INSEAD in Davos - 2026
INSEAD in Davos - 2026
At World Economic Forum 2026, the INSEAD delegation engages with business leaders, NGOs, international organisations and policymakers to address the economic and social fragmentation shaping today’s global environment. Through a focused programme of panels, workshops and dialogues across Davos platforms, INSEAD brings research-based perspectives on sustainability, leadership, innovation and governance to support informed decision-making and collective action.
The programme emphasises cross-sector engagement and practical approaches to building resilient organisations and sustainable value in a fragmented global economy.
As part of the main World Economic Forum Annual Meeting programme, you can follow INSEAD's Nobel Prize winner Professor Philippe Aghion’s session on Creative Destruction and Professor Alexandra Roulet’s session on How to Tackle Fear as a Leader via the livestream links listed below.
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Speakers include: Philippe Aghion, Alexandra Roulet, Subi Rangan, Ilze Kivleniece, Theodoros Evgeniou and Francisco Veloso.
Session 1: Return of Creative Destruction
Return of Creative Destruction
The Nobel Prize in Economics 2025 recognized research showing that long-term growth depends on a relentless cycle of innovation replacing the old and creating the new. In a world marked by uncertainty, fragmentation and technological disruption, this insight feels more relevant than ever. Can the principles of creative renewal be turned into practical strategies for growth?
- Tuesday, 20 January
- 9:45-10:30 CET
- Davos-Klosters, Congress Centre, Aula (Zone B)
Speakers
Professor of Economics
Peter Howitt
Lyn Crost Professor of Social Sciences Emeritus at Brown University
Session 2: Social Innovation for a Fragmented World
The Future of Organising and Governing Social Innovation for a Fragmented World
In an era marked by geopolitical fragmentation, declining institutional trust and accelerating disruption, the global organisational landscape is undergoing profound change. The WEF 2025 Global Risks Report identifies state-based armed conflict, rising geoeconomic rivalry and the erosion of multilateral governance among today’s most pressing risks. It also highlights how societal fractures, misinformation and weakened collective action undermine the capacity of public institutions and private organisations to deliver sustainable progress.
Against this backdrop, the role of effective organizing and governing to deliver social innovation becomes more important than ever. This panel, hosted by INSEAD, INSEAD Hoffmann Institute, Catalyst Now and TPC, explores the following questions:
- How can organisational design and novel cross-sectoral organisational forms help bridge fragmentation and create sustainable value?
- How can blending non-profit and for-profit elements support scale and financial resilience?
- What role do informal and trust-based mechanisms — networks, relationships and intrinsic motivation — play in enabling coordination and impact where formal structures fall short?
The session brings together INSEAD researchers, leaders from the World Economic Forum and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, as well as policymakers.
- Tuesday, 20 January
- 14:00-15:00 CET
- TPC (Tsao Pao Chee) House, Promenade 40, Davos.
Speakers
Associate Professor of Strategy
Founder blueColab
Head of Social Innovation, Schwab Foundation & World Economic Forum
President and Chief Executive Officer, The ONE Campaign
Author, The Observer Columnist, Ex-The Economist
Session 3: How to Tackle Fear as a Leader
How to Tackle Fear as a Leader
Leaders across industries face a quiet but powerful force: fear of decline, disruption, and tough choices. Over 60% of CEOs admit their risk tolerance has fallen in the past three years, even as uncertainty rises.
Join this leadership dialogue to discuss how disruptions shape leadership and to explore practical tools to restore confidence, rebuild trust, and reignite ambition amid constraints.
- Tuesday, 20 January
- 15:00 - 16:15 CET
- Kurpark Village, Andermatt (Zone K)
Speakers
Associate Professor of Economics and Political Science
Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School
Session 4: BS4CL Workshop for Leaders
Nature-Positive Strategies for Climate Resilient Business: A BS4CL Workshop for Leaders
This session features an introductory panel moderated by Andrew Jack, Global Education Editor at the Financial Times, with BS4CL Deans and industry leaders, followed by an interactive workshop facilitated by Fernanda Accorsi Executive Director IESE Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The panel and workshop will explore how business schools and companies can cultivate the skills, mindsets and organisational conditions needed to develop talent and shift from incremental “green tweaks” to truly transformative, nature‑positive, climate‑resilient business strategies under Chatham House rules.
Launched at COP26, Business Schools for Climate Leadership is an alliance of eight leading European business schools (IE, IESE, IMD, INSEAD, London Business School, Oxford SBS, University of Cambridge, and HEC) dedicated to advancing climate action through evidence-based research, insights, and thought leadership.
- Tuesday, 20 January
- 15:30 - 17:30 CET
- Ocean Room, Intent Obere Strasse 31, 7270 Davos Platz
By invitation only
Speakers
Professor of Strategy
Dean, IESE Business School
Fernanda Accorsi
Executive Director IESE Institute for Sustainability Leadership
Anne-Sophie Castelnau
Global Head of Sustainability ING Group
Barbara Scheel Agersnap
CEO Copenhagen Malmö Port
Global Education Editor
Alumni Networking Cocktail Reception
Alumni networking cocktail reception
A networking cocktail reception for INSEAD alumni, held in the Nature Room at Hotel National. The evening will bring together alumni, INSEAD faculty, and the Dean for an exclusive opportunity to connect and exchange.
Hosted by Isabel Hoffmann and Alexander Hoffmann.
If you are an INSEAD alumnus/alumna, please follow the registration link to confirm your attendance.
- Tuesday, 20 January
- 17:30 - 19:00 CET
- Hotel National, 31 Obere Strasse 7270 Davos Switzerland
Session 5: Global Collaboration, Scale, and Impact
Global Collaboration, Scale, and Impact
In this rapid-fire dialogue session Theodoros Evgeniou INSEAD Professor of Technology and Business and co-Founder eurx.ai, will be speaking with Helmut Schönenberger CEO at UnternehmerTUM.
The session will notably discuss how AI is reshaping innovation and the balance of power, and a particular focus will be given to Europe’s unique opportunity as AI moves beyond chatbots into science, robotics, and the physical world. Theos will also be talking about how he is advancing his research in this domain via eurx.ai, a new pan-European initiative he co-founded with some of the world’s most influential AI experts.
- Wednesday, 21 January
- 14:30 - 15:00 CET
- The Dome, Promenade 80, Davos
Speakers
Professor of Technology and Business
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