Jump to...
Leading High Performing Remote Teams
How can leaders ensure that performance remains high in remote or hybrid-work environments?
Content Marketing
In this course, you’ll learn how compelling blogs, videos, podcasts, and other media can reach customers and drive sales. You’ll also learn steps for creating an effective content marketing plan, and some important ways to measure its impact and success.
Content marketing is a essential digital marketing strategy for companies looking to provide relevant and useful information to support your community and attract new customers.
Get started on your content marketing journey today.
Sustainable Innovation in Times of Disruption: Choices for a Better Society
There are opportunities for progress all around us. The key is to innovate on these opportunities sustainably.
To help identify most effective path forward, you'll need to gain a global perspective to these challenges in an open discussion. How can Japan and the world take action to create a more sustainable, innovative world? Where do you fit in?
It's time to find out.
Social Media & Digital Communications: Impact on Global Public Opinion
Social and digital media have dominated the communications industry for decades. But it's no secret that social media has the power to sway public opinion, and the way in which many companies use these platforms could be seen as manipulative.
What do companies need to be aware of when utilizing social and digital media? How can these mediums be used to better communicate strategically with the world?
Discover what top media and communications experts have to say.
CAGE Distance Framework
Want to expand overseas? The CAGE distance framework can help ensure you're constructing a solid global strategy in four areas: cultural, administrative, economic, and geographic. Learn how to leverage useful differences between countries, identify potential obstacles, and achieve global business success.
Servant Leadership
There's more to leadership than driving a team to profit. In fact, there's a word for looking beyond self-interest to prioritize individual growth: servant leadership. Try this course for a quick breakdown of what that is, how it works, and how it can lead to organizational success.
Strategy: Creating Value Inside Your Company
Have you ever wondered why certain companies are more successful than others? The answer is strategy: internal processes that control costs, allocate resources, and create value. This course from GLOBIS Unlimited can give you the tools you need for that strategic edge.
Strategy: Understanding the External Environment
To plan strategy on any level, you need to understand your company's external environment. In fact, your level of understanding can impact hiring, budgeting, marketing, or nearly any other part of the business world. Want to learn how to do all that? This course from GLOBIS Unlimited is the perfect first step!
Using Japanese Values to Thrive in Global Business
Japanese companies have unique cultural, communication, and operational challenges. But they also have values that have led to remarkable longevity. Check out this seminar to hear how these values help earn trust from overseas head offices and develop employees.
Marketing: Reaching Your Target
Every company works hard to get its products into the hands of customers. Are you doing everything you can to compete? In this course, you’ll find a winning formula to turn a product idea into real sales. Follow along through the fundamentals of the marketing mix and see how companies successfully bring products to market.
Basic Accounting: Financial Analysis
Want to compare your performance vs. a competitor? Or evaluate a potential vendor? Then you'll need to conduct a financial analysis. This course will teach you how to use three financial statements and evaluate financial performance in terms of profitability, efficiency, soundness, growth, and overall strength.
Career Anchors
What drives you to be good at your job?
Career anchors are based on your values, desires, motivations, and abilities. They are the immovable parts of your professional self-image that guide you throughout your career journey.
Try this short GLOBIS Unlimited course to identify which of the eight career anchors is yours!
Leadership with Passion through Kokorozashi
The key ingredient to success? Passion.
Finding your kokorozashi will unify your passions and skills to create positive change in society. This GLOBIS Unlimited course will help you develop the values and lifelong goals you need to become a strong, passion-driven leader.
Onboard the direct Swiss Air flight to Narita Airport, I am reflecting on my 17th Davos Conference and would like to share my summary of Davos 2025.
Before the conference began, I predicted that the two most uncertain topics—Trump and AI—would dominate discussions, and that indeed turned out to be the case. In addition to these two major themes, I have summarized six key takeaways from my experience.
