Davos 2022 Day 1: Staying ahead of the shark

As we showed up for the summer camp edition of Davos, I was struck by the incredibly beautiful weather. Yellow flowers bloomed against fields of green, in sharp contrast to the typical snowy slopes that we were accustomed to.

Imperial’s host venue for Davos 2022 is Hub Culture, a global community of innovators. And indeed, at the opening dinner on Sunday night I sat next to Bill Gross, one of the most prolific entrepreneurs in recent history with over 200 startups, and over 10 unicorns, as well as the proud father of a recent Imperial College Business School graduate. And I chatted with Dr Mandeep Rai, author of The Values Compass. Stan Stalnaker, founding director and Chief Strategy Officer for Hub Culture, spoke of intentionality and transcending from obligation to privilege.

It’s too early to detect themes from this year, but my preliminary impressions suggest a thread of renewal and rebirth. People have told me Davos has “jumped the shark” each of the seven times I’ve gone, and yet it soldiers on. 

My conversations with the tastemakers and creators of the future have been infused with essential optimism. In preparing for our trifecta of experiences on Monday, spanning from artificial intelligence to a celebration of life, I feel a sense of great hope.