Leadership and Governance

Klaus Schwab was born in Ravensburg, Germany, and received his academic education at the Swiss Federal Institute Zurich, the University of Fribourg, and Harvard University, graduating with a Doctorate in Engineering, a Doctorate in Economics and Social Sciences, and a Master in Public Administration. After having successfully managed the restructuring of a leading Swiss machine building group, he became a Professor in Business Policy in Geneva, and in 1970, he wrote the book Modern Management, conceptualizing stakeholder capitalism. He subsequently created and became the Chairman of the not-for-profit foundation now called the World Economic Forum, with the purpose of building a platform where business leaders could meet, interact, and collaborate with stakeholders from government and society. He served as a Professor at the University of Geneva until 2003, while also holding multiple board memberships and international advisory positions. Afterward, he dedicated his full efforts to further developing the Forum, which he built from the original, simple idea into a recognized International Organization, becoming the leading global platform for public-private cooperation. Together with his wife Hilde, he created the Schwab Foundation in 1998 to promote social entrepreneurship and innovation. He wrote several books. His bestseller, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, was published in over 30 languages. He has received international awards, highest national distinctions, numerous honorary professorships and doctorates for his thought leadership, and for the Forum’s achievements in enhancing global cooperation and several political reconciliation efforts. Married since 1971, he has 2 children and 2 grandchildren. His hobbies are sports and culture.

Former: Minister, Norwegian Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry, Environment; Deputy Chairman, Norwegian Conservative Party; Member, Norwegian Parliament; Member, Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs and Deputy Chairman, Standing Committee on Energy and Environment; Chairman, UNSDC; Secretary-General, Norwegian Red Cross; International Vice-Chairman, China Council for Int'l Cooperation on Environment and Development; Board Chairman, Mesta; Board Member, Norwegian School of Economics and Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, WHO; Board Director, Technology for Ocean Foundation, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Ocean; Managing Director, World Economic Forum. Political Adviser to Conservative Party Chairman; Chairman, Young Conservatives; CFO, KB Entreprenør. Since 2017, President, World Economic Forum. Director, Philanthropy Asia Alliance. Member: Board, Statoil; Board, China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development Phase VII; Strategic Committee, Paris School of Int’l Affairs, Sciences Po; UN High-level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child; Municipal Executive Board, Trondheim; Core Advisory Council, Harvard Int’l Negotiation Program; Steering Committee, Bilderberg Meetings; Board of Directors, Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030. BA, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Tech. Recipient, awards, honours: Harish Mahindra Memorial Global Award for Outstanding Contributions to Economic Welfare and Sustainable Growth; Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico; Grand Cross, Order of San Carlos, Colombia; Commander, Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav; Cavaliere Di Gran Croce, Italy; Grand Cross, Order of the Phoenix, Greece.