diplomacy that in 1988 helped pull Greece and Turkey back from the brink of war. Representatives of the two Koreas met up through the Forum in 1989, but sadly the momentum was lost. Three years on, FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela were at Davos, the first time they had been seen together at an international gathering. In 1980 Henry Kissinger used Davos to warn of a Soviet military build-up. But Davos missed the collapse of the Soviet Union, failed to foresee several major financial collapses and was blindsided by the bursting of the tech bubble in the late 1990s. When asked about the pride he has in his work, Klaus Schwab points to health initiatives, including the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) which has protected 580 million children and saved many, many lives. Another example of his work is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. He is indeed a man of noble causes. Schwab will celebrate his
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GAVI initiatives and other noble causes 80th birthday soon after Davos 2018. By the time he was 27 years old he had earned five degrees in economics and mechanical engineering, and four years later he became the youngest university professor in Switzerland. There is no sign of him letting up, although he seems to be passing on some of his day-to-day responsibilities. Perhaps he will want to give thought to finessing certain of his extraordinary achievements. There are speculations about a successor, but Klaus Schwab is confident that the right man – or woman – will be found within the board of trustees. The founder of the World Economic Forum is a sociable man who follows his own tastes. He is an outstanding skier and a devil on the dance floor. This year there will be no shortage of partners waiting for him at the top table.
DAVOS FACTS
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The very first “Davos” lasted a full two weeks It was called the European Management Symposium, and until 1987 it was called the European Management Forum The first Chinese delegation came to Davos in 1979 Former UK Prime Minister Edward Heath made an appearance at the forum as a conductor, taking charge of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra at a charity concert The Northern American Free Trade Agreement was first proposed at an informal Davos meeting
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