Klaus Schwab quotes

Klaus Schwab is a German engineer and economist, best known as the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum. As a leading voice in global affairs, Schwab has worked tirelessly to promote economic development and sustainability on a global scale. His vision for a more inclusive and sustainable future has earned him praise from politicians, business leaders, and scholars alike. With a keen focus on innovation and technology, Schwab continues to push for reforms that benefit both society and the environment. Learn more about Klaus Schwab and his work at the World Economic Forum website.

Outright collapse is not an outlandish scenario for petrostates like Ecuador or Venezuela, where the virus could overwhelm the countries’ few functioning hospitals very quickly.

- Klaus Schwab

The sobering truth is that the heroes of the immediate COVID-19 crisis, those who (at personal risk) took care of the sick and kept the economy ticking, are among the worst paid professionals – the nurses, the cleaners, the delivery drivers, the workers in food factories, care homes and warehouses, among others.

- Klaus Schwab

COVID-19 may compel us to address our inner problems in ways we would not have previously considered.

- Klaus Schwab

A seminal paper on the long-term economic consequences of major pandemics throughout history shows that significant macroeconomic after-effects can persist for as long as 40 years, substantially depressing real rates of return.[18] This is in contrast to wars that have the opposite effect: they destroy capital while pandemics do not – wars trigger higher real interest rates, implying greater economic activity, while pandemics trigger lower real rates, implying sluggish economic activity. In addition, consumers tend to react to the shock by increasing their savings, either because of new precautionary concerns, or simply to replace the wealth lost during the epidemic.

- Klaus Schwab

Young people are right to be angry and they deserve seats at the table.

- Klaus Schwab

Yesterday I was at a reception for Prime Minister Trudeau and I would know that half of this cabinet or even more than half of the cabinet are actually Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum.

- Klaus Schwab

When I mention names like Mrs. Merkel, even Vladimir Putin and so on. They all have been Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum.

- Klaus Schwab

What we are very proud of now is that the young generation like Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of Argentina and so on, that we penetrate the cabinets.

- Klaus Schwab

We have too large a disparity in the world; we need more inclusiveness… If we continue to have uninclusive growth and we continue with the unemployment situation, particularly youth unemployment, our global society is not sustainable.

- Klaus Schwab

We have made an eight-digit investment in establishing TopLink, our digital network of global decision-makers. We have a team in London developing artificial intelligence software and another team in Geneva investigating how blockchain can support global governance.

- Klaus Schwab

We have created a system that disproportionately rewards the happy few, underfunds social security and infrastructure, and puts at risk the health of the planet as a whole.

- Klaus Schwab

We have a number of vulnerabilities in our economies.

- Klaus Schwab

We have a great obligation not only to look after our own interests, but to engage and to make sure that this meeting is at the beginning of a renaissance of trust.

- Klaus Schwab

We do not want to just define issues; we want to help to create solutions.

- Klaus Schwab

Today, the World Economic Forum is a brand that is known around the world and seen in predominantly positive terms. In many countries, particularly in Asia, Africa and South America, it is recognized that we have been working for decades to contribute not just to the economic, but also to social development of the continents.

- Klaus Schwab

The world must become aware of the fantastic transformational power of social entrepreneurship and the foundation will work as a catalyst in this effort.

- Klaus Schwab

The world is caught up in a rapid, comprehensive transformation – technologically, economically, socially and politically. Being able to help shape this transformation, and to do it in a positive way, is an incredibly motivating challenge. That pushes me and the World Economic Forum forward.

- Klaus Schwab

The key issue is the shift of the centre of gravity from the West to the East, the rise of China and India.

- Klaus Schwab

The biggest change in the world today is that the young don’t learn from the old, they teach the old about the world today.

- Klaus Schwab

The best answer to the extremists is to build a better world.

- Klaus Schwab

Switzerland is one of the best places in the world in terms of quality of infrastructure and services.

- Klaus Schwab

Shared understanding is particularly critical if we are to shape a collective future that reflects common objectives and values.

- Klaus Schwab

Our role is to better interconnect the world through systems thinking by providing platforms, and in doing so, jointly find solutions.

- Klaus Schwab

In the new world, it is not the big fish which eats the small fish, it's the fast fish which eats the slow fish.

- Klaus Schwab

In my book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, I show for the first time in summary form how current technological developments will fundamentally change not only business models, but also governance, economics, indeed all of society and even the individual. All of this is happening at a pace that hardly allows us to prepare for these massive changes.

- Klaus Schwab

I am especially proud of the fact that the Forum has given rise to three major global life-saving initiatives: first, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), which has immunized 580 million children and prevented 8 million deaths; second, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and third, the beginning of this year saw the launch of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), with initial financing of $700 million.

- Klaus Schwab

Entrepreneurship is the engine fuelling innovation, employment generation and economic growth. Only by creating an environment where entrepreneurship can prosper and where entrepreneurs can try new ideas and empower others can we ensure that many of the world’s issues will not go unaddressed.

- Klaus Schwab

Elites have always existed. We bring together people of influence, and we hope that they use their influence in a positive way.

- Klaus Schwab

An organization like ours has to finance expansion not on credit, but on its own capital resources. Furthermore, in a turbulent world, we must be prepared for all risks to be able to maintain our independence and our responsibility to our employees in all cases.

- Klaus Schwab

Always look to the future and satisfy newly emerging needs in international cooperation. Being a pioneer also means taking risks. I haven’t succeeded at everything.

- Klaus Schwab