It’s that time of the year when global leaders (well, some of them) head to the mountains of Switzerland for some backdoor wheeling and dealing, or to engage “the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas” as the WEF team would have you believe.
With Trump grounded in D.C. dealing with the government shutdown, Macron stuck at home dealing with the Gilets Jaunes, Theresa May dealing with the fallout of her Brexit vote, who’s left schlepping to the small town in the Alps? Not to worry – plenty of HoS, Commissioners, CEOs, and academics will be on hand to discuss this year’s theme Globalization 4.0.
Most of the programme is live-streamed, so check it out and tune in. Our team be tweeting and sharing thoughts on LinkedIn about issues including trade, tech, sustainability and more – so stay tuned throughout the week.
To kick things off, here are a few pro tips for those attending WEF:
Pro-tip 1: follow the best coverage: If you want a detailed play-by-play of what’s driving the news out of Davos, check out these daily briefings:
Quartz Davos Daily Brief – The Quartz team is kicking things off right with a mountain-top reception this afternoon to welcome the attendees to the Alps. Their daily brief will give you the run-down on the latest out of WEF.
The Washington Note – The Atlantic’s Washington Editor at Large Steve Clemons will be writing a dispatch from Davos that’s filled with his behind-the-scenes knowledge. Remember the Soros-Sandberg political scandal? In his first dispatch he recalls the battle lines being drawn by Soros last year at WEF. For this kind of insight, and from a person who still thinks Davos is a place for encountering the architects of attempted global improvement, follow Steve’s daily insights.
POLITICO Davos Playbook – The POLITICO team is bringing their usual wit and insights to readers each morning, covering the significant conversations and newsworthy events from #WEF2019.
Pro tip 2: Keep an ear out for #OverheardAtWEF2019: People at WEF are generally important and they’re all walking around on the streets, packed into vans, or standing in queues for security. Leave your noise-cancelling headphones at home and listen out for useful nuggets or an opportunity to interject and make a useful new connection.
Pro tip 3: Always lend a hand, because #Karma: That person looking lost on the corner might be a future CEO, Prime Minister, or your next boss. A helping hand is always welcomed and a great conversation starter.
Follow the WEF conversations on Twitter via @wef and @davos and #WEF19.