Trump’s Return
Rather than shock, a sense of relief dominated Davos regarding Trump. In 2017, the inauguration of Trump’s first presidency coincided with the final soirée of the Davos conference. At that time, the atmosphere in Davos was grim. The UK had left the EU, and the US had elected Trump—two dominant global powers reversing globalization. While music played cheerfully at the soirée, the mood was somber, with some attendees even brought to tears.
This year, Trump’s inauguration coincided with the first day of Davos. While he withdrew from the WHO and the Paris Agreement as promised, the most feared tariff increases did not materialize. Trump is no stranger to Davos, having attended in 2020 as a sitting president, which contributed to a dominant sense of optimism: “It won’t be that bad.”
However, reactions varied by country. Americans were generally optimistic, believing Trump would not implement harmful policies domestically. Meanwhile, Europe, China, and neighboring Canada and Mexico exhibited stronger concerns—Europe and China out of unease, and Canada and Mexico out of outright opposition.
On January 23, the fourth day of Davos, Trump delivered an online speech—a remarkable occurrence so soon after his inauguration. His speech focused entirely on domestic policies, omitting any mention of Europe. My notes highlighted the following key points:
- The dawn of a new “golden age” for America
- A “Revolution of Common Sense”
- Fixing the economic and inflationary damage left by the previous administration
- Stopping immigration and foreign aid
- Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and WHO
- Increasing energy production
- Creating DOGE (a new administrative efficiency initiative)
- Boosting manufacturing, AI, and cryptocurrency
- Lowering corporate tax to 15%, making the US the lowest-taxed major economy
- A $500 billion investment by SoftBank with Oracle and OpenAI as a “stargate”
- Encouraging Saudi Arabia to round up its $600 billion investment to $1 trillion (eliciting laughter from the audience)
- Ending media and social media censorship
- Ending the weaponization of judicial and law enforcement agencies
- Promoting meritocracy in companies (implicitly rejecting DEI initiatives)
- Defining gender strictly as male and female
- Achieving ceasefires in Gaza and Ukraine
Reactions to his speech were starkly divided: some found it terrible (mostly Europeans), while others were optimistic (mostly Americans). Opinions ranged from finding his rhetoric amusing to illogical, from approachable to lacking decorum.
Although Musk was not mentioned in Trump’s speech, discussions at Davos likened Trump’s relationship with billionaires to Putin’s ties with Russian oligarchs. Concerns were frequently raised about Musk being an unpredictable factor.
The Rise of AI
Regardless of whether it was in the session titles, AI was embedded in every discussion. Unlike last year, AI was treated as an established reality. A commonly expressed sentiment was that “AI is like electricity; it will become an infrastructure.”
A significant AI divide is emerging. Unlike electricity and the internet, which benefitted all stakeholders, AI’s advantages are expected to be monopolized by a few US and Chinese companies, exacerbating disparities between those who benefit from AI and those who do not.
Political scientist Ian Bremmer stated that the AI semiconductor and technology export controls introduced by the Biden administration and inherited by Trump could become the most significant geopolitical framework since the Soviet Union’s collapse. Countries will be categorized into tiers based on their access to AI technology, deepening national disparities.
In the “AI and Security” session, it was noted that, unlike past technologies led by governments and the military (e.g., nuclear power, cryptography, the internet), AI is controlled by a few big tech firms and massive startups. If these entities become unmanageable, geopolitical uncertainties will escalate. Musk’s Starlink has already demonstrated the power of private companies in warfare, and AI could further empower private entities to determine global winners and losers.
AI discussions also tied into energy concerns. For the first time in Davos history, a session was dedicated to nuclear power. COP discussions have emphasized tripling nuclear power capacity, and while advanced nations have hesitated post-Fukushima, China has rapidly expanded its nuclear capabilities. With China leading in solar, wind, and EVs, advanced economies must refocus on nuclear energy, including SMRs and fusion. Japan, in particular, must restart nuclear power generation swiftly.
