World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab steps back from executive post says Semafor.com
World Economic Forum founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab will be stepping back from his role running the global gathering since he founded it in 1971.
Schwab announced his intentions in an email to staff on Tuesday that was shared with Semafor by a person connected to the organisation.
He will be stepping down as executive chairman and transitioning to a role as non-executive chairman, he said, adding the change in his role is pending approval by the Swiss government.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Forum said that the organisation is “transforming from a convening platform to the leading global institution for public-private cooperation.” The Forum’s governance structure is set to change as a result of that evolution, the spokesperson said, and Schwab “will transition from Executive Chairman to Chairman of the Board of Trustees” by January 2025.
Schwab has not named his successor, but said that over the last year, the group’s executive board, “under the leadership of President Børge Brende, has taken full executive responsibility.”
Schwab, 86, is synonymous with the organisation that he has managed for more than 50 years.
Initially known as the European Management Forum, early iterations of the event drew far fewer attendees to Davos than the thousands that now ascend to the Swiss mountain town.
Now, the annual WEF meeting in Davos attracts dozens of high-ranking world leaders and CEOs each year, with more than 50 heads of state attending in 2024, according to the organisation.
The Forum operates much like a family business, with Schwab’s children appointed to high-ranking positions and his wife Hilde heading the organization’s foundation and awards ceremonies in Davos. In recent years, the Forum has shifted its focus towards the centre, and away from liberal politics, Semafor previously reported.
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