Nicholas Davis
Nicholas has a premium accountClick to upgrade to Premium
Innovation leader, advisor, key-note speaker and co-author of "Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution"
Cologny, Geneva, Switzerland 500+ connections

About
I'm an Australian innovation and strategy professional focused on three ways that individuals, communities and organizations can drive success for business and society. First, I help organizations to understand the key forces changing the world, and their role in shaping the future. Second I help firms, non-profits and governments to undertake analysis, construct strategies and build business models that make the most of today's emerging technologies. And third, I support organisational transformation.

I have 15 years experience in economic analysis, strategy, foresight, technology policy and public-private partnerships. I've been lucky enough to author a range of journal articles, reports and other publications on strategic foresight, innovation, technology, global risk, foreign investment, regional development, industry-level strategies and national scenarios.

I am a regular key note speaker, facilitator and moderator for high level events, including at Dreamforce 2017-19, Unbound 2019, multiple TEDx events, AI for Good 2017 and 2019, CeBIT Australia 2017, CMSF 2018, WIRE 2016 and innumerable World Economic Forum meetings. I also regularly give lectures and symposia at universities around the world, most recently at the University of Oxford, University College London, the University of New South Wales, Swinburne University of Technology, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

I spent more than a decade at the World Economic Forum, supporting governments, multinational firms, and civil society organisations to collaborate on global challenges. Most recently, I led the Forum's Society and Innovation team, responsible for engagement and strategy across our civil society communities as well as our cross-cutting work on "The Fourth Industrial Revolution". I sat on the Forum's Executive Committee and report to the Forum's Executive Chairman, Klaus Schwab. In January 2019 I published a book with Klaus Schwab, Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0792K2WCJ

Areas of expertise: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, innovation strategy, strategic foresight, global risks, scenario planning, foreign direct investment, macro- and micro-economic analysis, project management and evaluation, investment in transitional and developing economies, strategy consulting, negotiation, policy design and development, horizon scanning, facilitation.

Experience
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Special Advisor, Innovation
Company NameGavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Dates EmployedJun 2020 – Present
Employment Duration6 mos
LocationGeneva, Switzerland
As Special Advisor, Innovation, I support Gavi's efforts to develop innovative products, practices and services in order to better deliver to its mission: to save lives and protect people's health by increasing coverage and the equitable use of vaccines.

I'm proud to be joining an organization that promotes equity and focuses on reaching missed and marginalised communities as its first priority. Vaccines protect people at all stages of life, by preventing both primary causes of mortality in children (including diarrhoea and pneumonia) and preventing cancers later in life triggered by vaccine-preventable infections (such as cervical cancer from HPV and liver cancer from hepatitis B).

I'm also excited to be able to join and support Gavi as they develop innovative financing and distribution strategies to provide rapid and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to as broad a global population as possible, via their COVAX Facility and other investments.
see less
SWIFT Partners Sàrl
Managing Director
Company NameSWIFT Partners Sàrl
Dates EmployedSep 2019 – Present
Employment Duration1 yr 3 mos
LocationGeneva Area, Switzerland
SWIFT Partners helps organizations of all types to understand, develop and embed emerging technologies in ways that deliver value to all their stakeholders. Our clients include major tech firms, global NGOs, OECD governments and world-leading universities.
Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University
Professor of Practice
Company NameThunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University
Dates EmployedSep 2019 – Present
Employment Duration1 yr 3 mos
LocationGeneva Area, Switzerland
As Professor of Practice at Thunderbird School of Global Management, I work with the Dean of the school to support Thunderbird's positioning as the #1 in the world ranked school for innovation for 2019 (ranked by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education). Arizona State University is ranked #1 in innovation by U.S. News & World Report.

My research focus, undertaken in close collaboration with my excellent colleagues across Thunderbird and ASU, is on the ethics and governance of emerging technologies.
see less
World Economic Forum
Company NameWorld Economic Forum
Total Duration13 yrs 1 mo
TitleHead of Society and Innovation, Member of the Executive Committee
Dates EmployedMay 2015 – Aug 2019
Employment Duration4 yrs 4 mos
LocationGeneva, Switzerland
As Head of Society and Innovation I have two overlapping roles. First, I oversee a talented team responsible for engaging the Forum's Civil Society communities of global NGO, labour and faith leaders. Second, I lead the theme of "the Fourth Industrial Revolution" for the World Economic Forum, developing and managing activities and initiatives that explore how society, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation co-evolve.

