The Free Thinker Society - Davos 2025

Friends or Foes: Liberty and Development in the 21st Century

REGISTRATION

Monday 20 January, 17:00-20:00

Venue: FT House, Dinning Room - Hotel Meierhof

Friends or Foes: Liberty and Development in the 21st Century

Monday 20 January, 17:45-18:45

Venue: FT House, Hotel Meierhof

With the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 47th President hours away, the world is entering into a more uncertain era. This sense of unpredictability is underpinned by a growing discrepancy at different levels: in terms of politics and economics, between freedom and development; in terms of technology between humans and machines; environmentally between growth and finite resources; and epistemologically between truth and “alternative truths”.

 

The discussion will identify the root causes of these discrepancies in different areas of human activity while examining how they will affect the world in the medium and the long-term.

With:

Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Martin Wolf, Chief Economic Correspondent, Financial Times

Pano Kanelos, President of the University of Austin·

Michael Schaepman, President of the University of Zurich

Nouriel Roubini, Professor Emeritus at New York University

Manu Kumar, Head/CIO of The Local Group (TLG)

Stefano Aversa, Chair of EMEA and Vice Chair globally at AlixPartners

Manar Al Moneef, Chief Investment Officer for NEOM

Gillian Tett, Chair of the Editorial board of the Financial Times

The conversation will be moderated by Alan Cohn and Victor Willi.

Bloc-by-Bloc: The New Topology for Global Enterprises - REGISTRATION

Thursday 23 January 9:30pm Onwards

Bloc-by-Bloc: The New Topology for Global Enterprises

Thursday 23 January 9:30pm Onwards

Speakeasy Private Dining Room, Promenade 71b

In today’s geopolitical landscape, two layers define the global economy: a physical layer marked by territorial conflicts and protectionism, and a logical layer shaped by technology rules and standards.

This session will explore how multinational corporations and new technology companies can navigate geopolitical divides and global fragmentation across both the physical layer of territorial and protectionist conflict, and the logical layer of technology-enabled flows of data, information and value.

 A conversation with:

·  Alan Cohn, Partner at Steptoe LLP and Principal of Blockchain Concepts Group

CONTEXT

Founded in Davos in January 2024, the Free Thinker Society brings together thinkers and doers from diverse backgrounds to revive the culture of free, independent, and courageous thought that is increasingly rare in today’s world.

Drawing inspiration from the Renaissance Academies and the Salons of the Enlightenment, the Society provides an informal setting for rich, unscripted conversations, held alongside the World Economic Forum. This space offers a refreshing complement to the more formal discussions taking place inside the Congress Centre.

The Free Thinker Society is grounded in the belief that societal progress and transformation stem from the powerful intersection of connection, communication, and community. By challenging conventional boundaries and connecting diverse perspectives, the Society fosters the cross-pollination of ideas across disciplines, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and progress..

Davos 2025 Sessions

On the occasion of the World Economic Forum 2025, the Free Thinker Society will hold several sessions to discuss leadership in an age of polarization.