Lagarde eyed for WEF top spot in 2027
Christine Lagarde, the President of the European Central Bank (ECB), may take over as the President of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2027. At a recent board meeting near Geneva, Lagarde was described as a 'putative candidate' to lead the WEF and stated that she is 'ready to serve.' The current co-chairs of the WEF's board are Roche vice chairman André Hoffmann and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who are navigating a leadership transition after founder Klaus Schwab stepped down last year.
The succession process was discussed at the board meeting, with Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam suggesting that the transition should be resolved internally as suitable candidates were available. Lagarde thanked the members of the 28-strong body for their confidence in her. However, no decision was made on when she would take over the presidency.
The WEF's board did agree that Fink and Hoffmann should still chair the annual meeting in Davos in January 2027. This news comes after Lagarde stated last year that she was determined to complete her term at the ECB, which runs out at the end of October 2027.