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- Mei-Sze and Jeff Greene
The four-day World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland kicked off today, with more than 2,600 people invited to participate in the prestigious conference.
Among the business leaders, political figures, academics, artists and other prominent elites converging on the Alpine ski resort are, naturally, a few familiar Palm Beach faces.
Attending the forum for the fourth time is local real estate investor Jeff Greene.
He arrived in Davos Tuesday, along his wife Mei-Sze and their two sons, Malcolm and Brandon.
Perhaps the wife and kids will be hitting the slopes while dad meets Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev, Italian Prime Minister Monti and IMF head Lagarde Wednesday.
“Thursday, we’ll be with (statesman Henry) Kissinger, (European Centeral Bank Chief Mario) Draghi, (British Prime Minister David) Cameron and (German President Angela) Merkel and we’re having lunch with (Microsoft head) Bill Gates and (former President) Bill Clinton, cocktails with Jamie Dimon (JP Morgan Chase head) and dinner with James Gorman, who runs Morgan Stanley,” Greene wrote in an email. “Friday and Saturday, much of the same.”
Pretty impressive, huh?
“The security here is insane,” Greene reported. Not so surprising considering the cast of characters making the scene in Davos.
Even Yankees captain Derek Jeter and actress/activist Charlize Theron are invited to this year’s summit.
So, besides the Greene family, who else with island ties made the trek to Switzerland?
Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and CEO, Blackstone Group;
Miguel Forbes, president of worldwide business development, Forbes Media;
and Howard Cox, venture capitalist, Greylock Partners.
Just so you know, it’ll cost you to be an invited delegate to Davos.
CNN estimated the average cost at $40,000 a head, including air transportation, accommodations, meals and accreditation (which is $20,000 alone).
But how much is a lift ticket to the bunny slope?
(Just thinking of those little Greene boys who might want to get ‘boardin on their winter ski trip.)