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Greetings, Davos delegates and WEF watchers!
Artificial intelligence has gotten an overwhelming amount of airtime in Davos this week, and AI obsessive Marc Benioff hasn’t even hosted the annual Salesforce lunch in The Dome yet. (That’s later today, by invitation only.)
Here’s what else is coming up.
The president of Israel is here. Isaac Herzog takes the stage in Congress Hall at 10 am CET.
BRIC by BRIC. Can an expanded BRICS find consensus? Maybe this panel can provide a model. It features various ministers from the UAE, South Africa, and India, along with the CEO of China’s Trina Solar.
Decarbonizing emerging markets. It’s a task almost as tall as John Kerry. The US envoy for climate is in Sanada at 1:15 pm CET for a panel with Growald Climate Fund CEO Joanna Messing, Standard Chartered Bank CEO Bill Winters, and Odile Françoise Renaud-Basso, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Cry for me, Argentina
If Davos Man really exists, Javier Milei is squarely in his corner. Yesterday, the climate-denying, anarcho-capitalist who won the Argentine presidency last month concluded his speech in Congress Hall by speaking directly (via translator) to business leaders:
“You’re heroes,” he said. “You’re the creators of the most extraordinary period of prosperity we’ve ever seen. Let no one tell you that your ambition is immoral. If you make money it’s because you offer a better product at a better price, thereby contributing to general well-being. Do not surrender to the advance of the state. The state is not the solution, the state is the problem. You are the true protagonists of this story, and rest assured that as of today, Argentina is your staunch, unconditional ally.”
How does one drop the mic after that?
“Thank you very much, and long live freedom, dammit.”
You can measure the applause for yourself at the 24:46 mark on the recording of his address.
Also quotable, but far more measured
- “It’s the prize of the century, not the deal of the century. In order to be the deal of the century, we have to work hard for the next two or three years and unlock the potential.”
—UBS chief Sergio P. Ermotti downplays the idea that the rescue of Credit Suisse was a steal, on a panel about the future of banks
- “We believe that the future of trade is green. It is digital. And it should be more inclusive.”
—WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala still sees reasons to be optimistic about global trade, despite seeing downside risks to the forecasts for merchandise trade volumes.
Seen and heard around town
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon made his annual pilgrimage to the Female Quotient’s Equality Lounge, where he commented on everything from diversity efforts to democracy to why he won’t be seeking the White House anytime soon.
On not pulling back from the bank’s diversity initiatives: “I’m a full-throated, red-blooded, patriotic, unwoke, capitalist CEO,” he said. “That doesn’t mean you don’t reach out to communities.”
On his forecast for a “pretty problematic” 2024 and 2025: “You should be prepared for that. … It may be an inflection point for a free democratic world.”
On having no desire to run a campaign for US president: “I’d have to be anointed,” he said. “I’m 67, I’ve had health problems, I love my job … and I help my country from here.”
Rainbow lights and flags in support of LGBTQ people around the world were displayed last night on more than 20 storefronts along the Promenade, including some near venues taken over this week by countries that aren’t known for welcoming the LGBTQ community.
The #IStandWithEvan message is wherever the Wall Street Journal is this week. The paper’s outpost at the Grandhotel Belvédère is wrapped with the hashtag, and WSJ journalists, including editor in chief Emma Tucker, are wearing pins in support of their colleague Evan Gershkovich. Also in Davos this week: Gershkovich’s parents, who have been meeting with world leaders in the hopes of securing the release of their son, a reporter who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for nearly 10 months.
Pro tips
Runnin’, runnin’. Have you even been to Davos if you haven’t had a Will.i.am sighting? The Black Eyed Peas founder has been all over town this week. You have at least a few more chances, including today at the aforementioned Salesforce, or at 4pm at the Filecoin Sanctuary, where he’ll be talking with CNBC host Tania Bryer.
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See you in your inbox again tomorrow,
Heather
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