Semafor's Washington Economic Conference Aims to Rival Davos
New York (AP) - Semafor, a media company, plans to host its third annual Washington Economic Conference in April. The conference aims to become a formidable rival to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in terms of influence.
Over 200 CEOs have already committed to attending the event, which runs from April 23-25. Semafor attributes this surge in interest largely to curiosity surrounding President Donald Trump's policies.
"It's genuinely approaching what Davos has achieved in Switzerland," said Justin B. Smith, Semafor's co-founder and CEO.
The conference underscores the growing importance of special events for media companies, a strategy Semafor has prioritized since its inception.
A similar conference in Washington two years ago attracted approximately 50 CEOs, growing to 75 in 2024. Smith emphasizes that while previous conferences focused on monitoring regulatory developments in Washington, this year's increased interest is undoubtedly driven by Trump's presidency.
"Trump's election has accelerated and fueled the project's growth," Smith said.
Semafor anticipates the attendance of Trump administration officials to enhance the conference's news value, but none have yet confirmed their attendance due to the ongoing staffing process for the president's team.
Semafor journalists will lead discussions on topics such as global finance, energy, economic growth, and the technological revolution. The conference expects to attract around 5,000 attendees, including prominent figures from finance and other sectors.
Confirmed attendees include executives from Netflix, FedEx, Instacart, Mattel, United Airlines, Whole Foods, and WeWork.
The conference is co-chaired by David Rubenstein (Carlyle Group co-founder), Henry Kravis (KR co-founder), Ken Griffin (Citadel founder and CEO), and former U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.