This Ad On The Side Of A Bus Shows You A Big Reason Why Davos Exists

Here's an ad that's taken over the side of a town bus here in Davos, Switzerland, home of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

It instantly reminds you of a big reason why this event (which draws business executives, pundits, and government officials from all over the world) exists. Everybody is looking for cash. Well, maybe not everybody, but there are tons of ads everywhere and events sponsored by developing markets advertising themselves as great places to invest. India has a particularly big presence, with ads throughout the town touting its benefits for business, and its growing middle class.

Andrew Ross Sorkin has a column up about notable people who are not in Davos, and I was particularly surprised tor ead this:

The leaders of General Electric and IBM, Jeffrey R. Immelt and Virginia M. Rometty, are not attendees either. "I don't go to Davos and places like that," Mr. Immelt once said dismissively.

It's hard to think of a company that's more situated at the nexus of government interest and private investment than GE. I'd almost think of it as the natural Davos company, though apparently Immelt thinks it's a waste of time.

Regardless, this place will be teeming over the next several days with officials from various countries and the corporate executives eager to make deals with them.