And the prize goes to…Lehman Brothers
No prizes for guessing what is worrying the 2,500-odd delegates due to arrive in Davos this week (albeit probably not too visibly in their corporate jets this year). Within minutes of the World...
View ArticleA policywonks’ warm-up for the G20?
Plane crammed with bankers, airline executives (appropriate), telecommunications CEOs from US, China, Bahrain and Britain. Found myself being pitched for business by a telecommunications company – boot...
View ArticleWill Davos disintegrate?
I am now in Davos and preparing to play my part in “shaping the post-crisis world”, which is the official title of this year’s forum. I must say this strikes me as over-optimistic. The words “shaping”...
View ArticleSeeking mutual reassurance
It’s a grey day in Davos, in every possible sense. With their celebrated attention to detail, the Swiss have provided weather to match the mood. Once or twice, the sun threatened an appearance, but was...
View ArticleWen’s well-judged intervention
Boris Johnson may well have sung for his supper, but not as beautifully as Bryn Terfel, who also told more modern jokes. Wen Jiabao did not have them rolling in the aisles, exactly, but it was an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Chinese premier promises diligence, sacrifice and plenty
Far too crowded. Probably 500 people over the top. Last year 2000 was heavy, 2600 is too many. Some can’t attend sessions even having tried to book online from home. Participant numbers should be...
View ArticleAnswering the Chinese currency question
The remark by Tim Geithner, president Obama’s new treasury secretary, that president Obama believes China is manipulating its exchange rate has, it can safely be said, not gone down well in Beijing. On...
View ArticleBill Clinton redux
I note that Bill Clinton, whom I warned last year was in danger of tarnishing his Davos brand by being nasty about Barack Obama on the US campaign trial, seems to have bounced back. The absence of any...
View ArticleChina: focus on domestic demand, not the exchange rate
The question of the US reaction to China’s exchange rate policy continues to rumble in Davos, though the absence of the US policymakers makes the debate somewhat one-sided. The response by Chen Siwei...
View ArticleWaking up from the Asia dream
Davos was early in proclaiming that the 21st century would be the Asian Century. China’s miraculous development story is central to this vision—a transformation that would inevitably push the pendulum...
View Article
