Fon Mathuros, Head of Media, World Economic Forum: Tel.: +41 (0)79 201 0211; E-mail: fma@weforum.org
· The Global Shapers Community is a network of city-based Hubs developed and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, achievements and drive to make a contribution to their communities
· Members are young people between 20 and 30 years of age
· The community is present in over 430 cities in 171 countries and territories
· Every year, 50 Global Shapers take part in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, giving a voice to the 50% of the world population that is under 30 years old
Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 20 January 2017 – Jack Ma, Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, People’s Republic of China, joins the Foundation Board of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. The community is a network of city-based Hubs developed and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, achievements and drive to make a contribution to their communities. Established in 2011, the community is a not-for-profit foundation that has more than 6,200 members organized in over 430 cities in 171 countries and territories worldwide.
The Global Shapers Community exists to strengthen the voice of youth locally and globally. Its Hubs undertake projects that address issues including education, unemployment, the environment and sustainability. Every year, 50 Global Shapers take part in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, giving a voice to the 50% of the world population that is under 30 years old.
Ma is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, headquartered in the People’s Republic of China. He has received numerous awards for his philanthropic and business activities. Said Ma: “I look forward to working with Global Shapers to shape a better world. Personally, I cherish this opportunity to serve young people from all over the world who believe that we must work together in diverse teams to make the world a better place, one community at a time.”
Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, is also the Chairman of the Board of the Global Shapers Community. In welcoming Ma to the board, Schwab said: “Jack Ma has become an idol of the young generation not only as an entrepreneur, but also as a role model for exercising good governance and social responsibility. For these reasons, the Global Shapers Community, affiliated with the World Economic Forum, enthusiastically welcomes Jack Ma as an additional board member. This will provide tremendous support to the more than 6,200 Global Shapers from over 430 cities around the world who contribute to society.”
The announcement was made during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
Notes to editors:
For more information about the Global Shapers Community, visit www.globalshapers.org and watch videos on who we are http://youtu.be/VvcUDDxr7Ic, what we do http://youtu.be/m8r9bqpSTuI and our vision http://youtu.be/shaAiy2S3fk.
Follow the Global Shapers on Twitter at @globalshapers
Follow Global Shaper Campaign #WorldWeShape
For more about the Global Shapers Annual Survey: www.shaperssurvey.org
Read our blogs: http://wef.ch/shapersblogs
Watch World Economic Forum sessions: http://wef.ch/youtube
Become a fan of the Global Shapers on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlobalShapers
Become a Global Shaper at http://www.globalshapers.org/apply