Each year, business, political and academic leaders convene for the World Economic Forum, where they work together to improve the state of the world and shape global, regional and industry agendas to address the most pressing issues of our day.
Bain thought leadership
From our partners' views on the floor at Davos to the formal reports led by Bain industry governors—Bain & Company's thought leadership is prominent throughout the Forum each year. Planned for the 2015 meeting is Chairman Orit Gadiesh featured on the panel on gender equality 'From Problem to Progress' moderated by Laurie Hays, Senior Executive Editor, Bloomberg News, USA.
Bain's annual private breakfast panel.
(By invitation only) For the 11th year, Bain will hold its popular breakfast panel, hosted by Bain Chairman Orit Gadiesh. An audience of senior business and government leaders, including many Bain alumni, will gather to hear Michael Mankins, Head of Bain & Company's Americas Organizational practice, talk about work force effectiveness under the broader theme of: "Time, Talent and Money – Unleashing the Productivity and Energy of Your Workforce." He will be joined by two prominent guest speakers, Andrew N. Liveris, President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Dow Chemical Company and Julian Roberts, Group Chief Executive, Old Mutual Group.
Industry Governors: The Future of Healthy project provides the premier global platform to enable critical dialogues among stakeholders and to facilitate collaborative action to tackle the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are forecast to cost the global economy $47trn in lost economic output by 2030. The Future of Healthy projects aims to position healthy population as being fundamental to socio-economic growth and lays out the economic arguments for investments. The key inflection points identified help to determine where investments make the most sense. The development of the systems map to lay out the eco-system of health supported the identification of those inflection points. The notion of 'Maximizing healthy life years' is the central engine of the virtuous cycle of health which drives both economic growth and healthy populations. With the help of several compelling data-driven examples, the project shows that investments into health pay off and the next phase will further identify business opportunities and ways how to get the funding moving.
Industry Governors: Enabling Trade project found that improving border administration processes and transport infrastructure could increase global GDP up to six times more than removing all remaining import tariffs. Taking domestic action to reduce the time and cost required to move goods allows consumers to benefit from reduced prices while also making exported goods more competitive. In this context, the 2013 WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement reached in Bali was a big step toward reducing supply chain barriers and reinvigorating global trade. We observed that while accomplishing the goals of the Trade Facilitation Agreement will be generally helpful, it is possible to be completely compliant and yet not improve the competiveness of any industry within a given country. To truly achieve the benefits of trade facilitation, countries need to focus on the economics of the supply chains of specific industries. The costs associated with barriers undermine the capacity of companies to compete in the global market. Systematically identifying the problems that cause specific industries to not be competitive and improving those to reach a 'tipping point' of competitiveness is the set of actions that will actually move the needle on increased trade in goods and services, increased jobs, and improved standards of living.
Industry Governors: Future of Electricity. The electricity sector is undergoing an unprecedented transition. In the past, the sector provided affordable, secure and reliable electricity by attracting investors with low risk, stable returns. In the last decade, significant declines in the cost of renewable technologies, combined with new sources of natural gas, has offered the opportunity to simultaneously decarbonise the sector while also increasing energy security and reducing dependence on imported fuels.
The experience of the EU – an early mover in the transition – raises concerns over the ability to attract the investment required. As renewable capacity has been deployed in the EU, returns on capital have fallen across the board and risks for investors and technology providers have risen due to policy instability. This crisis of 'investability' has highlighted lessons for policy makers, regulators, business and investors – whether in the developed or developing markets.
