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MB from A to Z2021-07-27T16:37:48+02:00
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GEOPOLITICAL ALPHA – AN INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK FOR PREDICTING THE FUTURE

Friday 17 September  •  11.50-12.10  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

With:

  • Marko Papic, Author of Geopolitical Alpha; Partner & Chief Strategist, Clocktower Group, USA

THE LIFE CHANGING POWER OF SOPHROLOGY

Friday 17 September  •  11.50-12.10  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Joseph Vallot

With:

  • Dominique Antiglio, Sophrologist, Author & Founder, BeSophro, UK

Short preparatory reading:

  • Dominique Antiglio on The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology (New World Library, 14 March 2019)

 

COURAGE – CAN WE CONJURE IT UP WHEN WE NEED IT MOST? (live-streamed)

Friday 17 September  •  12.15-13.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

Courage has been celebrated throughout history and across cultures but is hard to define. It comes in many different guises: everyday courage, the courage to say no, courage in the face of danger, and so on. Perhaps there is no such thing as a courageous person, but rather just opportunities in which to display courage.

  1. What do leaders from different backgrounds reveal about courage?
  2. Is courage a component of better decision-making?
  3. Can courage make us better leaders?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

With:

  • Hillary Gerardi, Extreme Athlete & Development Manager, CREA Mont-Blanc, France
  • Gerard Guerrier, Entrepreneur & Author of the recently published Du Courage, France
  • Stéphanie Hospital, Founder & CEO, OneRagtime, France
  • Vincent Minguet, Colonel – État-Major Particulier, Présidence de la République, France
  • Armen Sarkissian, President, Republic of Armenia, Armenia

Short preparatory reading:

  • How to live a more courageous life (Greater Good, 10 October 2018)
  • Courage isn’t about facing our fears, it’s about facing ourselves (The Ethic Centre, 22 August 2019)

 

WHAT NEXT? (live-streamed)

Sunday 19 September  •  11.15-12.15  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

This year’s closing takes the form of a town hall meeting during which the Summit’s guests will be encouraged to engage and brainstorm on the theme of “What next?”. Some guests will distil the outcome of this year’s Summit and will nurture the conversation by offering their thoughts about what’s likely to happen in the years to come.

Led by:

  • Nik Gowing, Managing Partner, Thinking the Unthinkable, UK

With:

  • Céline Azemar, Professor of Economics, Academic Dean & Director of PhD Program, Rennes School of Business, France
  • Omar Bawa, Co-Founder & COO, Goodwall, Switzerland
  • Andrew Rzepa, Partner, Gallup, UK
  • Armen Sarkissian, President, Republic of Armenia, Armenia

Short preparatory reading:

  • What will the world look like after Coronavirus? (Greatergood, 12 February 2021)
  • The world won’t be a greener place until it’s a fairer one (The Guardian, 09 April 2021)
  • The new geopolitics of state fragility (Brookings, 03 February 2021)

 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & FAMILIES – HOW TO KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE? (live-streamed)

Sunday 19 September  •  09.15-10.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

The idea that family firms are overly conservative and thus hobbled in their efforts at entrepreneurship is often wrong. In reality, most startups around the world are family businesses in which members of the family support the entrepreneur as co-managers or co-owners.

  1. Does entrepreneurship end (or begin) when the family legacy business no longer exists?
  2. How can the next generation pursue a new entrepreneurial endeavour?
  3. Can specific family dynamics foster entrepreneurial outcomes?

Led by:

  • Olivier de Richoufftz, Secretary General, Family Enterprise Foundation, Canada

With:

  • Sach Chandaria, Managing Partner, Comcraft Switzerland, Switzerland
  • Christina-Anne Kyosti, Chairwoman, ViaTalenta Group, Switzerland
  • Antoine Mayaud, Chair – Affectio Societatis, Mulliez Family, France
  • Rupert Schmid, Chairman of the Board, Biologique Recherche; Partner, Monthly Barometer, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • Why branding as a family-owned business puts you ahead of the pack (Forbes, 24 July 2018)
  • Family businesses are welcome winners in the pandemic (Financial Times, 24 January 2021)
  • Innovation drivers in family firms (IE University, 23 February 2021)

 

GOOD4NATURE PRIZE GIVING & GALA DINNER (live-streamed)

Saturday 18 September  •  19.00-21.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

The good4nature prize (an international prize for a nature-positive economy) is being awarded at this year’s summit for the first time to a start-up at the confluence of technology and nature-based solutions. The six finalists will briefly pitch their respective projects before the overall winner is announced.

Led by:

  • David Trayford, Owner, Wow Media KFT, Hungary

Jury:

  • Alexis Cazin, Managing Director – Environmental Markets, Cargill International, Switzerland
  • Christopher Ede-Calton, Senior Engagement Manager, World Resources Institute, USA
  • Bénédicte Faivre-Tavignot, Executive Director, HEC Society & Organizations, France
  • Stéphanie Hospital, Founder & CEO, OneRagtime, France
  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France
  • Graham Miller, Pro-Vice Chancellor & Executive Dean, University of Surrey, UK

Finalists: AI for Climate, Dendra Systems, Ichthion, Mayane Labs, SafetyNet technologies

 

GEOPOLITICS – WHERE ON EARTH IS OUR WORLD GOING? (live-streamed)

Saturday 18 September  •  10.45-12.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

The chaotic end of multilateralism, the vacuum of global governance and the rise of various forms of nationalism and populism do not augur well for the geopolitical outlook. In the 21st century, power and influence will most likely be redistributed chaotically and often grudgingly.

