Our events will feature perspectives on key industry and cross-industry topics impacting business, people and the planet.
Agenda
Please note all events are invite only and times listed are in Central European Time (CET).
Monday, 19 January, 2026
17:30 – 19:30
KPMG Lounge, Belvedere Hotel
Evening reception: Inside Davos
An informal drinks reception offering C-suite and Corporate Affairs leaders time to look at the most pertinent topics for the week ahead. William Lewis, CEO and Publisher of The Washington Post, and Simon Lewis, Managing Partner at Lewis Advisors and co-presenter of BBC Sounds podcast “When it Hits the Fan” will engage in conversation, moderated by Jane Lawrie, KPMG’s Global Head of Corporate Affairs.
Expect a rich, insightful discussion as brothers William and Simon share their perspectives on hot topics including everything from geopolitics to AI, and how to navigate the week ahead.
Tuesday, 20 January, 2026
07:00 – 08:30
KPMG Lounge, Belvedere Hotel
France C-suite event
In partnership with Les Echos
A roundtable moderated by Jean-Marc Vittori in conversation with Thomas Gomart, Director of French Institute of International Relations.
08:15 – 09:10
Summit Stage, AI House
What Drives the Deal? AI and the New Logic of M&A
AI is becoming a game-changer in M&A, reshaping why deals happen, how targets are valued, and which industries will evolve next. This session will challenge traditional assumptions and explore the future of deal-making. How is AI redefining what companies seek to acquire, is the motive shifting toward securing talent and technology, or toward adapting to new business models as existing ones mature? How should deal teams think about valuing AI capabilities, are they worth a premium, or becoming part of the standard operating baseline? Do acquisitions of AI-intensive businesses introduce new types of risk, or simply amplify familiar integration challenges? And how does AI influence overall M&A lifecycle? This session is designed for dealmakers, strategists, and innovators looking to understand how AI is not only influencing M&A, but reshaping the strategic logic behind it.
Speakers:
- Eva Scherer, CFO and Member of the Board of Management, Daimler Truck
- Alexander Mayer, Head of J.P. Morgan Germany & Austria, Senior Country Officer
- Dagmar Mundani, Corporate Vice President-Mergers, Acquisitions, Post Closing and Government Engagement, Siemens
Moderator:
- Holger Kneisel, Head of Advisory, KPMG Germany
11:45 – 12:30
Dome 1 (Zone S), Ice Village
Future of Digital Connectivity and the evolution of the web in a post-AI world
Part of the Official Davos 2026 Accredited Program
KPMG in collaboration with Microsoft, Mastercard and Cloudflare is discussing the agentic transformation and the multi-faceted impacts on individuals, citizens, economic structures and the roles of governments and businesses. As AI, quantum computing and immersive technologies converge, a new form of the internet is emerging, one that is agentic, immersive and hyper-personalized. This evolution fosters a web where autonomous agents interact seamlessly with users and other digital entities, and data is used in new ways.
Attendees will gain insight into:
- How ‘the next generation of the internet’ will be reshaped by emerging technologies.
- The impact of this transformation on digital identity, authenticity and human agency.
- The wider impact on our economy, public services and society.
Panelists:
- Lisa Monaco, President, Microsoft Global Affairs
- Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer, Mastercard
- Stephanie Cohen, Chief Strategy Officer, Cloudflare
- Steve Chase, Global Head of AI and Digital innovation, KPMG
Moderator: Regina Mayor, Global Head of Clients and Markets, KPMG International
12:00 – 14:00
Belvedere Hotel
Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) roundtable lunch
Discussion on “taking the pulse on corporate sustainability” including the shift in focus at a corporate level towards adaptation and resilience strategies rather than just mitigation strategies
Discussion led by Mike Hayes and Sherry Marera, CEO of CDP
Plus Centre for Climate and energy solutions
16:00 – 18:00
KPMG Lounge, Belvedere Hotel
German C-suite event | Turning Tides: navigating growth in a world out of sync
In partnership with Die Zeit
Panelists:
- Markus Krebber, CEO, RWE
- Doctor Bettina Orlopp, CEO, Commerzbank
- Member of the Board of Siemens Digital industries
Additional panelists to be announced
19:00 – 21:00
Summit Stage, AI House
AI Sovereignty Gap: Securing Europe’s Strategic Position
Europe is at a critical juncture in the global AI race, facing a growing sovereignty gap compared to the US and China. The study “AI Geopolitics 2030: The New Power Distribution Through Strategic AI Sovereignty” analyzes Europe’s AI competitiveness and introduces the Strategic AI Capability Index to measure national capabilities and the economic cost of this gap. Featuring CXO interviews and future scenarios, it offers strategic recommendations to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty and global position in the age of intelligent systems.
This dinner, with the launch of the study, aims to share insights on how Europe can navigate the shifting power dynamics of AI geopolitics and AI governance.
