Why Davos ?

The World Economic Forum (WEF), better known as Davos, has become the epicenter of global power every January. At the start of 2026, with geopolitical tensions at their peak, understanding why this small village in the Swiss Alps remains the essential meeting place is crucial.

Isolation and Security (The Alpine “Bunker”)

Davos is located at an altitude of 1,560 meters, making it one of the highest cities in Europe. This geographical isolation is a strategic advantage: It is much simpler for the Swiss army to secure an Alpine valley than a metropolis like London or New York.

The limited space forces leaders to cross paths in hotel corridors or on the promenade, fostering impromptu encounters that would never occur within a rigid protocol framework.

The Concept of « Multistakeholderism »

Unlike the G7 or G20, which are purely political summits, Davos is based on the « stakeholder » theory developed by its founder, Klaus Schwab, in 1971.

It mixes Heads of State, CEOs of multinational corporations, intellectuals, NGOs, and artists.

The idea is that major global problems (climate change, AI, pandemics) can only be solved if the private and public sectors work together.

The Efficiency of Networking (Time Saving)

For a leader, Davos is a massive productivity exercise. In four days, a Prime Minister can meet with ten Fortune 500 CEOs and five other heads of government without having to organize ten separate diplomatic trips.

It’s the « speed-dating » of global diplomacy.

The « Davos Spirit »: An Informal Setting

In Davos, the unspoken rule is one of a certain horizontality. You might see the head of a major global bank chatting with an environmental activist over coffee.

This less formal setting allows for testing ideas (the « trial balloon ») before they become official policies.