  1. How will globalization and global governance evolve?
  2. How will the US-China rivalry pan out?
  3. How will global investors and businesses navigate an increasingly volatile world?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

Special address:

  • Armen Sarkissian, President, Republic of Armenia, Armenia

With:

  • Thomas Flichy de la Neuville, Chair of Geopolitics, Rennes School of Business, France
  • Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China, Chatham House & LSE IDEAS, UK
  • Michael Møller, Former Under-Secretary General, United Nations; Chair, GESDA Diplomacy Forum, Switzerland
  • Marko Papic, Author of Geopolitical Alpha, Partner & Chief Strategist, Clocktower Group, USA
  • Marie-Laure Salles, Dean, The Graduate Institute Geneva, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • The next wave of globalization: Asia in the cockpit (Nikkei Asia, 13 January 2021)
  • Short of war (Foreign Affairs, April 2021)
  • Europe’s geopolitical awakening (Luuk Van Midelaar, 15 April 2021)
  • NATO is dead but Europe is sick (IRIS, 2019)
  • The war on terror 20 years on: Crossroads or cul-de-sac? (Institute Global, 18 March 2021)

 

THE BELT & ROAD INITIATIVE – WHAT ARE ITS GEO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS? (live-streamed)

Saturday 18 September  •  09.15-10.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

China’s Belt & Road Initiative aims to connect many countries across Asia, Africa and Europe via a “New Silk Road” of massive infrastructure projects. The Chinese government sees it as a “bid to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future” while many Western governments perceive it as a front for a Sino-centric trade and capital network and a vehicle for political and economic influence.

  1. Where does the BRI stand today?
  2. Are the accusations of BRI’s neo-imperialism and debt-trap diplomacy valid?
  3. Will the BRI succeed in furthering Chinese economic and geopolitical clout?

Led by:

  • Julian Mueller-Kaler, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council, Germany & USA

Special address:

  • Ronnie C. Chan, Chair, Hang Lung Properties; Chairman, Asia Society, Hong Kong (with us by video)

With:

  • Erik Berglof, Chief Economist, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, China (with us by video)
  • Ali Borhani, Managing Director, 3Sixty Strategic Advisors; Co-Founder, BRI Dialogues, UK
  • James Chau, Host, The China Current, Hong Kong (with us by video)
  • Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China, Chatham House & LSE IDEAS, UK

Short preparatory reading:

  • China belt and road initiative investment report H1 2021 (Green-bri, 27 July 2021)
  • Belt and road quarterly: Q2 2021 (The Economist, 28 July 2021)
  • Protests in Pakistan erupt against China’s belt and road plan (The Guardian, 20 August 2021)

 

ENERGY TRANSITION (2) – HOW TO INVEST IN IT? (live-streamed)

Friday 17 September  •  17.45-19.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

Transitioning towards net zero is revolutionising the world of investment – unleashing a wave of new opportunities while forcing many prominent businesses to change their ways.

  1. Where is the ‘smart’ money going?
  2. Is the current ESG excitement sustainable?
  3. What assets run the risk of becoming stranded?

Led by:

  • Nik Gowing, Managing Partner, Thinking the Unthinkable, UK

Special address:

  • Mafalda Duarte, CEO, Climate Investment Funds, USA (with us by video)

With:

  • Martin Fraenkel, Vice Chairman, S&P Global, UK
  • Eoin Murray, Head of Investments, Federated Hermes International, UK (with us by video)
  • Joël Ruet, Chairman, The Bridge Tank, France
  • Franklin Servan-Schreiber, Co-Founder & Chairman, Transmutex, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Green finance goes mainstream, lining up trillions behind global energy transition (The Wall Street Journal, 22 May 2021)
  • Financing the global energy transition (IHS Market, 16 March 2021)

 

ENERGY TRANSITION (1) – BILL GATES OR GRETA THUNBERG? (live-streamed)

Friday 17 September  •  17.00-17.45  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

The collapse in the cost of renewable energy is happening, making experts and policy-makers increasingly confident that delivering a world of net zero emissions by 2050 is plausible. The major challenge is the tight time-scale: zero-carbon solutions have to be deployed before 2030 to put mid-century targets within reach.

  1. What forms must the energy transition take?
  2. Which industries will take the lead, and which will be the laggards?
  3. Will technology suffice or will constrained consumption be necessary?

Led by:

  • Nik Gowing, Managing Partner, Thinking the Unthinkable, UK

With:

  • Adair Turner, Chair, Energy Transitions Commission, UK (with us by video)

Short preparatory reading:

  • After COVID, get ready for the Great Acceleration (The Spectator, 13 March 2021)
  • The big choices for oil and gas in navigating the energy transition (McKinsey, 10 March 2021)
  • My new climate book is finally here (GatesNotes, The blog of Bill Gates, 14 February 2021)
  • 5 Things to know about the IEA’s roadmap to net Zero by 2050 (World Resources Institute, 21 May 2021)

 

FUTURE OF FOOD – WHAT’S ON THE MENU? (live-streamed)

Friday 17 September  •  15.15-16.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

The food system is undergoing a radical transformation, with agriculture and food production on the cusp of deep, rapid and highly consequential changes. What we eat and how it is sourced and produced will be subject to ever-more disruption with manifold consequences.

