Annual Meeting 2006: Issues in Depth

The Creative Imperative
Davos, Switzerland, 25-29 January 2006

Leaders share their insight into issues that will be addressed at the Annual Meeting.

• Annual Meeting in Depth: Director, Global Agenda at the World Economic Forum, Jonathan Schmidt, takes a closer look at the issues on the Annual Meeting agenda.
  
  
• Accenture: CEO, William Green says constant renewal of a business is a key element of high performance.
  
  
• Akamai Technologies: President and CEO, Paul Sagan, says public and private sectors should collaborate more to benefit society.
  
  
• AMD: Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Hector Ruiz, says the Annual Meeting is an opportunity to think strategically about how to work together to advance humankind and not just business.
  
  
• Barclays: President of Barclays and CEO of Barclays Capital, Bob Diamond, says the EU faces some key challenges such as the EU constitution and sustaining economic growth.
  
  
• Citigroup: CEO of Citigroup, Charles Prince, says that in order to better align public and private interests, all industries should take on more public roles.
  
  
• Economic Development Board of Bahrain: CEO, Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa, says Bahrain's challenge is to develop an economic environment that is sustainable over the long-term for inward investors and for its people.
  
  
• Ernst & Young: Chairman and CEO, James Turley, says that China’s rapid growth is reshaping the global economy and business landscape.
  
  
• First Eastern Investment Group: Chairman and CEO, Victor Chu, says leaders in all walks of life need a quantum jump in the innovative and creative process in order to stay ahead.
  
  
• Fluor Corporation: Chairman of the Board and CEO, Alan Boeckmann, says terrorism is the biggest risk to the global economy.
  
  
• Harvard University: President, Lawrence Summers, who is also Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting, says that educating girls is the single most important investment that we can make in the developing world.
  
  
• Harvard University: Thomas D Cabot Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Economics, Kenneth Rogoff, says there is a greater premium than ever on creativity in all walks of life.
  
  
• Infosys: President, CEO and Managing Director, Nandan Nilekani, says that the Annual Meeting is a platform for like-minded leaders to design effective action plans to change the world for the better.
  
  
• Investcorp: Chief Operating Officer, Gary Long, says both China and India are becoming a vital component in the strategies of most of the world’s leading organizations.
  
  
• KPMG: Chairman, Michael Rake, says it is imperative that business understands the moral and business case of corporate social responsibility.
  
  
• Manpower: Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Joerres, says over-regulation within labour markets continues to threaten employer and employee flexibility.
  
  
• Nestlé: Chairman of the Board and CEO, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, who is also Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting, says that water is a human right and one of the major, albeit underestimated, problems facing business and society.
  
  
• Ports Customs and Free Zones Corporation: Executive Chairman, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayam, says public–private sector partnerships are an important a tool for global growth and development.
  
  
• PricewaterhouseCoopers: Global CEO, Samuel DiPiazza, believes that the signs of recovery in the European economy in 2005 will continue in 2006.
  
  
• Reuters: CEO, Tom Glocer, says that there appears to be limited political support for reform in Europe, dampening his outlook.
  
  
• SABIC: CEO, Mohamed Al-Mady, explores the greatest risks facing the world.
  
  
• WPP: CEO, Sir Martin Sorrell, who is also Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting, spells out the challenges facing his industry.
  
  
• Zurich Financial Services: CEO, James Schiro, explains why in his opinion the relative importance of China and India in the global economic order and their impact on industrialized countries tends to be exaggerated.
  
  
  From Global Agenda Magazine
  
  Telecoms roundtable: (PDF; 2 pgs; 50k) We ask four top technologists 'What is the future of telecoms?'
  Accountancy roundtable: (PDF; 2 pgs; 52k) Four top accountants assess the act designed to stop company fraud.
  Noam Chomsky interview: (PDF; 1 pg; 36k) Chomsky sets out his vision of fair globalization.
  Technology in banking: (PDF; 1 pg; 38k) Technology provides the means for retail banks to achieve greater efficiencies that will help both the industry and the economy, says Ana Patricia Botin.
  The European Constitution: (PDF; 2 pgs; 51k) A head-to-head from Daniel Hannan, Conservative MEP and Peter Sutherland, on Europe.
  

Find the full list of World Economic Forum Partners engaged in the Annual Meeting 2006.