Meet The Leader

What's next for the year ahead? Is a much-promised "soft landing" for certain economies possible? And what new impacts can we expect from inflation? Meet The Leader caught up with International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva at the Annual Meeting in Davos to get her take on what's ahead, including how upcoming elections and other global challenges could make some moves especially tricky in 2024. She discusses the findings of a new IMF report exploring how AI will impact jobs in different economies around the world in the decades to come -- and how leaders can get prepared now. She also shares the mindsets and approaches that can help leaders stay nimble in what could be an unpredictable year -- along with what gives this "die hard" optimist hope.

New approaches to partnering and collaboration will be key to tackling climate action. This will require new mindsets, new systems and connecting with people and groups you might have otherwise overlooked. To better understand how collaboration is evolving, this week's episode talks to Chief Procurement Offers, leaders who do more than acquire goods and services, but who increasingly work across the business and hold a holistic perspective, exposed to everything from the bottom line to changing trade rules, innovations and shifting geopolitical contexts. They share methods they use to collaborate in new ways -- practices any leader can put to work to push climate action forward. In this episode: Rachael De Renzy Channer, Global Head of Sustainability, Egon Zehnder Andrea Fuder, Chief Procurement Officer, Volvo Group Björn Stenecker, Chief Procurement Officer, Vattenfall Dan Bartel, Chief Procurement Officer, Schneider Electric

Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy interviews fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg about the designer's life and one-of-a-kind perspective. The spirited, wide-ranging conversation goes beyond the creation of the famous wrap dress and how Furstenburg built one of the world's most recognizable brands, to explore how these two strong female creatives open doors for others and navigate challenges in their industries.

Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland January 18, 2024.

Watch the full session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/wrapped-in-leadership

Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger talks with World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab in this wide ranging conversation on technology, leading edge semiconductor production and the trends shaping the year ahead. Recorded January 17, 2024.

Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/a-conversation-with-pat-gelsinger-and-klaus-schwab

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Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella speaks to World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab in a special wide ranging conversation covering how AI will transform science, new game-changing technologies that will drive progress, and more. This conversation was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Recorded January 16, 2024. Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/a-conversation-with-satya-nadella-and-klaus-schwab

How do the world's top leaders maximize their time to connect and build solutions to the world's biggest problems? This special highlight episode shares insights recorded at past Annual Meetings in Davos, Switzerland with a range of voices including CEOs, entrepreneurs, civil society leaders and an astronaut. They share the personal approaches they employ to listen effectively, build trust, strengthen collaborations, seek out new perspectives and ensure their leadership meets the moment.

In this episode:

Roy Jakobs, CEO, Royal Philips

Priya Lakhani, CEO and Founder, Century Tech

Alex Liu, Chairman, Kearney

Matthias Maurer, astronaut, European Space Agency

David Rubenstein, founder, Carlyle Group

Achim Steiner, administrator, UNDP

Ashleigh Streeter-Jones, founder, Raise Our Voice Australia

Swami Sivasubramanian's first experience using a computer was in high school in India, where there was just one computer for the entire school. While each student could use the computer for just a few minutes a day, those few minutes sparked his lifelong passion for technology, one that led to his current role as VP of Data and AI at Amazon Web Services. It also drove home to him that any exposure to new technologies can be transformative. He talks to Meet the Leader about why it's critical to prioritize access to AI training for a range of ages and backgrounds, especially those in non-technical fields like HR or Marketing where new possibilities will be on the horizon. He also shares a slate of free AWS programming for cutting edge AI tools as well as guidance for leaders setting training priorities for the year ahead. He'll also explain how he's changed as a leader and technologist since starting at Amazon as a mere intern and the key questions that can help teams get future ready, including one that helped teams at AWS maximize technologies like machine learning.

Want a book for that hard-to-shop-for person? Or a book to make you that much sharper in the year ahead? In this special collection episode, CEOs, startup founders and more share the books that have changed their minds, how they lead and even changed their careers. Their book picks include business classics, as well as surprising selections from histories, how-to books and the Bible. These recommendations helped this year's class of leaders better manage teams, their time and their energy, all while making critical shifts in their lives and mindsets. Interviewees include: Alyssa Auberger, CSO, Baker McKenzie Deborah Braide, E-Guide Didier Elzinga, Chief Executive Officer, Culture Amp Martine Ferland, Chief Executive Officer, Mercer Tiya Gordon, founder, It's Electric Fahd Jamaleddine, co-founder, Nafda Lebonan Cassandra Mao, Chief Strategy Officer, Halo Car Benjie de la Pena, Chief Executive OfficerShared Mobility Center Blake Scholl, Chief Executive Officer, Boom Supersonic Mitzi Short, CEO of New Season Coaching and Consulting Aaron Tartakovsky, Chief Executive Officer, Epic Cleantec Dylan Taylor, chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Voyager Space Angela Williams, Chief Executive Officer, United Way Worldwide Interviews in this episode were recorded at: Annual Meeting, Davos Switzerland; Sustainable Development Impact Summit, New York; Urban Transformation Summit, Detroit.

2023 saw an unprecedented number of forcibly displaced people worldwide - 110 million and counting - all thanks to climate calamities, conflict and more. Kelly Clements, the deputy high commissioner of the UN's refugee agency shares the unique ways businesses around the world have stepped in to help tackle this problem, putting training in place to help refugees become economic drivers or even designing education solutions that help children in remote areas stay in school. She also shares what gives her hope, what keeps her up at night and the traits she depends on most to drive this work – insights that can help leaders of any stripe tackling complex challenges.

Demanding transparency and accountability aren't just the right things to do - they're key to tackling big global goals and rooting out things like corruption, self-dealing and undue influence. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, we speak to Delia Ferreira Rubio, a lawyer, anti-corruption expert and the former long-time chair of global society organization Transparency International. She helps leaders look at the big picture to make things happen, sharing what's needed to build cultures of integrity - and the risks that can emerge if key steps aren't taken. Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos in 2023