Once and for All’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Moritz Hager.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Bank, India; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011, is captured during the session ‘The Global Agenda in 2011’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Francis Gurry, Director-General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geneva; Global Agenda Council on the Intellectual Property System, is captured during the session ‘The Davos Debrief: Policy Priorities’ at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2011. © World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs.

• Top business leaders see a host of potential dangers facing the world economy - ranging from asset bubbles in emerging market countries to soaring world commodity prices and huge levels of state debt in Europe. However, it is difficult to say just where the next global shock will come from.

On the question of continuing low borrowing costs and cheap money in the most-developed economies, one of the factors that contributed to the global economic crash, participants said that they are confident that the lessons have been learnt and that the global banking system has emerged stronger from the test.

“I am a little optimistic. I think that we have a stronger system than three years ago,” James Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JP Morgan & Chase, said during a debate on whether the world is now better prepared to face a future systemic shock.

But, business leaders were divided on how to approach the issue of huge state debt built up by some European countries during the boom years.. Some saw the need for Europe’s stronger economies, particularly Germany, to take part of the load by supporting, for example, the launch of European Union-backed Eurobonds in support of weaker economies, such as Ireland and Greece.

But Dimon warned that any “socializing” of states’ debts, by involving other European Union countries in financing them, could send out the wrong message on the need for fiscal discipline. “You have got to make sure that some are not piggy-backing on others,” he said.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“Thought, not money, is the real business capital, and if you know absolutely that what you are doing is right, then you are bound to accomplish it in due season.”
— Harvey S. Firestone.

“It is not by augmenting the capital of the country, but by rendering a greater part of that capital active and productive than would otherwise be so, that the most judicious operations of banking can increase the industry of the country.”
— Adam Smith.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:48 AM | View the original post

September 12, 2010

Investment and Enterprise Responsibility Review: UNCTAD report calls for upgraded corporate social responsibility practices to protect public interest

UNCTAD

• World Investment Forum of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has just concluded in Xiamen, China.

• Welcoming more than 1,800 participants, including 460 senior officials from 120 countries, the UNCTAD Secretary General, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi officially opened the Forum, pointing to the distinctive status of the World Investment Forum 2010 as the key international event of the investment community involving global leaders, senior policy-makers, corporate executives, investors, investment promotion agencies, and investment experts from all over the world.

Transnational corporations (TNCs) play an ever more important role in sustainable development as conduits of capital, technology, and management know-how. Increasingly, TNCs are being called upon to address broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. At the same time large globally active investment institutions are becoming increasingly aware of the potential impact of a range of non-financial issues (e.g. climate change, human rights, corporate governance practices) on an investment proposition.

The World Investment Forum (WIF) is the global forum on investment and development issues organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Held biennially, the forum aims to strengthen international cooperation in the interest of promoting international investment and its contribution to economic growth and development.

UNCTAD

WIF 2010 brings together all investment stake-holders, including governments, businesses, international organizations, investment promotion agencies (IPAs), civil society, and international investment experts and practitioners from across the world.

Organized by UNCTAD in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce of China, WIF 2010 is supported by a range of international partners and sponsors, including the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Global Compact and the Principles for Responsible Investment.

• There, UNCTAD presented its "Investment and Enterprise Responsibility Review".

This Review, the first of its kind, finds that the world's largest Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and private investment institutions frequently publish information on their social and environmental polices, but that there is wide variation in how such firms and institutions adopt, implement, and report on such matters, undermining the comparability and usefulness of the information.

The study recommends that corporate reporting and investor responsibility standards be upgraded to ensure the public interest is being served.

UNCTAD

This review of the current state of practices in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) among the world's 100 largest TNCs and Responsible Investment (RI) among the 100 largest institutional investors reveals a number of important insights:

1. Private policy at a large enough scale can have an impact similar to, or greater than, public policy. As a result, CSR has emerged as an important area of soft law self-regulation (or 'soft-regulation'). CSR can present policy makers with new options and tools for addressing key development challenges.

2. Most large TNCs now recognise the importance of CSR yet the standard of communication varies widely. There is a role for policy makers to enhance the quality of communications. Various policy options exist such as supporting the harmonization of CSR reporting, and mandating such standardized reporting through stock exchange listing requirements.

3. Responsible investment practices (efforts by investors to incorporate ESG issues into investment decisions and to engage with investee companies to encourage ESG practices) have become common features of the world's 100 largest pension funds. Regulators can work to strengthen the mechanisms through which institutional shareholders are able to influence the ESG practices of the companies in which they invest, while also encouraging investors to formally articulate their stance on ESG issues in public reports.

4. At least basic climate change related information is now reported by most large TNCs. However significant inconsistencies and inadequacies among company reports undermine the comparability and usefulness of this information. Unless reporting is produced in a consistent and comparable manner, it is difficult for policy makers, investors and other stakeholders to use it to make informed decisions. Policy makers could promote an internationally harmonized approach to the way companies explain, calculate and define climate change related emissions.

5. A number of voluntary initiatives are taking a leading role in designing and facilitating CSR and responsible investment instruments, encouraging improved corporate communication on ESG issues and creating important benchmarks, based on universally agreed principles. Policy makers can become involved in these initiatives with the aims of promoting sustainable development goals and identifying useful tools to complement government rules.

World Economic Forum

• Meanwhile, World Economic Forum has released its Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011. Switzerland tops the overall rankings. The United States falls two places to fourth position, overtaken by Sweden (2nd) and Singapore (3rd).

World Economic Forum

Photo: Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman of the Board, Nestle, Switzerland; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Global Agenda Council on Water Security, speaks during the session 'Rebuilding Water Management' in the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010 (© World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Yvan Allaire, Chair of the Board of Directors, Institute for Governance of Public and Private Organizations (IGOPP), Canada; Global Agenda Council on the Role of Business, speaks during the session 'Rethinking Values in the Post-Crisis World' at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2010 (© World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger).

World Economic Forum

Photo: Queen Rania Al Abdullah, H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Global Agenda Council on Education Systems captured during the session 'Rebuilding Education for the 21st Century' at the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (© World Economic Forum/ Michael Wuertenberg).

According to the WEF report, in addition to the macro-economic imbalances that have been building up over time, there has been a weakening of the United States' public and private institutions, as well as lingering concerns about the state of its financial markets. The Nordic countries continue to be well positioned in the ranking, with Sweden, Finland (7th) and Denmark (9th) among the top 10, and with Norway at 14th. Sweden overtakes the US and Singapore this year to be placed 2nd overall. The United Kingdom, after falling in the rankings over recent years, moves back up by one place to 12th position.

The People's Republic of China (27th) continues to lead the way among large developing economies, improving by two more places this year, and solidifying its place among the top 30. Among the three other BRIC economies, Brazil (58th), India (51st) and Russia (63rd) remain stable. Several Asian economies perform strongly, with Japan (6th) and Hong Kong SAR (11th) also in the top 20. In Latin America, Chile (30th) is the highest ranked country, followed by Panama (53rd) Costa Rica (56th) and Brazil.

Several countries from the Middle East and North Africa region occupy the upper half of the rankings, led by Qatar (17th), Saudi Arabia (21st), Israel (24th), United Arab Emirates (25th), Tunisia (32nd), Kuwait (35th) and Bahrain (37th), with most Gulf States continuing their upward trend of recent years. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa (54th) and Mauritius (55th) feature in the top half of the rankings, followed by second-tier best regional performers Namibia (74th), Botswana (76th) and Rwanda (80th).

• View All Countries Rankings in the Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011

• Get the Full Report

• The World Economic Forum, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

• While the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues. UNCTAD has 193 member States and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:01 PM | View the original post

August 26, 2010

Private Investment in Infrastructure

World Economic Forum

• How can governments meet ballooning infrastructure investment needs while still cutting costs following the economic crisis? A major part of the solution lies in increasing private sector investment to meet the funding gap, finds a World Economic Forum report released today in Geneva, Switzerland.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Google, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 talks during the session 'Technology for Society' at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010 in the Congress Centre. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler.)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Ellen Kullman, Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, DuPont, USA, speaks during the session 'Rethinking How to Feed the World' in the Congress Centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger.)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Mark Mactas, President and Chief Operating Officer, Towers Watson, USA is captured during the session 'Rethinking Compensation Models' at the congress centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Michael Wuertenberg.)

• Of the estimated US$ 3 trillion needed per annum to meet global infrastructure investment needs, only US$ 1 trillion currently comes from private sources. A third of total funding needs is in developing countries, where private infrastructure finance is less developed.

The report, Paving the Way: Maximizing the Value of Private Finance in Infrastructure, provides a common reference point for what considerations are important to private capital providers and how the public sector can develop its capacity to address them.

Written through active consultation with representatives from both the public and private sectors, the report provides a framework for policy-makers as they seek to create environments favorable to investment, develop meaningful scale for private investment markets, and prepare for the future evolution of these markets. Case studies highlight what approaches have and have not worked across different countries.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Levin Zhu, President and Chief Executive Officer, China International Capital Corporation, People's Republic of China captured during the session 'Wanted: Capital' at the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Michael Wuertenberg.)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Patricia A. Woertz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), USA; Co-Chair of the Governors Meeting for Consumer Industries 2010; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010, speaks during the session 'Rethinking How to Feed the World' in the Congress Centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger.)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Anand G. Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, India, captured during the session 'Will India Meet Global Expectations?' at the Congress Centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Sebastian Derungs.)

• Tony Poulter, Global Consulting Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: "Getting infrastructure investment in place quickly while also delivering value poses a challenge not only to government but to developers, investors and funders. In the current environment this challenge is bigger and more important than ever before. This report from the World Economic Forum shows that the way forward needs to involve new thinking by all parties - but that positive steps can be taken."

The market trends and key factors associated with successfully involving private finance highlighted in the report include:

• Countries that have been successful in tapping private finance markets have:
- created political, legal and economic environments conducive to investment,
- established ongoing programmes of opportunities,
- instituted contractual and regulatory frameworks to address any issues effectively and fairly,
- provided forums for stakeholders to share experiences, and
- involved the public at all stages.

