THE SECRET OF SUCCESS
In over 15 years of experience as an Internet company , we have made most of the mistakes one can make.
On this journey we continuously asked ourselves the same question - what makes certain companies so much more successful than others?
Is it leadership, team skills, strategy, or simply being at the right place at the right time?
We have made it our mission to collectively come one step closer to finding the key to the secret of success.
By interacting with experts from around the globe, we enable our community to gain insight into the most important developments and strategies you need to become a digital leader.
This is what WORLDWEBFORUM is about - since 2012.
Day 1
JANUARY 24, 2017
Select one of the tabs below to see the full schedule..
MAIN HALL

Digitization has changed the global economy with more speed and force than any other factor to date.
Entire industries have been and continue to be disrupted, with new innovations and concepts emerging daily.
Companies who do not transform themselves will eventually be replaced by younger, more innovative companies who can keep up with the rapid pace of the digital age.
Transformation occurs on different levels. The combination of self, team, organization and leadership transformation forms highly advanced companies.
Therefore, we annually bring together experts from each field to inspire, motivate, and guide you to becoming a top digital player, and getting one step closer to finding the key to the "secret of success".
Each speaker offers a unique point of view and answers the most relevant questions by helping you understand each dimension of transformation.
SELF TRANSFORMATION
Self transformation is the first aspect in the transformation process that comes from the inside.
How do you transform your skills, talents, personality, and self-management to become the best version of yourself?
But what does it take for such a transformation to happen?
Do you have a questions for one of our self transformation experts?
- How can you access to your inner strengths and let your creative processes evolve?
- How do you solidify your knowledge and skills and apply them to become a great leader?
- How do you design the best version of yourself and become a leading player in your field?
09:20
ACT LIKE A LEADER, THINK LIKE A LEADER
HERMINIA IBARRA
PROF. OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
CORA CHAIRED PROF. OF LEADERSHIP & LEARNING INSEAD FONTAINEBLEAU, FR
09:40
FROM TEMPORARY EXPERIENCE TO LASTING CHANGE
MARIAN GOODELL
FOUNDING MEMBER & CEO BURNING MAN SAN FRANCISCO, CA
TEAM TRANSFORMATION
For a long time, the general cosensus was that focus, hierarchy and stability determine the success of a company.
However, the current consensus is that teams are the biggest value to a company and can embrace entrepreneurship, flexibility, and innovation.
Be inspired by the famous Silicon Valley work-ethic and culture and understand how to enforce it in your company or team.
Do you have a questions for one of our team transformation experts?
- How do you recruit, retain, and train your team to achieve the best possible results?
- How do you get the A-team and drive your team to become effective?
- How can one reinvent a team to become self-proficient and embrace failure?
- How can one ensure that creative processes are encouraged and not hindered?
10:00
THE ENDURING MYTH OF HEROIC LEADERSHIP
JEFF EGGERS
PRINCIPAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
NAVY SEAL VETERAN WASHINGTON, D.C.
10:20
LEADERSHIP
Michael Wade
Professor of Innovation & Strategy
Director of the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation LAUSANNE
ORGANIZATION TRANSFORMATION
Organizations are complex structures that are interdependent with their surroundings.
Learn how to sense changes in your environment and quickly adapt to these changes by reinventing and transforming your business.
Do you have a questions for one of our organization transformation experts?
- How do you break existing structures in order to rebuild a more effective organization?
- How do you create an adaptive and loose structure?
- How do you digitize your organization?
- How do you design a viable organization that responds to environmental change with a flexible, flat, and temporary profile?
How should established organizations react to being disrupted?
Which measures does a disruptor have to take in order to prevent being shut down by 'the old economy?
10:25
FIRESIDE CHAT
KEVIN BANDY
Senior Vice President & Chief Digital Officer CISCO San Francisco, CA
Michael Wade
Professor of Innovation & Strategy
Director of the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation LAUSANNE
10:45
GOOGLE & SWITZERLAND: SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
URS HÖLZLE
SENIOR VP FOR TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Google Mountain View, CA
11:05 - 11:30
BREAK
12:10
DRIVING SUCCESS BY LETTING GO
CAIT O'RIORDAN
CHIEF PRODUCT AND INFORMATION OFFICER LONDON, UK
12:30 - 13:30
LUNCH
(available from 12:00)
Breakout Sessions
(for more information, please click on Breakout Sessions)
ARENA
(For more information, please click on Arena)
WORLD TRANSFORMATION
"A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
World transformation starts within. It is about mentality, perseverence, team building, strategy, leadership and pulling each part of the company together to form one entity.
