Claude Smadja
Independent Director, Infosys Technologies
Claude is the President of Smadja & Associates, a strategic advisory firm he founded in 2001.
A graduate of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, Claude started his career as a journalist, covering global economic and political issues and interviewing top political leaders. In his last journalistic role, he was the Director for News and Current Affairs at the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
Claude joined the World Economic Forum in 1987 as a Director and Member of the Executive Board. He was instrumental in creating 'World Link', the Forum's magazine for global decision-makers. He initiated the first regional meeting of the World Economic Forum, the East Asia Economic Summit. From January 1996 to June 2001, he was the Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, with overall responsibility of the Davos annual meeting and the Forum's activities in Asia.
Claude is the founder of Smadja & Associates, Strategic Advisory, which works with global corporations and government entities on strategic issues to create "content platforms" - high-profile international conferences, seminars, workshops, briefings and analyses - to help clients navigate and leverage globalization. The firm, with offices in Switzerland and the USA, has clients and partners in North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Claude has extensive knowledge of global economics, business and politics. He is a frequent invitee at international conferences and private business meetings. He is on the Boards of several major corporations, and also serves as a member of the International Board of Overseers of the Illinois Institute of Technology.