• The costs and terms of commercial debt have changed significantly as a result of the economic crisis; reinvigorating the capital markets as a source of finance for infrastructure is difficult but of critical importance in the long term.

• There will be a move to more specialized infrastructure funds to provide investors with a better alignment of risk to reward. Investors will also place greater value on fund managers with experience in ongoing infrastructure asset management.

• Retail finance participation in infrastructure funds is likely to grow, but it requires a clear articulation of the value proposition and related challenges.

• Not all pension funds are the same and, while some are undoubtedly major investors in infrastructure, there are many that still regard infrastructure to be too specialized an alternative investment.

• While the heightened government financial support of infrastructure through the current financial crisis is expected to diminish, it appears likely that more countries will set up state infrastructure banks.

• Budgetary issues and increasingly constrained opportunities in the developed world may help steer more investment dollars to emerging economies (particularly BRIC countries) that have increasingly stable political, legal and economic regimes.

• Private investors care more about whether an investment is based on established practices than if it is green field. Getting private financing remains a challenge when the project is novel, untested or in a new market, but there have been successful examples of investment in more challenging projects in different markets.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Orit Gadiesh, Chairman, Bain & Company, USA; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum captured during the session 'The Gender Agenda: Putting Parity into Practice' at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010 in the Congress Centre. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Sebastian Derungs.)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Melinda French Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010, speaks during the 'Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Pledge' in the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010 . (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Sebastian Derungs.)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Doris Leuthard, (L) President of the Swiss Confederation and Federal Councillor of Economic Affairs shakes hands with the President of France Nicolas Sarkozy (R), at the congress centre prior to the 'Opening Plenary of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010' of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Michael Wuertenberg.)

The report is the result of a year-long collaboration between the World Economic Forum, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Industry Partners of the World Economic Forum. Guidance was provided by an Expert Committee of 24 leading practitioners from the private and public sectors and academics.

The Report Expert Committee:

• Cressida Hogg, Managing Partner, Infrastructure, 3i Group.
• Robbert Coomans, Advisor to the Board, APG Investments.
• Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abraaj Investment Management.
• Michael Till, Partner and Co-Head, Infrastructure, Actis.
• Hela Cheikhrouhou, Division Manager, Infrastructure Finance, African Development Bank.
• Rajat M. Nag, Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank.
• Graeme Bevans, Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure, CPP Investment Board.
• Stephen Vineburg, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure, CVC Capital Partners.
• Hazem Shawki, Managing Partner, EFG-Hermes Private Equity.
• Lennart Blecher, Senior Partner, EQT Partners.
• Pierre Coindreau, Principal Advisor, European PPP Expertise Centre.
• Bayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners.
• Chris Lee, Founder and Managing Partner, Highstar Capital.
• Luis Miranda, President and Chief Executive Officer, IDFC Private Equity.
• Rashad Kaldany, Vice-President, Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa, International Finance Corporation.
• Marc Lipschultz, Global Head Energy and Infrastructure, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
• Sadek Wahba, Global Head, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure.
• Samara Barend, Former Executive Director, New York State Commission on State Asset Maximization.
• Stephen Dowd, Senior Vice-President, Infrastructure, Ontario Teachers Plan Pension Board.
• Richard Abadie, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
• Tony Poulter, Global Consulting Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
• Nick Pitts-Tucker, Former General Manager, Co-Head of Corporate Banking Group and Structured Finance Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Europe Ltd.
• Ryan Orr, Executive Director, Collaboratory for Research on Global Projects, Stanford University.
• Robert Dove, Managing Director, Infrastructure, The Carlyle Group.
• Polly Trottenberg, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, US Department of Transportation.

• The Report - Paving the Way: Maximizing the Value of Private Finance. GET IT HERE.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:30 AM | View the original post

May 31, 2010

Everybody's Business: Strengthening International Cooperation in a More Interdependent World

World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum today issued one of the most extensive sets of proposals to strengthen international cooperation and governance ever assembled.

• The product of a year-long dialogue and group of task forces involving over 1,500 academic, business, governmental and civil society experts and decision-makers from around the world, the Forum's Global Redesign Initiative report contains 58 specific proposals and nine thematic essays by some of the international community's leading authorities on international economic, environmental and security cooperation.

Entitled Everybody's Business: Strengthening International Cooperation in a More Interdependent World, the Forum's report warns that global severe risks and challenges are accumulating in many areas, and international institutions and arrangements are often ill-equipped to provide a proactive response.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Brian T. Moynihan, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of America, USA, captured during the session 'Redesigning Capital Markets' at the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Michael Wuertenberg).

World Economic Forum

Photo: Geoff Cutmore (Anchor, CNBC, United Kingdom) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah).

World Economic Forum

Photo: William H. Gates III, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, smiles during the 'Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Pledge' in the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Sebastian Derungs).

The report reminds the international community that amid the financial crisis in late 2008 and early 2009, it "was seized with the transformational nature of our times." The report calls on it to "hold on to that moment of possibility, consolidate its considerable accomplishment in containing the crisis and renew its earlier commitment to renovate the international system."

Drawing a parallel to the 1944 Dumbarton Oaks and Bretton Woods conferences that designed much of the post-war international security and economic architecture over a year before World War II ended, the report concludes that the time has come for governments, companies, and other civil society institutions to "rise above their immediate, parochial interests and consider more seriously their long-term stake in a properly structured and resourced global cooperation system for the 21st century."

Forum Managing Director Richard Samans, Executive Chairman and Founder Klaus Schwab and Vice-Chairman Lord Malloch-Brown conclude: "Even as governments develop their exit strategies from fiscal and monetary stimulus measures applied during the crisis, they should engage to absorb the larger meaning of the changes that have transformed the international community."

The Forum report proposes a "blueprint for renovating international cooperation in an era of increasingly complex interdependence, rendering it both more effective and legitimate" based on the many proposals that have emerged from the Global Redesign process.

In particular, it proposes a more results-oriented "multidimensional" approach to international governance and cooperation. The report argues that the international community's increasing interdependence creates new modes and means of accelerating progress on many global challenges. It demonstrates how pragmatic strategies can be combined to achieve breakthroughs on such issues as climate change, fisheries depletion, unemployment and poverty, public health, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and educational access, and illiteracy.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Montek S. Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, India, speaks during the session 'Rethinking Government Assistance' in the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger).

World Economic Forum

Photo: Lawrence H. Summers, Director, National Economic Council (NEC), Executive Office of the President, USA, is captured during the session 'The US Economic Outlook' at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Monika Flueckiger).

The report calls for the "state-based core of the international system to be adapted to our more complex, bottom-up world in which non-governmental actors have become a more significant force." To this end, it urges governments and international organizations to conceive of themselves more explicitly as constituting part of "a much wider global cooperation system that has the potential to overcome the limitations of scale, information, and coherence."

The report calls for a stronger sense of ownership and responsibility on the part of the non-governmental institutions and their leaders regarding the underlying health of the international system.

• The report criticizes the "severe price the international community has paid for its complacency about systemic financial and macro-economic risks that were well-publicized but allowed to accumulate for too long." It calls on "those who educate and select business, scientific, academic, religious, media as well as political leaders to redesign their curricula and senior talent development and promotion policies to reflect that they are cultivating not only leaders of functional organizations but also stewards of the international system."

In addition to making proposals to strengthen international cooperative structures on problems as diverse as financial stability, international trade, water scarcity, prevention of mass atrocities, Internet security, malnutrition, energy security and many others, the report of the Global Redesign Initiative includes a number of broader proposals for the international community. For example, it:

• Urges the Group of 20 Leaders' process to clarify soon its ongoing purpose and relationship with the United Nations and specialized international organizations. In addition, it challenges these leaders to reach a package deal on the currently deadlocked UN climate, WTO trade, Millennium Development Goal funding, IMF and World Bank reform, and global macro-economic rebalancing negotiations, arguing that this kind of systemic leap forward in international cooperation would yield large net benefits for developing, emerging and advanced countries alike and could only be brokered by G20 leaders.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Peter Westaway (Chief European Economist, Nomura International Plc, United Kingdom) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah).

World Economic Forum

Photo: H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Global Agenda Council on Education Systems captured during the session 'Rebuilding Education for the 21st Century' at the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Michael Wuertenberg).

The proposals were developed by the Forum's Global Agenda Councils of leading experts and decision-makers from academia, business, civil society, international organizations and government as well as its Industry Partner communities and Young Global Leader Task Forces.

The proposals were reviewed by the following distinguished rapporteurs, who have written nine thematic summary chapters that set them in broader context and provide additional proposals:

1. Creating a Values Framework - John J. DeGioia, President, Georgetown University, USA.

2. Building Sustained Economic Growth - Robert Z. Lawrence, Albert L. Williams Professor of Trade and Investment, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA.

3. Strengthening the International Monetary and Financial System - David Daokui Li, Director and Mansfield Freeman Professor of Economics, Center for China in the World Economy (CCWE), Tsinghua University, People's Republic of China; and Suzanne Nora Johnson, Trustee, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA.

4. Creating Employment, Eradicating Poverty and Improving Social Welfare - John McArthur, Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Promise, USA; and Dennis J. Snower, President, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Germany.

5. Managing and Mitigating Global Risks - Ian Goldin, Director, James Martin 21st Century School, and Professorial Fellow, Balliol College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

6. Ensuring Health for All - Peter Piot, Professor and Director, Institute of Global Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; David E. Bloom, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography, Harvard School of Public Health, USA; and Peter C. Smith, Professor, Health Policy, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.

7. Enhancing Global Security - Lilia Shevtsova, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Carnegie Moscow Center, Russian Federation; and Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Senior Non-resident Fellow, Brookings Institution, USA.

8. Ensuring Sustainability - Ashok Khosla, Chairman, Development Alternatives, India; and Caio Koch-Weser, Vice-Chairman, Deutsche Bank Group, Deutsche Bank, United Kingdom.

9. Building Effective Institutions in an Empowered Society - Ngaire Woods, Professor of International Political Economy, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; and Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore.