Learn from some of the most influential and iconic leaders worldwide and gain insight into the way they think, act, and execute in order to change the world.
Do you have a questions for one of our world transformation experts?
- How do you manage the combination of rapidity and complexity?
- Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, & co.: how do they do it?
- How do you increase the quality of your employees' work by letting go of your authority?
- How do you shift from being a traditional problem-solver to a focalizer, facilitator, synthesizer, and synergizer?
- What is the perfect mix of knowledge, skills, attitudes, creativity, and consciousness?
13:30
THE SYNERGY OF TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVITY
ED CATMULL
CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT PIXAR & DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS SAN FRANCISCO, CA
14:00
FIRESIDE CHAT
ED CATMULL
CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT PIXAR & DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS SAN FRANCISCO, CA
JOHN THORNHILL
INNOVATION EDITOR AT FINANCIAL TIMES LONDON, UK
14:15
TOPIC
Johann Schneider Ammann
Federal Councillor
Minister of Economic Affairs
Education and Research
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BERN
14:30
TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY MUST WORK TOGETHER AT ALL SCALES
SIR TIM BERNERS-LEE
INVENTOR WORLD WIDE WEB CAMBRIDGE, MA
14:55
FIRESIDE CHAT
SIR TIM BERNERS-LEE
INVENTOR WORLD WIDE WEB CAMBRIDGE, MA
JOHN THORNHILL
INNOVATION EDITOR AT FINANCIAL TIMES LONDON, UK
15:15
APERO
16:00
LIVE INTERVIEW WITH SRF
ED CATMULL
CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT PIXAR & DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS SAN FRANCISCO, CA
16:40
APÉRO & NETWORKING
(available from 15:00)
18:30
ALUMNI DINNER AT LASALLE ZURICH
(only included in premium packages)
PRESENTED BY
LaSalle is a modern restaurant with classical touches but without gimmicks, neither in the kitchen nor in its architecture.
The majority of dishes have their roots in French or Italian cuisines.
The menu has an emphasis on fish and seafood but is richly complimented by meat and poultry, pasta and vegetarian creations.
THE "ARENA" IS PRESENTED BY
INVESTMENT
Tama Vakeesan
Moderator of the Block "Investment"
11:30
VENTURE CAPITAL IN 2017: TRENDS, RISKS, AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF US
Toni Schneider
Partner True Ventures San Francisco, CA
11:50
HOW DATA IS IMPACTING THE WORLD AND YOUR STRATEGY
Philipp Stauffer
Co-Founder & Managing Director at Fyrfly Venture Partners San Francisco, CA
Brett Hurt
Co-founder & CEO of data.world Austin, TX
12:30
LUNCH
(available from 12:00 at Main Hall)
DIGITAL HUBS
(Lunch Session)
12:45 - 13:15
MARC WALDER
CEO RINGIER AG & INITIATOR DIGITALSWITZERLAND ZURICH
PHILIPP RÖSLER
MANAGING BOARD MEMBER WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM GENEVA
ERIC VAN DER KLEIJ
Chairman of Advisory Group DIT GEP Programme
Special Fintech Adviser to the Swiss Kickstart Accelerator
Break out of the norm
In 2012 we launched our first WORLDWEBFORUM including many interactive sessions. Due to our rapid growth we temporarily had stopped this feature as we faced space constraints.
Due to our move to a new venue, we have the opportunity to reintroduce our popular feature of breakout sessions in 2017.
Breakout sessions serve for knowledge-transfer by bringing together speakers and smaller groups of participants who can ask questions, get feedback, discuss topics, & more.
Breakout sessions will take part in various areas of the venue. Check out location map for detailed info on where which session will be taking place.
Please note : Due to the limited number of participants we kindly as you to register for one of the sessions after having purchased your ticket.
Registration:
coming soon...
