At each edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, a defining theme emerges: one that reflects the underlying tensions of the global moment. Recently, those themes have centered on global fragmentation, declining trust, and the idea of a “polycrisis.”
This year’s motto, “A Spirit of Dialogue,” may sound familiar, but in the current environment it feels less like repetition and more like necessity.
Social trust is at historic lows. Multilateralism is under visible strain. AI is reshaping economic & social structures at unprecedented speed.
Dialogue is not a slogan, and it is certainly not an exercise in naïve optimism. It is the only realistic mechanism available to civil society, institutions, & businesses to prevent deeper fragmentation while harnessing transformation rather than resisting it.
It resembles the reaction of children caught in the middle of a conflict between their parents: the appeal for calm and de-escalation does not stem from idealism, but from the simple fact that they have no alternative but to live with the consequences of constant confrontation.
Yet amid this uncertainty, there are also signals of resilience. Equity markets reaching all-time highs suggest that capital continues to anticipate growth, adaptability, & opportunity.
From the conversations taking place in Davos, particularly within the business community, I sense a meaningful shift: less tension, more pragmatism, and a greater willingness to listen. Geopolitical risk, polarization, & climate challenges remain top of mind, but there is also a growing recognition that confrontation delivers neither stability nor growth. Constructive engagement, by contrast, creates optionality.
This shift is not accidental. Companies operate across borders by nature, with interests & impacts that extend beyond geographies or political cycles. In the context of geopolitical volatility and rising fragmentation, rigid or inward-looking blocs may appear tempting, but they constrain innovation, resilience, & growth. For global business, dialogue & cooperation are the conditions that make progress possible.
Europe has a singular responsibility in this moment. The challenge is not reinvention, but reinforcement: acting with greater cohesion, reducing internal frictions, strengthening institutions, & speaking with one voice. In a world moving toward competition between major blocs, European unity is not an ideological preference, but a strategic imperative. Done well, it can position Europe as a stabilizing force and a credible partner in a rapidly evolving global order.
#Davos reminds us that the private sector is not on the margins of the global order: it is at its very center, with both the responsibility (and the opportunity) to help redefine how cooperation, competitiveness, and trust can advance together.
Dialogue does not guarantee agreement. But the absence of dialogue guarantees conflict. Choosing to engage is not only a political or social act: it is an economic one.
