World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is an international nongovernmental organization founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab. Headquartered in Cologny, Switzerland, it convenes political leaders, business executives, academics, and civil society representatives to address global challenges. Its annual meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, is the most recognized gathering of global institutional power, attracting heads of state, central bank governors, and the CEOs of the world's largest corporations.

Beyond Davos, the WEF operates year-round through industry platforms, regional meetings, and initiatives on topics ranging from artificial intelligence governance to global health, climate transition, and the future of work. Its Global Risks Report and Future of Jobs Report are among the most cited institutional documents in strategic planning worldwide.

The WEF's systemic role in the transition is complex and contested. It is simultaneously a mirror of the current order and one of the few spaces where that order is formally invited to question itself. Its value lies less in the decisions made inside its rooms than in the signals it amplifies — what gets named as a global priority at Davos shapes institutional agendas for years. For families operating at the intersection of significant capital and long-horizon stewardship, understanding the WEF is understanding the grammar of institutional power.