USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird Represents US Business at World Economic Forum in Davos

USCIB President and CEO, Whitney Baird, represented US business at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos from January 17-24, engaging in conversations on key areas of international policy by moderating panels, participating in roundtables, and conducting interviews.

USCIB and World Woman Foundation also hosted Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a fireside chat with Baird on trade, WTO reform, and women's leadership. During the chat, both affirmed that the rules-based trading system remains indispensable and that the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Cameroon in March is an opportunity to deliver meaningful progress.

USCIB also partnered with World Woman Foundation to host several panels at World Woman House on pertinent topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), women and regenerative agriculture, and digital infrastructure. Baird served as moderator on three panels: The 'Now' Moment of AI; Women and Resilient & Regenerative Agriculture; and Bridging the Gap: How Digital Infrastructure Can Level the Playing Field for SMEs. Several USCIB members joined as experts on these panels including USCIB board member Melike Yetken Krilla (Google), Debra Bauler (Dow), Natasha Santos (Bayer), Victoria Din (Mastercard), Claire Alexandre (PayPal), and Cataline Garcia Gomez (AB InBev).

In addition to moderating these panels, Baird served as a panelist on an Economist Impact panel, Regional Trade Outlook: Opportunities and Risks in Emerging Markets, on January 22. Baird offered valuable perspectives on how US businesses currently view emerging markets, the biggest risks facing companies operating across multiple emerging markets, and the role business can play in keeping trade open.

Baird also participated in various Goals House roundtables and member-sponsored events.