STEPHANE GARELLI

Stéphane Garelli: World Authority on Competitiveness and Global Business Trends

Stéphane Garelli

Stéphane Garelli is one of the world’s leading authorities on competitiveness, globalization, and the forces shaping business performance. A Professor Emeritus at IMD and the University of Lausanne, and founder of the IMD World Competitiveness Centre, he has spent his career helping leaders understand how companies, industries and nations can thrive in an increasingly complex world.

A former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum and the Davos Annual Meetings, Garelli brings rare global insight from the highest levels of business, policy and academia. He is the author of several influential books, including Top Class Competitors and World Competitiveness: Rewriting the Rules of Global Prosperity, and his research has become a benchmark for understanding economic resilience and long-term success.

On stage, Stéphane Garelli is known for delivering sharp, accessible, and highly relevant keynotes that turn complex global trends into practical takeaways. He speaks on competitiveness, productivity, innovation, leadership, globalization, and the future of business, helping audiences see what really drives performance in a fast-changing economy. His style combines intellectual depth with clear storytelling, making him a compelling choice for executive meetings, strategy conferences, economic forums, and leadership events.

Garelli is especially valuable for audiences seeking a big-picture view of the forces reshaping markets and organizations. He offers not just analysis, but a strategic framework for action — making him a powerful keynote speaker for leaders who need to understand where the world is heading and how to stay ahead.

Articles: –

Competitiveness lives on, but the rules are changing

Nostalgia Is Not a Strategy: Rethinking Competitiveness in 2026

Topics: –

Core economic and competitiveness themes

The competitiveness of nations: how countries create prosperity, manage public‑debt pressures, and adapt to geopolitical shifts.
The competitiveness of enterprises: what makes firms win on world markets, including productivity, innovation, and resilience versus “low‑cost” models.
The impact of new technologies: how digitalization, AI, and automation reshape markets, jobs, and productivity.

Global trends and globalization

New chapters in globalization: deglobalization risks, reshoring, “friend‑shoring,” and changing trade rules.
A fractured world and “security‑driven” economics: supply‑chain resilience, energy security, and industrial policy (state‑capitalism, subsidies).
Stagflation and macro risks: the risk of simultaneous inflation and stagnation, plus the consequences of high debt and loose monetary policy.

Business and leadership angles

The company of tomorrow: culture, agility, and business‑model innovation in a competitive, tech‑driven environment.
Mindset and leadership: how “tiger,” “cat,” or “dinosaur” mentalities shape success (from his book metaphors), plus ethics, sustainability, and long‑term value creation.
New rules of competitiveness: behavioural shifts in work, attitudes, skills, and consumer priorities, framed as “time to be bold.”

For Stephane’s full Bio see below: –

CONTACT ORATION FOR MORE INFORmation

BIOGRAPHY

Stephane Garelli is a world authority on the competitiveness of nations and enterprises. He has pioneered research and theory in this field. Professor Emeritus at IMD (Institute of Management Development) Lausanne, where he continues to teach, he has founded the World Competitiveness Center. He is also Professor Emeritus of World Competitiveness and Strategy at the University of Lausanne.

Stephane was the Managing director of the World Economic Forum and the Davos Annual Meetings, the world’s most important annual gathering of business and government leaders.

He was also Chairman of the Board of the FF Sandoz Financial and Banking Holding and a member of the Board of Directors of the Banque Edouard Constant. For 15 years, he served as Chairman of Le Temps, the leading French-language newspaper in Switzerland, and is a shareholder.

Stephane Garelli is a member of the International Olympic Commission on Sustainability and Legacy (chaired by Prince Albert of Monaco). He is also a member of several international institutions and boards, and continues to advise governments.

He was also elected a member of the Constitutional Assembly of his local state of Vaud, Switzerland, from 1999 to 2002.

He has published two best-selling books: “Top Class Competitors – How Nations, Firms, and Individuals Succeed in the New World of Competitiveness” with Wiley and “Are You a Tiger, a Cat or a Dinosaur?“, available on Amazon.

His latest book: “World Competitiveness – Rewriting the Rules of Global Prosperity“, published with Wiley (October 2025).

Ready to book Stephane for your event? Enquire about fees and availability info@orationspeakers.com

Video Library

PLANNING AN EVENT?

For more information on this speaker, contact Oration Speakers directly.

BOOK THIS SPEAKER