Building on the excellent work of the Civil Society group, the deep expertise of our industry and systems initiatives as well as our previous projects related to innovation and entrepreneurship, the Society and Innovation team draws on the wealth of research across our partners and systems initiatives to bring together policy makers, business leaders, academic communities and civil society representatives. Our reports, books, workshops and board consultations support adaptive, responsive and responsible innovation policies and strategies.

Activities include:

* The Forum's cross-cutting work on the "Fourth Industrial Revolution", building a new set of initiatives focused on creating a public-private legislative ecosystem helping governments, firms and civil society to collaborate on managing the risks and benefits of emerging technologies.
* Overseeing 14 of the Forum's "Global Futures Councils" relating to technology and innovation, each comprising 25 world leading experts at the cutting edge of emerging technologies.
* Working alongside the Forum's Global Risks team to identify and address security, economic and political risks stemming from emerging technologies.
* Entrepreneurship and Innovation project support and advice across the Forum.
* Leading the WIPO-World Economic Forum Inventor's Assistance Programme, a joint initiative of the Forum and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) aimed at providing pro bono IP services to under‐resourced inventors in developing countries.
see less
TitleGlobal Leadership Fellow
Dates EmployedAug 2006 – Aug 2019
Employment Duration13 yrs 1 mo
As a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum I participate in an executive leadership programme which involves extensive contact with the Forum’s numerous public and private-sector partners, as well as taking academic and leadership development courses provided by INSEAD, LBS, Columbia University and the Wharton School.

I'm also excited to mentor other fellows and support the professional development of my peers through formal and informal interactions throughout the programme.
see less
Show 4 more roles
Oxford Investment Research
Director
Company NameOxford Investment Research
Dates EmployedJun 2003 – Aug 2006
Employment Duration3 yrs 3 mos
Oxford Investment Research (OIR) is an economic think-tank and policy research consultancy focused on the link between foreign direct investment and economic development. At OIR I was responsible for coordinating the group’s consulting and research functions.

I managed a team of researchers and analysts, developed the world-class International Project Locator (IPL) database, oversaw the production of major research papers and acquired and managed a range active public-sector clients. My consulting engagements included analyzing optimal target sectors for a major European government ministry, building the investment promotion strategy for infrastructure development in the Gulf region, and working with a Fortune Global 25 company to model the FDI externalities of infrastructure investments. As a founding director I played a key role in taking OIR from startup to a cash-positive firm serving major international clients such as Invest Australia and the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency.
see less
Windeyer Dibbs
Solicitor
Company NameWindeyer Dibbs
Dates Employed2002 – 2003
Employment Duration1 yr
I was employed as a solicitor for the commercial practice group and then the employment law/industrial relations practice group. As a solicitor in the Supreme Court of New South Wales I acted regularly in the Industrial Relations Tribunal, developed a range of advocacy, client and research skills, successfully handled carriage of complex matters and was involved in extensive briefing of counsel.
see less
Show fewer experiences
Education
University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Degree NameMBAField Of StudyFinance, Strategy, Scenario PlanningGradeDistinction
Dates attended or expected graduation2005 – 2006

Activities and Societies: Class Representative, Social Secretary of New College, Summer Eights Rowing, OUANZ, Tutored international students at New and Somerville Colleges in International Business, Business Ethics and International Economics
Deans Prize for best student in EMBA class, graduated with Distinction

Member of New College, including MCR leadership roles

Harvard University
Harvard University
Degree NameGlobal Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century
Dates attended or expected graduation2016 – 2016

Awarded a certificate of completion for the Global Leadership and Public Policy in the 21st Century Program, April 2016, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Executive Education.

East China University of Politics and Law
East China University of Politics and Law
Degree NameCourse in Chinese Legal Systems
Dates attended or expected graduation2002 – 2002

University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Degree NameBachelor of Laws (LLB)Field Of StudyLaw
Dates attended or expected graduation1997 – 2001

Activities and Societies: St Paul's College 1997-2001, Law Revue 1999-2001, Director of Student Publications, Member of the Student Representative's Council, Law School 1st XI, President of Sydney University Rock Climbing & Mountaineering Society
Graduated with Honours,
St Paul’s College Scholarship for Academic Achievement,
Major interests:
• Public International Law,
• Legal Systems in Developing Countries,
• Intellectual Property and Law of the Internet

University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Degree NameBachelor of Arts
Dates attended or expected graduation1997 – 1999

Activities and Societies: St Paul's College 1997-2001
Show fewer education