  1. Which are the main trends affecting food production and consumption?
  2. How will we eat in 2030?
  3. How can investors best position themselves to ensure that food become more sustainable and equitable?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

Special address:

  • Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman Emeritus, Nestlé, Switzerland

With:

  • Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Switzerland
  • Denis Machuel, CEO, Sodexo, France
  • Clément Maclou, Thematic Investing Unit – Senior Portfolio Manager, Oddo BHF, Switzerland
  • Philippa Purser, Vice-President, Cargill International, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Behind China’s ‘pork miracle’: how technology is transforming rural hog farming (The Guardian, 08 October 2020)
  • Why is no one talking about agriculture as a solution to climate change? (AFN, 28 May 2020)
  • Cheap, legal and everywhere: How food companies get us ‘hooked’ on junk (NPR, 26 April 2021)

 

WHAT NOW? (live-streamed)

Friday 17 September  •  13.45-15.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

This opening session takes the form of a town hall meeting during which the Summit’s guests are encouraged to engage and brainstorm on the theme of “What now?” Renowned policy-, opinion- and decision-makers nurture the conversation and help make sense of today’s world.

Led by:

  • Nik Gowing, Managing Partner, Thinking the Unthinkable, UK

Special address:

  • Ron Klain, Chief of Staff, The White House, USA (with us by video)

With:

  • Heba Aly, CEO, The New Humanitarian, Switzerland
  • Philippe Bourguignon, Partner, Revolution, USA; Partner, Monthly Barometer, France
  • Bill Emmott, Former Editor-in-Chief, The Economist; Co-Director, Global Commission for Post-Pandemic Policy, UK
  • Manuel Muñiz, Former State Secretary for Global Spain; Dean, IE School of Global and Public Affairs, Spain
  • James Zhan, Director – Investment & Enterprise, UNCTAD, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Effects of pandemic outbreak on economies (Frontiers in Public Health, 12 March 2021)
  • No herd immunity for poverty (Forbes, 19 July 2021)

 

ICE-BREAKING DINNERS

Friday 17 September  •  19.45-22.00  •  Restaurants La Télécabine or PlanB

Our participants come from all over the world (perhaps a little less so this year) and all walks of life and yet at the Summit of Minds a special alchemy and mutual trust unites them. The purpose of this dinner is to kick start the process of our guests getting to know each other better. Everyone will be invited to sit at a table with a good spattering of people they don’t yet know.A Summit of Minds alumni will facilitate the discussion by asking two questions:

  1. What’s the one thing about you that you’d like us to know?
  2. What important questions are you asking yourself about tomorrow?

 

ICE-BREAKING NOCTURNAL PICNIC

Friday 17 September  •  19.45-22.00  •  Meeting point outside hotel Mont-Blanc

This is for those of you keen to get to know each other while dining outside and on the move (helped with a head light). Despite her generosity, nature is not always on our side: it may be damp and cold, even raining! Our nocturnal picnic will go ahead even so! Some of the best bonds are forged in adversity, and to calm any doubts, Tania – our mountain guide for that evening – will give a short presentation explaining the role of resilience and adaptability in conditions much tougher than these (like crossing inhospitable places on skis in winter).

 

CRYPTO – WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT AND WHERE IS IT GOING?

Friday 17 September  •  22.15-23.00  •  PlanB Hotel – Salon

Crypto is everywhere and all the rage. Join a young Finnish Entrepreneur for an enlightening conversation about crypto currencies and other digital assets. Crypto sceptics welcome!

With:

  • Martin Wichmann, CEO, KraftPal Nordics, Finland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Crypto Banking and Decentralized Finance, Explained (NY Times, 05 September 2021)
  • Cryptocurrencies : developing countries provide fertile ground (Financial Times, 05 September 2021)

 

INFLATION – HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW OR HERE TO STAY?

Saturday 18 September  •  09.15-10.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

With the release of pent-up demand and the global recovery gaining traction, inflation is increasing. But a clear view of the underlying inflation trend is harder to grasp: the powerful structural deflationary forces like demographics and technology are now stacked against a combination of expansive monetary and fiscal policies.

  1. At which level will inflation settle in the coming months and the coming year?
  2. Will the increase in inflation be transient or will it amount to a ‘regime change’?
  3. How will investors adjust?

Led by:

  • Arthur Jurus, Senior Strategist, Oddo BHF, Switzerland

With:

  • David Bowers, Global Strategist, Absolute Strategy Research, UK
  • Martin Galstyan, Governor, Central Bank of Armenia, Armenia
  • Nathan Sussman, Director – Centre for Finance and Development, The Graduate Institute Geneva, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Central banks in a shifting world: Selected takeaways from the ECB’s online Sintra Forum (VOXeu, 12 May 2021)
  • Is the US economy recovering or overheating? (Project Syndicate, 04 May 2021)
  • Is stagflation coming? (Project Syndicate, 14 April 2021)

 

NATURAL CAPITAL – WHY MUST WE CONSIDER NATURE AS AN ASSET?

Saturday 18 September  •  09.15-10.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Théodore Bourrit

Nature gives for ‘free’ and yet it is priceless. We almost always overlook its fundamental input into economic activity, and by so doing underestimate the risks from environmental damage to growth and human welfare. This is why we are starting to recognize nature as an asset, reconsidering in the process our measures of economic prosperity.

