Mr. Jean-Sébastien Robine, President & Co-Founder of the Club des Leaders introduces Mr. Perlis (center, right). Photo Credit: J. William Tavelli
Davos in Geneva "Building Resilience": One of the World Economic Forum's brightest shines a light at Geneva's elegant Hôtel Beau-Rivage.
This article is the second in a series of articles by the author who aims to explore our Charitable and Philanthropic Business Environment while highlighting its social and economic repercussions.
Mr. Mike Perlis, President & CEO of Forbes Group was recently invited by the international Club des Leaders to speak at an informal, intimate gathering of 80 of Geneva's influencers. Led by respected financial expert Jack Anderson, the dignified attendees seated in the Empress Salon were absorbed by Mr. Perlis' forthright demeanor and warm affability.
Fresh from the opening remarks of International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Mr. Perlis provided an insightful view into Forbes' capitalist vision of the future. Alongside such contemporaries as Newsweek, Fortune and Bloomberg Businessweek, according to him, Forbes has managed to increase not only its on-line readership (unique visitor clicks), but it has also achieved the almost unheard of by increasing its print publications' distribution. This "97-Year Old Startup" as Mr. Perlis alluded, has been at the forefront of economic journalism for almost a century and shows no signs of abating. In fact, being named on its annual "Rich List" or featuring on one of its 20 worldwide covers is the ultimate mark of prestige for the cognoscenti.
Commenting on his recent attendance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) for which Mr. Perlis actively contributes through the "Davos Debates", he underlined not only the importance of moderated growth but also the need for cautious optimism as the world economy slowly recovers from the financial crisis. He noted that the mood was decidedly more upbeat as compared to last year and that he sees the drivers of growth to be less US & Europe-focused, but, rather, moving towards BRICs and the Next Eleven*, or N-11 where there is still unimaginable opportunity to be developed and exploited.
As Michelin-starred Master Chef Dominique Gauthier's warm cream of pumpkin soup with seared foie gras & truffle oil was served, Mr. Perlis shared an anecdote perfectly illustrating the sudden and contrasting balance of power that we will very soon be facing in the West. While he and his wife were checking in to their hotel, they were stood aside an unassuming Asian gentleman and his partner. Upon opening conversation, Mr. & Mrs. Perlis learned that they, too, would be attending WEF. In fact, they had just arrived in Europe after having opened over 40 Luxury Boutique hotels across Asia. Most interestingly, their visit also marked the first time either of them had ever seen snow; it makes one wonder just how long will it be until we are all travelling to Asia to attend WEF rather than the other way around - Welcome to the new global community.
Mr. Anderson directed the conversation towards Corporate Philanthropy which segued perfectly into the WEF tagline "Building Resilience". This concept has been applied to both micro- and macro-economics; however, I prefer to view it in the context of sustaining commitment. This may be seen as structuring foundations, trusts or grants to last in perpetuity or it may be seen as reinforcing existing channels to optimize results. No sooner had the slow-cooked sweet potato veal shank arrived, than we were again delighted by Mr. Perlis' retelling of Forbes' recent Philanthropic Summit held in New York where billions of Dollars were wholeheartedly committed. It is surely with this overwhelming commitment that the future of giving lies and it is with this resilience that we must build.
Forbes' Special 30th Anniversary Cover proudly features the world's top "Titans of Philanthropy" ranging from known names such as Bill & Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett and Oprah Winfrey to lesser-seen personalities such as David Rubenstein and Jon Bon Jovi. This cover alone represents $126 billion already pledged in charitable aid. As it seems we are all becoming much more interconnected to our fellow man through Social Media and by having direct access to global events, there is a noticeable societal realization of the importance of giving. Gone are the days when we were told the news, it is much more now the case that we are direct participants who are capable of opening a dialog on many subjects. With this freedom also comes the increased awareness of the need surrounding us, and, much more importantly, the increasing difficulty of ignoring it.
Michelin-Starred Chef Dominique Gauthier's Dessert Photo Credit: J. William Tavelli
Finishing with a typically Swiss chocolate hazelnut confection created by the Hôtel Beau-Rivage's Head Pâtissier, we ended the afternoon's conversation having been individually inspired by the incredible gains made in Corporate Philanthropy, motivated to do all we can to promote the issue and sobered by the continuing need that still must be addressed. There is work to be done…
*The Next Eleven (also known as N-11) are eleven countries as identified by Goldman Sachs Investment Bank comprising of: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Turkey, South Korea, and Vietnam. Economist Jim O'Neill lists them as having a high potential of becoming the world's largest economies in the 21st century.
Suggested further Reading:
"Children are Treasure" Fundraising Initiative by Anil Rikhye
Corporate Philanthropy Series
About the author:
J. William Tavelli is a freelance PR & Marketing Communications Director based in Geneva, Switzerland focused on Corporate Philanthropy & Responsibility.
