World Economic Forum Annual Report 2006/2007

World Economic Forum Annual Report 2006/2007 21In addition to joining a highly successful series ofGovernors Meetings during the Annual Meetingin Davos, our Industry Partners have been activein a number of other key areas. For example,Industry Partners of the financial services, IT andtelecoms industries commissioned the Forumto launch a scenario analysis, aimed at exploringhow technology will transform financial servicesup to 2020. The scenarios draw on the viewsof over 150 practitioners and experts from IT,telecoms and financial services. They examineissues such as the development of emergingtechnologies, trust in cyber security, the roleof specialized new players and broadeningaccess to financial services.We also published our first-ever Travel & TourismCompetitiveness Index (TTCI), based on workmandated by our aviation, travel and tourism (T&T)Industry Partners. Covering 124 countries, thereport provides unique data on many relevantqualitative institutional and business environmentissues. The TTCI uses a combination of data frompublicly available sources, international T&Tinstitutions and experts. It also draws on theresults of the Executive Opinion Survey, acomprehensive annual survey conducted by theForum, together with its network of PartnerInstitutes in the countries covered by the report.Energy security and climate change are a toppriority for our Energy Industry Partners. Accordingto the International Energy Authority (IEA), societyis not investing enough to renew and expand itsenergy infrastructure. To address this, our EnergySecurity Roundtable seeks to create dialoguebetween relevant groups. For example, a meetingwas held between sector leaders and the RussianGovernment earlier this year.In the context of the Gleneagles Dialogue,we provided business input to the G8, withrecommendations on the future climateframework. Specific recommendations includeda focus on linking mayors with energy companiesto improve energy efficiency in cities; splitting thewheat from the chaff in the context of biofuels;and developing Energy Poverty Alliances toelectrify off-grid villages in sub-Saharan Africa.I’m fortunate to be heavily involvedwith the Information Technologies andTelecommunications Governors, who arefocused on helping to bring technology tohigh-growth markets around the world. Ona regional basis, I’m happy to say that theIT Governors have played roles in a varietyof pilot programmes and technology trialsin Brazil, Africa, India, the Middle East andother regions.Hector RuizChairman and CEO, AMD, USA