Klaus Schwab resigns as WEF chair after 55 years
Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has formally relinquished his positions as Chair and Board of Trustees member. Klaus Schwab resigns as he approaches his 88th birthday.
A special meeting of the Board of Trustees took place on April 20 to officially recognize Schwab’s departure. In line with internal governance procedures, Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe was unanimously selected to serve as interim Chair. The Board also created a Search Committee tasked with identifying a permanent successor.
Schwab launched the World Economic Forum in 1971 as an independent, Geneva-based organization committed to fostering public-private cooperation. Over the course of more than five decades, he guided the Forum into becoming a leading international venue for addressing global challenges through dialogue.
In his written communication to the Board, Schwab confirmed his intent to fully retire from Forum leadership, stating his desire to support a smooth transition process.
The Board extended its appreciation for Schwab’s leadership and long-standing contributions, recognizing his role in shaping the Forum into an influential global platform that brings together leaders from government, business, academia and civil society.
As the global landscape continues to shift rapidly, Forum leadership reiterated its focus on maintaining inclusive dialogue and cooperative problem-solving to meet complex global challenges.
Aligned with this commitment, the Forum’s Strategic Intelligence Platform serves as a digital knowledge system that maps out the interrelationships between global trends and industries. With over 250 Transformation Maps created in collaboration with academic institutions and international organizations, the platform supports exploration of cross-sectoral developments such as artificial intelligence, environmental sustainability and emerging economic paradigms.
The platform has also been integrated into national policymaking efforts, including by the United Arab Emirates in support of its “We the UAE Vision 2031.” In this context, it delivers automated intelligence updates across 78 key focus areas, supporting government planning in areas such as economics, international relations, public services and environmental strategy. Eight dedicated Strategic Intelligence Councils also contribute recommendations to the UAE Prime Minister’s Office.
Through these tools and initiatives, the World Economic Forum continues to deliver fact-based resources that inform leadership decisions and promote collective action worldwide.
Featured image is a cropped version of a photo that shows Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, hosting and speaking at a welcome reception to reconfirm the spirit of friendship and community during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2011. Photo Credit: Copyright by World Economic Forum.swiss-image.ch/Photo by Remy Steinegger. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/15237218@N00/5434145240. License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
