Klaus Schwab founded the World Economic Forum in 1971, convinced that sustainable progress required cooperation between businesses, governments, and civil society. For more than fifty years, he championed multistakeholder collaboration as a way to address global, regional, and industry-specific challenges.
Under his leadership, the Forum evolved from a European management symposium into a global institution with offices in Geneva, New York, San Francisco, Beijing, and Tokyo, and launched initiatives such as the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the Forum of Young Global Leaders, and the Global Shapers Community.
His academic work introduced concepts such as stakeholder capitalism, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and global corporate citizenship.
Professor Schwab retired from his roles at the Forum in 2025. His founding vision — that leaders should work together across sectors for the common good — continues to guide the Forum’s mission.
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