10 Break-Out Sessions
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Programme of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium on “Disrupted Age”
We will be adding more sessions as we finalize the program. Check back later.
09.00 - 09.30
09.00 - 09.30 | Ceremony Session
Opening Ceremony of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium
Wednesday, May 6th, 09.00 - 09.30
09.30 - 10.30
09.30 - 10.30 | Plenary Session
St. Gallen Team Debate – Oxford-Style Debate
Wednesday, May 6th, 09.30 - 10.30
11.15 - 12.15
11.15 - 12.15 | Insight Session
Additional Insight Sessions (tbd.)
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
University of St.Gallen 02, Aula
Polarization in Times of Domestic Political Disruptions (Deutsch)
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
Navigating a Disrupted Age with Martin Wolf and Lord Brian Griffiths of Fforestfach
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
11.15 - 12.30
11.15 - 12.30 | Spotlight Session
Europe Unplugged: Is Digital Sovereignty More Than Cloud Dreams?
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Sudan - the World’s Forgotten War: When Private Capital Becomes the First Responder
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Trade, Tariffs, and the Future of Globalisation
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
12.30 - 14.00
12.30 - 14.00 | Social Programme
Cross-Generational Networking Lunch: Day 1
Wednesday, May 6th, 12.30 - 14.00
14.30 - 15.15
14.30 - 15.15 | Ceremony Session
Experience the St. Gallen Symposium Leaders of Tomorrow Finale Pitch & Award Ceremony of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition
Wednesday, May 6th, 14.30 - 15.15
16.00 - 17.00
16.00 - 17.00 | Insight Session
Additional Insight Sessions (tbd.)
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Peace through Federalism – A Vision for the Middle East
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
16.00 - 17.00
16.00 - 17.00 | Spotlight Session
Stuck in Reverse: Why Europe Can’t Innovate Its Way Backward
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Europe in the Dark: Cold Homes, Grounded Flights, No Reception - Securing Our Critical Infrastructure
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
18.00 - 18.45
18.00 - 18.45 | Plenary Session
Energy for the Next Generation
Wednesday, May 6th, 18.00 - 18.45
18.45 - 22.30
18.45 - 22.30 | Social Programme
Evening Social Programme & Cross-generational Party in Student Flats
Wednesday, May 6th, 18.45 - 22.30
09.00 - 09.15
09.00 - 09.15 | Plenary Session
Day 2 Opening: In Conversation with Karin Keller-Sutter
Thursday, May 7th, 09.00 - 09.15
10.00 - 10.30
10.00 - 10.30 | Plenary Session
SGS Hot Seat - Convince or Be Replaced by Audience Live Voting
Thursday, May 7th, 10.00 - 10.30
11.15 - 12.15
11.15 - 12.15 | Insight Session
Additional Insight Sessions (tbd.)
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.15
11.15 - 12.30
11.15 - 12.30 | Spotlight Session
Follow the Money: Capital Flows Powering Tomorrow’s Industries
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.30
From Generals to General AI: Security in the Age of Intelligent Machines
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.30
11.15 - 12.45
11.15 - 12.45 | RE:Generation Lab
Future Leadership Decoded: Key Take-Aways From the Voices of the Leaders of Tomorrow Report 2025 (with NIM)
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.45
Intergenerational Dialogue in Action (with XYZ@Work)
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.45
Reverse Mentoring Kick-off Cohort II (with ZEAM) (by invitation only)
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.45
Unscripted: Building Connections for Hopeful Futures (with UN Youth Office)
Thursday, May 7th, 11.15 - 12.45
16.00 - 17.00
16.00 - 17.00 | Spotlight Session
The Transatlantic Relationship: Sailing for Renewal or Drifting Toward the Iceberg?
Thursday, May 7th, 16.00 - 17.00
Horizons of Hope - How the Middle East Can Move Toward Lasting Peace
Thursday, May 7th, 16.00 - 17.00
The Next Frontier of Life: Innovation, Diagnostics and Ethical Boundaries
Thursday, May 7th, 16.00 - 17.00
17.30 - 18.15
17.30 - 18.15 | Plenary Session
Closing Plenary Session
Thursday, May 7th, 17.30 - 18.15
18.15 - 18.30
18.15 - 18.30 | Ceremony Session
Closing Ceremony of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium
Thursday, May 7th, 18.15 - 18.30
Opening Ceremony of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Additional Insight Sessions (tbd.)
