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January, 2025

Blue Dot on the World Economic Forum 2025

20 min read

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos convenes global leaders under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”. This year’s discussions center around five core priorities that serve as a blueprint for shaping a resilient and equitable future. 

 

Blue Dot Consulting aligns with these priorities to deliver strategies that empower organizations to lead and thrive in this evolving landscape.

Updated on January 24, 2025

The Global Economic Outlook

11:00-12:00 CET • Reimagining Growth

Global growth is markedly uneven, with the U.S. showcasing resilience and optimism, anchored by dynamic capital markets. Other regions are trailing behind, with Europe particularly affected by factually unjustified yet pervasive pessimism, fueled by high energy costs and extensive bureaucracy.

 

"IT IS TIME TO RETHINK WHETHER EUROPE CAN BE A KEY PLAYER.”

– Christine Lagarde (President, European Central Bank)

The U.S. continues to lead in productivity growth, driven by efficient capital market allocations and technology investments, while Europe is experiencing a decline post-pandemic. To retain talent and enhance competitiveness, Europe requires structural reforms, including the establishment of banking and capital markets unions.

 

"THE U.S. HAS A CULTURE OF CONFIDENCE, EUROPE HAS A CULTURE OF MODESTY.”

– Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director, IMF)

Global confidence is waning as the world retreats from globalization, underscoring the importance of preventing fragmentation into divisive blocs. Effectively managing the energy transition is imperative to meet rising demand and bolster emerging economies without compromising climate goals.

 

"WE CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO GET ENERGY TRANSITION RIGHT THIS TIME.”

– Faisal Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia

Global inflation is currently controlled through interest rate adjustments, successfully avoiding recession due to strategic economic policy coordination. However, escalating energy demands, labor shortages, and widening deficits suggest rising risks of increased inflationary pressures ahead.

 

"I SEE PROBABILITIES OF HIGHER INFLATION RATES.”

– Laurence D. Fink (Chairman and CEO, BlackRock)

Trade requires careful management with stable frameworks to maintain global stability and fairness. Effective industrial policies should focus on building domestic capabilities for innovation, while a robust social policy is essential for maximizing human potential and supporting economic openness.

 

"THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN WIPE OUT COLLABORATION FROM THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY.”

– Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore

As the global economic landscape evolves, a strategic reassessment is imperative to identify markets poised to become global leaders and to reposition accordingly. Responsibly harnessing the vast potential of AI and ensuring its benefits are universally accessible will be essential.

 

"COUNTRIES HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF OPENING UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP.”

– Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director, IMF)

January 23, 2025

Governments, Rewired

15:00-15:45 CET • Rebuilding Trust

Governments have yet to fully grasp the transformative potential of technology, as they are hindered by capacity and efficiency challenges. The public sector must adapt to meet rising expectations, especially in developing nations.

 

"THE INSTRUMENT THAT CAN SOLVE THE CHALLENGES OF GOVERNMENT IS THE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION.”

– Tony Blair (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1997-2007; Executive Chairman, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change)

 

Stemming Financial Fragmentation

10:15-11:00 CET • Reimaginig Growth

Companies must adapt to new forms of value and diverse value transfer methods within a complex regulatory landscape. Embracing innovation, interoperability, and calculated risk-taking is crucial for driving long-term growth in this fragmented environment.

“GLOBAL TRADE IS HIGHLY RESILIENT, AND AN INTEGRATED FINANCIAL SYSTEM REMAINS CRUCIAL.”

- Javier Pérez-Tasso (CEO, SWIFT)

 

Reskilling for the Intelligent Age

13:15-14:00 CET • Investing in People

As AI transforms the workplace, there's a rising need for employees who are technologically adept and excel in critical thinking. Companies should focus on nurturing a growth mindset and implementing reskilling initiatives to prepare their workforce for the dynamic demands of a digitally integrated future.

“THE ONE THING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO TEACH PEOPLE IS LEARNING TO LEARN.”

- Omar Abbosh (CEO, Pearson)

 

All Hands on Deck for the Energy Transition

11:30-12:15 CET • Safeguarding the Planet

The balance between energy security and energy transition is essential for leveraging clean energy to achieve sustainability. Increased investments and international collaboration are crucial to developing infrastructure and accelerating clean energy efforts.

