Annual Meeting 2007: Issues in Depth

Over the coming weeks, government and business leaders will share their insight on key issues that will be addressed at the Annual Meeting, held under the theme "Shaping the global agenda: the shifting power equation", in Davos, Switzerland, 24-28 January.

ABB: President and CEO, Fred Kindle, says meeting soaring energy needs in a sustainable way is one of the major challenges of this century.

Agility: The logistics and transport industry is one of the key enablers of globalization, says Chairman and Managing Director Tarek Sultan.

AMD: Chairman and CEO, Hector Ruiz, explains how shifts in power in the IT industry have led to an intersection of business and social interests.

Bahrain Economic Development Board: Chief Executive, Shaikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, says the key shift is the increased momentum of regional diversification.

Credit Suisse: Walter B. Kielholz, Chairman of the Board of Directors, argues that the growth prospects of emerging markets and their future role in the world’s economy is the key factor affecting global banking.

Infosys Technologies: CEO and Managing Director, Nandan Nilekani, says there is a significant power shift towards emerging economies.

Manpower: Chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Joerres, explores the shifts in the global labour market.

Marsh & McLennan Companies: President and CEO, Michael Cherkasky, says climate change is one of the most significant emerging risks facing the world today.

Merrill Lynch: Executive Vice-President and President, Global Markets and Investment Banking, Gregory Fleming, says the regionally empowered leadership model is here to stay.

Rachid M Rachid: Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Industry of Egypt, shares his views on the shifting power equation and his hopes for global trade talks. 

SABIC: Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Al-Mady, believes the global petrochemicals industry is at a crossroads.

The Coca-Cola Company: Chairman and CEO, E. Neville Isdell, who is also Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting, believes accountability is part of the social license to do business.

Zurich Financial Services: Group Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board, James Schiro, who is also Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting, explains his views on the theme of the meeting, The Shifting Power Equation. 

Quotes and Video Interviews
 Interview with Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises; and Co-Chair, Annual Meeting 2007



 Interview with Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, on what the Forum does throughout the year and what it hopes to achieve at the Annual Meeting in Davos.

 Achim Steiner, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Program
"By putting climate change at the top of the Davos 2007 agenda, the World Economic Forum has focused on the key challenge of our time. The moment to act is now. Many of those present in Davos have the power to move decisively on global emission reductions - the world is looking to them to rise to this crucial challenge."


 Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
"The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos comes at a critical international moment on trade, climate change, and Africa. Talks between leaders could help outline elements of a future post Kyoto Climate framework that could then be agreed at the German G8, restart the stalled WTO talks and galvinise the will to deliver on our 2005 promises on Africa"

 Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany
"Globalization offers people everywhere great opportunities for enhanced freedom and prosperity. To release the positive forces of globalization, we must reduce global imbalances in public finances and world trade. This means following new paths, both in our cooperation with emerging countries such as China, India and Brazil and in enhanced dialogue with Africa on reform and sustainable development. This will be a focus of Germany's concurrent Presidencies of the G-8 and EU this year. A further challenge lies in protecting the climate and securing our energy supply. Here we need an efficient energy policy which promotes the economical use of resources – all over the world. I have no doubt that with the right conditions in place, all people have the chance to become winners of globalization."

 Jonathan Schmidt, Head, Global Agenda, World Economic Forum, shares more details on the Annual Meeting 2007.