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Polarization in Times of Domestic Political Disruptions (Deutsch)
Sudan - the World’s Forgotten War: When Private Capital Becomes the First Responder
Trade, Tariffs, and the Future of Globalisation
Cross-Generational Networking Lunch: Day 1
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Experience the St. Gallen Symposium Leaders of Tomorrow Finale Pitch & Award Ceremony of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Additional Insight Sessions (tbd.)
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Peace through Federalism – A Vision for the Middle East
Historian Michael Wolffsohn outlines his proposal for a lasting peace built on federal and confederal principles. Drawing on historical insight, he argues that stability in the Middle East may emerge not from separation, but from structured coexistence. His concept challenges conventional diplomacy by rethinking sovereignty, identity, and self-determination through the lens of federalism.
Speakers
Stuck in Reverse: Why Europe Can’t Innovate Its Way Backward
Europe in the Dark: Cold Homes, Grounded Flights, No Reception - Securing Our Critical Infrastructure
Evening Social Programme & Cross-generational Party in Student Flats
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
SGS Hot Seat - Convince or Be Replaced by Audience Live Voting
The Hot-Seat Session is a dynamic and tightly focused debate format designed to challenge ideas through constantly shifting perspectives. One participant remains in the Hot Seat throughout, providing continuity, while a sequence of different voices rotate in to confront, question, and expand the discussion. At the centre of the stage, two chairs anchor the exchange, one constant, one in motion, creating momentum and contrast. The audience shapes the pace of the conversation through live voting, determining when it is time for a new voice to enter. The result is a sharp, energetic debate driven by contrast, focus, and collective momentum.
Speakers
Additional Insight Sessions (tbd.)
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Follow the Money: Capital Flows Powering Tomorrow’s Industries
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
From Generals to General AI: Security in the Age of Intelligent Machines
Future Leadership Decoded: Key Take-Aways From the Voices of the Leaders of Tomorrow Report 2025 (with NIM)
Intergenerational Dialogue in Action (with XYZ@Work)
Reverse Mentoring Kick-off Cohort II (with ZEAM) (by invitation only)
Unscripted: Building Connections for Hopeful Futures (with UN Youth Office)
The Transatlantic Relationship: Sailing for Renewal or Drifting Toward the Iceberg?
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Closing Plenary Session
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Closing Ceremony of the 55th St. Gallen Symposium
Session details will be announced in the near future as the programme takes shape.
Nico Luchsinger has been Executive Director of Asia Society Switzerland since 2021. Asia Society Switzerland is an independent foundation fostering Asia competence and dialogue between Switzerland and Asia within the global Asia Society network. Luchsinger oversees strategy, programming and flagship events such as the STATE OF ASIA conference and the TOY Senior Fellowship. Previously, he was Co-Executive Director and Head of Programming, co-founded the global entrepreneurial community Sandbox, and worked as journalist at Neue Zürcher Zeitung and as Head of business development at Swiss startup Mila. He holds a master’s in history and economics from the University of Zurich.
Sessions
St. Gallen Team Debate – Oxford-Style Debate
Wednesday, May 6th, 09.30 - 10.30
Manfred Lütz
Psychiatrist and TheologianDr. Manfred Lütz is a German psychiatrist, psychotherapist, Roman Catholic theologian, Vatican advisor and bestselling author. From 1997 to 2019, he served as Chief Physician of the Alexianer Hospital in Cologne, a leading clinic for psychiatry, psychotherapy and neurology. There he founded the “Alexianer Therapy Forum” and helped shape modern psychiatric care. Previously, he worked as senior physician in several psychiatric hospitals and specialized in neurology, psychiatry and psychotherapy. Lütz is a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life and has advised various Vatican dicasteries. He has received awards such as the Corine Literature Prize and was named Knight of the Order of St. Gregory in 2010. He studied medicine, philosophy and Catholic theology in Bonn and Rome.
