This email was sent to the "Young Global Leaders" of the World Economic Forum, which puts on the fancy conference at Davos:
Dear YGLs,
On April 1, we will host an all-day YGL-led event on "The Future of Capitalism" in New York City at the Forum Offices. The event will bring together YGLs with business leaders and prominent thinkers to explore how the market-based capitalist system can be improved to provide a sustainable future for the next generation. This chemistry of business elders and YGLs will set the event apart and should lead to insights that are both daring and feasible. We will put an emphasis on pragmatic, post-ideological solutions that could be implemented over the coming years. Themes will include:
Stabilizing the financial system, the "plumbing" of capitalism
Companies' role in society and the implications of a "shareholder spring"
The global role of long-term capital and its facilitation – from single to triple bottom line, and back
Funding national grand challenges – education, health and pensions
A systemic view of capitalist models – lessons in balancing the role of the state vs role of individuals
To facilitate a focused and solution-oriented debate, the event will be held in a small setting with space for some 40 YGLs. We would ask you to register your interest by reply email to [email address] including a paragraph of up to 200 words outlining your specific interest and what you can contribute to the event. In case of oversubscription, we will select attendees based on programmatic fit and diversity. We expect YGLs to attend the full event from 9am through 6pm; there will also be an optional evening programme.
We look forward to hearing from you by Wednesday, February 27 and will confirm invitations in the first week of March.
The organizers
Matthew Bishop New York Bureau Chief The Economist
Michael Drexler Senior Director World Economic Forum
Andrew Lee VP Emerging Businesses Aetna Inc.
Oliver Niedermaier Founder and CEO Tau Investment Management
Explore "how the market-based capitalist system can be improved"? What better way to spend, of all days, April 1? Maybe this will be interesting, and if I were invited I would probably go, but on the face of it, I'm glad that my company, not theirs, owns the FutureOfCapitalism.com URL.