Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Embarks on Davos Mission
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will depart from Vijayawada on Sunday for a significant international engagement. He travels to Davos, Switzerland, to participate in the prestigious World Economic Forum annual meeting. A team of state ministers and senior officials will accompany him on this four-day diplomatic and economic mission.
Zurich Stopover: Diplomatic and Diaspora Engagements
After landing in Zurich, Naidu will commence his schedule with important meetings on Monday. His first official interaction will be with Mridul Kumar, the Indian ambassador to Switzerland. Later that same day, he plans to meet Kishore Lulla, the founder chairman of Eros Innovation. Co-presidents Rithima Lulla and Swaneet Singh will also join this meeting in Zurich.
Before proceeding to Davos, the Chief Minister will attend a special gathering organized by the Indian Embassy. This Telugu diaspora meeting will bring together Non-Resident Indians from twenty different countries, fostering connections with the global Telugu community.
Davos Agenda: High-Profile Sessions and Bilateral Talks
Upon arrival in Davos, Naidu's itinerary becomes exceptionally busy. The first day features a multilateral meeting that will include Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism. Prominent Indian industry figures Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee are also scheduled to meet with Naidu and state IT minister Nara Lokesh.
The second day begins with a breakfast meeting organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Naidu will then attend the inauguration of the India lounge at the forum. His schedule includes crucial one-on-one discussions with top technology executives. He will meet Arvind Krishna, the chairman and CEO of IBM, and Thomas Kurian, the CEO of Google Cloud. Minister Nara Lokesh will be present for both these technology-focused meetings.
Later, Naidu will participate in a panel discussion titled "One Family – One Entrepreneur" at the Andhra Pradesh Lounge. Brief meetings are also planned with Darren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Rights Organization, and Anil Murthy at the Davos Congress Center.
Energy, Economy, and Industry Dialogues
The Chief Minister will actively participate in the Energy Transition Leaders session during the forum. He has scheduled discussions with several Swiss officials, including Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs Helen Budliger Artieda, Ambassador Andrea Rauber, and parliamentarian Nick Gugger.
Technology remains a key focus. Naidu will meet Calista Redmond, Vice President of the renowned chipmaker NVIDIA. International economic partnerships are also on the agenda, with meetings planned with Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, Trade Commissioner Roy Fisher, and Israel Economic Trade Mission Head Shir Sladzki.
Meetings with Global Corporate Leaders
The visit includes significant engagements with major industrial groups. Naidu will hold discussions with Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of the JSW Group, and Parth Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Cement and Paints. A separate meeting is scheduled with Vincent Clerc, the CEO of global shipping giant Maersk. IT Minister Lokesh will attend these corporate meetings as well.
Another important industrial dialogue will be with Jean-Luc Marrangé, the CEO of the John Cockerill Group, known for its engineering solutions.
Final Day: WEF Sessions and Return
On the third day of his Davos visit, Chief Minister Naidu will participate in multiple World Economic Forum sessions. One session will focus on industrial progress. He is also slated to speak at a Bloomberg-organized session discussing artificial intelligence and its impact on the global economy.
Overall, the Chief Minister's visit encompasses a total of thirty-six programs. This includes three inter-governmental meetings and sixteen one-on-one interactions with global leaders and executives. After this packed schedule, N Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to return to India on January 22, concluding his high-stakes diplomatic and economic mission at the World Economic Forum.