Sessions
Polarization in Times of Domestic Political Disruptions (Deutsch)
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
Damita Pressl is an award-winning journalist, moderator and public speaking trainer. Born and raised in Vienna, she worked as a news anchor and TV host on Austrian national television before moving to Zurich to join the renowned Neue Zürcher Zeitung. She has shared the stage with personalities ranging from Ursula von der Leyen to Jane Goodall, she works in English, German and French and is available as an MC or moderator for conferences and panels in Europe and beyond.
Sessions
Polarization in Times of Domestic Political Disruptions (Deutsch)
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
Prof. Richard David Precht
German Philosopher & AuthorProf. Richard David Precht is a German philosopher, author, television host, and podcaster. He remains Honorary Professor of Philosophy and Aesthetics at Hanns Eisler University of Music in Berlin, and until October 2023 served as Honorary Professor of Philosophy at Leuphana University of Lüneburg. His 2007 bestselling book “Who am I? And if so, how many?” was translated into 40 languages. Since 2012 he has been the host of the philosophy television series “Precht” on German TV channel ZDF and, since 2021, part of the popular podcast “Lanz & Precht” with journalist and talkshow-moderator Markus Lanz. Prof. Precht discusses current societal and political questions on both his television show and podcast. He holds a PhD in German literature from the University of Cologne.
Sessions
Polarization in Times of Domestic Political Disruptions (Deutsch)
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
Martin Wolf
Chief Economics Commentator, Financial TimesMartin Wolf has been Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times in London since 1996. He joined the Financial Times in 1987 after serving as Director of the Trade Policy Research Centre in London. From 1971 to 1981, he worked at the World Bank, where he became Senior Economist in 1974.
His distinguished commentary has earned him numerous accolades, including the Gerald Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award, the Overseas Press Club prize for international reporting and the Ludwig Erhard Prize.
He has received honorary doctorates from leading institutions including the London School of Economics, KU Leuven and Macquarie University, and is an honorary fellow of several Oxford colleges and King’s College London. He holds a master’s degree in economics from Nuffield College, Oxford, and was appointed CBE in 2000.
Sessions
Navigating a Disrupted Age with Martin Wolf and Lord Brian Griffiths of Fforestfach
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.15
Dr. Jan Goetz is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IQM Quantum Computers, a role he has held since 2019. In this position, he led the spin-out of IQM from Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and has driven the company’s growth, including raising more than USD 600 million in capital. Prior to founding IQM, Dr. Goetz completed his doctorate on superconducting quantum circuits at TU Munich and worked as a Marie-Curie Fellow at Aalto University in Helsinki, where he holds the title of Docent. Beyond his executive role, he serves as an EIC Ambassador, sits on the Board of the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), and is a member of the German Federal Economic Senate, the EIC Scaling Club Council, the Hall of Future, and acts as a Digital Leader and Global Innovator at the World Economic Forum. His work has been recognised by WirtschaftsWoche, which selected him as one of 30 executives shaping Germany.
Sessions
Europe Unplugged: Is Digital Sovereignty More Than Cloud Dreams?
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Niddal Salah-Eldin is a manager and advisory board member for digital transformation and innovation. She has been a Member of the National Committee of UNICEF e.V. since July 2025. She is a former member of the Executive Board of Axel Springer SE. She left Axel Springer to engage in humanitarian aid in Sudan and now works with more than two dozen local and international organisations and foundations. From 2022 to the end of 2024, she was responsible at Axel Springer for global talent and HR, journalism and technology training, and the company’s AI initiative. She is a long-standing member of the board of trustees of Reporters Without Borders and serves as an advisory board member to Startup Teens. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, and Political Science from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
Sessions
Sudan - the World’s Forgotten War: When Private Capital Becomes the First Responder
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Stephen Cornish has served as General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) Operational Center in Geneva since 2020. During more than ten years of field experience, Mr Cornish managed several major MSF humanitarian interventions in contexts such as Chechnya, Sierra Leone, Georgia, and Peru. He has successfully negotiated humanitarian access to vulnerable populations in conflict settings across the globe and has played a lead role resolving aid-worker abduction crises and other emergencies. From 2008 to 2012, Mr Cornish sat on the board of directors of MSF Canada, before serving as their Executive Director from 2012 to 2017. He also worked with the Canadian Red Cross as manager of programs for countries in armed conflict, for CARE Canada as a policy and advocacy advisor, and for other international organisations with a focus on humanitarian and environmental issues. Mr Cornish holds a Master’s degree in global risk and crisis management from the Université Panthéon Sorbonne in Paris and a post-graduate diploma in conflict resolution from the University of Bradford.
