simon zadek

Copenhagen was a structured, sovereign-state based negotiation with clear rules of engagement (albeit abused). It had a beginning, middle and (at least in theory) an end. It was designed to reach agreement on a specific set of activities entirely focused on the public good. It was also a veritable ‘walk through babylon’ (as my video clip painfully illustrated), and as we now all know deteriorated into a shambolic, ego-laden, mecantilist dog-fight.…

A well-worn ritual is that in the days preceding Davos folks like me are asked by assorted bystanders, “what will it all be about this year”. And so as I begin my annual pilgrimage up the Magic Mountain, I find myself musing on this modern koan. Yes, we will surely talk about financial regulation, or perhaps just about the forthcoming assault on bankers.…