  1. What does it mean to treat nature as an asset?
  2. How will valuing natural capital and investing in it generate jobs and growth?
  3. Will conserving and restoring natural assets become a policy obligation imposed on business?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

With:

  • Sacha Bourgeois-Gironde, Professor – Behavioral Economics, Paris 2 University; Researcher – Cognitive Sciences, École Normale Supérieur de Paris, France
  • Grégory Guillot, Business & Biodiversity Programme, IUCN, Switzerland
  • Martin Schlag, Professor, Moss Endowed Chair for Catholic Social Thought, University of St. Thomas, USA

Short preparatory reading:

  • The value of nature (Sacha Bourgeois-Gironde, 2021)
  • Climate and nature crises: Solve both or solve neither, say experts (The Guardian, 10 June 2021)
  • Nature is our most precious asset – we must all act now to save it (World Economic Forum, 02 February 2021)

 

ARMENIAN BRANDY – A TASTE OF HISTORY FOLLOWED BY A JOURNEY INTO THE FUTURE

Saturday 18 September  •  21.45-23.00  •  Mont-Blanc Hotel – Library

Fabled to date back to vines planted on the exact spot on Mount Ararat where Noah’s Ark came to rest, in 1900 the winner (although not officially a cognac) of a cognac blind tasting in Paris and the favourite post-prandial of Winston Churchill, Armenian Brandy has a history as rich and colourful as the amber liquid itself. Taste for yourself in the company of our Armenian friends and then take a voyage beyond our atmosphere with an astronomer, a space explorer and a space investor.

With:

  • Our Armenian friends
  • Garik Israelian, Astrophysicist, Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands; CEO, Starmus Festival, Spain
  • Jane Poynter, Co-CEO, Space Perspective, USA
  • Raphael Roettgen, Managing Partner, E2MC Ventures, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Armenian “cognac” off the shelf as EU pledges $3.5 million to drop the name (RFERL, 21 June 2021)
  • Armenian cognac might be the booze world’s best secret (The Daily Beast, 13 June 2020)

 

A PHOTOGRAPHIC WALKSHOP – THROUGH DIFFERENT LENSES (limited to 25 participants)

Saturday 18 September  •  12.00-18.00  •  Outdoor

Although looking at the same thing, our own individuality means that we all see something different. This is a potential strength worth exploring. Armed only with your telephone, an open mind and wide-open eyes, come and meander through the streets of Chamonix for this photographic “Walkshop” while benefitting from the mentorship of a remarkable couple, who combine both business and creative accomplishments, and for whom  their own individual photographic observations have evolved into a joint life project. In a closing conversation participants will express their intentions behind the photographs taken during the “Walkshop”.

With:

  • Kenneth Korfmann, Founder & Chairman, Korfmann Burnett & Partners, Switzerland
  • Sabina Korfmann-Bodenmann, CEO, KCCC AG, Switzerland

Get ready for the activity:

Effort level: 2 hours gentle walking, no height gain

Where: In and around the streets of Chamonix, mostly pavements, some gravel paths

Who with: Accompanied by accredited Chamonix cultural guides

What you need to bring:

  • Your smartphone for photography
  • Very comfortable shoes
  • Sunglasses and hat (if sunny)
  • Water bottle if you have one (to reduce our collective use of plastic)
  • Layered clothing for variable autumn temperatures
  • Rain jacket in case there is a shower

No previous photographic experience but plenty of curiosity and creativity.

We will provide the technology to display your photographs.

 

THE BUSINESS OF THEATRE & THE THEATRE OF BUSINESS

Saturday 18 September  •  21.45-23.00  •  Mont-Blanc Hotel – Bar

Join a conversation with an artistic director and story teller who also happens to be the CEO of a large family business. Come and find out the ways in which the two worlds intersect and what they have to learn from each other.

With:

  • Georgio Pauen, CEO, ViaTalenta Group, Switzerland

 

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS – WHAT ARE THE VITAL INGREDIENTS?

Friday 17 September  •  22.15-23.00  •  PlanB Hotel – Lobby & Bar

Enjoy a conversation with an extreme athlete (sky runner + ultra trail + ski mountaineering) champion. Hillary will share both her personal insights on how she prepares mentally and physically for each challenge and her thoughts on the importance of team work in the pursuit of individual success.

With:

  • Hillary Gerardi, Extreme Athlete & Development Manager, CREA Mont-Blanc, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • Black Diamond presents: What it takes—Hillary Gerardi & the 90k du Mont-Blanc (Black Diamond, 23 août 2021)

 

HUSTLE AND FLOAT

Saturday 18 September  •  22.15-23.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Joseph Vallot

With:

  • Rahaf Harfoush, Digital Anthropologist & Author, Member of France’s National Digital Council, France; Visiting Policy Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, UK

Short preparatory reading:

  • Hustle and Float (Wired for Wonder, 16 November 2016)

 

JAPAN’S FAR MORE FEMALE FUTURE

Sunday 19 September  •  10.30-11.15  • Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

With:

  • Bill Emmott, Author of Japan’s Far More Female Future; Former Editor-in-Chief, The Economist; Co-Director, Global Commission for Post-Pandemic Policy, UK

 

CONSPIRACY THEORIES – WHAT DO THEY TELL US ABOUT OURSELVES AND THE COLLECTIVE PSYCHE?

