http://www.weforum.org

The World Economic Forum is widely regarded as the premier annual meeting of powerhouse business and political leaders. A Burson-Marsteller survey rated it as the number one venue for chief executives. It was incorporated as a not for profit foundation in 1971, and operates under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Government.

The annual meeting of the WEF is usually held in Davos, Switzerland. Each year, around 2000 people participate in the conference, which consists of workshops and panel discussions that focus on crucial global, regional and industry issues. The Forum has outlined four main initiatives: a disaster resource network, a greenhouse gas initiative, global corporate citizenship, and global health. A large amount of the business attendees are the chief executives of Fortune 500 size companies. A complete list of business leaders can be found at: http://www.weforum.org/pdf/AM_2007/BusinessLeaders.pdf

In addition to the annual meeting, the WEF also holds conferences targeting Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, and India. Another conference, called "Summer Davos" focuses on the power shifts that are transforming the business world. The meeting consists of the top 500 emerging global growth companies. Its inaugural session takes place in Dalian, China. More than 1,500 leaders are expected.