Wednesday, 21 January, 2026
07:00 – 08:30
KPMG Lounge, Belvedere Hotel
From Climate Pledges to Leadership and Impact: Catalyzing Markets for Systemic Change
Hosted by KPMG with Kinetic Coalition, Symbiosis and the LEAF Coalition
Some of the world’s largest companies, from tech to consumer goods and financial services – representing trillions of dollars in market capital – are joining forces through buyers’ coalitions, such as Symbiosis, Kinetic, and LEAF, to build markets for a new class of high-impact carbon credits and meet their ambitious climate goals.
This invite-only breakfast for CEOs, CSOs and other senior leaders will explore how companies backing these market-shaping coalitions are demonstrating credible leadership and mobilizing climate capital at scale to tackle systemic problems such as decarbonization of energy grids and protection and restoration forests – both vital to meeting the Paris Agreement targets.
Reflecting one of the key Davos 2026 themes - building prosperity within planetary boundaries – the event will feature a range of senior speakers sharing:
- First-hand experience from corporates already leveraging buyers’ coalitions to deliver real climate impact and support business goals
- Pathways to join these coalitions, backed by some of the world’s most influential companies
- Strategic insights on moving from commitments to measurable outcomes in 2026.
Panelists:
- Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer, Microsoft
- Sunya Norman, SVP of Impact, Salesforce
- Jen Morris, Nature Conservatory
- Bayer representative
12:00 – 12:55
Summit Stage, AI House
What is a Job? Architecting the NextGen Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Scale
AI is redefining how organizations create, coordinate, and capture value. As enterprises become AI-native, traditional organizational models are being dismantled and the boundaries of what a ‘job’ is are being reshaped entirely.
Collaboration between humans and AI agents is transforming organizations from rigid structures into dynamic systems of intelligence. Acting as co-workers and autonomous economic actors, they reshape work, markets, and accountability. Business models shift toward Intelligence-as-a-Service, capability marketplaces, and algorithmic organizations. While AI boosts agility and scalability, it raises governance, transparency, and ethical challenges.
This panel focuses on how human–agent organizations are transforming industries and redefining business models and what this means for strategy, leadership, and the future of work.
Panelist:
- May Habib, Co-Founder and CEO, Writer
- Alessandro de Luca, Head of Digital Enterprise Solutions and Group CIO, Merck
- Judith Wiese, Chief People and Sustainability Officer and Member of the Managing Board, Siemens
Moderator: Ashish Madan, Managing Partner, CTO, KPMG in Germany
12:00 – 14:00
Central Sporthotel
Indian c-suite event | Shift from emerging to pivotal: India in the new geoeconomic order
In partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry
The session will focus on how India has moved from emerging to a pivotal system shaper in global economics, geopolitics and digitalization
Panelists:
- Bill Thomas, Global Chairman & CEO, KPMG International
- Yezdi Nagporewalla, Chief Executive Officer, KPMG in India
Additional panelists to be announced
13:00 – 15:00
Goals House
Strengthening Climate Resilience Across Asia Pacific’s Critical Infrastructure
Hosted by Zürich Insurance in collaboration with KPMG this event will focus on the use of digital tools to assist with supply chain resilience in emerging markets with a particular focus on the ASPAC region.
Hosted by: Tulsi Naidu, CEO, APAC, Zurich Insurance
Panelist: Mike Hayes, Global Head of Climate Change & Decarbonization and Global Head of Renewables
15:55 – 16:50
Emmy Noether Room, AI House
Empowering defenders: AI as the New Frontier in Cyber Defense
AI is transforming the cybersecurity landscape. While bad actors are already leveraging AI to launch sophisticated attacks, automate exploitation, and amplify disinformation campaigns, AI also offers defenders unprecedented capabilities to predict, prevent, and respond to threats. This roundtable explores how AI is empowering cyber defenders to achieve secure outcomes and help enhance resilience, close the skills gap, and establish global standards for responsible innovation.
Participants:
- Jay Choudhary, CEO, Chairman & Founder, Z Scaler
Alina Timofeeva, Influence Board Member, BCS
Michael Daniel, President & CEO, Cyber Threat Alliance - Mark Hughes, Global Managing Partner, Cybersecurity Services, IBM
- Belisario Contreas, Senior Director, Global Security and Technology Services, Venable LLP
- Prof. Dr. Kathrin Kind, Core Member at WEF
- Mathias Bossardt, Leader Cyber & Digital Risk Consulting, Partner KPMG in Switzerland
- Ryan Gillis, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Partnerships, Z Scaler
- Sundeep Wadje, Managing Director, Global Head of Emerging Technology Operational Risks & Intelligence, BNP Paribas
- Ajay Waghray, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Office, PG & E
- Sanjay Kaul, Group CEO, GIFT City
- Tom Muler, CEO & Co-Founder, Revel8 AI
- Mark Matheos, CFO, Dragos
- Robert Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, Dragos
Moderator: Akhilesh Tuteja, Head of Clients and Industries, KPMG in India
16:00 – 17:00
KPMG Lounge, Belvedere Hotel
Female Leaders event: Turning feedback into focus
CEOs are investing boldly in technology, innovation and talent and finding opportunities in the midst of disruption according to KPMG’s latest CEO Outlook. Agility, transparency and the ability to manage risks are seen as top leadership capabilities, with economic uncertainty as the top threat and risk resilience as a key attribute. The overriding message: CEOs need to rethink their organizations’ roles and responsibilities and adapt their growth strategies to navigate the growing complexities of today’s business environment.