"If we do not want to get caught in a continuous vicious cycle of crisis-fighting, we have to analyze the fundamental forces changing our world and formulate policies which take into account the manifold structural changes in geopolitics and geo-economics," said Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

• Global Redesign Initiative Report: GET IT HERE

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:35 AM | View the original post

May 19, 2010

International Trade: The Global Enabling Trade Report 2010

• Singapore and Hong Kong are the most open economies to international trade in 2010.

• Vietnam gains 18 positions among 125 countries in The Global Enabling Trade Report 2010.

• Turkey, India and Russia drop in the rankings.

International Trade

Hong Kong

Photo: Victorial Harbour, Hong Kong.

East Asian economies - Singapore and Hong Kong SAR - continue to occupy the top two positions in the Enabling Trade Index ranking, followed by Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland, according to The Global Enabling Trade Report 2010, released today by the World Economic Forum in Geneva.

New Zealand moves by five ranks to 5th place. Norway, Canada, Luxembourg and the Netherlands complete the top-10 list. Iceland enters the ranking for the first time at 11th position, and Finland drops out of the top 10 to 12th place.

Among the large economies, Germany is the best performer at 13th, ahead of the United States, which drops by three places to 19th. China (48th) and Brazil (87th) remain stable, while Turkey (62nd), India (84th) and Russia (114th) drop in the ranking.

• See the Overall Rankings

Global Trade

The results mirror the resilience against the threat of protectionism during the economic crisis. International agreements such the WTO framework and pledges by the G20 have contributed to limiting the effect of protectionist pressures on trade barriers. Despite fears of rising protectionism, the report confirms that a large majority of countries did not raise trade barriers.

Global Trade

World Trade

"Just as trade was a key force spreading the growth slowdown internationally, so can trade be an important driver in diffusing the benefits of recovery across the globe. When individual countries enable trade, they provide benefits not only to themselves but also to other nations with which they trade. Improved market access, more efficient customs, and better infrastructure and business environments offer enhanced opportunities for both importers and exporters. Thus, granting Aid for Trade to help nations implement such measures reflects enlightened self-interest, because it enhances welfare in recipient countries and their trading partners," said Robert Z. Lawrence, Albert L. Williams Professor of Trade and Investment at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, USA. Professor Lawrence is also academic adviser and co-editor of the report.

• Published for the third year in a row and covering 125 economies worldwide, the report presents a resource for dialogue and provides a yardstick of the extent to which economies have in place the necessary attributes for enabling trade and where improvements are most needed.

• Get The Global Enabling Trade Report 2010

Source: The World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:56 PM | View the original post

May 10, 2010

"We will do anything to defend the Euro"

• If Europe wants a monetary union, it must promote an economic union.

• Europe cannot afford its social model without economic growth and increased competitiveness.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah.

World Economic Forum Annette Court

Photo: Annette Court (Member of the group Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Europe General Insurance Zurich Financial Services, Switzerland) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah.

Jose Manuel Barroso.jpg

Photo: José Manuel Barroso (President, European Commission, Brussels) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah.

• The World Economic Forum on Europe opened today (May 10, 2010) in Brussels, Belgium. Over 400 leaders from business, government, academia and civil society from over 40 countries are participating. The meeting is being held from 10 to 11 May under the theme Renewed Leadership, New Vision.

In less than 48 hours, Europe took "a historic decision" to provide an unprecedented rescue package in an effort to combat the debt crisis that has swept across Europe and threatened markets globally.

"We have stated that we will do anything to defend the euro. We completed an agreement to respond in a coordinated, fast and effective manner to any difficulties in Member States. Any attempt to weaken the stability of the euro will fail," said José Manuel Barroso, President, European Commission, Brussels, at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum on Europe.

Francine Lacqua

Photo: Francine Lacqua (Anchor and Business Reporter, Bloomberg TV, United Kingdom) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah.

After a meeting in Brussels lasting more than 11 hours, the Economic and Finance Council, comprising the EU's economic and finance ministers, reached an agreement in the early hours of Monday morning on a loan package of more than 720 billion euros over three years to defend the euro and to cover the needs of European Member States that, according to Barroso, are "living beyond their means". Stock markets, which fell to near three-month lows last week over rising concerns about debt contagion from Greece, rallied on Monday in response to the substantial emergency loan package from the EU and the International Monetary Fund.

Referring to the bailout package as a "consolidation pact" for the eurozone, Barroso pledged to broaden surveillance of the EU's economic imbalances, reinforce competitiveness and push for a permanent mechanism to deal with economic crises. "If there is one lesson we have learned from this crisis, it is this: if you want a monetary union, you need to promote an economic union. This means reinforced economic governance and respect of all obligations Member States have under the Stability and Growth Pact."

World Economic Forum

Photo: Chander P. Gurnani (Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Satyam, India) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Jeffrey Joerres (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Manpower Inc., USA) captured at the World Economic Forum on Europe held in Brussels, Belgium, May 10, 2010. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Youssef Meftah.

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, praised European leaders for their "great act of European solidarity" and noted that this historical moment represents a "critical juncture" for the future of Europe.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:07 PM | View the original post

March 25, 2010

Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010

• Sweden replaces Denmark as world's most networked economy in The Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010 rankings.

• United States moves down two positions to fifth place.

• China (37th) and India (43rd) lead BRIC economies and continue upward trend with a 9 and 11 place improvement respectively.

• Ninth edition of report covers 133 economies, accounting for over 98% of world's GDP.

Information Technology

Sweden tops the rankings of The Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010, released today (March 25, 2010) by the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

The report highlights the key role of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) as an enabler of a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable world in the aftermath of one of the most serious economic crises in decades. Sweden is followed by Singapore and Denmark, which was in the number one position for the last three years.

Global Information Technology

Photo: An overview captured during the session 'The Global Agenda 2010: The View from Davos' at the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Michael Wuertenberg)

"Sweden, Singapore and Denmark's superior capacity to leverage ICT as an enabler of sustainable, long-term economic growth is built on similar premises, relating with a long-standing focus placed by governments and private sectors alike on education, innovation and ICT access and diffusion," said Irene Mia, Senior Economist of the Global Competitiveness Network at the World Economic Forum and co-editor of the report. "The success of these countries underlines the importance of a joint ICT vision, an implementation, by all the different stakeholders in a society for a country to take full advantage of ICT advances in its daily life and overall competitiveness strategy."

Global Information Technology

The report is produced by the World Economic Forum in cooperation with INSEAD, the leading international business school, within the framework of the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Network and the Industry Partnership Program for Information Technology and Telecommunications Industries.

INSEAD

ENLARGE

Published for the ninth consecutive year with an extensive coverage of 133 economies worldwide, the report remains the world's most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations.

Under the theme ICT for Sustainability, this year's report explores the many and diverse links between ICT and sustainability, in all its dimensions.

World Economic Forum ICT Rankings

• The Networked Readiness Index: View the Rankings of All Countries

The Networked Readiness Index (NRI), featured in the report, examines how prepared countries are to use ICT effectively on three dimensions:

1. The general business, regulatory and infrastructure environment for ICT.

2. The readiness of the three key stakeholder groups in a society -- individuals, businesses and governments -- to use and benefit from ICT.

3. The actual usage of the latest information and communication technologies available.

The NRI uses a combination of data from publicly available sources, as well as the results of the Executive Opinion Survey, a comprehensive annual survey conducted by the World Economic Forum with its network of partner institutes (leading research institutes and business organizations) in the countries included in the report. The survey provides unique data on many qualitative dimensions important to assess national networked readiness.

Global Information Technology

• The cross-country analysis of the drivers of networked readiness provides useful comparative information for making business decisions and additional value to governments wishing to improve their ICT preparedness.

The report contains detailed country profiles for the 133 economies featured in the study, providing a snapshot of each economy's level of ICT penetration and usage. Also included is an extensive section of data tables, as well as each indicator used in the computation of the Index.

The editors of the report are Soumitra Dutta, Roland Berger Professor of Business and Technology, INSEAD, France, and Irene Mia, Director and Senior Economist, Global Competitiveness Network, World Economic Forum.

• Get the Entire Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010

Source: The World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:15 PM | View the original post

February 3, 2010

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010: Rebuilding the Global Economy

Clinton

Photo: William J. Clinton, Founder, William J. Clinton Foundation; President of the United States (1993-2001); UN Special Envoy to Haiti speaks during the 'Special Session on Haiti' at the Congress Centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Remy Steinegger)

• At the 40th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010, participants found that the global recovery is fragile, and now is the moment to rethink values as the world rebuilds prosperity.

• All countries in the G20 and beyond should find new pathways to sustainable growth and job creation.

• Concretely, Bill and Melinda Gates, Co-Chairs of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is a founding partner of the GAVI Alliance, pledged US$ 10 billion to vaccinate over 8 million children in the next decade.

• Former US President William J. Clinton announced a joint initiative between the World Economic Forum, the Clinton Global Initiative and the UN to support Haiti's long-term reconstruction.

• Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, Mexican President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa and French President Nicolas Sarkozy all set forth agendas for global engagement to prevent future crises and to promote sustainability and principled growth.

• Since its launch 10 years ago, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) has saved over 4 million lives and has immunized an additional 256 million children in the world's poorest countries.

Premji

Photo: Azim H. Premji, Chairman, Wipro, India; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 captured during the session 'A Roadmap for a Sustainable Recovery' of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2010 at the Congress Centre. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Sebastian Derungs)

Ackerman

Photo: Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank, Germany; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Chair of the Governors Meeting for Financial Services 2010; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 captured during the session 'A Roadmap for a Sustainable Recovery' of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2010 at the Congress Centre. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Sebastian Derungs)

Markey

Photo: Edward J. Markey, Congressman from Massachusetts (Democrat), 7th District, Chairman, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, USA, speaks during the session 'The US Legislative Agenda: A Global Perspective' in the Congress Centre of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Michael Wuertenberg)

Lawrence Harvard

Photo: Robert Z. Lawrence, Albert L. Williams Professor of Trade and Investment, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA; Global Agenda Council on Trade is captured during the session 'Rethinking Trade and Climate Change' at the congress centre during the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Sebastian Derungs)

At the conclusion of the 40th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, participants pledged to rethink, rebuild and redesign the global economy based on sustainable principles.