Friday 17 September  •  12.15-13.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

Conspiracy theories are as old as politics and as current as the latest headlines, but at the moment they are particularly virulent all over the world. In our so-called “post-truth” age, spreading them is big business, and so is searching for the antidote.

  1. What psychological and societal needs do conspiracy theories fulfil?
  2. Can they prevent a country or a company from operating as a cohesive entity?
  3. What do they tell us about the future and can they be curbed?

Led by:

  • Thomas Eymond-Laritaz, Founder & CEO, Highgate, UK

With:

  • Yves Daccord, Executive Chairman, Edgelands Institute; Fellow, Harvard’s Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society, USA; Former Director General, International Committee of the Red Cross, Switzerland
  • Rahaf Harfoush, Digital Anthropologist & Author, Member of France’s National Digital Council, France; Visiting Policy Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, UK
  • Jamie Monckton, Former UK Ministry of Defence; Adviser on Countering Dis/Misinformation, UK
  • Paul Wang, CEO & Co-Founder, ZeNPulsar, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • The enduring allure of conspiracies (Knowable Magazine, 14 January 2021)
  • It can be hard to hear your mum thinks the Earth is flat. But saving a loved one from conspiracy theories is possible (ABC Australia, 07 December 2020)
  • When the world seems like one big conspiracy (The New York Times, 20 November 2020)

 

LEADING WELL – WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

Friday 17 September  •  10.15-11.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

Survey after survey as well as anecdotal evidence show that all too often leaders are ill-equipped for optimal decision-making. The elephant in the room: issues of physical, mental and cognitive health among senior decision makers abound, but they are often taboo and are not meaningfully addressed.

  1. What does it mean to lead ‘well’?
  2. What does it entail?
  3. What are the ‘must-do’ and ‘must-not do’ of leading well?

Introduced by and led by:

  • Mia Kyricos, Chief Executive Officer, Kyricos & Associates, USA

With:

  • John Antonakis, Professor – Organizational Behavior, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Philippe Bourguignon, Partner, Revolution, USA; Partner, Monthly Barometer, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • COVID-19’s parting gift: Top 10 tips for leading well in 2021 (Mia Kyricos, 22 December 2020)
  • Anyone can learn to be a better leader (Harvard Business Review, 04 November 2020)
  • Look to military history for lessons in crisis leadership (Harvard Business Review, 01 July 2020)

 

LOW LEVEL HIKE (no height gain, c.4 hours) – LEADERSHIP AND DECISION MAKING IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY AND DURESS (limited to 30 participants)

Saturday 18 September  •  12.00-18.00  •  Outdoor

Test your reactions to the compelling need to decide, lead and act in unexpected and unpredictable circumstances. Accompanied by a team of High Mountain Rescue Guides, find out how crisis management skills can be tested, acquired and re-applied in our everyday professional and personal lives.

Get ready for the activity:

Effort level: 1 hour (4 km) approach walk very little height gain, sustained pace, good physical fitness needed to make the most of this collective exercise

Terrain: Earth and gravel paths in the valley

Who with: High mountain rescue guides will guide and supervise the exercise which will involve the use of harnesses and ropes across a river

What you need to bring:

  • Walking boots or trainers
  • Backpack
  • Sunglasses and hat (if sunny)
  • Gloves and warm hat (if chilly)
  • Water bottle if you have one (to reduce our collective use of plastic)
  • Layered clothing for variable autumn temperatures
  • Rain jacket
  • Your wits, leadership skills and best decision making capacities

All mountaineering equipment will be provided.

 

IMMERSIVE FOREST ART WALKSHOP (limited to 25 participants)

Saturday 18 September  •  12.00-18.00  •  Outdoor

Like the rings within a tree, we are both at the centre and the periphery of myriad circles of lives, energies, and experiences. This slow and gentle walkshop will offer us a moment to rediscover and explore our presence with the help of the beautiful trees of Chamonix. We will wrap up the session with a fun and simple creative activity.

With:

  • Deborah Furet, Art Therapist, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, France

Get ready for the activity:

Effort level: 2 hours or so walk, very little height gain, gentle pace

Terrain: Earth and gravel paths amidst the trees (beware the roots!) in the valley

Who with: Accompanied by a mid -mountain Chamonix guide

What you need to bring:

  • Walking boots or trainers
  • Sunglasses and hat (if sunny)
  • Water bottle if you have one (to reduce our collective use of plastic)
  • Layered clothing for variable autumn temperatures
  • Rain jacket in case there is a shower

No previous artistic experience but plenty of curiosity and creativity.

All artistic materials will be provided.

 

MID LEVEL HIKE (200 m height gain, c.3 hours) – WALKSHOP WITH MICRO-SESSIONS (limited to 60 participants)

Saturday 18 September  •  12.00-18.00  •  Outdoor

Enjoy a walkshop peppered with micro-sessions.

