The World

As many depart on Saturday morning (including myself), it is time for an assessment of my Davos 2011 four day experience.

First and foremost, an extraordinary, intense and unique experience. There is even now (after 40 years) nothing like it. Forcefully and entrepreneurially driven by (Sir) Klaus Schwab, it really does bring the political, business and NGO elites together in an engaging way.

Overall, economists seem more optimistic than ceos – probably a good sign, given the fact that boards, non-executive directors, chairmen and ceos are so cautious post-Lehman. Good the operators are keeping their powder a little dry.

Even Dr. Doom, Nouriel Roubini, was half half-full. On Wednesday morning he and Zhu Min (a special adviser to the IMF) were cautiously optimistic about 2011 prospects and US growth, although primarily concerned about inflation and consequent interest rate rises. By Wednesday afternoon, three other leading economists in a private session were even more bullish, dismissing (somewhat strangely) even troubling recent political events, as local difficulties.

On my way to Davos and the WEF from Miami and NATPE (conference). Different weather and scenery, but there are similarities.

The WEF Chinese delegation will total over 60 people this year and the Indian will again be significant with 130 delegates. India will be launching an India Inclusive campaign to stress the benefits of economic progress and the growth of a vibrant middle-class and average incomes, while minimising the political impact of increasing disparities in wealth, as the new entrepreneurs of India globalise their operations – Tata, Ambanis, Mittals, Mahindra, Bhartis, Godrejs are all names we are becoming increasingly familiar with on a world stage. Chinese participation is up fivefold in the last decade, Indian up fourfold.