After 30 years at Swiss asset manager Unigestion, CEO Fiona Frick says she’s learned the secret to intelligent risk, and a big part of that means including ESG in overseeing more than USD 23 billion in assets. Here she talks about the perfect investment mix and about what sets her firm apart from the rest.Ian Bremmer: It’s “unfair” to say that Switzerland is populist
From the U.S. to Europe, populism has continued its rise on the back of anger about globalization. While Switzerland is home to one of Europe’s more successful populist parties, the Swiss People’s Party, political scientist Ian Bremmer argues that Switzerland is not actually populist, but rather some politicians play populism into an angry nativist movement.
Can we stay young forever?
Being forever young has long been a dream for many. Now there are new ways to slow down the aging process. Switzerland is jumping on the trend, with a growing hub of science and economic activity around staying young. Harvard Medical School’s David Sinclair says the „fountain of youth pill“ could soon become a reality.
Rönnlund: “People are actually completely wrong about the world”
Anna Rosling Rönnlund, founder of Swedish “fact tank” Gapminder, has worked for over 20 years to help people better understand the world. The biggest issue, she says, is not just widespread ignorance, but, rather, people’s “ignorance about their ignorance.” Rönnlund talks about the dangerous implications of making uninformed decisions, and about how countries like Switzerland can help promote a fact-based world.
The acquisition of Red Hat is a “big move for IBM”
While the likes of Apple and Google steal the spotlight, some forget that IBM, which has been around for 107 years, provides the “infrastructure of the world,” according to executive vice president John Kelly. And as the company enters the final phase of its acquisition of Red Hat for USD 34 billion, Kelly says it will establish IBM as the “definitive leader” of the cloud.
Disruptive IBM tech now matching cancer patients to clinical trials
Can artificial intelligence save lives? IBM’s award-winning AI platform Watson is being called a game-changer for its potential impact on every industry—and on the health care sector in particular. John Kelly, who leads IBM Research, says Watson has doubled the number of women getting into cancer clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic by matching their medical history and diagnosis, something he says humans simply could not achieve.
How older Swiss brands can reach new younger audiences
Generation Z consists of true digital natives who have spent much of their lives online. Yannick Blättler, CEO and founder of consulting company Neoviso, says while it’s important for companies to engage with the new generation using social media platforms, it is trickier than they may think.
Is your business ready for the rise of Generation Z?
Many companies are struggling to connect with Generation Z, those born between the mid-1990s and mid-2000s. Yannick Blättler is the 25-year-old entrepreneur whose company, Neoviso, is helping them better engage with the new generation in order to access their time, their skills, and their wallets. He breaks down how the Swiss corporate world can tap into the mind-set of today’s youth to help their bottom line.
Volvo “might consider” a return to the Geneva Motor Show
Natalie Robyn, the managing director of Volvo Cars Switzerland, explains why Volvo skipped the Geneva International Motor Show this year and talks about the uphill climb for the car industry as it regains consumers’ trust after “dieselgate.”
