Pritzker to attend World Economic Forum in Switzerland next week – NBC Chicago
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will travel to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland next week and will be attending the conference for the first time, the governor announced Friday.
More than 50 heads of state and hundreds of other elected officials and company CEOs will convene in Davos for the annual meeting, which focuses on global issues such as green technologies.
Pritzker’s presence is likely to fuel further speculation about whether he’s trying to raise his profile as he might consider running for the presidency — should President Joe Biden choose not to run for re-election. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, another potential presidential candidate, will also attend the forum.
The delegation making the trip with Pritzker includes Illinois First Lady MK Pritzker, Chief of Staff Anne Caprara, and Deputy Governors Andy Manar and Christian Mitchell.
In recent years, participants have been criticized for flying to Davos by private jet in the face of climate change. Pritzker’s spokeswoman says the billionaire governor will not fly on a private plane.
According to the governor’s office, he will work to publicize Illinois’ achievements on the world stage and will participate in several forums throughout the week.