What’s working well and why? Where are the opportunities to improve performance and drive progress? What are the best strategies to influence change?
A panel of senior business leaders unpack the key themes of the survey in a conversation that will go beyond the data to share real stories, reflections and suggestions that will help us turn insights into action.
Panelists:
- Beatrice Guillaume-Grabisch, L'Oréal Board & Audit Committee Member; Former Nestlé Executive Vice-President, Corporate Group HR and Business Services
- Sinead Gorman, CFO, Shell
- May Habib, CEO, Writer
Moderator: Regina Mayor, Global Head of Clients and Markets, KPMG International
Thursday, 22 January, 2026
08:00 – 09:30
House of Switzerland
Quality as Strategic Advantage in the Built Environment
In partnership with the Davos Baukultur Alliance
This session explores how a broader, more holistic understanding of quality drives measurable value across the full lifecycle of places and the entire delivery value chain. Embedding holistic quality into investment decisions, design, and delivery — viewed through a strategic lens — strengthens delivery confidence, safeguards asset performance, and builds lasting partnerships and value with communities.
The discussion will support the Alliance’s effort to create an upstream, decision -making framework that helps leaders recognize where and how quality creates value, and connects those insights to the actions, tools, and practices that strengthen delivery to shape thriving places and impactful organizations.
Panelist: Lisa Kelvey, Global Head of Infrastructure & Transportation, KPMG International
10:30 – 12:00
Axios House
Navigating the Finance Sector’s Technological Transformation
This is a bespoke event solely hosted by KPMG US and will feature Atif Zaim for a moderated fireside chat. There will be two editorial speakers, one of whom is confirmed to be Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.
10:45 – 11:40
Summit Stage, AI House
Shadow AI: The Hidden Layer of Intelligence
This panel explores “Shadow AI” models, tools, and autonomous agents operating outside formal oversight. As AI proliferates beyond institutional control, risks around security, governance, and accountability intensify. The discussion examines how organizations and policymakers can detect, audit, and manage hidden AI systems, and how to balance open innovation with the systemic risks posed by unmonitored or unauthorized intelligent agents.
Panelist:
- Menna El-Assady, Professor, ETH Zurich and Faculty, ETH AI Center
- Navrina Singh, Founder and CEO, Credo AI
- Peter Tsankov, Co-Founder and CEO, LatticeFlow AI
Moderator: Akhilesh Tuteja, Head of Clients and Industries, KPMG in India
12:00 – 13:00
KPMG Lounge, Belvedere Hotel
UK C-suite event: Going for growth: Building a confident, competitive and resilient UK
In partnership with Confederation of British Industry
This session will offer an opportunity for senior business leaders to reflect on the week and explore how the UK can build the confidence, competitiveness and resilience needed to thrive in an increasingly complex global landscape. We will discuss how business and government can work together to drive sustainable growth, unlock global investment and innovation, and strengthen the UK’s ability to navigate geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
13:25 – 14:20
Emmy Noether Room, AI House
The Delicate Act of Balancing AI Sovereignty With Global AI Interoperability
AI sovereignty is becoming a defining factor for competitiveness and security worldwide as AI increasingly underpins critical infrastructure, industrial innovation, and economic growth. At the same time, enterprises operate in global value chains and rely on cross-border AI capabilities, cloud ecosystems, and international standards. This roundtable explores how global organizations, tech giants, and emerging AI innovation ecosystems can balance sovereignty requirements with global AI operating realities. It aims to identify where independence is essential, where collaboration remains strategically smart, and how to avoid new lock-ins while building resilient, multi-provider AI platforms. Ultimately, the discussion will examine pragmatic, sovereign-yet-global strategies and strategic partnerships across the AI stack to secure long-term competitive advantage, while still enabling global-scale innovation and enterprise value creation.
Panelist:
- Asha Sharma, President, CoreAI & GitHub
- Philipp Herzig, Chief Technology Officer, SAP
Moderators:
- Rene Vader, Global Advisory Head of Clients & Markets, Global Markets AI Lead, KPMG International
- Hendrik Thorner, Global Lead Partner for SAP, KPMG in Germany
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