BLOCK I & II
11:30 - 12:00
12:00 - 12:30
Room
"FOO FIGHTERS"
URS HÖLZLE
SENIOR VP FOR TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Google Mountain View, CA
Thomas Billeter
Room
"Krokus"
KEVIN BANDY
Senior Vice President & Chief Digital Officer CISCO San Francisco, CA
Michael Wade
Professor of Innovation & Strategy
Director of the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation IMD Lausanne
Room
"KORN"
MARIAN GOODELL
FOUNDING MEMBER & CEO BURNING MAN SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Prof. Ruedi A. Müller-Beyeler
Head of Institute for Media and Communication at HTW Chur
Room
"GUNS N' ROSES"
JEFF EGGERS
PRINCIPAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
NAVY SEAL VETERAN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Lecturer at HTW Chur eMBA Digital Transformation
Founder at peopleWORKS GmbH
Room
"METALLICA"
HERMINIA IBARRA
PROF. OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
CORA CHAIRED PROF. OF LEADERSHIP & LEARNING INSEAD FONTAINEBLEAU, FR
BLOCK III & IV
16:00 - 16:30
16:30 - 17:00
Room
"KORN"
Dr. Michael Baeriswyl
Head of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Group at Swisscom Enterprise Customers
Room
(only 15:30 - 16:00)
"Metallica"
Presenting the Digital Manifest of Switzerland
STAGE ONE, JANUARY 24, 2017 | |||
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MAIN HALL | ARENA | BREAKOUT ROOMS | |
7:30 AM | Networking Breakfast | ||
7:35 AM | |||
7:40 AM | |||
7:45 AM | |||
7:50 AM | |||
7:55 AM | |||
8:00 AM | |||
8:05 AM | |||
8:10 AM | |||
8:15 AM | |||
8:20 AM | |||
8:25 AM | |||
8:30 AM | |||
8:35 AM | |||
8:40 AM | |||
8:45 AM | |||
8:50 AM | |||
8:55 AM | Show Kickoff | ||
9:00 AM | Fabian Hediger CEO | ||
9:05 AM | |||
9:10 AM | Ole Tillmann | ||
9:15 AM | |||
9:20 AM | Herminia Ibarra
| ||
9:25 AM | |||
9:30 AM | |||
9:35 AM | |||
9:40 AM | Marian Goodell | ||
9:45 AM | |||
9:50 AM | |||
9:55 AM | |||
10:00 AM | Jeff Eggers | ||
10:05 AM | |||
10:10 AM | |||
10:15 AM | |||
10:20 AM | Michael Wade | ||
10:25 AM | Kevin Bandy VP & CDO at Cisco | ||
10:30 AM | |||
10:35 AM | |||
10:40 AM | |||
10:45 AM | Urs Hölzle Senior VP for Technical Infrastructure | ||
10:50 AM | |||
10:55 AM | |||
11:00 AM | |||
11:05 AM | |||
11:10 AM | |||
11:15 AM | Break | ||
11:20 AM | |||
11:25 AM | |||
11:30 AM | Anita Roth Head of Policy Research | Toni Schneider | Rooms
Foo Fighters - Urs Hölzle, Google
(see Breakout Rooms tab) |
11:35 AM | |||
11:40 AM | |||
11:45 AM | |||
11:50 AM | Bill Liao Co-Founder at Xing & Coders Dojo
| Philipp Stauffer
| |
11:55 AM | |||
12:00 PM | |||
12:05 PM | |||
12:10 PM | Cait O'Rioardan
| James Monsees
| |
12:15 PM | |||
12:20 PM | |||
12:25 PM | |||
12:30 PM | Lunch (available from 12:00) | ||
12:35 PM | |||
12:40 PM | |||
12:45 PM | Lunch Session Marc Walder Philipp Rösler
| ||
12:50 PM | |||
12:55 PM | |||
1:00 PM | |||
1:05 PM | |||
1:10 PM | |||
1:15 PM | |||
1:20 PM | |||
1:25 PM | |||
1:30 PM | Ed Catmull
| ||
1:35 PM | |||
1:40 PM | |||
1:45 PM | |||
1:50 PM | |||
1:55 PM | |||
2:00 PM |
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2:05 PM | |||
2:10 PM | |||
2:15 PM | Sir Tim Berners-Lee
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2:20 PM |
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2:25 PM | |||
2:30 PM | |||
2:35 PM | |||
2:40 PM | |||
2:45 PM | |||
2:50 PM | |||
2:55 PM | |||
3:00 PM | |||
3:05 PM | |||
3:10 PM | Fabian Hediger |
| |
3:15 PM | Apéro & Networking | ||
3:20 PM | |||
3:25 PM | |||
3:30 PM | |||
3:35 PM | |||
3:40 PM | |||
3:45 PM | |||
3:50 PM | |||
3:55 PM | |||
4:00 PM | LIVE INTERVIEW WITH SRF Ed Catmull
Marian Goodell
| | Rooms
|
4:05 PM | |||
4:10 PM | |||
4:15 PM | |||
4:20 PM | |||
4:25 PM | |||
4:30 PM | |||
4:35 PM | |||
4:40 PM | |||
4:45 PM | |||
4:50 PM | |||
4:55 PM | |||
5:00 PM | |||
5:05 PM | Apéro & networking
| ||
5:10 PM | |||
5:15 PM | |||
5:20 PM | |||
5:25 PM | |||
5:30 PM | |||
5:35 PM | |||
5:40 PM | |||
5:45 PM | |||
5:50 PM | |||
5:55 PM | |||
6:00 PM | |||
6:05 PM | |||
6:10 PM | |||
6:15 PM | |||
6:20 PM | |||
6:25 PM | |||
6:30 PM | |||
6:35 PM | |||
6:40 PM | |||
6:45 PM | |||
6:50 PM | |||
6:55 PM | |||
7:00 PM | Dinner (exclusive to premium ticket holders) Presented by Greater Zurich Area |
Day 2
JANUARY 25, 2017

Time for experiments:
With a list of vertical events for various target groups, we want to create an open environment that encourages the acceptance of failure and the engagement with digital business and culture.
