World Economic Forum

Small and medium agricultural enterprises (agri-SMEs) are Africa’s largest employer and economic engine—and the key to transforming food systems and improving food security for the continent. Yet three out of four agri-SMEs can’t access formal bank financing, and are too large for microfinance, creating an estimated $100 billion gap in unmet demand for financing. How can donor governments, development finance institutions, African governments, and the private sector catalyze action to strengthen food value chains in Africa through innovative financing, and better support small and medium agricultural enterprises? The event is co-hosted with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This special Leadership Panel on strengthening food value chains was held September 18, 2023 at the World Economic Forum's New York headquarters. - Speakers: William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya, Office of the President of Kenya; Scott Nathan, Chief Executive Officer, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; Samantha Power, Administrator, US Agency for International Development (USAID); Rebecca Enonchong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AppsTech;Janet L. Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury, US Department of the Treasury; Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Acumen; Børge Brende, President, World Economic Forum Geneva; Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development, Norway Government; Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, President, African Development Bank (AfDB). Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/sustainable-development-impact-meetings-2023/sessions/leadership-panel-bridging-the-gap-financing-africas-agricultural-growth About the Sustainable Development Impact Meetings: https://www.weforum.org/events/sustainable-development-impact-meetings-2023

Helen Mountford is the president and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation, a philanthropy platform that has granted more than a billion dollars to worthy projects and grantees in more than 50 countries since 2008. She’s a key partner in a World Economic Forum initiative that launched this year called GAEA - Giving to Amplify Earth Action - and she'll tell us why philanthropy can be a critical way to fund and experiment with new ideas that can be scaled further by the private sector and how it creates an ecosystem to make big change possible. About GAEA: https://initiatives.weforum.org/giving-to-amplify-earth-action/home About ClimateWorks Foundation: https://climateworks.org/

The podcast discusses the global economic slowdown, inflation, and the impact of higher interest rates on insurers. They also explore de-globalization, technological shifts, and climate change's implications on the global economy.

More companies have set sustainability goals than ever. But many will struggle to meet those goals. Baker McKenzie's Alyssa Auberger shares insights from a special survey that reveals business leader worries and the blindspots that some might overlook. As the global law firm's first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer, she also shares her unique journey to the role -- from pianist to lawyer to her current position -- and how the discipline and creativity required in music shapes how she works even today. To read the survey, click here: The Race to Net-Zero: Is the global business community on course to beat the clock?, To learn more about Baker McKenzie's approach to navigating risks, check out its podcast Solutions for a Connected World sharing advice on driving growth that is both sustainable – and inclusive.

Historian Chris Miller, author of 'Chip War', discusses the significance of semiconductors in the global economy, the paradox of tech companies relying on a small number of chip companies, the complexities of the non-US supply chain for advanced manufacturing equipment, geopolitical risks and the impact of the pandemic on the semiconductor industry, and the implications of Moore's law on the chip industry and the future.

Dylan E. Taylor, CEO of Voyager Space, talks about expanding access to space, his own space visit and deep ocean exploration. He shares his approach to risk taking, preparing for big challenges, and making quick decisions. The podcast also discusses building infrastructure, conducting experiments, and exploring adventure and entrepreneurship.

CEO Yuxiang Zhou shares lessons learned in co-founding Black Lake Technologies and his journey to digitize factories. He discusses the potential for manufacturing and cloud computing to connect factories. Taking a job on a factory shop floor and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro helped him pivot and gain perspective on the right solutions and priorities.

How can something as simple as a seed help the world begin to make strides across big challenges such as protecting water, tackling climate change and even strengthening food security and opportunity? Ponsi Trivisvavet, the CEO of seed design company Inari, shares the innovations that are helping to protect the earth while tackling stubborn problems like hunger. She also shares her leadership journey, the question she feels is key to strengthening any leader's resilience and the unique approaches to biotech innovation that help this company drive cutting-edge solutions. 

Is your team solving the right problems and building the right solutions? Are they truly pushing the envelope - in the short- and long-term? This compilation episode shares the questions top innovators ask themselves and their teams, across engineering, biotech, healthcare and more. It also highlights the practical tactics and strategies they use to keep teams challenged, focused and engaged so they are poised to develop the leading ideas that will truly reshape the future.  This episode features: Cristiano Amon, CEO, Qualcomm; Shez Partovi, Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Royal Philips; Geraldine Matchett, co-CEO and CFO, Royal DSM; Ponsi Trivisvavet, CEO Inari; Rodrigo Santos, president, Crop Science Division, Bayer Crop Science; Lars Stenqvist, Volvo Group; Alex Liu, Managing Partner, Kearney.

Professor Stuart Russell shares his concerns about the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence. Listen back to our 5-part series on generative AI: Episode 1: Episode 2: Episode 3: Episode 4: Episode 5: Related episodes: Check out all our podcasts on : - - - - Join the