The world’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals will be paying close attention to Europe’s highest town this week as the 56th iteration of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) takes centre stage in Davos.
This year’s forum, themed ‘A Spirit of Dialogue’, will dive into familiar topics circulating through boardrooms and UHNW circles over the past year, including the effects of the women-led ‘Great Wealth Transfer’, adapting to the rapid rise of AI, global fragmentation and geopolitical tensions.
It comes amid a backdrop of uncertainty, highlighted in WEF’s annual Global Risks Report released on 14 January, in which 50 per cent of interviewees anticipated turbulence over the coming two years, with just one per cent expecting prosperity. The report described the world as becoming a ‘multipolar landscape’, where collaboration is being replaced by confrontation and the currency of cooperation, trust, is being devalued.
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Davos 2026 aims to tackle these issues and is divided into five categories: cooperating in a more contested world, unlocking new sources of growth, investing better in people, deploying innovation at scale and responsibly and building prosperity within planetary boundaries.
US president Donald Trump, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen are among the names attending.
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What should UHNWs look out for at Davos 2026?
Economic forecasts
Leading economists are convening for a talk entitled ‘Chief Economists Briefing: What to Expect in 2026’ on Tuesday at 13:30 CET to discuss how inflation, debt, fragmentation and technological disruption are creating what many see as the most complex economic environment in decades.
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With speakers including the chief economist of French multinational financial services firm AXA and the chief economist of China’s largest retailer by revenue, JD.com, the talk is set to provide some well-informed predictions for the coming monetary year.
Women and the ‘Great Wealth Transfer’
The ‘Great Wealth Transfer’ is set to be one of the largest shifts of assets in history, with potentially more than $100 trillion being handed down from Baby Boomers to their Millennial and Gen Z offspring. In a panel discussion titled ‘Women at the Finance Frontier’, figures such as the CEO of independent Swiss wealth manager Bank Julius Baer, Stefan Rolf Bollinger, and Mounir Nakhla, the founder of leading fintech app MNT-Halan, will discuss how women are set to benefit disproportionately from this transition of wealth.
With women projected to control nearly 40 per cent of all investable wealth worldwide by 2030, the discussion will cover how this could reshape capital markets and what work needs to be done to convert this new level of ownership into decision-making power.
The promises and pitfalls of long-term investments
AI is perhaps the most tempting avenue for investors considering long-term views and mission-driven bets. As highlighted by UBS’ Year Ahead 2026 report, AI stands out for its ability to drive productivity gains that have historically eluded economies. In a panel talk on Thursday at 16:15 CET, figures such as the co-founder of tech-centred venture firm DCVC, Zachary Bogue, and Hélène Huby, founder and CEO of sustainable space cargo business The Exploration Company, will discuss the viability of investing in ground-breaking tech.
A discussion centred on Europe’s fate in the global tech race will precede this at 13:15 CET, focusing on whether the continent can finally reboot and reclaim its place on the global leaderboard.
Speakers will include Mati Staniszewski, co-founder of AI voice technology company ElevenLabs; Jessica Rosencrantz, Sweden’s minister for European Union affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister; Christian Klein, chief executive of German software group SAP; and Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy at the European Commission.
The stability of stablecoins
In a world rife with geopolitical tension alongside rapid technological innovation, many investors are looking for places to store their wealth outside traditional monetary frameworks. Cryptocurrencies pegged to the dollar to reduce volatility, known as stablecoins, can lend digital assets a legitimacy they previously lacked. In a talk titled ‘Where Are We on Stablecoins?’ on Thursday at 10:15 CET, the potential of these polarising online currencies will be examined.
Some names to look out for
A swathe of political leaders will be in attendance at Davos 2026. Donald Trump will be making his return to the event amid a contentious row over the sovereignty of Greenland. Other attendees include Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada; Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the State of Qatar; Friedrich Merz, federal chancellor of Germany; and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine.
Leaders in business and finance will also be present in the Swiss town, including Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund; Jasem Al Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council; and Jensen Huang, the multi-billionaire co-founder of AI chip producer NVIDIA.
We have collated some of the most significant events of the week for Spear’s readers:
- Monday, 18:30 CET: ‘Open Forum: Which 2050 Do We Want?’, a discussion exploring how choices made today in climate, technology and social justice will shape the world in 2050.
- Tuesday, 10:50 CET: Special Address by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
- Tuesday, 13:30 CET: ‘Chief Economists Briefing: What to Expect in 2026’, discussing how inflation, debt and fragmentation have shaped this decade’s financial identity.
- Tuesday, 15:00 CET: ‘Women at the Finance Frontier’, examining how women are set to control 40 per cent of investable wealth by 2030.
- Tuesday, 15:30 CET: Conversation with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.
- Wednesday, 11:30 CET: Conversation with Ken Griffin, president and CEO of Citadel.
- Wednesday, 14:30 CET: Special Address by Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America.
- Wednesday, 18:00 CET: ‘US and China: Where Will They Land?’, a panel discussion on how the two countries will navigate ongoing tensions while their economies remain deeply intertwined.
- Thursday, 10:15 CET: ‘Where Are We on Stablecoins?’, a panel discussion examining how stablecoins are redefining payments and cross-border flows.
- Thursday, 13:15 CET: ‘Is Europe’s Tech Sovereignty Feasible?’, a panel discussion examining why Europe continues to punch below its weight in the global tech race.
- Thursday, 16:15 CET: ‘Investors and the Patience Premium’, a panel discussion on the potential benefits and pitfalls of investing in new forms of innovation.
- Thursday, 17:30 CET: ‘A Check-In on the Saudi Economy’.
- Friday, 10:15 CET: ‘How High Can Unicorns Fly?’, a panel discussion exploring the future of billion-dollar start-ups.
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