World Economic Forum: Behind the Scenes at Davos

The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, commonly referred to as Davos, welcomes more than 3,000 global leaders from business, politics and civil society every January in the namesake Swiss city.They gather to address pressing issues such as climate change and economic and geopolitical challenges.

Davos, which begins Monday and runs through Friday, was started in 1971 by the German economist Klaus Schwab, who initially named it the European Management Symposium.Severin Podolak, the head of event management and operations for the World Economic Forum since 2021, helps design the event, manage it and ensure its overall success.Before taking on this role, Mr.

Podolak held a similar position for the Swiss Re Group, a reinsurance company based in Zurich.He has more than 20 years of experience in events and hospitality.“I’m in charge of the nitty-gritty details of the meeting and the person who makes sure that the technology is working, that the rooms are warm enough and everyone is well fed,” he said.

The timing of the sessions, accommodations for attendees, and transportation to and from Davos also fall under Mr.Podolak’s purview.He was attracted to the position, he said, because he has a passion for “orchestrating impactful events that drive global change.”“The forum’s mission to improve the state of the world through multi-stakeholder collaboration resonates deeply with my professional values,” Mr.

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