Nicolas Evans: Managing risk

‘Partnering for Security and Prosperity’ is not just a theme. It is an aim. It requires new thinking, new approaches to social and economic development and new solutions to complex global issues.

It requires a broader recognition of what unites and divides us. It requires us to tackle problems with an open mind. And it requires better understanding of – and better management of – risk.

Risk is unavoidable – in business, in government and in all walks of life. Managed well, it can lead to innovation, to progress and to wealth. Managed badly, it can lead to ruin.

All leaders face a similar challenge. They must analyze the risks that confront them and the people they lead. They must identify the risks they can control and those they cannot. They must choose the risks they want to take and those they do not.

They must manage the risks that can be managed – in a responsible and appropriate way. And they must be prepared – where possible – for unexpected risks.

The challenge of building a safer and more prosperous world is all about risk: risk identification, risk analysis, risk control, risk management and risk communication.

As the official magazine of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, our challenge is to anticipate and inform the discussions, insights and decisions that will take place in Davos over the next few days.

We aim to contribute to the debate, to produce fresh thinking on the challenges, risks and opportunities that we all face, to assist in the formulation of new solutions and to add value to our readers who are participating at the Annual Meeting – and those who are not.

To do so, we have sought contributions from leaders from all walks of life: business, government, academia, the media, non-governmental organizations and civil society at large.

The magazine has six main thematic sections: security and geopolitics; governance and development; economy and finance; business and leadership; science and technology; culture and values.

There are also articles devoted to specific challenges and issues in different regions of the world: in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

We cover a wealth of topics: from terrorist threats and failing states to humanitarian interventions and nation-building; from corporate responsibility and global governance to the accountability of NGOs and the role of the media; from economic challenges and financial risks to business reputation and corporate resilience; from trade and sustainable development to health and environmental protection; from democracy and leadership to technology and liberty.

But they all share a common theme: managing risk, now and for the future. We are grateful to all our authors for their contributions. We hope you enjoy reading our magazine. And we hope you find it useful.

Nicolas Evans, Editor