Christine Lagarde identified as potential World Economic Forum president

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde has been identified as a potential candidate to lead the World Economic Forum (WEF), according to reports from the Swiss newspaper NZZ. During a recent board meeting near Geneva, Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam reportedly proposed Lagarde as a successor to the current co-chairs, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Roche Vice Chairman André Hoffmann.

Lagarde, who has served on the WEF board for several terms, reportedly expressed that she is ‘ready to serve.’ While the board has not established a specific timeline for the transition, it was agreed that Fink and Hoffmann will continue to preside over the annual Davos meeting in January 2027.

Lagarde’s current mandate at the ECB is scheduled to conclude in October 2027. The discussions regarding her potential move to the WEF come amid ongoing speculation about her future leadership roles, though she has previously emphasized her commitment to completing her term at the ECB.