For decades, the great and the good of much of the world’s business, political, and NGO elites have convened in Davos, Switzerland, each January for several days of exchanging views on the issues of the day. This event has taken place under the aegis of the World Economic Forum, a Swiss-based international advocacy non governmental organization and think tank, as it describes itself, founded in 1971 by German engineer Klaus Schwab.
Whether this annual conference really did set the world’s thought agenda at the start of each year in the past, as “Davos Man” participants seemed to presume, the information generated by these interviews and panels has always been worth a careful read. These people and the institutions they represent are of the greatest importance for global society. For Davos 2025, as in previous years, the program represents an agenda worth considering.[1]
An overarching theme was put forward by the WEF staff to concentrate thinking: “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”
Davos 2025 convened under these few words. Delegates were invited to consider Klaus Schwab’s suggestion that the advancing problem of our time is that of converging technologies, which are rapidly changing the way the world works, and may be pushing us to an inflection point – in his thinking, “an era far beyond technology alone. This is a societal revolution, one that has the power to elevate humanity – or indeed to fracture it.”
If this view is correct, what follows is the challenge WEF participants must take up to come to terms with global cooperation in an age of converging technologies and hyper intelligence, to live and prosper both with and despite these changes. How might the world manage to avoid fragmentation and build a smarter future? How can innovation tackle crises like climate change and the misuse of technology? Will collective action and responsible leadership foster equality, sustainability, and collaboration rather
than deepen existing divides?
The broad theme for 2025 was then broken down into five topics, for the purpose of focusing conversation in the various panel sessions and speeches:
Reimagining Growth - Reviving and reimagining growth is critical to building stronger and more resilient economies. How can we identify the new sources of growth in this new global economy?
Industries in the Intelligent Age - Industries have had to adapt their business strategies to account formajor geo-economic and technological shifts. How can business leaders strike a balance between the short-term goals and long-term imperatives in the transformation of their industries?
Investing in People - Geoeconomic changes, the green transition, and technological advancements are impacting everything from employment, skills and wealth distribution to healthcare, education and public services. How can the public and private sectors invest in human capital development and good jobs that contribute to the development of a modern and resilient society?
Safeguarding the Planet - Innovative partnerships and dialogue that enable investments, and the deployment of climate and clean technologies, will be critical to make progress on global climate and nature goals, as well as to address the energy triangle of achieving equitable, secure and sustainable energy systems. How can we rapidly push ahead with energy, climate, and nature action through innovative partnerships, increased financing, and the deployment of the very most modern
technologies?
Rebuilding Trust - In an increasingly complex and fast-moving world, societal divides have deepened, geopolitics is multipolar, and policy is shifting towards protectionism, hampering both trade and investment. How can stakeholders find new ways to collaborate on solutions both internationally and within societies?
For WAIFC Members
The themes of this year’s WEF Forum in Davos will resonate differently from member to member, as their local business agendas for the new year begin to be implemented. At a deep level, though, WAIFC members’ conversations do have these common themes to consider, though there will be important variables as to what works or what may be problematic from one financial center to another.
As to the very last challenge the WEF put forward this year, WAIFC already provides an answer. The simple existence of the WAIFC network is a response. The Alliance’s work enables like-minded financial center leaders to exchange views and collaborate far more easily with peers around the world than if each was off on its own.
The Great Variable of 2025
There was a specter haunting Davos this year: the start of this year’s conference on January 20 coincided with the inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington. While this change in political leadership was on everyone’s calendars, actually being in office rather than being president-elect changed the tone and meaning of his considerably. The newly installed president addressed delegates via video conference during the week[2]. It would be interesting, if impossible, to know what the effects of President Trump’s sharing of viewpoints might have been as the planned conference sessions unfolded. Did people adjust their comments and assessments of how to proceed in the new year? And what might the effects be as delegates go down the mountain and return to their places of work? Do the first days of the Trump presidency matter to their work, and if so how – and, finally, how might it have sounded when they were together in conclave up in the Swiss Alps rather than being separate and back to their desks around the world?
[1] - There have been some imitations over the years, such as the convening of minds in Saudi Arabia, the so-called “Davos in the Desert.” None has established itself as the time and place to be for such an event as January in Davos has.
[2] - https://www.whitehouse.gov/remarks/2025/01/remarks-by-president-trump-at-the-world-economic-forum/