The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, commonly referred to as Davos, welcomes more than 3,000 global leaders from business, politics and civil society to the Swiss city of the same name every January. They come together to address pressing issues such as climate change and economic and geopolitical challenges. Davos, which starts on Monday and lasts until Friday, was started in 1971 by German economist Klaus Schwab, who originally called it the European Management Symposium.
Severin Podolakhead of event management and operations at the World Economic Forum since 2021, helping to design, manage and ensure the overall success of the event. Before taking on this role, Mr. Podolak was in a similar position for Swiss Re Group, a reinsurance company headquartered in Zurich. He has more than 20 years of experience in events and catering.
“I am in charge of the smallest details of the meeting and the person who makes sure that the technology works, that the rooms are warm enough and that everyone is well fed,” he said. The timing of the sessions, accommodation for participants and transportation to and from Davos also fall under the jurisdiction of Mr. Podolak.
He was drawn to the position, he said, because he has a passion for “orchestrating impactful events that drive global change.”
“The forum’s mission to improve the state of the world through multi-stakeholder cooperation is deeply in line with my professional values,” said Mr. Podolak.
Davos, the largest gathering of forums, takes place in three places: Congress Center; Kurpark villagea nearly 65,000-square-foot temporary log cabin that debuted in 2024; and Davos Ice Stadium, where hockey is played. Together they are known as the Protected Zone and are five minutes’ walk from each other.
Mr. Podolak said the meeting included more than 500 sessions over five days, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sessions include panels on global topics such as sustainability, artificial intelligence and the state of democracy in the world, and invite-only small group sessions. and problem solving discussions.
“Every session, whether it’s breakfast, dinner or addressing a large group, has a purpose,” he said. “Nothing we organize is just for pure networking, although that eventually happens.” He noted that the organizations and individuals who participated in the meeting planned after-parties and other social events, not the World Economic Forum.
Gathering planning is a year-long endeavor of the 15-person internal events team. “As soon as one Davos ends, we start planning the next one and meet weekly until two months before when we start meeting every day, sometimes multiple times a day,” he said.
The following interview was conducted on video and was edited and summarized.
Can you describe in more detail what your team is doing for Davos?
The main responsibility of the events team is to develop the overall event concept and coordinate various collaborators, including internal and external contractors. We plan the event, negotiate vendor contracts, ensure budget adherence and manage relationships with various stakeholders.
Our team is responsible for the entire infrastructure and workforce of the event, arranging accommodation and providing comprehensive participant and staff logistics, including transportation. We also create a food and beverage concept, manage freight and material transport and session logistics. This means ensuring that each meeting room is equipped and set up according to the requirements of the next session. This also includes managing technological aspects such as audio and visual settings.
After the event, our job is to ensure that relevant feedback is collected and the conclusions are incorporated into the next year’s event concept.
What criteria do you use to change the way Davos is organized each year?
The experience of the participants is, of course, crucial. We have field staff who collect feedback from participants on site and make changes accordingly for next year. Over the past few years, participants have told us they want spaces in our spaces for informal gatherings between sessions. In response, this year we have lounges with tables of different sizes and couches, and places for food and drinks where people can meet.
How do you ensure security across multiple events and locations?
Around 5,000 security personnel are on the ground during Davos, including the Swiss army, police and employees of private security companies. Some officers are in uniform while others are not, but security is visible and there are multiple checkpoints everywhere.
How do you design an agenda to ensure a balanced distribution of time?
We try to ensure that each session hits a relevant topic and has balance and variety. Sessions last approximately 45 minutes to an hour and include a mix of people from different countries, genders and industries.
How do you ensure that events start and finish on schedule?
Delay is not an option as we stream more than 50 percent of the sessions live. We run them on time, even if the room is not full or people are still entering. Sometimes, they overdo it, but the moderators handle it, and we have at least 45 minutes between sessions to clean the room and prepare for the next session.
Where are the participants staying and what are the arrangements for their transportation from their hotels to the event?
We have contracts with more than 45 hotels in Davos and the neighboring town of Klosters. Most book accommodation with us when they register. We have four lines that connect various hotels to the event venues. In addition, all participants have access to free public transport to and from the venue.
How do you deal with medical problems that might arise?
We have an infirmary in the convention center with doctors on site all day for anything that might happen.
You said that sustainability is a priority when organizing events. Can you share more details?
Sustainability is at the core of the organization and we have many initiatives to be as environmentally responsible as possible. We heat exclusively with homemade wood pellets. We do not use oil or gas. We only use LED lighting, and most of our fleet consists of electric vehicles.
For food, we use AI technology to determine how much is uneaten and what can be saved. We donate whatever we can save to a local charity, 4 Reasons, which runs a pop-up restaurant during Davos that is open to everyone. Dinner is free, but they ask for a donation.
What keeps you up at night during Davos? What do you worry about the most?
The days are long in Davos, and the work can be big. At night I am usually so exhausted that I sleep like a stone. Davos is the result of a year’s preparation with a very competent team and I am confident that we are in control of what we can achieve.
However, in a complex event with so many participants and moving parts, it is not possible to predict everything. Therefore, my efforts are focused on how we can best deal with unpredictable situations. Ultimately, my main concern is with the team – keeping them healthy and balanced throughout the event is paramount.
Can you talk about the timing of Davos, which starts on the day of the US president’s inauguration?
We know that the inauguration means there could be a smaller US political footprint at the meeting. This year we don’t know what will happen because state officials have until the date before the event to apply. However, a large contingent of American business leaders and media still attends.
