Davos 2027 and the Next Generation: Where Family Office Succession Gets Discussed

Succession enters Davos 2027 through discussions on patient capital, governance and future generations. The published programme is independent of the World Economic Forum’s official agenda.

Succession is a strategy question, not a single session

The WEF Annual Meeting 2027 is scheduled for 18–22 January in Davos. As of 27 October 2026, no dedicated succession session is confirmed in the official programme. The clearest published signals appear instead in independent gatherings held during the same week.

For families, that distinction matters. Succession is rarely resolved by a conference panel. It is shaped by decisions about who controls capital, how authority transfers, which values endure, and what role the next generation will hold. Davos week can offer a setting to test those questions with peers, investors and advisers, but the value lies in preparation and follow-through, not attendance alone.

This briefing focuses on how the intergenerational theme appears in confirmed 2027 programming and what families can take into their own planning. For a broader view of the private-capital circuit, see Davos 2027 Family Offices: The Private Capital Circuit During WEF Week.

Where the intergenerational theme is visible

Two published programmes speak directly to long-term wealth and future generations. A third gathering has announced its 2027 dates and venue, but not a confirmed 2027 agenda.

Gathering Published 2027 details Succession relevance

Wealth & Family Office Forum, Davos edition Monday 18 January, 08:00–16:00; curated and invite-only A dedicated track on “The Next Generation of Wealth” and a theme on “Building for Future Generations”

WISF Investor Salon Tuesday 19 January, 15:00–16:00; Promenade 58C Long-horizon allocation, patient capital and the role of legal structures in protecting purpose

Family Office Investors Summit (FOIS) Announced at Mountain Plaza Hotel, 18–22 January 2027 sessions are not yet published; prior-year agenda themes should not be treated as a 2027 schedule

Wealth & Family Office Forum: next-generation capital

The Wealth & Family Office Forum, Davos edition, powered by Basel Investor Forum, is set for Monday 18 January, 08:00–16:00. Its stated theme is “Conscious Capital in a Contested World.” The five tracks include CAPITAL, The Next Generation of Wealth and SOCIETY, Building for Future Generations; the programme also focuses on healthcare, deeptech and impact.

The audience includes LPs, GPs, managing partners, foundations, fund managers and family offices. Attendance is described as curated and invite-only, with an RSVP waitlist. For a family preparing succession, the programme’s importance is not a promise of a succession workshop. Rather, it places next-generation ownership within a wider conversation about investment priorities, collaboration and the future purpose of capital.

WISF Investor Salon: the 100-year portfolio

The WISF Investor Salon 2027 is scheduled for Tuesday 19 January, 15:00–16:00, at Promenade 58C. Its title is “The 100-Year Portfolio: Stewarding Capital for Intergenerational Resilience.”

The published description identifies two substantive questions: how to allocate capital across generational rather than quarterly horizons, and when a company’s legal structure can protect its long-term purpose. These questions connect investment decisions with governance design. They are relevant to family principals, next-generation owners, wealth planners, family offices, foundation investment teams and entrepreneurs approaching succession.

Seats are limited, registration is expected to open in December, and speakers and moderator are still to be announced. The salon is part of Climate Hub Davos 2027, hosted by Swiss non-profit GreenUp, with a livestream planned on GreenUp’s YouTube channel. Confirm current registration details directly with the organiser before making plans.

FOIS: a 2027 announcement, not a published agenda

The Family Office Investors Summit (FOIS) has announced a Davos 2027 gathering at Mountain Plaza Hotel for 18–22 January. Its 2027 programme has not been published. The event page currently retains material from 2026, including a “GEN Z INVESTMENT & COMMUNITY CAPITAL MODELS” panel. That prior agenda is not confirmation of a 2027 session.