The sense of the Meeting, echoed by Lawrence H. Summers, Director of the US National Economic Council (NEC), was that the world was experiencing "a statistical recovery and a human recession." "We are not out of the woods yet," said Michael Oreskes, Senior Managing Editor of the Associated Press. "The recovery is still very fragile in many developed economies." Principled leadership is key to stabilization.

"At the end, it's an interdependent system," said Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee of Deutsche Bank; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010. "If you lose the support of society, you are not going to achieve your corporate objectives."

Job creation is critical to sustainable recovery. There is a role for all to play in job creation, underscored Patricia A. Woertz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010. "And retaining jobs is as important as creating new ones." The recession also demonstrated that the world must hear better the voices outside of the G8.

Veneman Unicef

Photo: Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), New York; Global Agenda Council on the Welfare of Children is captured during the session 'Redesign Your Cause' of the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Monika Flueckiger)

Sandburg Facebook

Photo: Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook Inc., USA captured during the session 'The Gender Agenda: Putting Parity into Practice' at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Sebastian Derungs)

McGraw

Photo: Harold McGraw III, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The McGraw-Hill Companies, USA during the session 'Rebuilding Education for the 21st Century' at the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2010 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2010. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo by Michael Wuertenberg)

"The self-confidence of emerging nations is completely different," said Azim H. Premji, Chairman of Wipro, and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010. He warned that in India and China "if services are put under severe, unreasonable restrictions, you will get tariffs overnight."

"If you have lost the trust of societies, you cannot just respond technically, you have to respond morally," said Ackermann. Rowan D. Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, United Kingdom, urged participants to take collective responsibility for the future by being individually responsible now. Living responsibly in the present means living within ecological limits to ensure the security of work and food. "Responsibility for the future means being responsible for a vision of humanity which excites and enlarges us," he added.

Earlier, addressing participants in a session on "The US Legislative Agenda: A Global Perspective" at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010, US congressmen and senators confirmed that despite bipartisan differences, there is agreement that financial regulation is imperative. So, this spring, expect an energy package and "tough regulation" on financial services from the Obama Administration.

Source: World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Commanding Brands

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:04 AM | View the original post

October 8, 2009

World Economic Forum's Financial Development Report shows global financial centres' lead is weakening

• Signs of weakness emerge among many global financial centers following crisis.

• Developing countries show comparative financial stability, but also potential for improvement in other areas.

• Report analyses 55 financial systems and capital markets around the world.

Financial Development Report

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Financial Development Report

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Photos: Participants captured during the Dalian WorkSpace 2009 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China.

• Financial Development Report 2009 -- New York, USA, 8 October 2009 - The world's largest economies took the biggest hit in the World Economic Forum's second annual Financial Development Report released today.

Global financial centers still lead in the report's Index, but the effects of financial instability have pulled down their scores compared to last year. The United Kingdom, buoyed by the relative strength of its banking and non-banking financial activities, claimed the Index's top spot from the United States, which slipped to third position behind Australia largely due to poorer financial stability scores and a weakened banking sector.

The Financial Development Report ranks 55 of the world's leading financial systems and capital markets. It analyses the drivers of financial system development and economic growth in developed and developing countries to serve as a tool for countries to benchmark themselves and establish priorities for reform.

• Download the 2009 rankings in PDF

• Download the full Report (PDF)

Financial Development Report

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Financial Development Report

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Photos: Participants captured during a session at the Young Global Leaders Summit 2009 in Dalian, China.

The rankings are based on over 120 variables spanning institutional and business environments, financial stability, and size and depth of capital markets, among other factors.

The financial crisis was acutely felt in most global financial systems and caused most countries' scores to drop significantly compared to 2008.

"The change in scores does demonstrate the implications of the downturn on our assessment of the long-term development of financial systems," said Nouriel Roubini of New York University and Chairman, RGE Monitor who is the lead academic on the report.

Germany and France suffered a heavy fall in overall scores that pulled them out of the top 10. They dropped in the rankings but demonstrated financial stability scores that were significantly higher than the United Kingdom and US. Australia showed particular strength this year, a trend that is echoed in many Asia Pacific economies.

The breadth of factors covered in the report means that countries with high financial instability scores like the United Kingdom and US could still achieve a high relative ranking in the Index due to other strengths.

"We hope this report will provide some insight as to how the financial crisis has affected the world's major financial systems. It draws attention to the diversity of factors beyond financial stability that must be addressed to support the role of financial systems in driving economic growth. The United Kingdom and US may still show leadership in the rankings, but their significant drops in score show increasing weakness and imply their leadership may be in jeopardy." said Kevin Steinberg, Chief Operating Officer, World Economic Forum USA.

Some developing countries performed well in the financial stability section of the Index. Chile came in third while Malaysia, Mexico and Brazil are all in the top 15. Norway and Switzerland took the top two spots in this category.

"Developing countries exhibited a relatively strong showing in the financial stability pillar of the Index. For some, this is the result of learning from the mistakes of past financial crises, while for others it may reflect the relative lack of complexity and global integration of their financial systems," said Co-Author Nouriel Roubini.

Developing countries also earned many of the top spots with respect to commercial access, which measures the availability of capital through such means as commercial loans, IPOs and venture capital.

The Industry Partnership Programme of the World Economic Forum, under whose auspices this work was undertaken, provides a platform for the world's leading companies to define and address critical issues. The Financial Development Report benefited from the guidance and support of its Industry Partners with particular contributions from Barclays Capital, EFG Hermes, JPMorgan, Standard Chartered Bank and Troika Dialog.

The report draws on data taken from a variety of publicly available sources such as the World Bank.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:32 AM | View the original post

September 13, 2009

New Global Reserve Currency

• The international monetary system needs reform, but so do the Asian and US economies.

Global Currency

According to thought leaders from the principal world economies, the current international monetary system, reliant on the US dollar, is deeply flawed, but a single viable alternative is not readily apparent.

This was the outcome from the debate at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions on September 12, 2009 at Dalian, People's Republic of China, where they discussed the global currency reserve system.

World Economic Forum

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Photo: Participants captured during the Dalian WorkSpace 2009 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

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Photo: Participants gather at the Education for the Next Wave of Growth session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor, speaks during the North America's Economic Outlook session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.

• In March, China's Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan sparked controversy when he proposed that the International Monetary Fund create a new reserve currency - a proposal with enormous implications across Asia, which holds nearly US$ 4 trillion in foreign currency.

"I strongly supported the proposal made by Governor Zhou," said Yu Yongding, Senior Fellow, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), People's Republic of China and member of the Forum's Global Agenda Council on International Monetary Systems.

However, panelists agreed that the creation of a new global currency to replace the dollar and other sovereign currencies was not politically viable.

The overwhelming problems facing the Asian and US economies are not based on currency doubts. "Don't kid yourself. This crisis is not about currency problems. This problem is about the failures of policies," said Stephen S. Roach, Chairman, Asia, Morgan Stanley, Hong Kong. "We've had central banks that have just gone along for the ride, driven by ideologies, driven by politics."

World Economic Forum

Photo: Aron Cramer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), speaks during the Global Redesign Series -- What Is the Basis of a New Social Compact? session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Participants captured during the Dalian WorkSpace 2009 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Zhu Min, Group Executive Vice-President, Bank of China, laughs during The Global Economic Outlook session at The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China 10-12 September 2009. © World Economic Forum.

For the global financial system to steady itself, the US must increase exports and Asian economies, China's in particular, must do much more to reorient their growth away from external demand towards domestic consumption. "The most important thing for China is to speed up structural reform," agreed Yu.

When polled informally, participants preferred the yuan over the dollar as an investment but few believed it would replace the dollar as the global reserve. Among the panelists, only Oki Matsumoto, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Japan's Monex Group, was mildly bullish on the dollar.

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:55 AM | View the original post

September 8, 2009

World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Rankings: Switzerland Replaces United States at the Top

• Switzerland leads the rankings of the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010.

• The United States falls to second place, with weaker financial markets and less macroeconomic stability.

• Singapore moves up to third; Brazil, China and India also post improvements.

World Economic Forum

Photo: COLOGNY, SWITZERLAND - Cover of the World Economic Forum's The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010. © World Economic Forum.

• Download the full Report (PDF)

• Get the Full Rankings (PDF)

• Get the Highlights of the Report (PDF)

Switzerland tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, released today (September 8, 2009) by the World Economic Forum ahead of its Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2009 in Dalian, People's Republic of China.

The United States falls one place to second position, with weakening in its financial markets and macroeconomic stability. Singapore, Sweden and Denmark round out the top five. European economies continue to prevail in the top 10 with Finland, Germany and the Netherlands following suit. The United Kingdom, while remaining very competitive, has continued its fall from last year, moving down one more place this year to 13th, mainly attributable to continuing weakening of its financial markets.

World Economic Forum

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Photo: People exit the World Expo Center at the World Economic Forum's Inaugural Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China on 5 September 2007. (Handout Photo/World Economic Forum/Doug Kanter).

The People's Republic of China continues to lead the way among large developing economies, improving by one place this year, solidifying its position among the top 30. Among the three other large BRIC economies, Brazil and India also improve, while Russia falls by 12 places. Several Asian economies perform strongly with Japan, Hong Kong SAR, Republic of Korea and Taiwan, China also in the top 20. In Latin America, Chile is the highest ranked country, followed by Costa Rica and Brazil.

A number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa region are in the upper half of the rankings, led by Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Tunisia, with particular improvements noted in the Gulf States, which continue their upward trend of recent years. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa, Mauritius and Botswana feature in the top half of the rankings, with a number of other countries from the region measurably improving their competitiveness.

World Economic Forum

Photo: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Koji Endo, Director, Equity Research, Credit Suisse Securities (Japan) Limited, Credit Suisse, Japan during the Joint Automotive and Logistics & Transport - World Economic Forum on East Asia 2009. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Oh Jaehyuk.

