Davos 2026 had a distinctly different atmosphere.
For decades, the World Economic Forum at Davos was a venue for national delegations. This year, it was clear from my on-the-ground perspective that showing up is no longer enough for potential power players. Instead, they constructed Houses; full-scale national platforms designed to host influential stakeholders, share their development stories, and attract investment.
The Philippines, Nigeria, and Poland each expanded their presence at Davos in distinct ways – from iconic receptions with Grammy-winning artists to debates about unprecedented megaprojects.
What follows is a comparison of their playbooks and the implications for the future of economic diplomacy.
The Philippines is Racing Toward 2040
The Philippines’ first-ever House in Davos was a top-down initiative, opened by President Bongbong Marcos and led by government and investment professionals, including Manuel A.J. Teehankee and Andrew Gan.
Teehankee, Permanent Representative to the WTO, shared a clear vision:
“We launched Ambition 2040 to double down on our 5% growth and demographic dividend, and graduate from our recently-achieved middle-income status to a developed country and $1.5 trillion GDP by 2040”.
As Gan, Managing Director of the Philippines-based Beacon Holdings, tells us, the South Asian nation is investing in infrastructure, digitalization, and ease of doing business, leveraging ASEAN’s growing integration as a force multiplier.
Where the Philippines stands out is its financial markets. Even though FDI decreased in 2025, primarily driven by a decline in debt instruments, equity capital inflows rose by 17%. Drawing my background in cross-border M&A, we recognize that the transition to long-term equity conviction signals the market’s increased maturity, further reinforced by the global deployment of sovereign and pension capital and overseas investment mandates.
The House welcomed Nobel laureate Michael Spence and WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, along with panels about the intertwined roles of government and private capital in urban megaprojects. All crowned by a pop performance by the Black Eyed Peas, positioning the House as a vibrant social center of Davos, with even higher expectations for next year.
Nigeria Has Arrived, Inspired by Its Diaspora
Nigeria’s house told a very different story.
As Collins Nzekwe, the Co-Lead of the Nigeria House, tells us, the pavilion …Full story available on Benzinga.com