Including:

  • ‘Free Energy Governance’ with Bijan Khezri, Founder & Chairman, Khezri Capital Research International; Group-CEO & Part-Owner, Marquard Media Group, Switzerland
  • ‘Perceptive Soundwalk’ with Eduardo Neve, Founder, Repertorial, Spain
  • ‘Smile and Confidence Games’ with Sacha Bourgeois-Gironde, Professor – Behavioral Economics, Paris 2 University; Researcher – Cognitive, France

Get ready for the activity:

Effort level: 3 hours hike with height gain options (100m to 300m)

Terrain: Gravel and earth paths in the valley and narrow mountain paths

Who with: Accompanied by Chamonix mid-level mountain guides

What you need to bring: 

  • Walking boots or trainers
  • Backpack
  • Walking poles if you use them
  • Sunglasses and hat (if sunny)
  • Gloves and warm hat (if chilly)
  • Water bottle if you have one (to reduce our collective use of plastic)
  • Layered clothing for variable autumn temperatures
  • Rain jacket
  • The desire to walk, talk, listen and learn

 

HIGH LEVEL HIKE (600 m height gain, c.5 hours) – UP CLOSE AND INTIMATE WITH A GLACIER (limited to 30 participants)

Saturday 18 September  •  12.00-18.00  •  Outdoor

Experience at first hand the feel and effects of climate change on the Alpine landscape. What’s disappearing, what’s emerging and what does it mean in a broader environmental context. This demanding hike will be accompanied both by mountain guides and climate specialists to help us make sense of what we see.

Get ready for the activity:

Effort level: 4 – 5 hour demanding hike with c. 600m height gain, very good physical fitness and some experience of hiking in the mountains required, not suitable for anyone with a fear of heights

Terrain: steep mountain paths (earth and gravel) and sections on rocks

Who with: Accompanied by Chamonix mountain guides

What you need to bring:

  • Walking boots
  • Backpack
  • Walking poles if you use them
  • Sunglasses and hat (if sunny)
  • Gloves and warm hat (if chilly)
  • Water bottle if you have one (to reduce our collective use of plastic)
  • Layered clothing for variable autumn temperatures
  • Rain jacket
  • Some experience of hiking in the mountains
  • The desire to look, listen and learn

 

TOURISM – WHAT FUTURE FOR THE MOUNTAINS? IS IT UPHILL OR DOWNHILL? 

Saturday 18 September  •  08.00-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

Most mountain destinations that rely on tourism for growth face an array of challenges that are exacerbated by climate change. They must change and adapt to new consumer trends and market conditions while embracing sustainability

  1. How can mountain resorts diversify their offering?
  2. Is it possible to combine tourism growth with sustainability?
  3. What will a future mountain resort destination look like?

Led by:

  • Mary Anne Malleret, Director, Summit of Minds, France

With:

  • Blaise Agresti, Managing Partner, Mountain Path, France
  • Nicolas Evrard, Mayor, Servoz; President, the European Mountain Forum, France
  • Rochelle Turner, Co-Chair, B Corps in Travel & Tourism, UK; Head of Research & Insight, MaCher, USA

Short preparatory reading:

  • Are we ready for the return of mass tourism? (The New Republic, 09 March 2021)
  • In the Alps, ski resorts are desperately battling climate change—and local resistance (National Geographic, 23 December 2020)
  • Speed at which world’s glaciers are melting has doubled in 20 years (The Guardian, 28 April 2021)

 

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE – CAN CONSERVING THE SOIL SAVE THE EARTH? 

Saturday 18 September  •  08.00-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

The soil is at the heart of our existence, but intensive farming, pollution, deforestation, and global heating have damaged it. Increasingly, scientists are warning that to conserve the Earth protecting the soil is vital and that its degradation is as important as the climate crisis and destruction of the natural world above ground.

  1. To what extent is the planet’s land severely degraded?
  2. Is protecting the soil structure becoming a policy imperative?
  3. Is protecting the soil structure becoming a business opportunity?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

With:

  • Alexis Cazin, Managing Director – Environmental Markets, Cargill International, Switzerland
  • Francine Picard, Executive Director, Domaines & Maison Famille Picard – Burgundy Wine Estates; Board Member, Picard Vins & Spiritueux, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • From the ground up: Regenerative agriculture revives farmland while curbing climate change (The Guardian, 09 July 2020)
  • Regenerative agriculture: Good for soil health, but limited potential to mitigate climate change (World Resources Institute, 12 May 2020)

 

AI & DEMOCRACY – DO WE HAVE ANYTHING TO FEAR?

Saturday 18 September  •  08.00-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Théodore Bourrit

Although current AI research is progressing fast in many domains, we are paying insufficient attention to its deep and widespread disruptive effects on the very fabric of society. With big tech and social media vacuuming up data from everything we use and do, surveillance capitalism is on the increase.

  1. Is AI undermining democracy and individual freedoms?
  2. Is the direction and reach of AI development preordained?
  3. If AI-dominated, what is the risk of the future being dystopian?

Led by:

  • Paul Wang, CEO & Co-Founder, ZeNPulsar, Switzerland

With:

  • Yves Daccord, Executive Chairman, Edgelands Institute; Fellow, Harvard’s Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society, USA; Former Director General, International Committee of the Red Cross, Switzerland
  • Rahaf Harfoush, Digital Anthropologist & Author, Member of France’s National Digital Council, France; Visiting Policy Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, UK
  • Pranjal Sharma, Author – “India Automated” and editorialist, India

Short preparatory reading:

  • How to save democracy from technology (Foreign Affairs, February 2021)
  • The world needs democratic AI principles (The Diplomat, 26 February 2021)
  • Democracy and the digital transformation of our lives (Stanford University, 02 February 2021)

 

SCENARIOS – WHAT WILL THE WORLD LOOK LIKE IN 2030?

