Stefan Koch

Stefan leads the Chemical & Advanced Materials industry and CEO community at the World Economic Forum.

Stefan has extensive experience in sustainable business development and management across various industries, including finance, energy, healthcare, agriculture, and chemicals. Prior to joining the World Economic Forum, he worked for 20 years in multinational companies, focusing on investor relations and corporate strategy, and integrating modern sustainability perspectives into core processes. Additionally, as an intrapreneur, Stefan has gained diverse experience in inclusive business development in emerging and developing countries, initiating and managing strategic programs to address various development challenges in collaboration with entrepreneurs, impact investors, and non-governmental and governmental organizations. He is a global fellow of the League of Intrapreneurs and the BMW Responsible Leadership Network.

Stefan studied the psychology of economics and international management at the University of Cologne (Germany) and Lund University (Sweden). He has also lived in Kerala (India) and Bordeaux (France). He is married and a proud father of two children, loves art, and appreciates the unconventional.