Select one of the tabs below to see the full schedule..
14:00
WELCOME SPEECH
KURT LÜSCHER
Managing Director Imforce (ex CEO Energie 360°) & CO-ORGANIZER OF WORLDWEBFORUM/ENERGY
14:25
SMART BUILDINGS FOR BETTER CITIES
THOMAS AUER
Managing Director & Partner at TRANSOLAR STUTTGART
15:05
DECARBONISATION BASED ON DIGITAL VISUALISATION PLATFORM
Stephan Heinrich
CEO e.kundenservice Netz & e.dialog Netz at E.ON
15:20
BREAK
16:00
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
RHEA HAMILTON
Clean Energy Investor & Advisor at SUSIPARTNERS and KESSEL SOLAR ZURICH
16:20
Energy Provisioning Transformation at the Age of Big-Bang Disruption
ZARKO SUMIC
Vice President and Distinguished Analyst
16:40
THIS PANEL IS MODERATED BY
DR. CHRISTINA WÜRTHNER
CONCLUSIONS / PANEL
Dr. Peter Richner
Departement Head & Deputy Director
RHEA HAMILTON
Clean Energy Investor & Advisor at SUSIPARTNERS and KESSEL SOLAR ZURICH
YÜKSEL SIRMASAC
FOUNDER & CEO AT ROCKETHOME COLOGNE
17:00
APÉRO RICHE
14:00
WELCOME ADDRESS & SHORT KEYNOTE
Dominique von Matt
Director of the Board at Jung von Matt, Zurich
14:10
How to disrupt a 150-Year-Old Swiss Company in a Digital World?
PETE BLACKSHAW
GLOBAL HEAD OF DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA AT NESTLÉ VEVEY
14:35
Brands and Influencer: What stays, what changes?
BORIS BOLZ
MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MEDIAKRAFT, COLOGNE
14:55
How video is killing advertising as we know it
Bas Korsten
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT J WALTER THOMPSON, AMSTERDAM
15:20
BREAK
16:10
6S Rules for Content
CURT SIMON HARLINGHAUSEN
Practice Lead for Business Transformation at Publicis, EMEA
16:35
GENERAL WRAP UP
17:00
APÉRO
14:04
INTRO
GLOBAL FINTECH & ROLE OF BLOCKCHAIN
IMRAN GULAMHUSEINWALA
GLOBAL HEAD OF FINTECH AT EY, LONDON
DIGITAL CURRENCIES
&
REGULATION
14:16
DIGITAL CURRENCIES, ENABLING NEW FORMS OF VALUE
RIK WILLARD
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR AT AGENTIC GROUP, NEW YORK
14:38
PANEL
DIGITAL CURRENCIES & REGULATION
RIK WILLARD
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR AT AGENTIC GROUP, NEW YORK
RUPERT SCHAEFER
HEAD STRATEGIC SERVICES AT FINMA, BERN
STEPHAN MÖGELIN
CRM & ISSP AT BAFIN, FRANKFURT AM MAIN
OLGA FELDMEIER
MANAGING PARTNER AT VERTO ADVISORY, WILEN
15:08
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY ENABLES NEW BUSINESS MODELS, E.G. NATIONAL CRYPTO-CURRENCY
OUSSEMA SETTALA
MANAGING DIRECTOR AT VINK, BERLIN
15:20
BREAK
NEW
BUSINESS MODELLS
15:45
FRAUD DETECTION FOR DIAMONDS AND LUXURY ASSETS
