AIAC AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS
For Immediate Release
Davos, Switzerland - January 25, 2025 L. M. Levie, Chairman of American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) and Trustee of the Explorers Club participated in the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland from January 20 to 24, 2025. The summit, themed “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” brought together nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 nations. The event featured more than 50 heads of state and government, alongside hundreds of senior government officials, private sector leaders, and civil society experts.
Taking place against a backdrop of widespread uncertainty in the global system, the forum sought to foster dialogue and drive solutions for pressing challenges. Persistent conflicts in multiple regions and transitions of power in key nations stimulated discussions about re-setting expectations for diplomacy, trade, economic growth, inflation, interest rates, and employment.
Key figures at the event, included U.S. President Donald Trump, who appeared by video link, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The 2025 meeting was structured around five critical areas of focus:
Reimagining Growth: Identifying new sources of growth to build resilient economies in an era of economic transformation.
Industries in the Intelligent Age: Balancing short-term goals with long-term imperatives in navigating technological and geo-economic shifts.
Investing in People: Addressing the impacts of geoeconomic changes and technological advancements on employment, skills, and public services to develop modern, inclusive societies.
Safeguarding the Planet: Mobilizing innovative partnerships and climate technologies to tackle energy and environmental challenges.
Rebuilding Trust: Fostering collaboration amid geopolitical complexities, societal divides, and shifting global policies.
At a series of private breakfasts, luncheons and dinners, AIAC Chairman Levie greeted the following business, financial, governmental and media leaders:
Michael S. Dell, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Dell Technologies
David Rubinstein, Chairman of Carlyle Group
Sharon Bowen, Chair of the New York Stock Exchange
Adena Friedman, President and CEO of NASDAQ
Jacob Safra, Chairman of Safra Bank
Ray Dalio, Chairman of Bridgewater Associates
Chris Soopakij Chearavanont, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CP Group of Thailand and CT Bright Holdings Ltd.
Dr. Ken Lin, SVP of Global Investment and Senior Advisor to the Chairman of CP Group of Thailand
Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO of JPMorgan Chase Asset and Wealth Management
Andrew L. Cohen, Executive Chairman of the Global Private Bank of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Daniel Pinto, COO of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Stefan Bollinger, CEO, Bank Julius Baer, former Co-Head of Private Wealth Management for Europe, Middle East, and Africa for Goldman Sachs
Ambassador Phil Lader, Senior Advisor of Morgan Stanley, Director of Rand Corporation, former Chairman of WPP plc., former US Ambassador to the UK
Mohammed Alardhi, Chairman of Investcorp
Shafik Gabr, Chairman, The Shafik Gabr Foundation
Victor Chu, CBE, Chairman of the Governing Council of the University College London, Director of Airbus and of Nomura Holdings
Mark Lies, Chairman of Zurich Insurance
Richard Edelman, Chairman of Edelman
Mark Burns, President of Gulfstream Aerospace
Dr. Joel Myers, Founder and Chairman of Accuweather
Stanley Bergman, Chairman and CEO, Henry Schein
Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister of the UK
Ambassador Nikki Haley, Former Governor of South Carolina and US Ambassador to the UN
John Kerry, Former US Secretary of State and former US Senator
Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, Partner of Covington & Burling, former Ambassador to the EU and Chief White House Domestic Policy Advisor
Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo
Josef Aschbacher, Director General, European Space Agency
Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, President of the Mayo Clinic
Dr. Paul Alivisatos, President of the University of Chicago
Sir Robin Christian Howard Niblet, Senior Advisor at Hakluyt & Company, Former Director and Chief Executive of the Royal Institute of international Affairs-Chatham House
Dan Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global
Sarah Eisen, Anchor, CNBC
Maria Bartiromo, host of Mornings with Maria and Maria Bartiromo’s’s Wall Street on the Fox Business and Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo on Fox News
Gerald Baker, Editor at Large, Wall Street Journal
Richard Quest, Anchor, CNN’s Quest Means Business
David Westin, Anchor, Bloomberg Wall Street Week
Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, former Editor in Chief of The New Yorker and Wired
Anastasia Nyrkovskaya, CEO of Fortune
David Rhodes, Executive Chairman of Sky News Group
Jessica Sibley, CEO,Time
David Kenney, CEO, Nielson
Mark J. Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell
Simon Freakley, Managing Director of AlixPartners
Mr. Levie attended panel discussions, presentations, receptions, and dinners held by Bloomberg, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, JPMorgan, Edelman, EM Media Ventures, Qatar, and India.
