Klaus Schwab: Who is Klaus Schwab? 55 years later, the President of the World Economic Forum has declined from his leadership role

Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), resigned as chairman and board member of the organization. The Geneva-based think tank went through a historic transition when Schwab completed fifty years of leadership. WEF has currently selected Peter Brabeck-Letmathe as interim chairman of the organization after Schwab left.

The role of WEF in shaping global dialogue

Throughout its survival, WEF held a major annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, where leaders from various sectors such as business and government worked with academics and civil society to study key global affairs. As the leader of the forum, Dr. Klaus Schwab established it as a leading platform for economic partnerships and strategic policies and dialogue activities. Throughout history, the WEF has managed to attract politicians, including Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, among many other leaders.
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Who is Klaus Schwab? Visionary global connector

Klaus Schwab was born on March 30, 1938 in Ravensburg, Germany, and then became a German engineer, economist and academic. The position as the founder of the World Economic Forum remains Schwab’s most outstanding designation. Originally known as the European Management Forum, the organization later transformed into a platform with global influence, fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors to address global challenges. Here is Schwab’s contribution as a visionary leader:

• 1971: Founded the World Economic Forum.
• 1998: Co-founded the Schwab Social Entrepreneur Foundation with his wife Hilde to support social enterprises that address social challenges.
• 2004: Use his Dan David Award Fund to launch the Young Global Leaders (YGL) Forum to develop leaders aged 30 to 40.
• In 2011, Schwab launched a global community of shapers, empowering leaders aged 20 to 30. Through its global expansion, the program includes more than 450 networks as part of its network.
• Business policy has been his theme for thirty years at the University of Geneva.
• Schwab received several PhDs in Engineering and Economics along with a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.
• He published the Fourth Industrial Revolution in 2016, a work that has become a leading authority on the impact of emerging technologies on social and industrial impacts.

Awards and recognition

The global community recognizes Schwab’s selfless achievements. In addition to receiving a variety of outstanding awards, Dr. Schwab has received more than 12 honorary academic doctorates, including the Guggenheim Humanitarian Award, the Dan David Award, the Global Economic Award, the UK KCMG Knighthood and national honors from France, Japan, China and Germany. The Federation of Industry of India (CII) presented Schwab’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.

With Schwab’s resignation, the World Economic Forum established itself as a crucial forum to move in a new direction under the guidance of new executives.
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FAQ:

1. Who will lead the World Economic Forum after Klaus Schwab?
   Former Nestlé chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe was appointed interim chairman. The Search Committee will soon appoint a permanent successor.
2. What is Klaus Schwab most famous?
   Klaus Schwab is known for establishing the World Economic Forum and promoting global cooperation among business, political and civil leaders through the annual Davos Conference.