"The strong interdependence among the world's economies makes this a truly global economic crisis in every sense. Policy-makers are presently struggling with ways of managing these new economic challenges, while preparing their economies to perform well in a future economic landscape characterized by growing uncertainty. In a difficult global economic environment, it is more important than ever for countries to put into place strong fundamentals underpinning economic growth and development," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

Photo: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Andy Palmer, Senior Vice-President, Nissan Motor Co., Japan - captured during the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Seoul, South Korea, June 19, 2009. © World Economic Forum. Photo by Oh Jaehyuk.

The Global Competitiveness Report is based on 12 pillars of competitiveness, providing a comprehensive picture of the competitiveness landscape in countries around the world at all stages of development. The pillars include Institutions, Infrastructure, Macroeconomic Stability, Health and Primary Education, Higher Education and Training, Goods Market Efficiency, Labour Market Efficiency, Financial Market Sophistication, Technological Readiness, Market Size, Business Sophistication, and Innovation.

The Report contains a detailed profile for each of the 133 economies featured in the study, providing a comprehensive summary of the overall position in the rankings as well as the most prominent competitive advantages and disadvantages of each country/economy based on the analysis used in computing the rankings.

Source: World Economic Forum

|GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:42 PM | View the original post

January 30, 2009

Global Leaders Pledge Collaboration for Global Solutions to Global Crisis

WEF

Photo: A sign with the logo of the World Economic Forum stands in the snow during preparations for the upcoming Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Christof Sonderegger)

WEF Davos

Photo: Impression of Davos: The biggest tourism resorts of the Swiss alps, captured before the opening of the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Christof Sonderegger)

Government, business and civil society leaders are at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 at Davos, Switzerland, in record numbers to discuss ways out of the worst financial crisis in eight decades. "Davos fills the vital need for a global and dialogue-based platform where knowledgeable and empowered stakeholders can collaborate to address issues of common criticality. I can't think of a better time and a better reason to be at Davos," said Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman, and Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, India, and Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting 2009.

"It is important that leaders who come here go back and work on ways of finding far-reaching policies. It would allow us to create sustainable economic growth and create jobs and coordinate macroeconomic policies," insisted Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations (1997-2006).

"I believe we are also facing a crisis of governance at a national and international level. The current architecture of managing global affairs is broken and needs to be fixed. We have new players that have to be integrated, and the poor have to be given a voice," he said. "The world has changed; are we capable of changing fast enough to save the planet?"

WEF Putin

Photo: Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation talks to the participants of the 'Private Meeting of the Members of the International Business Council with Vladimir Putin' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs)

WEF

Photo: Gary D. Cohn, President, and Co-Chief Operating Officer, Goldman Sachs, USA, captured during the session 'Managing Global Risks' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs)

WEF

Photo: Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York adjusts his headphones during the session 'Gaza: The Case for Middle East Peace' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Monika Flueckiger)

WEF

Photo: Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, Facebook, USA, captured during the session 'The Next Digital Experience' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger)

WEF

Photo: Muhtar A. Kent, President, and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, USA; Co-Chair of the Governors Meeting for Consumer Industries 2009, speaks during the session 'The Global Compact: Creating Sustainable Markets' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Christof Sonderegger)

Stephen Green, Group Chairman, HSBC Holdings, United Kingdom, and Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting 2009, agreed that the Annual Meeting gives leaders the space to share ideas needed to address current challenges. "Talking through what we need to do is important, and that is why Davos is more than ordinarily important," he said.

The world is still in crisis. Yet, we should treat it "as an opportunity to set goals for how we want to come out of it, such as energy sufficiency, world pollution. We should shape policies which will help to solve some of those problems," said Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, News Corporation, USA. "Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth; it's open markets, capitalism, and we've proved this again and again in the last century," he cautioned.

WEF

Photo: Shimon Peres, President of Israel, speaks during the session 'The Values behind Market Capitalism' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger)

WEF

Photo: Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People's Republic of China, is captured during a session at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Christof Sonderegger)

WEF

Photo: Melinda French Gates speaks during the 'Gates Foundation' press conference at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 30, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger)

"I do not expect we will find from Davos solutions but expect that we can get a common understanding of the reasons for the crisis. We can get a good understanding of how we can overcome such a severe crisis in a globalized world," said Werner Wenning, Chairman of the Board of Management, Bayer, Germany, and Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting 2009. "We're talking about growing populations; we have to address issues of how to secure energy supply and of climate change; we're also talking a lot about sustainability and returning to the basics of sustainable behavior."

WEF

Photo: Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, speaks during the session 'A Conversation with' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger)

WEF

Photo: Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan, captured during the session 'Special Address by' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs)

WEF

Photo: Carlos Ghosn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Renault, France; President and Chief Executive Officer, Nissan, Japan; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Co-Chair of the Governors Meeting for the Automotive Industry 2009, captured during the session 'Special Address by Taro Aso' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs)

WEF

Photo: Joseph E. Stiglitz, Professor, Columbia University, USA, gestures during the session 'Rebooting the Global Economy' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Christof Sonderegger)

WEF

Photo: Robert Z. Lawrence, Albert L. Williams Professor of Trade and Investment, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA; Chair, Global Agenda Council on Trade Facilitation, talks to the participants during the session 'The Fight against Protectionism' at the Annual Meeting 2009 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 31, 2009. (© World Economic Forum/Monika Flueckiger)

More than 2,500 participants from 96 countries are participating in the Annual Meeting held under the theme "Shaping the Post-Crisis World," including a record 40 heads of state or government. Essential finance, foreign affairs, trade, and energy ministers will join heads of non-governmental organizations, social entrepreneurs, and religious leaders at the Meeting. Around 60% of the participants are business leaders from the Forum's members that include 1,000 of the foremost companies from across the world and economic sectors.

|GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:27 AM | View the original post

January 27, 2008

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008: Japanese PM unveils 10 billion dollar fund on climate change

World Economic Forum

Photo: John A. Thain, Chief Executive Officer, Merrill Lynch, USA, captured during the session 'The Global Economic Outlook 2008' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Josh Lerner, Professor of Finance, Entrepreneurial and Service Management, Harvard Business School, USA, captured during the session 'Myths and Realities of Private Equity' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Anatole Kaletsky, The Times, United Kingdom, captured during the session 'Myths and Realities of Private Equity' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Martin Wolf, Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times, United Kingdom, makes a point during the session 'The Global Economic Outlook 2008' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Davos, Switzerland -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda today unveiled a five-year, US$ 10 billion fund to support efforts in developing countries to combat global warming a move that ensures top priority be given to climate change at this year's G8 Summit.

In addition, Japan aims to create a new multilateral fund with the US and the UK to mitigate changes in the earth's climate as a result of global warming, Fukuda told business leaders at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Yasuo Fukuda, Prime Minister of Japan at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

Calling it the "Cool Earth Partnership", the prime minister, who will chair the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit later in the year, said: "Japan will cooperate actively with developing countries' efforts to reduce emissions, such as those to enhance energy efficiency. At the same time, we will extend the hand of assistance to developing countries suffering severe adverse impact as a result of climate change."

The fund will start disbursing funds this year. It will set aside up to US$ 8 billion for assistance in climate change mitigation, and up to US$ 2 billion for grants, aid and technical assistance for countries switching to clean energy.

"There is no time to lose in addressing climate change," Fukuda said. "We have readily available means for taking action without waiting for the agreement on a post-Kyoto framework."

The Kyoto Protocol governing greenhouse gas emissions runs out in 2012.

As the chair of the G8 Summit, Fukuda said he is resolved to work with major emitters to set a "fair and equitable emissions target" based on a bottom-up approach that looks at sectoral energy efficiency.

Japan will set a "quantified national target" to reduce emissions immediately. |GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:18 AM | View the original post

January 26, 2008

World Economic Forum: Is "Brand USA" suffering? Perhaps not

World Economic Forum

Photo: A participant walks from the Congress Center. Impression of the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Annette Boutellier)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Carlos Ghosn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Renault, France; President and Chief Executive Officer, Nissan, Japan, captured during the session 'The Power of Collaborative Innovation' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Thomas H. Glocer, Chief Executive Officer, Reuters, United Kingdom, captured during the session 'The Power of Collaborative Innovation' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Rajagopala Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, captured during the session 'Innovative India' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Monika Flueckiger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Google, USA, captured during the session 'The Future of Mobile Technology' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, captured during the session 'Three Crucial Questions for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, talk to each other during the session 'Corporate Global Citizenship in the 21st Century' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

World Economic Forum

Photo: H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, captured during the session 'Corporate Global Citizenship in the 21st Century' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Sir Martin Sorrell , Group Chief Executive, WPP, United Kingdom, captured at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum. Photo by Annette Boutellier)

Davos, Switzerland -- "The US brand still has significant leadership, but there has been a significant decline in the perception of the brand over the past few years," Sir Martin Sorrell, Group Chief Executive, WPP, United Kingdom, told the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 at a session entitled "Rebuilding Brand America: Five Suggestions for the Future President".

Sorrell said market research carried out by his company prior to the Annual Meeting looked at the United States as both a political and a corporate brand. "The report card for brand manager [President George W.] Bush is 'could do better'," he said, adding: "The relationship with the rest of the world has deteriorated."

But News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch made a spirited defence of the actions and standing of the US, even dismissing the title of the debate as a "false presumption". Asked what advice he would give to the US President, Murdoch replied: "I would advise not to read The New York Times. The United States has a great image around the world."

The United States provides more international aid and assistance than any other country and has a tradition of philanthropy that is simply unmatched elsewhere. "The generosity of the Americans is amazing and most people know this," he affirmed. But what everybody needs to understand is that the world changed for the US on 9/11.

The two business leaders were joined on the panel by Publicis head Maurice Levy and H.H. Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Economic Development Board of the Kingdom of Bahrain, who both stressed the need for the United States to be seen to be applying its traditional values.

"It should try as much as possible to apply its values universally. It will make us all play the game better," said the Crown Prince, who praised the role of the United States in guaranteeing the security of his country and others in the region over the past 50 years. He said that he chose to study in the US because he was attracted by the "values of a free nation."

Nevertheless, the US role in the Middle East has probably "led to some negative perception". Making clear that he was referring to the Palestinian-Israeli question, the Crown Prince added: "All we seek is that it apply its values universally."

