Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), announced his resignation in May 2024, stepping down from his leadership role after over five decades at the helm of the influential globalist organisation. Schwab, often portrayed as a James Bond-style villain in conspiracy circles such as this blog, transitioned to a non-executive role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, with Børge Brende, the WEF's president since 2017, taking over day-to-day operations. This move came amid growing scrutiny of Schwab's influence, the WEF's agenda, and his polarising public persona, which has made him a lightning rod for well-deserved vitriol.
The controversy surrounding Klaus Schwab and the WEF largely stems from the organisation's role as a gathering place for global elites—politicians, CEOs, and billionaires—who convene annually in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss pressing global issues like climate change, economic inequality, and technological innovation. Founded in 1971 as the European Management Forum, the WEF evolved under Schwab's leadership into a powerful platform for shaping global policy, with initiatives like the "Great Reset" launched in 2020 drawing particular ire. The Great Reset, proposed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, called for a reimagining of capitalism to address systemic inequalities, climate change, and digital transformation. However, it quickly became a focal point, with critics alleging it was a blueprint for a globalist takeover, complete with dystopian visions of centralised control, loss of individual freedoms, and a "you'll own nothing and be happy" future—a phrase Schwab used in a 2016 WEF video that went viral.
Schwab's public statements and the WEF's initiatives have fuelled perceptions of him as a shadowy, Bond-esque villain orchestrating a New World Order. His 2020 book, COVID-19: The Great Reset, co-authored with Thierry Malleret, was interpretedas a manifesto for authoritarian control. Critics on platforms like X pointed to Schwab's comments about "penetrating the cabinets" of governments through the WEF's Young Global Leaders program, which has trained figures like Justin Trudeau and Angela Merkel, as evidence of undue influence. Others have gone further,claiming Schwab is part of a cabal seeking to depopulate the world or impose a technocratic regime via technologies like 5G or digital IDs, of which I am proudly one.
The WEF has undeniably shaped global discourse, promoting New World Order concepts like sustainability and corporate responsibility long before they became mainstream. Schwab, a German economist and engineer born in 1938, has been praised for his foresight in recognising globalisation's challenges and opportunities, earning accolades like an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 2006.
Schwab's resignation in 2024 was seen by some as a response to this mounting backlash. At 86, health concerns may have played a role—he underwent heart surgery in 2023—but the timing also coincided with heightened scrutiny of the WEF. In 2023, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation into the WEF's influence on American policy, reflecting broader concerns about its role in domestic affairs. Meanwhile, conservative figures like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly rejected WEF initiatives, with DeSantis banning the use of "ESG" (environmental, social, governance) criteria in state investments, a direct rebuke to WEF-backed ideas. Schwab's step back, while framed as a natural transition, was interpreted by critics as an attempt to distance the WEF from his controversial persona as it navigates an increasingly hostile political landscape.
Klaus Schwab's legacy is a paradox: a man who sought to unite the world through dialogue, but ended up dividing it through perception. On one hand, his vision for the WEF was ambitious and geared for New World Order-thinking. The WEF's work on climate change, for instance, helped mainstream the destructive idea of net-zero emissions, influencing corporate and government policies worldwide.His top-down, elitist style alienates the very people he claims to serve. The WEF's focus on "stakeholder capitalism" often feels like a buzzword, lacking concrete mechanisms to address the real grievances of the working class—wage stagnation, job insecurity, and cultural displacement. Schwab's rhetoric, delivered in a thick German accent that only adds to his villainous caricature, often comes off as tone-deaf. His infamous "you'll own nothing and be happy" line, is an outright expression of the communism seen in songs like John Lennon's Imagine (1971), ignored the visceral human desire for ownership and autonomy, especially among those already squeezed by economic inequality. Moreover, the WEF's coziness with corporate giants like BlackRock and Big Pharma raises questions about whose interests it truly serves. While Schwab preaches sustainability, the WEF's events are a parade of excess—private jets, luxury hotels, and $1,000-a-night escorts in Davos—undermining its moral authority.
Schwab's personal demeanour doesn't help. He exudes a technocratic arrogance, often speaking as if he alone holds the keys to humanity's future. His writings, like The Fourth Industrial Revolution (2016), while insightful about technology's impact, are steeped in a cold, managerial tone that prioritises systems over people. He seems oblivious to how his words—like "penetrating the cabinets"—can be misconstrued, feedingtheories that paint him as a puppet master. In a way, Schwab has become a victim of his own success: the WEF's influence makes it an easy scapegoat for global discontent, and his Bond-villain aesthetic—complete with a bald head, stern gaze, and futuristic rhetoric—only fuels the fire.
Now, let's have a bit of fun with Klaus Schwab's name—because if he's going to be a Bond villain, we might as well lean into that too! "Klaus Schwab" sounds like the kind of name you'd hear in a 007 film, right before he unveils a doomsday device. "Schwab" evokes "swab," as in swabbing the deck of his evil lair's yacht while he plots world domination. Picture Klaus Swab, the villain who's always cleaning up—whether it's the global economy or the mess left by his henchmen after a failed scheme. "Klaus" itself has a harsh, Germanic ring, perfect for barking orders like, "Activate ze Great Reset!" Maybe he's Swabbing Klaus, the villain who polishes his sinister plans to a mirror shine, ensuring every detail of his dystopian vision is spotless. Or perhaps he's Klaus the Swabber, mopping up the world's freedoms with a bucket of technocratic jargon. Either way, the name lends itself to a caricature of a man who's both meticulous and menacing—a true Bond baddie for the 21st century.