Sessions
Sudan - the World’s Forgotten War: When Private Capital Becomes the First Responder
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Jessica Anderen is the CEO of the IKEA Foundation, an independent philanthropy focused on tackling poverty and climate change. With more than 30 years of experience across IKEA’s global value chain, she has held senior leadership roles in Sweden, India, Singapore, China and Australia. Before joining the Foundation, she served as CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of IKEA Switzerland, following earlier positions including Global Market Support Manager, Deputy Country Manager at IKEA Retail Sweden, and Trading Area Manager for South Asia. She has served on the boards of companies, universities and social organisations, and has acted as a senior adviser and coach to Inter IKEA’s Social Entrepreneurship programme, with an academic background in economics from Sweden.
Sessions
Sudan - the World’s Forgotten War: When Private Capital Becomes the First Responder
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Steven A. Altman
Director, Center for the Future of Management, DHL Initiative on GlobalizationDr. Steven A. Altman is Director of the DHL Initiative on Globalization and Senior Research Scholar at the Center for the Future of Management at NYU Stern. The DHL Initiative fosters research on globalization, cross-border strategy, and international management.
In his role, he leads research on globalization and global strategy, teaches courses like Global Strategy, and publishes academic work in international business. He holds a B.S. in Economics (Wharton), an MBA (Harvard Business School), an MPA (Harvard Kennedy School), and a PhD in International Business & Strategy (University of Reading).
Sessions
Trade, Tariffs, and the Future of Globalisation
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Prof. Zhang Jun
Dean, School of Economics, Fudan UniversityProf. Zhang Jun is Dean of the School of Economics at Fudan University and Director of the China Center for Economic Research as well as the Fudan-Ping An Macroeconomic Research Center. He is a senior professor in Fudan’s Faculty of Liberal Arts and a recipient of several national talent programs and the State Council special allowance. His research focuses on China’s structural change and economic reform. Prof. Zhang has published around 200 academic papers and more than ten books. He received the China Economic Theory Innovation Award in 2015 and the ACES Bergson Prize in 2018. He holds BA, MA, and PhD degrees in Economics from Fudan University.
Sessions
Trade, Tariffs, and the Future of Globalisation
Wednesday, May 6th, 11.15 - 12.30
Prof. Michael Wolffsohn
Historian and PublicistProf. Michael Wolffsohn is a Professor of Modern History, political scientist, writer, and commentator. From 1981 to 2012, he taught Modern History at the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich and has lectured at leading universities worldwide. He is regarded as one of Germany’s foremost experts on international relations, Middle Eastern and regional conflicts, military affairs, and the historical, political, and cultural dimensions of German-Jewish-Israeli relations. Earlier in his life, he served voluntarily in the Israeli Army. Prof. Wolffsohn has authored more than 30 books and 140 academic articles. His honors include the Konrad Adenauer Prize for Science and the University Professor of the Year award. He holds a PhD and studied History, Political Science, and Economics in Berlin, Tel Aviv, and New York.
Sessions
Peace through Federalism – A Vision for the Middle East
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Nicolas Peter
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, BMWDr. Nicolas Peter has been Chairman of BMW’s Supervisory Board since May 2025. In this role, he chairs oversight of BMW’s corporate governance, strategic direction, and board decisions. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer (Board Member for Finance) of BMW from 2017 to 2023. He also held roles including Head of Europe, Head of Group Controlling, and leadership positions in BMW’s national operations (France, Sweden, etc.). He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt. Dr. Peter completed his law studies at the University of Munich with the Second State Examination and received his doctoral degree from the same university.
