Dalian, People’s Republic of China, 16 June 2026 – The World Economic Forum will convene the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, from 23 to 25 June 2026. Under the theme “Innovating at Scale”, the meeting will bring together more than 1,700 leaders from over 90 countries, including business, government, academia and innovators, to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping a rapidly transforming world economy.
The meeting takes place against the backdrop of the International Monetary Fund having downgraded its global growth forecast to 3.1% in 2026 from 3.4% in 2025, driven by escalating geopolitical risks. A modest recovery to 3.2% is projected for 2027, though trade fragmentation and tightening fiscal conditions continue to weigh on the outlook, particularly across emerging economies.
As geo-economic and geopolitical shifts continue to reshape trade and supply chains and create uncertainty, technological breakthroughs are opening new possibilities for long-term growth. Also known as “Summer Davos” and driving innovation, technology and emerging markets, the meeting will spotlight Asia’s innovation ecosystem, engaging entrepreneurs, investors and policy-makers driving the region’s economic momentum. It will bring forward Chinese and broader Asian viewpoints to ensure a representative conversation on global growth and innovation.
"The World Economic Forum has always brought leaders together to tackle the biggest challenges affecting the world and used dialogue and collaboration to look at solutions,” said Alois Zwinggi, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Economic Forum. “At a time of economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and rapid technological change, this meeting is an opportunity to focus on practical solutions. Deliberations will centre on growth, technology, jobs, energy and what comes next for the global economy, drawing on the Forum’s ongoing work and the latest global developments.”
“As the leading coordinating agency and the host agency of the World Economic Forum in China, the National Development and Reform Commission will actively support the World Economic Forum in successfully holding the Summer Davos Forum in China. This year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), during which China is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development. China's 15th Five-Year Plan sets out comprehensive goals for high-quality development, which will inject fresh impetus into the global economy. We welcome the global business community to actively participate in the process of Chinese modernization and share the enormous opportunities brought by China's high-quality development,” said Gao Weiqi, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
Hosted by the People’s Republic of China, the meeting will convene over 90 senior political leaders from 27 countries and regions.
The following government and private sector leaders will co-chair the event: Ester Baiget, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novonesis; Mazen S. Darwazeh, Executive Vice-Chairman, President, Middle East and North Africa, Hikma Pharmaceuticals; Orit Gadiesh, Partner and Chair Emeritus, Bain & Company; Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer, Yara International; Conrad Keijzer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Clariant; Margery Kraus, Founder and Executive Chair, APCO; Padraig McDonnell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Agilent; Jonas Prising, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, ManpowerGroup; Eric Tse S Y, Chief Executive Officer, Sino Bio Pharmaceutical; Samaila Zubairu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Africa Finance Corporation; Robin Zeng, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Contemporary Amperex Technology; Giovanni Caforio, Chair of the Board of Directors, Novartis; Zhang Wenfeng, President, State Grid Corporation of China; and Tengku Zafrul Bin Tengku Abdul Aziz, Chairman, Malaysian Investment Development Authority.
Five key questions will underpin the programme and guide discussions:
The map of global economic activity is being redrawn. Trade and industrial policy are increasingly shaping where technologies scale, where investment flows and how supply chains are configured. Governments are taking a more active role in directing capital, setting standards and protecting critical industries. The result is a more contested economic landscape in which the rules of engagement are shifting faster than many institutions can adapt. For leaders at every stage of development, the challenge is to strengthen domestic capabilities while preserving the openness and cooperation essential to long-term prosperity.
China’s pursuit of stability and “new quality productive forces” is reshaping its industrial base and, by extension, international value chains. The 15th Five-Year Plan is expected to reinforce the government’s drive to lead in strategic emerging industries and future technologies, from clean energy manufacturing to advanced semiconductors, combining industrial policy with massive domestic markets and rapid iteration. Increasingly, this model integrates climate mitigation, adaptation and rural revitalization into economic planning, reflecting an effort to align industrial upgrading with resource security and long-term social stability. Yet the country’s economic trajectory also faces structural challenges in property, demographics and debt. The evolution of China’s innovation model will influence growth across Asia and beyond, reshape government and business strategy, and test the boundaries of international economic cooperation.