In conclusion, Klaus Schwab's resignation marks the end of an era for the WEF, but the controversies he leaves behind will linger. His vision for global cooperation was flawed in theory and execution, marred by elitism, tone-deafness, and a failure to connect with the average person. His persona and the WEF's influence have made him a symbol of everything people distrust about global institutions. And with a name like Klaus Schwab—sorry, Klaus Swab—it's no wonder he's been cast as the villain in the public's imagination. Because, he is, or was.
"The WEF is undergoing a great reset, just not the kind the Davos founder envisioned.
Klaus Schwab's days as chairman are numbered at the World Economic Forum, the technocratic globalist organization he founded in 1971 that hosts an annual conference of supposed elites in Davos, Switzerland.
Schwab told the WEF's board of trustees and staff in a letter on Tuesday seen by the Financial Times that he was beginning a year-long process of stepping down, having already stepped down as the organization's executive chairman last May.
The shake-up in Davos comes between the American-led unrealization of Schwab's proposed "great reset" of capitalism and in the wake of a probe into allegations of discrimination at the WEF.
Toxic workplaceDays after his previous title-drop, the Wall Street Journal published a damning report claiming — on the basis of internal complaints, email exchanges, and interviews with current and past WEF employees — that "under Schwab's decades-long oversight, the forum has allowed to fester an atmosphere hostile to women and black people in its own workplace."
The report noted that at least six female employees were allegedly "pushed out or otherwise saw their careers suffer" when pregnant or coming back from maternity leave. Other women claimed that senior managers had sexually harassed them.
'That was the most disappointing thing.'
"It was distressing to witness colleagues visibly withdraw from themselves with the onslaught of harassment at the hands of high-level staff, going from social and cheerful to self-isolating, avoiding eye contact, sharing nightmares for years after," said Farid Ben Amor, a former media executive who worked at the WEF before resigning in 2019.
Former staffers who worked closely with Schwab told the Journal that the problems went all the way to the top, alleging that the founder "made suggestive comments to them that made them uncomfortable."
The Journal also indicated that black employees complained about managers using racial slurs as well as about allegedly being passed over for promotions. When one employee filed a lawsuit in New York last year claiming the WEF was "hostile to women and black employees," the WEF settled the lawsuit on undisclosed terms.
Cheryl Martin, head of the Center for Global Industries at the WEF, said, "That was the most disappointing thing, to see the distance between what the Forum aspires to and what happens behind the scenes."
The WEF, which routinely lectures the world about racism, the supposed "gender gap," sexism, climate change, and other perceived moral failings, characterized the Journal's report as "inaccurate," stating, "We are an organization that upholds the highest standards of governance, while working to address the most pressing challenges of our time with our high-performance teams, our diverse and global outlook, and an environment that values innovation, inclusion, and well-being."
Tom Clare, legal counsel for the WEF, suggested that the report painting the WEF as a degenerate organization led by hypocrites was both defamatory and illustrative of the Journal's "steady decline."
Toothless investigationIn the wake of the Journal's indications that those keen to control the world were unable to control themselves, the WEF had the law firm Covington and Burling — whose members recently had their security clearances suspended by President Donald Trump — investigate the claims of workplace discrimination and harassment, reported the Financial Times.
The American firm, which conducted its review in conjunction with the Swiss firm Homburger, indicated in a summary of its assessment that it "did not find the forum had committed any legal violations" and "did not substantiate" the misconduct allegations against Schwab.
'Now after the turmoil of the last months, is to recover our sense of mission.'
While the external investigators were unable or unwilling to find proof of guilt, Børge Brende, president and CEO of the WEF, indicated that there was nevertheless an internal desire to make some minor changes.
Brende reportedly noted in an email that the board committee overseeing the law firms' investigation identified "leadership and management issues ... that do not meet our established standards." In addition to affirming the organization's alleged "commitment to a workplace where all employees feel valued and respected," the leadership promised additional training for managers.
Great resetSchwab is apparently convinced that the WEF has yet to recover its "sense of mission," saying as much in his April 1 letter to trustee board members, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva, failed U.S. presidential candidate Al Gore, and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, president of Singapore.
"I am deeply convinced that in today's special context the forum is more important and relevant than ever before," wrote Schwab. "It is also financially very well equipped thanks to successful financial management since its beginning. What is essential now after the turmoil of the last months, is to recover our sense of mission."
The WEF told the Financial Times that Schwab's departure should be completed by January 2027.
Schwab reportedly suggested it was personally significant that he made his announcement on April 1, as it marked the 55th anniversary of the day he began working on the concept of a "global village" — a term coined several years earlier by Canadian intellectual Marshall McLuhan.