Sessions
Stuck in Reverse: Why Europe Can’t Innovate Its Way Backward
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Sabrina Soussan is a member of the Board of Directors of Henkel and Continental. She served as Chairman and CEO of SUEZ and was a member of the Board of Directors at Boeing until 2025. Prior to these roles, she was CEO of dormakaba and held senior leadership positions at Siemens, including serving as CEO of Siemens Mobility. She has also previously served on the Boards of ITT Inc. and Schaeffler and is engaged in various industry associations, including the French Business Confederation (MEDEF). Ms Soussan holds a degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from ENSMA and an MBA from the University of Poitiers. We are delighted that she also serves on the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Symposium.
Sessions
Stuck in Reverse: Why Europe Can’t Innovate Its Way Backward
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Andres Sutt has served as Minister of Energy and the Environment of the Republic of Estonia since 2025. He is a former Member of the Estonian Parliament (Estonian Reform Party) and a former Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT, where he oversaw the development of the e-Estonia ecosystem, raised investments in cyber security, and launched the 5G rollout. Andres Sutt is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Tartu University Foundation and a Member of the Advisory Board of AI&Robotics Estonia. Prior to politics, he served as Member of the Board at Enefit, Head of Banking at the European Stability Mechanism, Senior Advisor to the Nordic-Baltic Executive Director of the IMF Board, and Deputy Governor responsible for financial stability at Eesti Pank. He holds a master’s degree in economics and finance (cum laude) from Tartu University and has studied management at INSEAD, France.
Sessions
Europe in the Dark: Cold Homes, Grounded Flights, No Reception - Securing Our Critical Infrastructure
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Energy for the Next Generation
Wednesday, May 6th, 18.00 - 18.45
Sebastian Kurz is former Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria and Co-Founder of DREAM since 2023. DREAM is an AI-cybersecurity company protecting nations and critical infrastructure against advanced digital threats, with operations in Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi and Vienna. In his current role, he works globally as an entrepreneur, investor and advisor, supporting the international expansion of technology-driven ventures. Previously, he served as Austria’s youngest Foreign Minister and twice as Federal Chancellor, becoming the youngest head of government in the world at the time. Beyond this, he supports organisations such as GLOBSEC, the International Democrat Union and the Abraham Accords Peace Institute on a voluntary basis.
Sessions
Europe in the Dark: Cold Homes, Grounded Flights, No Reception - Securing Our Critical Infrastructure
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Jens Petter Olsen is the Chair of the Board at Telenor Group and Vice Chair of the Board at DNB Bank. He brings extensive experience from the financial sector, having spent a decade at Danske Bank between 2008 and 2018, where he held senior positions including Head of Capital Markets, Head of Danske Bank Markets Norway, Head of Institutional Sales, and Chief Strategist. Prior to that, he worked at Norges Bank Investment Management from 1998 to 2008, serving as Head of the New York Office and Senior Portfolio Manager. Olsen holds a Master of Philosophy in Finance from London Business School and a degree from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).
Sessions
Europe in the Dark: Cold Homes, Grounded Flights, No Reception - Securing Our Critical Infrastructure
Wednesday, May 6th, 16.00 - 17.00
Dr. Wolfgang Gründinger is Chief Evangelist at Enpal, a leading European solar company, since 2021. Enpal offers solar rental and purchase solutions enabling private households to drive the energy transition. In his role, he shapes Enpal’s public positioning across politics, media, and society. Previously, he served as Communications & Strategic Partnerships Lead at the Cyber Innovation Hub of the German Armed Forces, as Policy Advisor for Digital Transformation at the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW), and as Spokesperson and Board Member at the Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations. He is also engaged with the Club of Rome, the World Economic Forum, and Scientists for Future. Dr. Gründinger holds a PhD in Political Science from Humboldt University of Berlin.
