In case you haven’t been following it, Davos, Switzerland, is where the World Economic Forum holds its annual meeting. Delegates from many sectors converge for several days of talks and meetings in early January (15-19 this year) to address urgent global issues. According to McKinsey & Company, who you can bet will have representation there, “In 2024, the annual meeting will be centered on rebuilding trust in an environment of rapid transformation. We are living in a time of increasing geopolitical polycrisis, new economic policies shaped by the climate crisis, and rapid advancement of technologies such as artificial intelligence. Responding to such profound forces of change requires building trust on three levels: in our future, within societies, and among nations. Delegates of Davos 2024 will explore themes including reforming multilateral approaches, leveraging AI for the benefit of all members of society, upholding the momentum from COP28, and maintaining an open trade system.”

With some 2,500 delegates (denoted by their white badges and there by invitation) as well as many others attending, Davos has often been described as “business speed dating on steroids.” Of course, the presentations are important, but there is a significant amount of networking that gets done during the event. If you are interested in tracking the agenda, you can search on social media for #davosagenda.

In many ways, Davos might seem like an elite martini club; and perhaps in many ways, it is. But there is also substantial value in bringing together world leaders and thought leaders for face-to-face networking. Davos annually brings together a powerful mix of political and business leaders, heads of state, CEOs, academics, and NGOs from around the world. This unique platform fosters dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing on pressing global issues like climate change, economic inequality, and technological advancements. You’ll note that while it is a unique platform, many of the attendees and issues are the same ones discussed at COP28 and other symposiums taking place around the globe. Like many of these events, some argue that the forum focuses too much on talk and not enough on action, with proposals and initiatives often lacking clear implementation plans and measurable outcomes. We saw gradual improvement over the past few years at COP in that regard. But there is always the possibility that some significant, concrete, economic deals and partnerships could be formed at Davos that could inject investment into crucial sectors, drive innovation, and shape the global economic landscape. It seems to me as an outsider that this is more likely to result from work being done at Davos than the COP symposiums, if history is any measure.