Sunday 19 September  •  09.15-10.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Théodore Bourrit

In a world characterized by radical uncertainty and ever-increasing complexity, agenda-setting foresight has more value than data, information or knowledge. For investors and other decision-makers who take the long view, it is therefore the most appropriate strategy.

  1. What are the most plausible futures?
  2. Is there a way to hedge and prepare for almost anything?
  3. Is there something we can do to shape the long-term future?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

With:

  • Peter Kingsley, Chairman, The Oracle Partnership, UK
  • Simon Tilford, Director, The Oracle Partnership, UK

Short preparatory reading:

  • What will the world look like in 2030? (The New York Times, 26 December 2019)
  • The world in 2030 may be worse than in 2020 (The Washington Post, 04 January 2021)

 

FUTURE OF EDUCATION – HOW AND WHAT WILL WE BE LEARNING?

Sunday 19 September  •  09.15-10-30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

Like many other activities and industries, education has been upended by the pandemic. Educators and policy-makers are now focusing on how best to ‘recover’ the existing system but also on the opportunity to ‘build it back better’ by preparing children and students for life rather than just exams.

  1. Is digital learning the new normal and how will it impact the future of learning?
  2. How to learn for an ever-changing world?
  3. How to tackle inequalities inside the educational system?

Led by:

  • Atalanti Moquette, Founder, Giving Women, Switzerland

With:

  • David Blunkett, Member, House of Lords; Former Home & Education Secretary, UK
  • Bénédicte Faivre-Tavignot, Executive Director, HEC Society & Organizations, France
  • Jeremy Haefner, Chancellor, University of Denver, USA
  • Graham Miller, Pro-Vice Chancellor & Executive Dean, University of Surrey, UK
  • Marie-Laure Salles, Dean, The Graduate Institute, Geneva, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Edtech flops provide lessons for future success (Financial Times, 11 June 2021)
  • A globalised world: why society needs bilingual speakers (Cambridge University Press, 01 April 2021)
  • What the shift to virtual learning could mean for the future of higher ed (Harvard Business Review, 31 March 2020)

 

SLEEP – WHAT ARE THE TREASURES OF A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP?

Sunday 19 September  •  08.15-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

The quality and quantity of the sleep we get is vital to every aspect of our physical and mental health. Particularly relevant today – sleep is critical for boosting our immune system. Come and find out what else real rest has to offer and how best to ensure we get enough of it.

With:

  • Charlotte Edelsten, Sleep Specialist & Human Movement Scientist, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • How to get a better night’s sleep (The New York Times, 08 June 2021)
  • Why can’t I sleep (University of California, San Francisco Magazine, Summer 2021)
  • The best treatment for insomnia usually isn’t a pill (University of California, San Francisco Magazine, Summer 2021)

 

NUTRITION – ARE WE REALLY WHAT WE EAT?

Sunday 19 September  •  08.15-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

To quote Molière ‘we should eat to live’ – but with the plethora of choice and polemic surrounding food it’s not quite so simple. Come and get some greater clarity.

With:

  • Ana Gerlin Hernandez Bonilla, Public Health and Creative Nutritionist; Founder, The Nutriverse, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • The pandemic saved the fast food industry (Experience Magazine, 20 May 2021)
  • What have we learned from the world’s largest nutrition study (MedicalNewsToday, 02 February 2021)

 

MOVEMENT – WHY DOES HOW WE MOVE MATTER?

Sunday 19 September  •  08.15-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

We can’t think if we don’t move. One neurophysiologist put it this way: “what we call thinking is the evolutionary internalization of movement”. How we move matters, but so does the why that motivates us to do so. Come and discover the virtuous circle that connects the two.

With:

  • Tania Cotton, Founder, MovementWise, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • 11 Minutes of Exercise a Day May Help Counter the Effects of Sitting (The New York Times, 02 December 2020)
  • How Exercise May Help Us Flourish (The New York Times, 12 May 2021)
  • An ‘Awe Walk’ Might Do Wonders for Your Well-Being (The New York Times, 30 September 2020)

 

ALIGNMENT – HOW TO CONNECT TO OUR HIGH ENERGY, AUTHENTIC SELVES IN 2 MINUTES EVERY MORNING

Sunday 19 September  •  08.15-09.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Théodore Bourrit

Living in a place of alignment is not easy. Those who succeed enjoy high levels of performance and fulfilment while those that don’t often suffer from imbalance leading to stress. Discover how your core values, greatest talents and deepest aspirations can help you identify your “central alignment line” and be your most authentic, high performing self – every day.

With:

  • Jonathan Cave, Alignment & Leadership Coach; Founder, MyPhy, Switzerland

Short preparatory reading:

  • Improve your health, wealth & relationships with energy alignment method (Sloan Magazine)
  • What does it mean to be in energetic alignment ? (Medium, 10 September 2020)

 

YOUTH ACTIVISM – WHAT DOES IT CHANGE?

Saturday 18 September  •  09.15-10.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

A significant disconnect exists between what the ‘ruling’ generation thinks it knows about the younger generation and what the younger generation is really thinking – in terms of beliefs, aspirations, convictions and how it intends to change the world.

  1. Is rising youth activism a fact?
  2. What are the values that define youth activism?
  3. How will it ripple across the workplace, consumption habits, technology, politics and culture?