At the Belvedere Hotel on Monday, January 20, Mr. Levie hosted a Davos reception for viewing the presidential inauguration in Washington DC. On the concluding day of the World Economic Forum, Friday, January 24, AIAC sponsored and hosted the formal Davos Reception and Luncheon for the Explorers Club. Held at the AspenGold Hotel Davos, the celebration was attended by 54 honored guests, including Members, Fellows, and Award Winners of the Explorers Club’s global chapters. The three-hour event included a Toast to Davos and musical entertainment. Mr. Levie recited the following poetic tribute to the club:
AIAC and its affiliates, Bradford Space, Champlain Cable, Canadian Kraft Paper Industries, and Super Alloy Manufacturing Solutions, are Partners of the 120 year old organization. Noted Explorers Club members present at the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos included Prince Albert II of Monaco, Bridgewater Associates Chairman Ray Dalio, AccuWeather Founder and Chairman Dr. Joel Myers, Celebrated Aviator Bertrand Piccard, EM Ventures Chairman Sandy Climan, and Voyager Space Chairman and CEO Dylan Taylor.
AIAC Chairman Levie issued the following statement:
“AIAC was honored to participate in the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos and to reunite with our dear friends, clients and colleagues at a wide variety of events. In Davos, we engaged with world leaders, policymakers, and industry pioneers to explore practical strategies that drive progress, addressing critical challenges such as fair trade, security, workforce adaptation, and responsible governance. We appreciate the opportunity to share insights, form new partnerships, and help shape a future defined by accelerating innovation.”
“As a Trustee of the Explorers Club, I was delighted to meet with our distinguished members who were present at Davos, and to broadly spread the word of our noble mission of conservation and scientific advancement on earth, sea, and in outer space. I was also thrilled to greet fellow members of the Economic Club of New York, Trilateral Commission, Bretton Woods Committee, Yale CEO Summit, Ellis Island Honors Society, the International Rescue Committee, the Royal Institute of Foreign Affairs-Chatham House, and the Harvard Business School Clubs of New York, Silicon Valley, UK, France.”
For further information, please see:
https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/
About the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is a nonprofit organization best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a small town in the Swiss Alps. Since its creation in 1971, the forum has evolved into a major platform for global leaders to address pressing challenges, foster collaboration, and shape future agendas.
Founded by Professor Klaus Schwab, a Swiss economist, the organization was initially called the European Management Forum and focused on introducing American management practices to European companies. However, its scope quickly broadened to include global economic, social, and political issues. In 1987, it was renamed the World Economic Forum to reflect this expanded mission. Schwab envisioned a space where leaders from business, government, academia, and civil society could work together to solve global problems. His philosophy of stakeholder capitalism, which prioritizes the interests of all stakeholders—employees, communities, and the environment—over those of shareholders alone, has been central to the forum's identity.
The WEF’s annual Davos meeting has become a hallmark event, attracting heads of state, CEOs, academics, and activists from around the world. Held each January, the summit addresses a wide array of issues, including economic challenges like inflation and inequality, technological advancements such as AI and cybersecurity, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. The Davos summit is known for its high-profile speeches, panel discussions, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, which often lead to groundbreaking initiatives. For example, the Global Compact on corporate sustainability and the 1t.org trillion-tree reforestation initiative emerged from discussions at the forum.
Beyond Davos, the WEF operates throughout the year by publishing influential reports like the Global Risks Report and Future of Jobs Report, which provide critical insights into emerging global challenges. It also supports initiatives such as the Climate Action Platform and the Global Shapers Community, which promote sustainability and youth leadership. Additionally, the forum facilitates partnerships between governments, businesses, and NGOs to address issues like poverty, health crises, and education gaps.
Despite its influence, the WEF has faced criticism over the years. Some argue that its exclusivity, with participation often limited to elite stakeholders, undermines inclusivity and representation. Others point to the environmental impact of the Davos summit, given the carbon emissions associated with bringing thousands of participants to the Swiss Alps. Activists frequently protest the forum, accusing it of failing to translate lofty rhetoric into meaningful action.
