Friday, January 30, 2009

DAVOS DIARY, DAY 3: BEN VERWAAYEN, CEO ALCATEL LUCENT

Mint

It seems like there is a need to repeat over and over again how bad the crisis is here in Davos. Last night’s dinner was such an experience—top-notch experts all insisting on how bad it is in their sector.

The speeches of the prime ministers of China and Russia were also full of warnings, although it was striking to see the confidence China shows—to continue to grow around 8%.

But there are also other lessons to learn: Young people are clearly impatient with the mistakes of the present generation. They want a different agenda, a more inclusive one.

It is great to talk to the new generation of executives here, talk to them directly, equal to equal. It is exciting to see the continued passion for programmes such as climate change and the World Food Programme.

Let’s face it, if we want to regain confidence, it won’t be by recreating the world we had when we went into the tunnel of this crisis. This is Switzerland, you sometimes go into a tunnel with one climate and come out with another. That will happen in the economy as well: It will be different and we are better prepared.

Ben Verwaayen is chief executive of Alcatel-Lucent

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