“THE WORLD IS MOVING FASTER THAN EVER TOWARD CLEAN ENERGY, BUT IT IS NOT FAST ENOUGH.”

- Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

 

Technology in the World

10:45-11:30 CET • hIndustries In The Intelligent Age

AI is revolutionizing key sectors including defense, healthcare, and transportation by speeding up processes and increasing precision, from autonomous vehicles to precision medicine. Swift adaptation and sustained investment are essential to maximize AI's potential and mitigate risks.

“WE ARE THE LAST CEO’S WHO HAVE ONLY MANAGED HUMANS AS OUR WORKFORCE.”

- Marc Benioff (Chair and CEO, Salesforce)

January 22, 2025

Rubic’s Cube of Global Security

10:15-11:00 CET • Rebuilding Trust

The world is experiencing a shift in the global order marked by rising geostrategic tensions. Amid this uncertainty, there is cautious optimism about the clarity and strategic approach of the new U.S. administration, creating opportunities to recalibrate global positions.

 

"THE ERA OF SOVEREIGNTY IS BACK.”

– Comfort Ero (President and CEO, ICG)

Emerging Economies Amid Shocks

09:00-09:45 CET • Reimaginig Growth

Resilience is both a defensive and proactive muscle that organizations must build to confidently adapt to challenges through strategic preparation. This allows them seize investment opportunities in emerging markets, particularly when supported by policy reforms.

“DIVERSIFICATION BY INVESTING IN EMERGING ECONOMIES IS A WAY TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE.”

- Odile Françoise Renaud-Basso (President, EBRD)

Closing the Jobs Gap

11:30-12:15 CET • Investing in People

The mismatch between skills and aspirations has created generational challenges, highlighting the need for education systems to align with job markets and for companies to invest in employees. As AI reshapes jobs, collaboration and access to skill development are critical.

“BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPABILITIES IS THE BEST FORM OF INDUSTRIAL POLCIY.”

- Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore

Powering Progress

12:30-13:45 CET • Safeguarding the Planet

The record-breaking heat of the past year has highlighted the growing impacts of climate change, including increased migration in affected regions. Addressing these challenges requires significant capital funding to implement solutions.

EUROPE'S CAPACITY TO HARNESS RENEWABLE ENERGY IS LIMITED, MAKING IT ESSENTIAL TO FOCUS ON INNOVATION.

- Gill Scheltjens (CEO, D-CRBN)

Keeping up with Smart Factories

10:15-11:00 CETIndustries In The Intelligent Age

Frontier technology is transforming smart manufacturing, enabling faster production cycles through tools like digital twins and copilots. Success lies in building partnerships, leveraging data as a competitive advantage, and embracing change management.

“SUSTAINABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY WERE SEEN AS COMPETING PRIORITIES, AI IS NOW ENABLING THEM TO MERGE.”

- Padraig McDonnell (CEO, Agilent)

Rebuilding Trust

In a rapidly changing and increasingly divided world, growing geopolitical tensions and protectionist policies challenge international cooperation. Businesses, governments, and civil society must work together to find common solutions and take decisive action to foster trust and collaboration.

Reimagining Growth

Discovering new sources of growth demands innovation and collaboration to unlock fresh pathways for economic revitalization. Embracing creativity and technological advancements opens opportunities to build more dynamic and resilient economies.

 Investing in People 

Technology is reshaping industries and workforce demands, creating an urgent need to reskill and upskill talent. While AI is expected to augment rather than replace many jobs, public and private sectors must invest in human capital  to ensure these changes drive job creation and support a modern, resilient society.

Safeguarding
the Planet

Climate action remains at the forefront of the global agenda. Achieving meaningful progress on climate and environmental goals demands enhanced ambition, strengthened governance, effective partnerships, and increased capital to build nature-positive systems.

Industries in the Intelligent Age

Technological advancements, especially in AI, quantum computing, and robotics, are reshaping industries at an unprecedented rate. Leaders must balance immediate goals with long-term priorities with responsible innovation and ethical practices to fully leverage these profound structural shifts.

Blue Dot at Davos 2025

Blue Dot Consulting’s representatives at Davos 2025 will actively participate in proactive, forward-thinking discussions to develop actionable solutions that advance sustainable and inclusive growth.

 

Our focus is on delivering innovative strategies that empower organizations to drive meaningful impact and foster sustainable, inclusive and progressive momentum.

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