Despite record levels of investment in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and biotechnology, productivity growth across most economies remains sluggish. The gap between technological possibility and economic reality is widening. In high-growth emerging markets, firms confront stubborn barriers to adoption: outdated regulatory frameworks, fragmented market structures and skills mismatches. The question for leaders is what must change in industrial strategy, regulation and corporate practice to accelerate the deployment of existing technologies.
Growth is a necessary condition for job creation, but it is not a sufficient one. An estimated 40% of global employment is exposed to AI, underscoring the scale of workforce transition ahead. Meeting this challenge will require more than capital. It demands investment in the enabling infrastructure, education, skills and regulatory environments that allow entrepreneurship to flourish and new industries to take root. Tourism, agriculture, value-added manufacturing and the digital economy all offer significant employment potential, but only if governments, businesses and investors align with strategies that encourage job creation and ensure that technological progress expands growth opportunities.
The energy transition is no longer simply an environmental imperative; it is an economic and strategic one. As populations and their energy needs grow, particularly across the fastest-growing emerging economies, the demand for cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy systems is intensifying. Countries that master this transition stand to gain a significant competitive advantage, while those that fall behind risk both economic decline and ecological damage. As digitalization, AI and advanced manufacturing accelerate demand for energy and materials, the challenge is to align innovation in energy and resource systems with resilience, competitiveness and the constraints of planetary boundaries. At the same time, the pressures on natural systems, from biodiversity loss to water scarcity, are compounding in ways that affect long-term economic viability. The challenge is to align energy innovation with broader industrial strategy, protect the natural capital on which prosperity depends, and ensure that the transition drives growth and employment.
“We are in an era where success in scaling innovation will require systemic transformation. The Annual Meeting of the New Champions provides a platform for the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation and next-generation growth,” said Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “As one of the foremost gatherings of world leaders in China, the meeting will foster constructive dialogue, meaningful exchange and partnership for industry transformation. True progress will depend on partnerships between government, business and civil society.”
“Innovators are developing the technologies and ideas that will shape the future, while businesses play a critical role in bringing them into the real economy,” said Mirek Dušek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Together, they can create jobs, strengthen competitiveness and unlock new sources of growth. It is these conversations and partnerships that the meeting in Dalian is designed to accelerate.”
The Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026 will be accessible to the public through the livestreaming of over 50 sessions, including The Next Billion Jobs, US and China: From Here to Where?; What Next for the Middle East’ 15th Five-Year Plan, Unpacked; and What's the Limit for AI-First Enterprises. The Forum will publish new research ahead of and during the meeting, including insights from flagship initiatives such as the Energy Transition Index and the Top 10 Emerging Technologies.
The meeting also marks the 26th year of the Forum’s Technology Pioneers community and will convene new groups, including the investor community, family businesses and a council of chemical industry executives.
“Twenty years of mutual commitment and sincere cooperation have seen the World Economic Forum and Dalian rise together and bring out the best in each other. Coinciding with the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan, this year marks the ninth collaboration between Dalian and the World Economic Forum. Rooted in openness, attuned to the pulse of the times and dedicated to city-wide low-carbon practices, Dalian has upgraded its services and revitalized its cultural charm, standing fully ready to welcome guests from around the globe,” said Li Qiang, Mayor, Dalian Municipal People’s Government.
About the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026
The 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions will take place from 23 to 25 June 2026 in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, under the theme “Innovating at Scale”. The meeting will bring together over 1700 cross-sector leaders to explore how innovation and emerging technologies can unlock new growth models and drive positive economic momentum in a fast-shifting global landscape.
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