A Hefty Price for Entry to Davos

[underpants]

Source: NY Times

Chief executives, government leaders and academics around the world are headed to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting this week — a heady power gathering that mixes business, politics and Champagne in the Swiss Alps. It is an event that draws a wide range of decision makers, from Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase to Prime Minister George A. Papandreou of Greece to U2’s Bono, ostensibly to contemplate how to solve the world’s problems.

There are several levels of membership: the basic level, which will get you one invitation to Davos, costs 50,000 Swiss francs, or about $52,000. The ticket itself is another 18,000 Swiss francs ($19,000), plus tax, bringing the total cost of membership and entrance fee to $71,000.

But that fee just gets you in the door with the masses at Davos, with entry to all the general sessions. If you want to be invited behind the velvet rope to participate in private sessions among your industry’s peers, you need to step up to the “Industry Associate” level. That costs $137,000, plus the price of the ticket, bringing the total to about $156,000.

And if you want to take an entourage, say, five people? Now you’re talking about the “Strategic Partner” level. The price tag: $527,000. (That’s just the annual membership entitling you to as many as five invitations. Each invitation is still $19,000 each, so if five people come, that’s $95,000, making the total $622,000.) This year, all “Strategic Partners” are required to invite at least one woman along as part of an effort to diversify the attendee list.



Read more: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/a-hefty-price-for-entry-to-davos/?hp

[liberal N proud]

1. I guess that is what you would call the good ol' boys club

With a few women sprinkled in to say you are diverse.

[ipaint]

2. The world's problems are getting together to solve the world's problems.

Think they will get to the bottom of who is creating the mess the world is in? Me neither.
It takes a lot of money to stroke that gathering of massive out of control egos.

[era veteran]

3. Davos is already a rich man's playground

No cut rate ski trips there. Perfect place for these people.

[Blue_Tires]

4. i know they are already filthy rich, but where does that money go?

[Frank Booth]

5. This is chump change for those attending.

The kind of people who would balk at the exorbitant price aren't wanted.

[Ghost Dog]

6. ... And 'journalists' covering this get in at what price

for what access?