Levy, who joked he was reluctant to differ with Murdoch because he is a good business client, said that it is important to see what is not working when it comes to the US image. "They have lost something very important. They have a glorious past, coloured by some decisions in recent years." He said the turning point was Iraq.

In many ways, the United States suffers from being held in such high regard that people are probably tougher on it than on other countries. "You are more tough on them when you love them," said Levy. To remedy the situation, the United States needs to engage more with other countries on issues such as global warming, be a "little less lonely" when making foreign policy decisions, and perhaps be more ready to accept advice from others.

Sorrell noted that even though his market research shows that the US corporate brand is "not well liked", US companies still account for 50% of the top 10 brands in China in terms of market recognition and loyalty, and in Italy the figure is only slightly lower. |GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:13 AM | View the original post

January 25, 2008

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM: GROWTH OF SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS SEEN AS POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Philip Yea, Chief Executive, 3i Group, United Kingdom, captured during the session 'Private Equity and Hedge Funds - Friend or Foe?' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum at the Swiss Alpine High School in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Annette Boutellier)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Henry A. Kissinger (R), Chairman, Kissinger Associates, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008, and Shimon Peres, President of Israel, captured during the session 'Orchestrating a New Concert of Powers' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Annette Boutellier)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Sir Martin Sorrell, Group Chief Executive, WPP, United Kingdom, captured during the session 'Rebuilding Brand America: Five Suggestions for the Future President' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photos: William H. Gates III, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, USA, captured during the session 'A New Approach to Capitalism in the 21st Century' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, News Corporation, USA captured during the session 'Rebuilding Brand America: Five Suggestions for the Future President' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Emma Thompson, Actor and Writer, United Kingdom, expresses her thoughts during the session 'Future Shifts: The Voice of the Next Generation' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Monika Flueckiger)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Tzipi Livni, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, addresses the audience during the session 'Middle East: After Annapolis, After Paris' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

Davos, Switzerland, 24 January 2008 - The growing financial clout of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) - government-controlled vehicles created to invest the foreign currency reserves of many major oil producers and other exporters - should be welcomed, not opposed, by global policy-makers, panellists at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 agreed today.

The rising importance of these funds - as seen by their recent investments in troubled financial institutions in the US and Europe - has attracted widespread media attention, fuelling public concern about their potential political influence. Yet, for the most part, these fears bear no relation to the funds' actual behaviour. "These are among the most professional investors in the world," noted Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Blackstone Group, USA. "In our experience, there is virtually no difference between going to a sovereign fund [for investment capital] and going to a state pension fund in the US."

Schwarzman was speaking at a panel session entitled "Myths and Realities of Sovereign Wealth Funds". The panel also included fund managers from Kuwait and Norway, key government officials from the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia, and a noted economist and former US Treasury Secretary. For the most part, these participants agreed that the SWFs represent a valuable pool of stable, long-term capital, and have reduced, rather than increased, capital market volatility.

The need for standards cuts both ways, argued Robert M. Kimmitt, US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. Recipient countries need to make it clear that they will not block investments from foreign sources, including the SWFs, merely on political grounds. G7 leaders, he noted, have asked the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to work with both sovereign investors and recipients of that investment to develop voluntary guidelines. Drafts of these standards should be ready for review by the autumn IMF/World Bank meetings, he said. |GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:24 AM | View the original post

January 24, 2008

RICE DEFENDS US IDEALS AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Tony Blair (L), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997-2007); Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 , Condoleezza Rice (C), US Secretary of State and Henry A. Kissinger, Chairman, Kissinger Associates, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008, captured during the session 'Opening Plenary' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Annette Boutellier)

Davos, Switzerland, 23 January 2008 - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting that American foreign policy must be driven by a combination of ideals and optimism because international problems may be managed but never resolved without them.

"There is not one challenge in the world today that will get better if we approach it without confidence in the appeal and effectiveness of our ideals - political and economic freedom, open markets and free and fair trade, human dignity and human rights, equal opportunity and the rule of law," she said in the opening address to the 38th World Economic Annual Meeting.

Despite the current turbulence on international markets, the long-term fundamentals of the US economy are sound, she declared. Nevertheless, if the global economy is to continue to grow, the world needs an entirely new approach to energy and the environment. "We have to ... cut the Gordian knot of fossil fuels, carbon emissions and economic activity," she said. The US is ready to do its part on climate change and global warming.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Al Gore, Vice-President of the United States of America (1993-2001); Nobel Laureate 2007 captured during the session 'A Unified Earth Theory: Combining Solutions to Extreme Poverty and the Climate Crisis' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan gestures as he talks during the session 'The Quest for Peace and Stability' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

Turning to the issue of democracy, Rice suggested that the notion is sometimes controversial when applied to the Middle East, with some arguing that it has "made the situation worse." But, said Rice: "I would ask, worse compared to what?" Things are certainly no worse than when the Syrian army controlled Lebanon, when Palestinians could not elect their leaders or when Saddam Hussein exercised his "tyranny", Rice said.

"The main problem for democracy in the Middle East has not been that people are not ready for it. The problem is that there are violent forces of reaction that should not be allowed to triumph," she said. And, she added, nobody should be under any illusion that the problems will get easier "if we approach them in a less principled fashion."

When it comes to diplomacy, America has no permanent enemies because it harbours no "permanent hatreds," said Rice. Nowhere is this more clearly illustrated than in relations with Russia. "The recent talk about a new cold war is hyperbolic nonsense," Rice said.

Similarly, Washington has no desire for permanent enmity with Iran. "We have no conflict with Iran's people, but we have real differences with Iran's government - from its support for terrorism, to its destabilizing policies in Iraq, to its pursuit of technology that could lead to a nuclear weapon."

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Photo: Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York addresses the audience during the session 'Time Is Running Out for Water' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

A few minutes before, Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan, reminded participants of the ongoing war against terrorism being waged in his country and urged regional governments to move beyond words to concrete action. "Complacency must no longer be tolerated," he declared. He also underlined the need to root out terrorist sanctuaries and to target individuals and entities that harbour sources of extremism with impunity.

Speaking on the same platform, Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Geneva, called for a more serious effort to combat global warming, reminding business, government and civil society leaders that the results will benefit health and security in the entire world. |GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:40 AM | View the original post

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 Opens With Calls For Collaborative Innovation

World Economic Forum

Photo: Impression of the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Annette Boutellier)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, captured during the 'Opening Address' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

Davos, Switzerland, 23 January 2008 - The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 has opened with calls from the Co-Chairs to exercise "The Power of Collaborative Innovation" to meet the top challenges of economic instability, climate change and equitable growth.

World Economic Forum

Photo: Tony Blair (L), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997-2007); Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 and Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State captured during the Opening Plenary at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Condoleezza Rice (L), US Secretary of State and Henry A. Kissinger, Chairman, Kissinger Associates, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 captured during the session 'Opening Plenary' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

World Economic Forum

Photo: Yasuo Hayashi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japan, captured during the session '2008 World Economic Brainstorming: Addressing Uncertainty' at the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2008. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Remy Steinegger)

"This is a moment of greater insecurity and challenge in the world today, but it makes a meeting like this all the more important. The theme of the Annual Meeting, 'The Power of Collaborative Innovation' is the answer to all the big global challenges we are facing," said Co-Chair Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997-2007) and Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum.

World Economic Forum

Photo: A participant of the Annual Meeting 2008 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2008 reads the Financial Times, informing herself about the stock exchange turbulences. (Copyright by World Economic Forum. Photo by Andy Mettler)

In total, over 240 sessions are taking place over the course of the five-day Meeting, as well as related smaller, private meetings and the Open Forum, which the general public is invited to attend. The programme is organized around five sub-themes:

• Business: Competing While Collaborating
• Economics and Finance: Addressing Economic Insecurity
• Geopolitics: Aligning Interests across Divides
• Science and Technology: Exploring Nature's New Frontiers
• Values and Society: Understanding Future Shifts

More than 2,500 participants from 88 countries are in Davos, Switzerland, including 27 heads of state or government, 113 cabinet ministers, along with religious leaders, media leaders and heads of non-governmental organizations. Around 60% of the participants are business leaders drawn principally from the Forum's members - 1,000 of the foremost companies from around the world and across all economic sectors.

The Co-Chairs of the meeting are:

• Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997-2007); Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum
• James Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., USA
• K.V. Kamath, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Bank, India
• Henry Kissinger, Chairman, Kissinger Associates, USA
• Indra K. Nooyi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo, USA
• David J. O'Reilly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chevron, USA
• Wang Jianzhou, Chairman and Chief Executive, China Mobile Communications Corporation, People's Republic of China

|GlobalGiants.com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:33 AM | View the original post

January 29, 2007

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Ends With Concrete Proposals to Tackle Global Issues : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 28 JANUARY 2007 - Participants captured during the farewell party at the Schatzalp, at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Anette Boutellier)

PHOTO: Susan Schwab (l), US Trade Representative and Kamal Nath (r), Minister of Commerce and Industry of India captured during the session 'Frozen Trade Talks and the Need for Progress' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier)

Davos, Switzerland, 28 January 2007- The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos wrapped up Sunday with climate change firmly at the centre stage of debate. In 17 sessions related to global warming, the Forum gathered the world’s top academics, business leaders, NGO representatives, UN agency chiefs, politicians and many others in order to advance the discussion and explore practical opportunities for progress through partnership. The meeting clearly illustrated the deepening commitment of business to engage other groups in addressing this issue. [GlobalGiants.com]

Following are examples of some of the concrete developments from this year’s Annual Meeting:

• The Forum announced the formation of a new international partnership of seven organizations to establish a generally accepted framework for climate risk-related reporting by corporations. Founding members of the institutional consortium, the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB), include the California Climate Action Registry, Carbon Disclosure Project, Ceres, The Climate Group, International Emissions Trading Association, World Economic Forum Global Greenhouse Gas Register and World Resources Institute. CDSB member organizations have agreed to align their core requests for information from companies in order to ensure that they report climate change-related information in a standardized way that facilitates easier comparative analysis by investors, managers and the public.

