Be honest, what do you actually know the World Economic Forum? My curiosity was genuinely sparked when my old CEO of indeed.com, Deko was one of the chosen business leaders to attend.
Lets start with a quick background and dive into what it entails.
Davos 2024 marks the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. With the overarching theme of “Rebuilding Trust,” this gathering strives to rejuvenate collective unity and reinforce the core principles of transparency, consistency, and accountability among leaders.
The agenda encapsulates a spirit of returning to fundamentals, fostering open and constructive discussions among government officials, business leaders, and representatives of civil society.
The ultimate aim is to facilitate a holistic understanding of our increasingly intricate world and to provide foresight by presenting the latest advancements in science, industry, and society.
Throughout the week, sessions will delve into cutting-edge proposals for global progress in areas such as security, trade, economic growth, job creation, climate and environmental action, the energy transition, technological evolution, and health and well-being.
Before we dive in, it is important to establish the five W’s: who, what, when, where and why behind the World Economic Forum.
Let’s start with the Who.
Who is invited to this summit? Is it all leaders of the world?
For the 2024 summit, over 100 governments were invited to the table. It appears that there was about 60 heads of government and state that made an appearance.
Approximately 1,600 business leaders are expected to attend, including over 800 of the world’s foremost CEOs and chairs representing the World Economic Forum’s Members and Partners.
Additionally, there will be a presence of over 150 Global Innovators, Tech Pioneers, and transformative Unicorns reshaping various industries.
The event will also welcome over 200 individuals from the Forum’s Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders, and Social Entrepreneurs communities, who will showcase local innovations and solutions.
Furthermore, more than 150 experts and leaders from the world’s preeminent universities, research institutions, and think tanks will participate.
To add to the diversity of voices, over 40 leaders from labor, non-governmental organizations, and religious communities in civil society will be in attendance.
It is important to also note who did NOT show up to this event. Interestingly enough here is a list of some of the largest figure heads that did not make an appearance:
- Joe Biden – American President
- Emmanuel Macron – French President
- Rishi Sunak – British Prime Minister
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – Brazilian President
- Xi Jinping – Chinese President
- Vladimir Putin – Russian President
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy – Ukrainian President
It’s reasonable to assume that a few leaders on this list above are not exactly on good terms with one another, hence the no-show.
The What.
The World Economic Forum this year has over 200 sessions that were recorded and completely accessible to the public here.
A few examples of some of the topics include:
- Achieving Security and Cooperation in a Fractured World
- Creating Growth and Jobs for a New Era
- Artificial Intelligence as a Driving Force for the Economy and Society
- A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature and Energy
I was able to look at several of these conversations are they were very informative and eye opening. I highly recommend you take a look at all you can to stay informed.
The When & The Where.
The 2024 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is taking place right now from 15 – 19 January in Davos, Switzerland. It is typically held at the end of January every year.
The World Economic Forum was founded by a German Engineer named Klaus Schwab in 1917.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is most prominently recognized for its yearly gathering held at the end of January in Davos, a picturesque mountain resort nestled in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland.
This event draws together approximately 3,000 paying members and carefully selected participants, encompassing investors, business magnates, political figures, economists, celebrities, and journalists.
These attendees converge for a duration of up to five days, engaging in discussions across 500 sessions to address global challenges and opportunities.
The Why.
The foundation’s stated mission is “improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”.
The organization operates independently and without any affiliations to specific interests.
It maintains a strong commitment to demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit for the benefit of the global public, consistently upholding the highest levels of governance and ethical standards.
Moral and intellectual integrity form the core principles guiding all its endeavors.
The World Economic Forum’s actions are influenced by a distinctive institutional culture rooted in the stakeholder theory, which claims that an organization is responsible to all segments of society.
This institution prudently combines and harmonizes the strengths of various types of organizations, including those from the public and private sectors, international bodies, and academic institutions, to create a balanced approach that serves the greater good.
Elephantries 