Led by:

  • Mary Anne Malleret, Director, Summit of Minds, France

With:

  • Abdullahi Alim, Project Manager, The Davos Lab – Global Shapers Community, Switzerland
  • Omar Bawa, Co-Founder & COO, Goodwall, Switzerland
  • Léa Garrigues, Les Alter’Vagabonds, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • The rage unifying boomers and gen Z (The Atlantic, 18 June 2020)
  • A look back at the history of student activism and whether today’s protesters are making a difference (Harvard Ed Magazine, 16 February 2018)
  • Social media: A platform for youth activism? (Foreign Affairs Review, 11 June 2020)

 

FOOD INSECURITY – HOW BEST TO DEAL WITH IT?

Friday 17 September  •  10.15-11.30  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Théodore Bourrit

The pandemic and food price inflation have led to a dramatic increase in global food insecurity (defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life). The problem can be catastrophic for some of the world’s poorest countries, but the broader challenge of food insecurity is a rising issue in high-income countries as well.

  1. What does food insecurity look like?
  2. Should “nutrition security” replace “food security”?
  3. What is the role of business in contributing to food security/nutrition? And should governments focus more on food sovereignty?

Led by:

  • Thierry Malleret, Managing Partner, The Monthly Barometer, France

With:

  • David Blunkett, Member, House of Lords; Former Home & Education Secretary, UK
  • Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman Emeritus, Nestlé, Switzerland
  • Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Switzerland
  • Sylvia Métayer, Chief Growth Officer, Sodexo, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • Your diet is cooking the planet (The Atlantic, 07 April 2021)
  • Addressing hunger is the “foundation for stability and peace” (FAO, June 2021)
  • The geopolitics of food security: barriers to the sustainable development goal of zero hunger (SIPRI, November 2021)

 

NUTRITION – CAN WHAT WE EAT OPTIMIZE OUR CAPACITY TO PERFORM?

Friday 17 September  •  09.15-10.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Théodore Bourrit

To quote Molière ‘we should eat to live’, but can what we eat also help us to live better?  Come and discover how nutrition can improve our performance, both in life generally (in terms of concentration, energy levels and so on) and more specifically in terms of sporting and physical activities.

With:

  • Rebecca Dent, High Performance Dietitian, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • The pandemic saved the fast food industry (Experience Magazine, 20 May 2021)
  • What have we learned from the world’s largest nutrition study (MedicalNewsToday, 02 February 2021)

MOVEMENT – WHY DOES HOW WE MOVE MATTER?

Friday 17 September  •  09.15-10.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Michel Payot

We can’t think if we don’t move. One neurophysiologist put it this way: “what we call thinking is the evolutionary internalization of movement”. How we move matters, but so does the why that motivates us to do so. Come and discover the virtuous circle that connects the two.

With:

  • Tania Cotton, Founder, MovementWise, France

Short preparatory reading:

  • 11 Minutes of Exercise a Day May Help Counter the Effects of Sitting (The New York Times, 02 December 2020)
  • How Exercise May Help Us Flourish (The New York Times, 12 May 2021)
  • An ‘Awe Walk’ Might Do Wonders for Your Well-Being (The New York Times, 30 September 2020)

 

MEDITATION – WHAT ARE SOME OF ITS LESSER-KNOWN BENEFITS?

Friday 17 September  •  09.15-10.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

The practice of meditation is no longer regarded as fringe. More and more decision makers are waking up to its benefits while also realising the contribution it can make to their leadership skills.

With:

  • Steffen Naumann, Board Member & Investor, Germany

Short preparatory reading:

  • Are we morally obligated to meditate? (VOX, 10 January 2021)
  • Five ways mindfulness meditation is good for your health (Greater Good Magazine, Berkeley University, 24 October 2018)

 

BREATHING – WHY IS SOMETHING SO SIMPLE SO IMPORTANT?

Friday 17 September  •  09.15-10.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Isabella Straton

Of course, clean air is indispensable, but that’s not the whole story. How we actually breathe it is also fundamental for our mental and physical wellbeing. We can learn how to do this in a more efficacious way – come and try.

With:

  • Dominique Antiglio, Sophrologist, Author & Founder, BeSophro, UK

Short preparatory reading:

  • How to take the perfect breath: why learning to breathe properly could change your life (The Guardian, 26 August 2020)
  • How the ‘lost art’ of breathing can impact sleep and resilience (NPR, 27 May 2020)

 

INDIA AUTOMATED

Friday 17 September  • 16.40-17.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Paul Payot

With:

  • Pranjal Sharma, Author of India Automated, India

 

BEEXELS – SLOW ART 4.0

Friday 17 September  •  16.40-17.00  •  Majestic Congress Centre – Joseph Vallot

With:

  • Emma Picard, Plastic Artist; President, CCulte ! Cultural Association, France

 

 

WHY A WALKSHOP? 

Sunday 19 September  •  14.00-17.00

A robust body of research now underpins our long held conviction that physical movement and being outside enhances cognitive capacity. For this reason, there is no better way to digest and develop the diverse and rich take-away from the opening days of the Summit, than to collectively take to an awe-inspiring mountain path and continue the conversation and quest for answers. These concluding ‘walkshops’ will be peppered with micro-presentations and led by mountain guides and different specialists.

 

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