• The Forum announced the establishment of a joint Israeli-Palestinian business council. Founding members formulated their mission as encouraging and facilitating constructive cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian business leaders to reinforce economic relationship and help peace building efforts by a credible and legitimate voice. The Council which will bring together some 200 Palestinian and Israeli CEOs and plans to hold its first assembly during the World Economic Forum Meeting on the Middle East at the Dead Sea in Jordan on 19-20 May 2007.

• An alliance of leading companies was announced with the objective to bring power to villages in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest electrification rate with three out of four people lacking access. During the Annual Meeting, the Lesotho Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alliance Partners for a first project to deliver energy to a rural village in Lesotho

• The heads of the Big Four Accounting firms (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers) have agreed to work with the World Economic Forum Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) to support the global fight against corruption. Together, PACI and the accounting firms will explore the development of a framework for companies to benefit from independent reviews of their anti-bribery programmes.

• The Presidents of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Executive Director of the international Finance Corporation reaffirmed their support of the World Economic Forum Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) and recognized the important role the private sector plays in guiding policy and assisting governments in reducing corruption. They have agreed to jointly pilot an country-specific anti-corruption implementation programme, and a sector-specific structural reform that will promote fair competition and transparency. In addition, the banks will explore using PACI's frameworks and tools as a starting point for developing their own programmes.

• The World Economic Forum and the Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee (RBWC) issued the final report of a two-year, public-private review of the international monetary system in cooperation with Group of 20 governments. Entitled "The International Monetary System, the IMF and the G20: A Great Transformation in the Making?", the report concludes that a critical mass of governments appears ready to try to adapt international financial institutions to a world characterized by increasingly large cross-border private capital flows, wider geographic distribution of economic activity and deepened regional macroeconomic and international trade policy coordination. It includes a selection of proposed reforms in such areas as strengthening the international adjustment process, improving crisis prevention and resolution instruments, and modernizing and rationalizing the governance of the system’s principal institutions.

• New data released at the Annual Meeting from the World Health Organization showed that the GAVI Alliance, a groundbreaking global initiative to increase access to children’s vaccines, originally launched in Davos in 2000, has brought immunisation rates to record highs in poor countries. The WHO data, project that since 2000, GAVI-funded immunisation programs in developing countries have prevented approximately 2.3 million future deaths, and that immunisations in 2006 alone prevented 600,000 future deaths.

"These projects may range in scope and ambition from the local to the global, but they are all examples of the growing interest of companies to work in partnership with governmental or civil society organizations to advance progress on critical challenges. Multistakeholder alliances such as these illustrate an important aspect of the "shifting power equation" that was the theme of our Annual Meeting this year – a new geometry of collective action and collaborative governance in a world characterized by growing dispersion of economic and political influence," said Rick Samans, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum. [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:31 AM | View the original post

World Economic Forum Ceremony: Irene Khan : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 28 JANUARY 2007 - Irene Khan, Secretary-General, Amnesty International, United Kingdom captured during the 'Ceremony' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 28, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Severin Nowacki) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:49 AM | View the original post

January 28, 2007

Modern Russia: Strengths, Challenges and New Prospects - A Perspective from Business: James S. Turley : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - James S. Turley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ernst & Young, USA Chaired by Lionel Barber, Editor, Financial Times, United Kingdom captured during the session 'Modern Russia: Strengths, Challenges and New Prospects - A Perspective from Business' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:01 AM | View the original post

World Economic Forum Closing Plenary: Eric Schmidt : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Eric Schmidt, Co-Chair of the 2007 Annual Meeting; Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Google Inc., USA captured during the session 'Closing Plenary' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:56 AM | View the original post

China Gets Innovative: Andrew N. Liveris : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Andrew N. Liveris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dow Chemical Company, USA, captured during the session 'China Gets Innovative' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:53 AM | View the original post

China Gets Innovative: Edward J. Zander : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Edward J. Zander, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Motorola, USA, captured during the session 'China Gets Innovative' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:50 AM | View the original post

China Gets Innovative: Sir Martin Sorrel : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Sir Martin Sorrell , Group Chief Executive, WPP, United Kingdom, captured during the session 'China Gets Innovative' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:20 AM | View the original post

The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models: Mark G. Parker : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Mark G. Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nike, USA, captured during the session 'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:45 AM | View the original post

The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models: Chad Hurley : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Chad Hurley, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, YouTube, USA, captured during the session 'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:20 AM | View the original post

'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models': Dennis Kneale : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Dennis Kneale, Managing Editor, Forbes Magazine, USA, captured during the session 'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:14 AM | View the original post

Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland - January 27, 2007 Events : GlobalGiants.com

Closing Plenary: Panel Shot.

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Panel shot from left: Michelle Guthrie, Chief Executive Officer, Star Group, Hong Kong SAR; Young Global Leader, E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, USA, John McCain, Senator from Arizona (Republican), USA, Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises, India, James J. Schiro, Group Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Group Management Board, Zurich Financial Services, Switzerland and Eric Schmidt, Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting 2007, Chairman of the Executive Comittee and Chief Executive Officer, Google Inc., USA captured during the session 'Closing Plenary' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Pascal Lamy, Doris Leuthard.

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Pascal Lamy, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva, and Doris Leuthard, Federal Councillor of Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, during a press conference at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Gian Vaitl) [GlobalGiants.com]

'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models': Dennis Kneale, Caterina Fake, William H. Gates III, Mark G. Parker, Chad Hurley, Viviane Reding, Peter Schwartz.

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - (fltr) Dennis Kneale, Managing Editor, Forbes Magazine, USA, Caterina Fake, Founder, Flickr, USA, William H. Gates III, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, USA, Mark G. Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nike, USA, Chad Hurley, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, YouTube, USA, Viviane Reding, Commissioner, Information Society and Media, European Commission, Brussels, Peter Schwartz, Chairman, Global Business Network, USA, captured during the session 'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models': Dennis Kneale, Caterina Fake, William H. Gates III, Mark G. Parker, Chad Hurley, Viviane Reding .

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - (fltr) Dennis Kneale, Managing Editor, Forbes Magazine, USA, Caterina Fake, Founder, Flickr, USA, William H. Gates III, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, USA, Mark G. Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nike, USA, Chad Hurley, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, YouTube, USA, Viviane Reding, Commissioner, Information Society and Media, European Commission, Brussels. captured during the session 'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:33 AM | View the original post

The Annual Meeting 2007: Checkmate: Anatoly Karpov : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Anatoly Karpov, Chess Grandmaster; Chairman, International Association of Peace Foundations, Russian Federation, captured during the event 'Checkmate' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:28 AM | View the original post

January 27, 2007

Modern Russia: Strengths, Challenges and New Prospects - A Perspective from the Government: Lionel Barber : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Lionel Barber, Editor, Financial Times, United Kingdom captured during the session 'Modern Russia: Strengths, Challenges and New Prospects - A Perspective from the Government' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:01 PM | View the original post

Global Challenges: Tony Blair : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom captured during the session 'Global Challenges' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (©World Economic Forum, Photo by Monika Flueckiger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:57 PM | View the original post

Frozen Trade Talks and the Need for Progress: John K. Defterios : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - John K. Defterios, Group Vice-President, Content and Anchor, United Kingdom, FBC Media, United Kingdom, expresses his thoughts during the session 'Frozen Trade Talks and the Need for Progress' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:53 PM | View the original post

The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models: Dennis Kneale, Caterina Fake, William H. Gates III : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - (fltr) Dennis Kneale, Managing Editor, Forbes Magazine, USA, Caterina Fake, Founder, Flickr, USA, William H. Gates III, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, USA, captured during the session 'The Impact of Web 2.0 and Emerging Social Network Models' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

View Larger Picture: Dennis Kneale, Caterina Fake, William H. Gates III

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:45 PM | View the original post

The Future of the Middle East: John F. Kerry : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - John F. Kerry, Senator from Massachusetts (Democrat), USA captured during the session 'The Future of the Middle East' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:25 AM | View the original post

The Future of the Middle East: Abdullah Gül : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey captured during the session 'The Future of the Middle East' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:21 AM | View the original post

The Future of the Middle East: Ahmed Mahmoud Nazif : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Ahmed Mahmoud Nazif, Prime Minister of Egypt captured during the session 'The Future of the Middle East' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:18 AM | View the original post

The Future of the Middle East: Adil Abd al-Mahdi : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Adil Abd al-Mahdi, Vice-President of Iraq captured during the session 'The Future of the Middle East' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:14 AM | View the original post

The Global Economic Outlook 2007: Min Zhu : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Min Zhu, Group Executive Vice-President, Bank of China, People's Republic of China captured during the session 'The Global Economic Outlook 2007' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:09 AM | View the original post

The Global Economic Outlook 2007: Montek S. Ahluwalia : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Montek S. Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, India captured during the session 'The Global Economic Outlook 2007' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:58 AM | View the original post

The Global Economic Outlook 2007: Robert M. Kimmitt : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 27 JANUARY 2007 - Robert M. Kimmitt, US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury captured during the session 'The Global Economic Outlook 2007' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:54 AM | View the original post

Delivering on the Promise of Africa: Tony Blair : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, makes a point during the session 'Delivering on the Promise of Africa' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:51 AM | View the original post

Swiss Insight: William H. Gates III : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - William H. Gates III, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, USA, captured during the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:47 AM | View the original post

Managing Risk in Megaprojects: Queen Rania : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - H.M. Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, captured during the session 'Managing Risk in Megaprojects' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Gian Vaitl) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:43 AM | View the original post

How Much Should the Industrialized World Spend on Healthcare?: Craig R. Barrett, Mark Foster : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Craig R. Barrett, Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation, USA (l), and Mark Foster, Group Chief Executive, Business Consulting and Integrated Markets, Accenture, United Kingdom (r), share a smile during the session 'How Much Should the Industrialized World Spend on Healthcare?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:04 AM | View the original post

January 26, 2007

A Business Manifesto for Globalization: Patrick Cescau : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Patrick Cescau, Group Chief Executive Officer, Unilever, United Kingdom captured during the session 'A Business Manifesto for Globalization' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:15 PM | View the original post

