Klaus Schwab facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Klaus Schwab
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Schwab in 2011
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| Chairman of the World Economic Forum | |
| In office 24 January 1971 – 21 April 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Peter Brabeck-Letmathe (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 March 1938 Ravensburg, Free People's State of Württemberg, Germany |
| Spouse |
Hilde Schwab
(m. 1971) |
| Children | 2 (including Nicole Schwab) |
| Education | ETH Zürich (Dr. Sc. Tech) University of Fribourg (Dr. Rer. Pol) Harvard University (MPA) |
Klaus Martin Schwab (born 30 March 1938) is a German engineer and economist. He is famous for starting the World Economic Forum (WEF). He was the chairman of the WEF from its beginning in 1971 until April 2025. After that, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe took over his role.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Klaus Martin Schwab was born in Ravensburg, Germany, on March 30, 1938. His parents were Eugen Wilhelm Schwab and Erika Epprecht. His family moved from Switzerland to Germany when his father became a director at a company called Escher Wyss AG. This company worked with the German government at the time.
Klaus Schwab went to primary school in Switzerland for a short time. After World War II, he attended school in Ravensburg, Germany, until 1957.
Studying at Top Universities
In 1961, he graduated as a mechanical engineer from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. He also earned a doctorate degree in engineering. Later, he received another doctorate in economics from the University of Fribourg. He also earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University in the United States. While at Harvard, he was mentored by Henry Kissinger, who later became a very important government official.
Career Highlights
From 1972 to 2003, Klaus Schwab was a professor of business policy at the University of Geneva. He is now an honorary professor there. In 1998, he and his wife, Hilde, started the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. This foundation helps people who create businesses to solve social problems.
Starting the World Economic Forum
In 1971, Klaus Schwab founded an organization called the European Management Forum. This group brought together business leaders to discuss important issues. In 1987, its name was changed to the World Economic Forum.
In 2003, Schwab appointed José María Figueres as the CEO of the WEF. However, Figueres resigned in 2004 due to issues with payments he received from a company while working at the Forum.
In 2011, Schwab created the Global Shapers Community within the WEF. This group helps young people get involved in important discussions about local and global issues. In 2015, the Swiss Government officially recognized the WEF as an "international body."
Writing Books
Klaus Schwab has written or co-written several books. He is known for promoting an idea called "stakeholder capitalism." This idea suggests that businesses should think about the needs of everyone involved, not just their owners.
He also helped make the idea of the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" popular. He wrote a book about it in 2016. This idea talks about how new technologies like artificial intelligence and the internet are changing the world. Some people have discussed how these new technologies could be used for good or bad.
Awards and Honours
Klaus Schwab has received many awards for his work. He has been given the French Legion of Honour, which is a very high award in France. He also received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is Germany's highest honor. Japan also honored him with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
He was also given the Dan David Prize. Queen Elizabeth recognized him as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George. Schwab has also received special degrees from universities like the National University of Singapore.
Personal Life
Klaus Schwab married Hilde Schwab in 1971. She used to be his assistant. They got married in a church in Switzerland. The couple lives in Cologny, Switzerland. Klaus and Hilde Schwab have two adult children. Their daughter, Nicole Schwab, helped start a project focused on gender equality.
See also
In Spanish: Klaus Schwab para niños
