The St. Gallen Symposium is the largest platform for cross-generational dialogue. Please share with us how important generational dialogue has been in shaping your life experience.

Our whole life is based on dialogue, through which we try to better understand not only others but also ourselves. Intergenerational dialogue has become one of the most important types of discourse nowadays. Frequently we think that such a dialogue should help the older generation, who grew up in a completely different time, to better understand and adapt to the world of transition we are living in right now. I believe that generational dialogue is essential and even indispensable first of all for the young, since the older generation has seen two worlds: one where technology was a scientific fantasy and messages were transmitted on paper and the new one, where innovation has radically changed our lives. We, on the other hand, only know and can navigate in one world, which also makes us more vulnerable. This is also the reason why learning about the experience of older generations has played a big role in my understanding of the reality that I live in. The wisdom and knowledge that was shared with me became a turning point in my perception of the world, emotions, and people around me. It helped me realize that all the technology at our disposal should be used to improve and develop human capacities and not to replace them like it was the case with real communication. Unfortunately, technological advancements sometimes, on the contrary, often distance us from what is naturally human, making our lives easier but not necessarily happier.

Under the theme ‘Confronting Scarcity,’ our community, the Leaders of Tomorrow, comprises over 1,500 active members and 10,000 alumni globally. Annually, we handpick 200 new members through a three-fold process, ensuring diversity. This select group of graduate and postgraduate students, known as the Leaders of Tomorrow, is invited to our conference, actively engaging in the symposium week. You can apply through our Global Essay Competition, which offers participants the chance to attend the symposium, presenting and discussing their ideas with 600 executives. How would you respond to this year’s Global Essay Competition question, “Striving for more or thriving with less – What pressing scarcity do you see, and how do you suggest tackling it?”

The mindset, that only ceaseless and undeliberate consumption of resources provided on our planet, can lead us towards a bright new future, became the universal truth in almost all spheres of our lives. I believe that the most critical idea of the phrase “striving for more or thriving with less” is that many may underestimate the meaning of “thriving” being attracted by “for more”. If we take a look at the meaning of the word “thriving”, we can easily find out that, in the first place, it means “characterized by success or prosperity”. Now it becomes evident that being successful and making the best out of life is not possible just with “more”, but more importantly, with “less”. For me, the greatest problem of scarcity is that many people overlook the importance of building a better world with less consumption of resources, being blended by “for more”. In this regard, the solution would be to realize that we have been living for many years under a delusion of the idea that “more” always means better, greater, higher. However, in reality, we have all this time been talking about quantity and not quality. Even looking from the perspective of the economy, having more machines does not mean that your firm will operate more productively. At some point the productivity will even fall, since there will be too many machines that are excessive and thus make the work harder and not simpler. In this regard my suggestion would be, as the first and most imperative step, to acknowledge and understand that we all just as in this phrase have always found “for less” not as appealing as “for more”, completely overlooking “thriving” that should, in my opinion, be the unique criteria of success and prosperity regardless of with more or less.

The St. Gallen Symposium is one of the most impactful extracurricular activities that a student at the University of St. Gallen can participate in. Could you elaborate on your approach to studying and how you manage to seamlessly integrate your academic commitments with such extracurricular engagements?

Since university is not only about studying, I think it is crucial to make the most out of it from all perspectives. It is not just about acquiring theoretical knowledge during the lectures and doing exercises, it is also about our practical skills. No lectures in the world will teach you how to build trust, communicate your ideas persuasively, or demonstrate empathy in a team. All these skills are indispensable in the real world, which is why one should perfect them already at the university. Extracurricular activities such as those offered by St. Gallen Symposium are ideal opportunities to develop such skills. It is not always evident how one should combine these activities with studying. My approach would be to plan ahead, what should be done in terms of extracurricular activities and studying. Having a clear structure will help you to manage your time effectively so that you don’t need to do everything at the last minute and stress about missing the deadline. Secondly, I would suggest choosing wisely the organization you want to join since once it matches your interests and the work genuinely fascinates you, you won’t even consider it as an extracurricular activity but more as a hobby that brings you and other people lots of benefits and joy.

Is there any aspect of our organization that has left you particularly impressed or intrigued?

I was particularly fascinated by the St.Gallen Symposium “Young Leaders on Board” which is designed to connect young talents with organizations, where their skills could contribute to the strategic development of the company. I find this initiative particularly inspiring since it is a proactive step towards addressing the gap between experienced professionals and emerging talents by giving future leaders the much-needed support and opportunity to identify and nurture their talents and potential. This reflects the forward-thinking approach of anticipating the future which will be led by young, innovative and enthusiastic individuals who are keen to try out new ideas and approaches. Furthermore, drawing from a diverse and global talent pool reflects the rich scope of perspectives and experiences brought to the table. This initiative goes beyond the conventional leadership development programs. It engages actively with companies, addressing their specific needs and finding candidates that would be a perfect fit. I believe that this ongoing support contributes to the cultivation of leaders who are not only capable but also conscious of the broader impact of their decisions on the future of organizations and the world.

Who or which group of individuals do you believe should be given a voice at our main event, the St. Gallen Symposium on May 2-3, who haven’t had the opportunity to attend yet?

One of the main topics during the last two St. Gallen Symposiums were sustainability and technological transformation. In this regard, I think that it would be very interesting to hear from people who are trying to develop technological solutions to combat the climate crisis. I believe that it would provide valuable insights into how one can combine these two areas in the future to use technological transformation to the advantage of our environment. One idea would be to invite individuals who work, for example, in geoengineering and are looking for solutions, on how to use technology to slow global warming.

How could student engagement be considered necessary if you are hoping to get the most out of your time at the HSG?

Despite the prevailing opinion that student engagement is all about personal growth, it is actually an integral part of the overall academic success at the university. In the first place, such engagement is an extremely powerful instrument to drive social-emotional intelligence, a greater sense of responsibility, negotiation skills and much more. All of this lays the foundation of constructive learning and working behavior that stands in good stead for the university and beyond. It is a valuable experience that demonstrates that one can make a positive and meaningful impact beyond the curricular achievements. Furthermore, student engagement is a perfect chance to meet new people who share the same interests as you, which makes it even more rewarding, since you are able to witness tangible results of your actions as a group and celebrate your successes together. I think the best way to describe student engagement would be to compare it with the nourishment of your interpersonal skills, while studies themselves are nurturing your brain and one cannot survive without the other. That is, student engagement is indispensable to reach higher heights both professionally and personally. In this regard, I would highly suggest taking advantage of the variety of student engagement opportunities at the HSG starting from student organizations up to a wide variety of projects and programs that one can take part in, in order to grow not only academically but also personally and emotionally.