Nevertheless, the WEF has had a lasting impact, playing a role in significant moments like South Africa’s post-apartheid reintegration into the global economy and fostering dialogues between rival nations during periods of conflict. Today, as the world confronts interconnected crises such as climate change, technological disruption, and geopolitical instability, the forum continues to serve as a unique platform for dialogue and innovation. While its effectiveness is often debated, its ability to bring influential voices together ensures its continued relevance in addressing the complexities of the modern era.
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Economic_Forum
About American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) is a diversified industrial group with manufacturing and distribution sites in 24 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. AIAC has acquired and grown non-core subsidiaries and divisions of Boeing, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Johnson Controls, Merck, Pfizer, Astellas, Visteon, Carlyle, Ahlstrom, Tolko, Groupe Suez, Groupe Rexel, and many other leading multinational corporations.
AIAC companies serve companies and governmental entities worldwide in all major sectors, including aviation, space, defense, automotive, truck, rail, marine, petrochemical, solar, nuclear, food, confectionary, beverage, civil engineering and infrastructure, commercial construction, mining, dredging, disaster relief, education, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. AIAC companies manufacture materials, components, assemblies, packaging, equipment, and finished products. In addition, AIAC companies are exclusive, authorized distributors of leading branded industrial and consumer products and serve as critical suppliers for major airports, schools, hospitals, performing art and sports centers, offices and hotels throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AIAC is a leading manufacturer of building, street, and highway signage in Europe, signage and illumination structures in North America, and a distributor of electrical products throughout France.
Of note, AIAC purchased Boeing Canada in 2005 and has produced over 10,000 unique components for every Boeing jet plane ever since, reliably serving Boeing from manufacturing facilities in North America. A leader in ultra-high precision jet engine component manufacturing, AIAC companies produce 2,200 fan blades and blisks for each jet engine produced by GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell. AIAC companies produce the critical automotive wire and cable for Tesla, GM, Ford, Chrysler- Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan. In connection with its kraft paper manufacturing interests in Canada and the US, AIAC controls and sustainably manages 22 million acres of Manitoba, Canada forestland, an area equivalent in size to the nation of Hungary.
AIAC companies actively support exploration into outer space, manufacturing critical components for launching and propelling spacecraft and satellites. AIAC customers in this sector include NASA, the European Space Agency, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing. AIAC companies also lead in the design and manufacture of undersea umbilical cables for worldwide oceanographic research.
Another AIAC affiliate, located in Germany, designs, manufactures and distributes high performance emergency portable power generators required during natural disasters, including extreme climate events worldwide. Clients include government agencies and the International Red Cross.
For further information, please see:
About AIAC Philanthropy
AIAC and the AIAC Foundation support a wide range of nonprofit, nonsectarian, bipartisan organizations which promote international conflict resolution, disaster relief, economic development, environmental sustainability, and exploration. The exploration-focused nonprofit organizations which they actively support include the National Geographic Society, the Royal Geographical Society, the American Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Space Society, and the United States Space Foundation.
AIAC Chairman L. M. Levie is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Explorers Club, a 120-year-old organization whose members have pioneered the exploration of the earth, the oceans, an outer space. AIAC and its affiliates, Bradford Space, Canadian Kraft Paper Industries, Super Alloy Manufacturing Solutions, and Champlain Cable are Partners of The Explorers Club. In 2024, AIAC Companies proudly served as a corporate sponsor of Hubert Sagniere’s historic circumnavigation of the earth in a single-engine plane (www.flightaroundtheglobe.com).
AIAC’s other beneficiaries include the Appeal of the Nobel Peace Laureates Foundation Inc., the Asia Society, the Atlantic Council, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Gates Philanthropy Partners, the Bretton Woods Committee, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Carter Center, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of New York, the Foreign Policy Association, the Institut Française des Relations Internationales, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Crisis Group, the International Rescue Committee, the Japan Society, the JFK School of Government of Harvard University, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the Sierra Club, and the Trilateral Commission.
For further information, see:
https://www.aiac.com/our-values
Media Contact:
Isabel Carro-Toro, Vice President
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
+34 689 295 827 (Spain)
+ 1 787 244 3175 (USA)
icarro-toro@aiac.com
