Davos 2025; Pragmatic business leadership in a world of seismic change?

Opinions on Davos can be divided.

Cynics see it as a corporate and political red-letter day, held conveniently on alpine slopes in the midst of the skiing season.

The more enthusiastic see it as a critical moment each year for business and political leaders to engage and focus on the role that business and finance can play in driving forward growth, economic prosperity and stability. Conveniently held on alpine slopes in the midst of the skiing season.

Yet, to torture the analogy still further, Davos 2025 is critical because the world today has a mountain to climb in order to secure the growth and stability envisaged by the World Economic Forum.

On the back of 2024’s year of democracy, we are seeing seismic shifts in the global economic and political map and the issues confronting us.

While he is not expected to attend (although may make a virtual address), President Trump will be a constant presence at Davos.

Questions around how he will steer the world’s largest economy, whether tariffs and trade wars will result and how the economic and political relationship between the US, China and the rest of the world will change is an urgent strategic question for both politicians and businesses.

Business has to respond to this and other challenges ‘of the day’ but also look through short and medium term political and economic noise and focus on the long term, strategic imperatives that will shape our future.

Climate change remains one such imperative and, regardless of changes in the political winds, business needs to understand how it addresses that risk and embraces the opportunities that a sustainable economy will bring, despite the growing cynicism around net zero and calls for banks and businesses to step back from their commitments.

That pressure is telling, many business leaders we speak to are dialling back public pronouncements on sustainability yet in private continue to acknowledge that they can’t reduce ambition and action on net zero. The broad consensus is that climate change and the need to mitigate its impact on business, planet and people isn’t reducing and that science should guide long-term strategy.

This pragmatic response that balances current political reality with the need to also plan for future risk seems to be the emerging theme. It’s also a clear demand from the public. Our Responsible Business survey shows that 75% of the UK public expect companies to conduct business in a responsible way, with 70% believing that business can be profitable while also performing well on ESG metrics.

Davos’ programme, themed around ‘Collaboration for the Intelligent Age’ and focused on five priority areas (Rebuilding Trust; Reimagining Growth; Investing in People; Safeguarding the Planet and Industries for the Intelligent Age) speaks to the wide range of stakeholder expectations and issues that business has to address.

Profit and performance may define what a business is but is not the reason any individual business deserves to exist or be trusted. The scale of change facing the world today is such that collaboration and long-term thinking from business and politicians is critical.

More than that though, business has the ability to drive huge positive change simply by making different choices, ones which still drive revenue and profit but have wider impacts as well. Doing so isn’t woke, its about seeing the role of business differently and understanding that shared prosperity and sustainable growth is a foundation for business success.  It’s about being a Responsible Business.

Next week, SEC Newgate UK will host its own programme, The Art of Creating Value, designed to go beyond the commercial and drive deeper, more impactful connections. Taking place at the Heimatmuseum, this day of curated conversations, collaboration, and cultural enrichment will reimagine how businesses respond to a rapidly changing world, prioritising long-term thinking, relational connections, and sustainable impact.

Through a series of curated discussions, we’ll explore how businesses can lead with purpose and creativity, integrating risk, value, and opportunity with a human touch.

If you're in Davos, we’d love for you to join us and be part of this transformative day. 

Places are limted- register here: https://ti.to/sec-newgate-uk/the-art-of-creating-value