Sessions
Energy for the Next Generation
Wednesday, May 6th, 18.00 - 18.45
Karin Keller-Sutter
Head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF), Swiss ConfederationFederal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter is the President of the Swiss Confederation and has been the Head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) since January 2023. Before her election to the Swiss Federal Council in December 2018, she represented the canton of St. Gallen in the Council of States from 2011 until the end of 2018, serving as President of the Council of States from 2017 to 2018. Her political career began in 1992, and from 2000 to 2011, she was a member of the cantonal government of St. Gallen (Regierungsrat), where she held various senior positions, including leading the Justice and Security Department. Outside of government and politics and prior to joining the Swiss Federal Council, Ms. Keller-Sutter has held multiple board memberships, including positions at Bâloise Insurance Group, the Swiss Employers Association, and the NZZ Media Group. Notably, she also served on the board of trustees for the St. Gallen Symposium until 2018. Initially a trained translator/interpreter and secondary school teacher, between 1989 and 2000 she worked as a freelance translator and also taught at a vocational school. Hailing from the canton of St. Gallen, she holds a postgraduate degree in pedagogy from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Sessions
Day 2 Opening: In Conversation with Karin Keller-Sutter
Thursday, May 7th, 09.00 - 09.15
Stephan Lendi
Moderator & HostStephan Lendi has spent two decades serving as a Moderator and Voice Over Artist, lending his voice to radio and TV commercials, movies, TV shows, image films, and corporate productions. Additionally, he moderates Raumkultur TV and Zff72 at the Zurich Film Festival. Stephan Lendi also shares his expertise as a rhetoric and moderating coach at Event Speaking and serves as an executive coach at Newbury Media and Communications Ltd. He holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool and received training in mediation at Harvard Law School and London School of Mediation, along with acquiring skills in conflict management and negotiations at the University of Cape Town.
Sessions
SGS Hot Seat - Convince or Be Replaced by Audience Live Voting
Thursday, May 7th, 10.00 - 10.30
Patrick Gauchat is Major General of the Swiss Armed Forces and has served as Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) since October 2021. In this role, he oversees UNTSO’s mandate to monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, and support UN peacekeeping operations across the Middle East. In December 2024, he was additionally designated Acting Head of Mission of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan. Previously, he headed Switzerland’s delegation to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission on the Korean Peninsula and held senior command roles within the Swiss Army and NATO’s KFOR mission. Earlier in his career, he also worked in leadership positions at Swiss Federal Railways(CFF/SBB), alongside assignments at United Nations Headquarters and in field missions. He holds a Master of Science in Engineering from EPFL.
Sessions
Horizons of Hope - How the Middle East Can Move Toward Lasting Peace
Thursday, May 7th, 16.00 - 17.00
Veit Dengler is a Member of Austria’s National Council, representing the state of Styria and serving as spokesman for foreign affairs, Austrians abroad, and dual education. He is also Founder and Managing Partner of Draw.Solutions, a Zurich-based advisory firm focused on strategy, growth, and corporate transformation, and a Member of the Market Advisory Board of Chain IQ Group. Previously, he was COO of Bauer Media Group and CEO of NZZ Mediengruppe, following senior roles at Groupon, Dell, T-Mobile, and McKinsey & Company. He began his career as a journalist with Time Inc. Mr. Dengler holds an MPA in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Magister in Commerce from the Vienna University of Business and Economics.
Sessions
Horizons of Hope - How the Middle East Can Move Toward Lasting Peace
Thursday, May 7th, 16.00 - 17.00
Michael von Liechtenstein
Founder, Geopolitical Intelligence Services & International Institute of LongevityPrince Michael of Liechtenstein is the founder and chairman of Geopolitical Intelligence Services AG, the publisher of Der Pragmaticus, and a co-founder of the International Institute of Longevity and the Longevity Center. He also serves as Executive Chairman of Industrie- und Finanzkontor Ets., a leading Liechtenstein trust company specialising in long-term, multi-generational preservation of wealth, family values and businesses. Previously, he worked for Nestlé SA in controlling, marketing and management across European and African markets from 1978 to 1987, having held earlier roles with banks and manufacturing firms in Canada, the United States and Belgium. He is a member of various professional organisations, including STEP, and serves as Chairman of the European Center of Austrian Economics Foundation. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
Sessions
The Next Frontier of Life: Innovation, Diagnostics and Ethical Boundaries
Thursday, May 7th, 16.00 - 17.00