CEOs to govts: Rise above protectionism for trade reforms

The group of CEOs and chairpersons from some of the world’s biggest companies spread across 17 countries, brought together by the World Economic Forum (WEF), said the trading system must adapt to address new concerns of global resiliency, sustainability and inclusivity.

The signatories included Mastercard’s Ajay S Banga, John Keells Holdings’ Krishan N Balendra, Zilingo Pte Ltd’s Ankiti Bose, Dolf van den Brink of Heineken NV, Al Kelly Jr of Visa Inc, Schneider Electric’s Jean-Pascal Tricroire, Standard Chartered Bank’s Jose Vinals and Noel Quinn of HSBC Holdings Plc.

This call to action comes at a time of significant geopolitical tensions and challenging economic dynamics. Uniquely, it brings together a diverse group of companies representing 17 countries across all five continents.

The signatories are from 12 sectors -- retail, e-commerce, food and beverage, payments, financial sector, investors, telecommunications, chemicals, logistics, supply chain and transport, professional services, energy and commodities. Convened by the WEF’s Trade and Investment community, business leaders called for higher global ambition for trade cooperation, including at the upcoming WTO Ministerial Meeting.