Surprisingly, AI safety and regulation were largely absent from discussions. Trump’s policy stance favors drastic deregulation. Given the uncertainty surrounding his approach, there was little point in debating regulations. However, the “Dawn of AGI” session featured intense debate on AI safety, with two opposing views:
- AI should continue evolving at full speed; regulation can come later.
- Uncontrolled AI evolution poses excessive risks.
The panel leaned toward the first stance (4 to 1), but audience opinion was evenly split.
Climate Change (ESG) and Equality (DEI)
Davos traditionally favors topics with broad consensus, such as globalization, climate action, and social equity. However, these discussions receded this year, largely due to Trump’s opposition to globalization and WOKE ideology. In the US, ESG and DEI are becoming obsolete concepts. Argentine President Milei also rejected these values outright.
Trump’s energy stance was encapsulated by his phrase, “Drill, baby, drill,” and his description of coal as “beautiful.” Anecdotal evidence suggests that while EVs were prevalent among official vehicles last year, their presence has noticeably declined.
Nevertheless, 2024 was the hottest year on record, and the critical 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold has already been breached. With both climate and AI regulations being disregarded, there was a pervasive sense of powerlessness, as the world’s most influential leader dictates these policies unilaterally.
Ultimately, both AI and climate change may advance unchecked. During a G1 lunch discussion, it was suggested that scientific breakthroughs might be the only viable solution. As OpenAI’s Sam Altman stated last year, “Only science can solve climate change—fusion for energy, AI for carbon capture.” The most effective approach may be to leverage AI-driven scientific discovery to solve humanity’s challenges.
The Collapse of Trust into Resentment
Last September, I became a part-time director at Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm. The commitment is intense, requiring quarterly trips to New York, but the learning opportunities are immense. Edelman’s trust survey, conducted over the past 25 years, offers truly thought-provoking insights. Here are some shocking findings:
- 60% of people feel “grievance” (resentment). Of these, 20% feel it strongly, while 40% feel it to some extent. (Is societal dissatisfaction becoming pervasive?)
- Only about 30% of young people believe that the next generation will have a better life than the current one. In Japan and France, this figure is as low as 10%. (Are young people losing hope for the future?)
- Two-thirds of people believe that leaders in politics and media lie. (Are leaders no longer trusted?)
- Half of white men feel they are discriminated against. (Has excessive DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] led to reverse discrimination, fueling Trump’s rise?)
- 50% of people feel that social systems—including politics, the economy, democracy, and capitalism—are collapsing. (This leads to nihilism and resistance to globalization and innovation.)
These findings are striking. Particularly, regarding point 2, Klaus Schwab himself mentioned this in the “Davos Circle,” a group of those who have attended Davos more than 10 times. He said, “When I asked young people attending Davos, half of them believed the future would not be better than the present. If even the talented youth at Davos think this way, we as leaders have a lot of work to do.”
Regarding point 3, FT’s Gillian Tett made an interesting remark: “Gen Z trusts AI bots more than doctors. They also read articles differently. They first look at the headline, then check reactions to the article before assessing its credibility.”
Point 4 is also shocking. The dissatisfaction among white men is growing significantly. A Harvard friend of mine once lamented, “In the past, older white men were at the center of power, but now they are being marginalized.” A backlash against reverse discrimination is emerging. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled affirmative action in universities unconstitutional. Trump emphasizes a “merit-based” approach regardless of race or gender. Resentment is driving political changes, including a shift away from politically correct DEI policies.
What Can Be Done About This Pessimistic Situation?
Edelman’s CEO proposes the following measures:
- A thorough review of COVID-19 policies. Lockdowns were imposed without sufficient explanation, causing extreme inconvenience. This eroded trust in scientists and governments. A proper review is needed to explain what went wrong.
- Rebuilding trust through multi-stakeholder efforts. Politicians, business leaders, social entrepreneurs, media, and academics must work together. Companies need to provide tangible benefits, like wage increases, and leaders must offer concrete improvements rather than abstract ideas.
