Booz Allen Leaders Participate in 2008 WEF Annual Meeting in Davos
Experts focus on the leadership vacuum and the need for a common vision when addressing major challenges worldwide.
Booz Allen Hamilton again joins leaders from business, academia, government, arts, and civil society in Davos, Switzerland, at the 2008 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, January 23-27.
This year’s theme, “The Power of Collaborative Innovation,” focuses on the complexity, competing interests, and scarce resources that challenge progress on the world agenda in the absence of greater leadership and global stewardship, according to WEF.
The 2008 Annual Meeting assumes the continuation of a worldwide “shifting power equation”—a concept introduced at last year’s meeting—and its influence on business, government, and other stakeholders in the world economy. But there is also concern that leadership vacuums are emerging on a wide range of critical international issues, and the need is growing for a common vision with respect to major global challenges.
The meeting’s focus on collaboration and innovation intends to leverage the WEF’s multi-stakeholder model so communities can build platforms to collaboratively initiate change.
From the Global Economy to International Health
The WEF meeting features a number of subjects of concern to business and government leaders worldwide. For example, in 2006, the world’s top 1,250 companies spent over US $500 billion on R&D—an increase of 10% over 2005—although there is no direct link between R&D spend and business performance. Booz Allen International business leader Daniel Lewis will participate in an interactive public panel called “R&D’s Impact on Shareholder Value,” which will discuss how to ensure that R&D investments deliver returns.
The session will include Richard T. Clark, chairman, president, and CEO of Merck & Co. USA; Pat Davies, chief executive of Sasol, South Africa; and Ron Kok, founder, OTB Group, the Netherlands. It will be moderated by Soumitra Dutta, dean of external relations and professor of business and technology, INSEAD, France.
With worldwide concern about a deepening global recession, senior vice president Bill Jackson will lead the panel discussion, “Just in Case,” which will discuss best practices companies can employ to shelter their business from a weakening economy and take advantage of related opportunities. They will also discuss approaches to plan against such an event, from adjusting inventories, to altering capital structures, to funding reserves.
Panelists include Jeff Clarke, president and CEO, Travelport, USA; Richard N. Cooper, professor of international economics at Harvard University; Stuart T. Gulliver, chief executive and head of corporate investment banking and markets, HSBC Bank, UK, Joseph L. Rice III, chairman, Clayton, Dubilier, & Rice, USA; Nouriel Roubini, chairman and professor, Roubini Global Economics, USA; Christian Streiff, chairman of the managing board, PSA Peugeot Citroën, France, and will be moderated by Laura D. Tyson, professor of business administration and economics, University of California, Berkeley.
In addition, an initiative led by Jackson that examines the near- and middle-term effects of biofuels on industries and societies will form the basis of another workshop.
A Booz Allen team led by Dan Lewis and including senior vice president Jürgen Ringbeck and vice president Bill Thoet developed and will lead a simulation exploring options for the aviation, travel, and tourism industries in a carbon-constrained world. Almost 50 corporate, government, and institutional leaders will take part in the simulation, and its results will contribute to recommendations to the Gleneagles Dialogue for the 2008 G8 Summit.
Vice president Peter Parry will participate in a meeting sponsored by the WEF’s Global Health Initiative (GHI). Called “Public-Private Partnerships in Health: The Private Sector’s Role in PPPs,” it is based on a study Booz Allen conducted for GHI, spearheaded by vice presidents Susan Penfield and Charley Beever and senior vice president Reggie Van Lee. Its results are featured on WEF’s website and include a videotaped interview with Van Lee.
Booz Allen will also participate in three governors meetings: Aviation, Travel, and Tourism, with Dan Lewis and Jürgen Ringbeck; Logistics and Transport, with vice president Justin Zubrod; and Automotive, with senior vice president Bill Jackson representing the firm. Senior vice presidents Rolf Habbel and Klaus-Peter Gushurst will meet with clients and attend public and private sessions at the event.
Senior vice president Adam Bird is also attending the Annual Meeting via the Forum’s Young Global Leaders program, and will take part in sessions involving that select group.
story posted January 22, 2008
