Klaus Schwab, the founder and head of the World Economic Forum, is said to have a “god complex”, and aims to run the organisation until his death like a pope or monarch, current and former staffers have reportedly claimed.
A number of individuals involved with the World Economic Forum are reportedly discussing the NGO’s post-Klaus Schwab future as the organisation’s annual conference once again kicks off in Davos this week.
It comes as Schwab himself will turn 85 years old in March this year, prompting some close to the organisation to seek clarification on who will succeed the arch-globalist at the top of his organisation.
Unlike many other organisations throughout the world however, the issue of succession within the WEF is one solely in the leader’s hands, with the group’s charter listing Schwab as having the sole prerogative to choose his own successor.
According to a report by POLITICO, various individuals who used to or are currently working with the World Economic Forum do not believe that Schwab will provide clarity on the issue anytime soon, with the publication specifically citing critics who say Schwab rules the group like a king or pope, and that this succession question fits in with this style of leadership.
‘[Schwab] has a God complex, and thinks he’s in the fittest 0.1 per cent,” one WEF veteran based in the United States reportedly told the publication.
“But no one is immortal,” they continued. “It’s insane that they don’t have a succession plan to build public confidence around.”
Another staffer reportedly suggested that Schwab might try to control the process of his own succession from — what POLITICO describes as — “beyond the grave”.
“Klaus has changed his will multiple times a year for decades, so it’s just impossible to know what he will decide in the end,” the staffer remarked.
“There are former heads of state who thought they were in the running 20 years ago,” they continued, but reportedly added that all these candidates had all either gotten sick of waiting for Schwab to hand over power, or lost the favour of the WEF’s powerful leader.
Overall, the publication suggests that there is a significant chance that a member of Schwab’s own family could succeed him, again like a king.
Other possible candidates mentioned include the European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde — though her increasing age has been reportedly cited as a concern for any handover — with former Norwegian Finance Minister Børge Brende also being seen as a likely candidate, having been brought into the organisation by Schwab in 2017.
Philipp Rösler, a former Vice-Chancellor of Germany for the libertarian Free Democratic Party who joined the organisation in 2014 seemingly in the hopes of succeeding Schwab, is also seen as a likely candidate to take over the organisation.
Originally from Vietnam before being adopted by German parents, Rösler is seen as relatively young at 49 years of age, with his experience as serving as both Technology and Economy Minister with Angela Merkel’s cabinet likely to be good resumé fillers should he go for the role.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.