Riyadh: Bain & Company, a global strategy consulting firm, is pleased to announce its participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025. The event, which brought together global leaders to address some of the most pressing geopolitical, economic, and environmental challenges, was held in Davos, Switzerland.

Tom De Waele, Bain & Company’s Managing Partner for the Middle East, joined the DP World-hosted panel discussion titled “The UAE Shaping a Resilient Global Trade Landscape: Supply Chains in the Intelligent Age.”

The session explored the UAE’s leadership in shaping a more stable and resilient global trade environment through its strategic economic initiatives, including Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), as well as its investments in advanced infrastructure and digital innovation.

Alongside De Waele, the panel featured Abdulla Al Hashmi, Chief Operating Officer of Parks & Zones at DP World GCC, Ram Ramachandran, Senior Vice President at Tech Mahindra, and Alice Usanase, Vice President at the Africa Finance Corporation.

Reflecting on the UAE’s role in global trade resilience, Tom De Waele said, “The UAE has become a global model for how economies can thrive in the face of disruption. Through digital transformation, public-private partnerships, and a focus on connectivity, the country has built a trade ecosystem that is not only resilient but also continuously adaptive and strengthened by challenges. It was a privilege to discuss the UAE’s vision for the future of global trade and how other regions can learn from its approach in the intelligent age.”

As geopolitical tensions, resource disruptions, and shifting domestic power dynamics continue to challenge global supply chains, the session examined how interconnected digital ecosystems and data-sharing initiatives can create a more robust and responsive global trade infrastructure.

Bain & Company’s participation in the WEF Annual Meeting further underscores its commitment to driving positive change and fostering sustainable growth. The firm continues to support governments and businesses worldwide as they navigate complex global challenges.

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world’s most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today’s urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.