LEANNE KEMP
CEO & FOUNDER AT EVERLEDGER, LONDON
16:07
GENERATING VALUE THROUGH BLOCKCHAIN:
A VIEW ON HYPERLEDGER AND DIGITAL BUSINESS
JOHN MCLEAN
HEAD GLOBAL BLOCKCHAIN LAB AT IBM / HYPERLEDGER, LONDON
COLLABORATIVE
DISRUPTION
16:29
PANEL
FUTURE ECOSYSTEM IN FINANCIAL SERVICES
&
THE ROLE OF FINTECHS
MANFRED STRAUCH
HEAD OF IT FOR FINANCE AND CORPORATE SHARED FUNCTIONS AT SWISS LIFE, ZURICH
FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ
Group CEO AT AVALOQ, ZURICH
MATTHIAS NIKLOWITZ
CRYPTO EXPERT / E-FORESIGHT AT SWISSCOM, ZURICH
VIC ARULCHANDRAN
COO AT NIVAURA, UNITED KINGDOM
TAYLOR GERRING
CTO AT ETHEREUM, MIAMI
CLAUDE HONEGGER
GROUP CIO AT CREDIT SUISSE, ZURICH
17:00
APÉRO RICHE
14:00
WELCOME ADDRESS & SHORT KEYNOTE
TBA
15:20
BREAK
15:45
TBA
16:05
TBA
17:05
APÉRO RICHE
JANUARY 25, 2017 - STAGE ONE | ||||
DAY 2 | DAY 2 | DAY 2 | DAY 2 | |
12:30 PM | ||||
12:35 PM | ||||
12:40 PM | ||||
12:45 PM | ||||
12:50 PM | ||||
12:55 PM | ||||
1:00 PM | Admission | |||
1:05 PM | ||||
1:10 PM | ||||
1:15 PM | ||||
1:20 PM | ||||
1:25 PM | ||||
1:30 PM | ||||
1:35 PM | ||||
1:40 PM | ||||
1:45 PM | ||||
1:50 PM | ||||
1:55 PM | ||||
2:00 PM | Kurt Lüscher | TBA
| Session 1 | |
2:05 PM | Rasmus Nutzhorn | Session 2 | ||
2:10 PM | ||||
2:15 PM | ||||
2:20 PM | ||||
2:25 PM | Prof. Dr. Toni Gunzinger | Pete Blackshaw Global Head of Digital & Social Media | Session 3 | |
2:30 PM | ||||
2:35 PM | ||||
2:40 PM | ||||
2:45 PM | Thomas Auer | Boris Bolz Managing Director | Session 4 | |
2:50 PM | ||||
2:55 PM | ||||
3:00 PM | ||||
3:05 PM | TBA | TBA | Session 5 | |
3:10 PM | ||||
3:15 PM | ||||
3:20 PM | Break | Break | ||
3:25 PM | ||||
3:30 PM | ||||
3:35 PM | ||||
3:40 PM | ||||
3:45 PM | Yüksel Sirmasac | Mailine Swildens Head of The Zoo at Google | Session 6 | |
3:50PM | ||||
3:55 PM | ||||
4:00 PM | Rhea Hamilton TBA | TBA | Session 7 | |
4:05 PM | ||||
4:10 PM | ||||
4:15 PM | ||||
4:20 PM | TBA | TBA | Session 8 | |
4:25 PM | ||||
4:30 PM | ||||
4:35 PM | ||||
4:40 PM | Dr. Peter Richner Department Head & Deputy Director | TBA | Session 9 | |
4:45 PM | ||||
4:50 PM | ||||
4:55 PM | ||||
5:00 PM | Drinks & networking | |||
5:05 PM | ||||
5:10 PM | ||||
5:15 PM | ||||
5:20 PM | ||||
5:25 PM | ||||
5:30 PM | ||||
5:35 PM | ||||
5:40 PM | ||||
5:45 PM | ||||
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5:55 PM | ||||
6:00 PM | ||||
6:05 PM | ||||
6:10 PM | ||||
6:15 PM | ||||
6:20 PM | ||||
6:25 PM | ||||
6:30 PM | ||||
6:35 PM | ||||
6:40 | ||||
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