Delivering on the Promise of Africa: Niall FitzGerald : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Niall FitzGerald, Chairman, Reuters, United Kingdom; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, captured during the session 'Delivering on the Promise of Africa' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:11 PM | View the original post

The Price of Becoming Old: Lord Adair Turner : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Lord Adair Turner, Non-Executive Director, Standard Chartered Plc, United Kingdom captured during the session 'The Price of Becoming Old' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:08 PM | View the original post

'BBC World Debate: Climate Change': GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - The session of 'BBC World Debate: Climate Change' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

View Larger Photo: BBC World Debate: Climate Change

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:36 PM | View the original post

Audi Transportation: Stadler, Schwab : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Rupert Stadler (l), Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board Audi AG, Germany and Klaus Schwab (r), Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum captured at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:32 PM | View the original post

NYSE - Ringing the Bell at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Ringing the 'Bell' of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) out in the Swiss snow during the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum at Davos/Switzerland, January 26, 2007. Picture captured outside the Congress Center Davos where the Annual Meeting takes place. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Andy Mettler) [GlobalGiants.com]

View Larger Photo: NYSE - Ringing the Bell at Davos

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:28 PM | View the original post

The Next Limits to Growth: E. Neville Isdell : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, USA captured during the session 'The Next Limits to Growth' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:25 PM | View the original post

The Next Limits to Growth: GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Samuel A. DiPiazza Jr, Global Chief Executive Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, USA captured during the session 'The Next Limits to Growth' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:22 PM | View the original post

William H. Gates III : GlobalGiants.com

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:37 AM | View the original post

Wisdom of Youth: Gordon Brown : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom captured during the session 'Wisdom of Youth' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:34 AM | View the original post

Wisdom of Youth: H.M. Queen Rania : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - H.M. Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum captured during the session 'Wisdom of Youth' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:30 AM | View the original post

'Who Will Shape the Agenda?': Lloyd C. Blankfein : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Goldman Sachs Group, USA , captured during the session 'Who Will Shape the Agenda?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Monika Flueckiger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:27 AM | View the original post

A conversation with president Lula da Silva of Brazil : Luiz Inacio da Silva : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 26 JANUARY 2007 - Luiz Inacio da Silva, President of Brazil, captured during the session 'A conversation with president Lula da Silva of Brazil', at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Monika Flueckiger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:23 AM | View the original post

The Annual Meeting 2007: COCA COLA SPECIAL: Jeff Seabright : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Jeff Seabright, Vice-President, Coca-Cola Company, USA, captured during a meeting at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:26 AM | View the original post

'Who Will Run the Internet?': Michael S. Dell : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Michael S. Dell, Chairman of the Board, Dell, USA; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, captured during the workspace session 'Who Will Run the Internet?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Severin Nowacki) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:23 AM | View the original post

Ensuring Future European Growth: Walter B. Kielholz : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Walter B. Kielholz, Chairman of the Board, Credit Suisse, Switzerland captured during the session 'Ensuring Future European Growth' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:16 AM | View the original post

'What's on the Mind of Asia's New Business Giants?': Richard S. Fuld Jr : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Richard S. Fuld Jr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lehman Brothers, USA, captured during the session 'What's on the Mind of Asia's New Business Giants?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:14 AM | View the original post

'What's on the Mind of Asia's New Business Giants?': Azim H. Premji : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Azim H. Premji, Chairman, Wipro, India, captured during the session 'What's on the Mind of Asia's New Business Giants?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:10 AM | View the original post

'What's on the Mind of Asia's New Business Giants?': Maria Bartiromo : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Maria Bartiromo, Anchor, CNBC's Closing Bell, and Host and Managing Editor, Wall Street Journal Report, CNBC, USA, Young Global Leader captured during the session 'What's on the Mind of Asia's New Business Giants?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:07 AM | View the original post

'China as a Global Partner - A Conversation with': Klaus Schwab : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, captured during the session 'China as a Global Partner - A Conversation with' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:03 AM | View the original post

January 25, 2007

Who Will Run the Internet?: Jonathan Zittrain : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Jonathan Zittrain, Professor, Internet Governance and Regulation, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Young Global Leader, captured during the workspace session 'Who Will Run the Internet?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Severin Nowacki) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:19 PM | View the original post

'CNN Connects: Our Networked World': Anderson, Zuckerberg, Fake, Ahuja, Glocer, Kapor : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - (fltr) Rebecca Anderson, Anchor, CNN International, United Kingdom, Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, Facebook, USA, Caterina Fake, Founder, Flickr, USA, Sanjiv Ahuja, Chief Executive Officer, Orange, United Kingdom, Thomas H. Glocer, Chief Executive Officer, Reuters, United Kingdom, Mitchell Kapor, President, Kapor Enterprises, USA captured during the session 'CNN Connects: Our Networked World' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:15 AM | View the original post

Ensuring Future European Growth: Ferenc Gyurcsany : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Ferenc Gyurcsany, Prime Minister of Hungary captured during the session 'Ensuring Future European Growth' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E.T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:08 AM | View the original post

'Who Will Run the Internet?': Vinton G. Cerf : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Vinton G. Cerf, Chairman of the Board, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), USA, captured during the workspace session 'Who Will Run the Internet?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Severin Nowacki) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:05 AM | View the original post

The Annual Meeting 2007: COCA COLA SPECIAL: E. Neville Isdell, Godrej, Leape, Seabright : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - (fltr) E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, USA, Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce, India, Jim Leape, Director-General, WWF International, World Wide Fund for Nature, Switzerland, Jeff Seabright, Vice-President, Coca-Cola Company, USA, captured during a meeting at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:29 AM | View the original post

'CNN Connects: Our Networked World': Caterina Fake : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Caterina Fake, Founder, Flickr, USA captured during the session 'CNN Connects: Our Networked World' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:22 AM | View the original post

Rules for a Global Neighbourhood in a Multicultural World: Mohammad Khatami : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 25 JANUARY 2007 - Mohammad Khatami captured during the workspace session 'Rules for a Global Neighbourhood in a Multicultural World' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo Remy Steineggerm) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:02 AM | View the original post

World Economic Forum: Welcome to the Annual Meeting: Micheline Calmy-Rey : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the Swiss Confederation and Federal Councillor of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, welcomes the participants at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo Severin Nowacki) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:52 AM | View the original post

World Economic Forum Focus Nightcap: Claudia Schiffer : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - German top model Claudia Schiffer poses for the photographers during the 'Focus Nightcap' at the Steigenberger Hotel Belvedere at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Monika Flueckiger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:24 AM | View the original post

January 24, 2007

World Economic Forum: 'Update 2007: Beyond Web 2.0 - From Content to Collective Knowledge?': John Markoff : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - John Markoff, Senior Writer, The New York Times, USA, captured during the session 'Update 2007: Beyond Web 2.0 - From Content to Collective Knowledge?' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:49 PM | View the original post

World Economic Forum Opening Address: Angela Merkel : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany, speaks during the onpening address to the participants at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:32 PM | View the original post

Update 2007: CNBC Debate - Make Green Pay: Sir Nicholas Stern : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - Sir Nicholas Stern, Head, UK Government Economic Service, HM Tresury of the United Kingdom, captured during the session 'Update 2007: CNBC Debate - Make Green Pay' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:45 PM | View the original post

World Economic Forum: 'Update 2007: The Global Economy': Laura D. Tyson : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - Laura D. Tyson, Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley, USA, captured during the session 'Update 2007: The Global Economy' at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Remy Steinegger) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:24 PM | View the original post

World Economic Forum Opening Press Conference: GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 24 JANUARY 2007 - Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises, India, captured during the Opening Press Conference at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Benjamin Zurbriggen) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:18 PM | View the original post

NYTimes.com Launches ''Davos Diary'' : GlobalGiants.com

A New Special Section of DealBook Dedicated to the World Economic Forum.

Photo: DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 23 JAN 2007 - The Set up of the welcome lounge at the middle entry floor at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by Annette Boutellier)

NEW YORK -- Jan. 23, 2007 -- NYTimes.com introduced today "Davos Diary,"a special section of its DealBook blog (http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/category/davos-2007/) dedicated exclusively to the World Economics Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The blog will feature up-to-date news and analysis about the conference by journalists from The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune based around the world. There will also be special coverage on IHT.com (www.iht.com/davos). In addition, the blog will include interviews and videos from Davos. "Davos Diary" will be updated early and often throughout the day and will run until Jan. 28.

"We're excited to launch this special section of DealBook dedicated to news and commentary," said Larry Ingrassia, business editor, The New York Times. "As always, DealBook will provide our readers with a unique and well-informed look at the people and events who shape economics and geopolitics. 'Davos Diary' also provides an opportunity for our readers to share their insights." [GlobalGiants.com]

Contributing journalists include:

From Davos:

• Liz Alderman, business editor, International Herald Tribune.

• Katrin Bennhold, correspondent, International Herald Tribune.

• Alan Cowell, London bureau chief, The New York Times.

• Carter Dougherty, business correspondent, International Herald Tribune.

• James Kanter, correspondent, International Herald Tribune.

• Mark Landler, Frankfurt bureau chief, The New York Times.

• Floyd Norris, financial columnist, The New York Times and International Herald Tribune.

• Andrew Ross Sorkin, mergers and acquisitions reporter, The New York Times.

• John Markoff, technology reporter, The New York Times.

From New York:

• Peter Edmonston, business reporter, The New York Times.

• Michael J. de la Merced, DealBook writer, The New York Times.

From Paris:

• Liza Klausmann, contributor writer, The New York Times. [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:57 PM | View the original post

The Business Case for Working with Social Entrepreneurs: Paul J. Ostling : GlobalGiants.com

PHOTO: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, 23 JANUARY 2007 - Paul J. Ostling, Global Chief Operating Officer, Ernst & Young, United Kingdom captured during the interactive session 'The Business Case for Working with Social Entrepreneurs' at the Social Entrepreneurs Summit 2007 in Rueschlikon/Switzerland during the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 23, 2007. (© World Economic Forum, Photo by E. T. Studhalter) [GlobalGiants.com]

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:22 AM | View the original post