- Eliminating disinformation. The spread of lies and false information breeds distrust. Governments must mobilize policies to tackle this issue.
- Engaging with people who still have relatively high trust levels. This includes friends, colleagues, and family. Leaders at Davos should work inclusively through horizontal connections rather than top-down approaches to regain trust.
Economy & Business
Most of the World Economic Forum’s revenue comes from annual membership and participation fees paid by business leaders, making it a massive enterprise with annual revenues exceeding 70 billion yen. As a result, economic and business discussions are central.
Economic discussions focused on AI, interest rates, inflation, and rising debt. Regional disparities are evident—while the U.S. remains optimistic, Europe is pessimistic. However, the biggest uncertainty in economic discussions is Trump’s potential tariffs.
Regarding business topics, last year’s discussions centered on work styles and AI utilization. However, this year, attention shifted to external threats such as geopolitics and Trump’s policies. There was more focus on winning and growth rather than corporate social responsibility.
Interestingly, the number of business leader sessions declined significantly. Instead, businesspeople focused on bilateral meetings and private sessions to attract potential clients and enhance recognition. Personally, I was disappointed not to hear from figures like JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, or Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, as there were very few business sessions this year.
GLOBIS Night and Japan’s Presence
This year, for the first time in about a decade, we hosted “GLOBIS Night.” We had stopped due to a lack of available venues—Davos real estate prices had soared, and global corporations occupied prime locations, leaving us without a suitable space.
This year, just a week before the event, we were informed that a venue had become available. Within 24 hours, we made the decision to proceed. The preparation was intense—designing invitations, individually notifying participants, and arranging catering—all within a week. The event was a huge success, attracting many VIPs. Hosting such gatherings at Davos, with our company’s name on display, is crucial for branding and networking. Next year, I would like to establish something like a Japan House.
During my interactions at Davos, I strongly felt that global sentiment toward Japan has improved. When I introduced myself as coming from Japan, over half the people responded enthusiastically: “Wow, I love Japan! I visited with my family, and it was the best experience for my children and spouse.”
Since my first Davos attendance in 2004, with a four-year gap before resuming in 2010, I have attended 17 times (excluding 2021 due to COVID-19). Based on my observations, the world’s perception of Japan has improved dramatically.
Enhancing Japan’s Presence, As Well As My Own
Despite Japan’s improved image, its presence at Davos remains weak. According to an unofficial Davos newsletter, the number of official session speakers by country was:
- U.S.: 272
- U.K.: 84
- Switzerland: 58
- China: 27
- India: 25
- UAE: 23
- South Africa: 22
- Brazil: 16
Japan likely had fewer than 10 speakers.
One reason is the low participation of Japanese academics. Other than the presidents of the University of Tokyo and Keio University, few professors attended. There were also no Japanese moderators. Typically, moderators come from media or think tanks, but few Japanese from these fields participated. Japan must actively increase its presence by sending more speakers and training them through English-speaking conferences like G1 Global.
I, too, have not been on the official program in recent years. This year, I spoke at private sessions, but that alone is insufficient. Rather than relying on the organizers, I must enhance GLOBIS’ brand value and my own reputation to be invited as a speaker.
Another way to increase visibility is to engage actively in discussions, interact with leaders, and participate in high-quality, small-group dinners. This year, I successfully connected with leaders such as Richard Edelman, McKinsey’s CEO, Gillian Tett of the FT, executives from BCG, Microsoft, and Mastercard, as well as various venture capitalists and leaders in the Arab world.
Final Thoughts
As I write this on my flight to Narita, I reflect on my 17 years at Davos and feel I am steadily climbing its invisible staircase. Research suggests that global leaders are recognized around age 70. In the coming years, I want to make a strong global impact.
Davos has once again been incredibly stimulating. I am determined to keep pushing forward this year so that I can return even stronger next year.
Friday, January 24, 2025 Onboard my flight to Narita
Yoshito Hori