The 2027 listing includes a “Gen Z Fund Partner/Panel” ticket category at CHF 10,000. It also describes free RSVP for verified investors with at least USD 100 million AUM, subject to approval, and a strictly limited capacity of 150 investors; a non-investor VIP open ticket is listed at CHF 500. Confirm eligibility, terms and 2027 logistics with the organiser. The 17:00 CET evening-before security confirmation noted on the page relates to the 2026 event and should not be assumed to apply in 2027 unless reconfirmed.

The distinction is important for families researching Davos 2027 events and World Economic Forum 2027 events: independent Davos side events 2027 are not the same as the official WEF programme.

What families should bring into the room

Davos week programming can help families sharpen the succession agenda. It cannot substitute for family governance, legal advice or an agreed transfer plan. Before meetings, principals and successors should align on the decisions that require attention.

A practical preparation list:

• Define the transfer in scope. Separate ownership, investment authority, board roles, operating leadership and family stewardship. They may move on different timelines.
• Agree the next generation’s mandate. Identify decisions the next generation can make now, those requiring joint approval, and milestones for broader authority.
• Test the investment horizon. Clarify which assets are intended for liquidity, growth, mission alignment or intergenerational preservation.
• Review purpose and structure. Ask whether existing governance documents, shareholder arrangements and company structures reflect the family’s long-term intent.
• Set specific meeting outcomes. Seek a peer perspective, governance comparison, adviser introduction or follow-up discussion, not a general promise to “network.”
• Record decisions and owners. Assign responsibility and a date for each next step while the conversation is still fresh.

For planning meetings with prospective investors, executives and family offices, use the Davos 2027 Meeting Guide. Its central value is operational: define the purpose of each conversation, identify the right counterpart and build time for follow-up.

Reading Davos signals without overclaiming

The current Davos investors 2027 picture includes a visible intergenerational thread, but not a confirmed official WEF succession track. The published forums point to themes families should watch (ownership transition, patient capital, governance and purpose) rather than a definitive consensus on how succession should work.

That also affects how to interpret search terms such as “Who is attending Davos 2027” and “Davos attendee list 2027.” Event audiences and access conditions may be described by organisers, but published listings are not a complete or verified list of attendees. Likewise, family offices researching Davos networking events or Davos deal opportunities should distinguish announced agendas from conversations that may emerge on site.

The wider planning environment is still evolving. Searches for Davos houses 2027, Davos accommodation and venues, How to attend Davos without a WEF badge, Davos event registration, or the India delegation Davos 2027 should be checked against the relevant organiser or venue. Participation rules vary by event; an independent event’s registration does not itself confirm access to another programme.

A related day-two Cyprus Valley Davos Deal Room programme is set to include longevity, dual-use and sovereign wealth panels. Those themes sit adjacent to family capital strategy, but they do not establish a succession agenda. The full companion listing is available in the family-office events briefing.

FAQ

Are succession sessions part of the official WEF 2027 programme?

No dedicated family-office succession session is confirmed in the official programme as of 27 October 2026. The clearest published intergenerational discussions identified here belong to independent events during WEF week.

Which confirmed 2027 programme is most directly relevant to succession?

The WISF Investor Salon directly addresses intergenerational resilience, long-horizon allocation and legal structures that may protect purpose. The Wealth & Family Office Forum also includes tracks on next-generation wealth and future generations.

Is FOIS’s Gen Z panel confirmed for 2027?

No. The 2027 event and venue have been announced, but the 2027 sessions are not published. The Gen Z panel appears in retained 2026 agenda material and must not be treated as a confirmed 2027 session.

How should a family prepare for Davos networking events?

Arrive with a defined succession question, agreed family priorities, and a clear objective for each meeting. Record follow-up responsibilities and dates; treat event participation as a starting point, not a succession plan.

Conclusion

Davos 2027 makes intergenerational capital visible through confirmed discussions of patient investment, future generations and purpose-linked governance, while a dedicated WEF succession session remains unconfirmed. The Davos Collective tracks this ecosystem independently and is not affiliated with the World Economic Forum.