Jakarta. The World Economic Forum opened its annual meeting in the Swiss resort town of Davos on Tuesday for the first time without its founder, Klaus Schwab, as nearly 3,000 political and business leaders gather amid heightened geopolitical tension and rapid technological change.

This year’s forum marks a break from tradition after Schwab stepped down in 2025 following an investigation prompted by a Wall Street Journal report citing a whistleblower letter that alleged financial and ethical misconduct by Schwab and his wife, Hilde. Schwab retired “with immediate effect,” and the WEF board backed an independent probe. He was succeeded by interim co-chairs Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock, and Andre Hoffmann, vice chairman of Roche Holding.

Founded in 1971 as a platform to improve European management practices, the Geneva-based think tank has grown into one of the world’s most influential gatherings, drawing leaders from business, government, academia, and civil society. This week’s meeting runs through Friday in Davos, a town of about 10,000 people in eastern Switzerland’s Alps.

Organizers said a record number of nearly 400 senior political leaders are attending, including more than 60 heads of state and government, alongside about 850 chief executives and board chairs of major global companies.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the forum on Wednesday during his third visit to Davos as president. His appearance comes as allies voice concern over his foreign policy rhetoric and aggressive trade stance, including tariff threats and tensions involving Greenland, Venezuela, and Iran. Several senior US officials are also attending, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Other high-profile participants include French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The forum is also hosting dozens of ministers overseeing finance, foreign affairs, trade, and the economy, as well as 11 central bank governors.

Technology leaders are prominent this year, with executives such as Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis, and Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch expected to take part in discussions.

Geopolitics and artificial intelligence dominate the agenda. Trump’s policy shifts and the risk of renewed trade disputes have injected uncertainty into global markets, while AI’s rapid advance is fueling debate over productivity gains, job disruption, and the need for regulation.

The forum’s theme this year is “A Spirit of Dialogue,” organized around five pillars: cooperation, growth, investment in people, innovation, and shared prosperity. More than 200 sessions are planned.

Critics, however, continue to argue that Davos produces more talk than action, particularly on widening inequality and climate change — criticisms that have followed the gathering for decades.