The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an independent, international organization incorporated as a Swiss not-for-profit foundation that strives towards a “world-class corporate governance system where values are as important a basis as rules.”
WEF’s motto is “entrepreneurship in the global public interest” and the board of directors believe that “economic progress without social development is not sustainable, while social development without economic progress is not feasible.”
World leaders meet to talk and interact at an annual meet (perhaps the best-known aspect of WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. However, there is much more to the organization.
The “Summer Davos” will take place in Tianjin, China, Monday, Sept. 13 through Wednesday, Sept. 15. More than 1,000 leaders from business, government and civil society will meet to discuss ways to accomplish sustainable growth. Topics include how to increase energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and develop green technology and infrastructure. The meeting is undertaken with the close collaboration of the People’s Republic of China.
The WEF foundation board of directors recently elected Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, Reliance Industries, India; Ben Verwaayen, CEO, Alcatel-Lucent, France; and Zhu Min, special adviser, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington D.C., and a former deputy governor, People’s Bank of China, People’s Republic of China, to the board.
“We are honored to have three distinguished new members of the foundation board. Mukesh Ambani will bring an extraordinary level of business acumen and his commitment to the ideals of the forum. He has played a key role, especially related to the integration of India into all our activities. Ben Verwaayen has been a committed member of the forum for many years. His insightfulness and energy will be invaluable to the board. Zhu Min’s experiences at the highest level of government and the financial sector will be similarly a great asset,” said Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.
The foundation board is composed of leaders from business, politics, academia and civil society who strongly identify themselves with the forum’s mission to improve the state of the world and who make a valuable contribution to this mission through their involvement.