Key Takeaways
- • The 18th World Knowledge Forum (WKF) will convene more than 250 globally renowned figures across seven tracks and approximately 100 sessions from September 8–10, 2026, in Seoul, marking the largest forum in its 26-year history by speaker and session count.
- • High-profile speakers include former heads of state (French President François Hollande, Italian PM Enrico Letta), international leaders (former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, OECD Deputy Secretary-General Mari Kiviniemi), and Nobel laureate economists (Harvard's Oliver Hart, MIT's Robert Merton of Dimensional Holdings).
- • The forum operates under the theme "Inflection Point: Towards New Prosperity," positioning itself as a multidisciplinary platform for collective intelligence addressing rapid technological change and the fourth industrial revolution across political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions.
- • Robert Merton, 1997 Nobel laureate and Resident Scientist at hedge fund Dimensional Holdings, will address changes in the global investment environment and emerging investment strategies—directly relevant to alternative investment professionals.
- • The WKF is organized by Maekyung Media Group (South Korea's largest business media) and functions as a non-profit entity dedicated to promoting balanced global growth through knowledge-sharing among business, opinion, and institutional leaders.
Summary
The 18th World Knowledge Forum will take place September 8–10, 2026, at The Shilla Seoul, hosting more than 250 internationally recognized speakers across approximately 100 sessions organized into seven thematic tracks. According to the WKF secretariat, this iteration represents the largest forum by speaker and session volume in the organization's history. The event is themed "Inflection Point: Towards New Prosperity," reflecting the forum's positioning as a platform for addressing systemic inflection points across industries and geographies as stakeholders adapt to accelerated change driven by the fourth industrial revolution.
The speaker roster reflects high-level geopolitical and economic representation. Former French President François Hollande and former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta will address international challenges and opportunities. Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver remarks on global leadership, while OECD Deputy Secretary-General Mari Kiviniemi (former Finnish Prime Minister) will contribute perspectives on multilateral governance. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has also confirmed attendance. These speakers underscore the forum's positioning as a venue for dialogue among senior political decision-makers and institutional leaders.
The economic and investment track draws particular relevance for alternative investment professionals. Harvard economist Oliver Hart, the 2016 Nobel laureate in economics, will make his first visit to South Korea following his award to discuss economic conditions in a new era. More directly aligned with hedge fund and institutional investor interests, MIT Professor Robert Merton—the 1997 Nobel laureate in economics and Resident Scientist at hedge fund Dimensional Holdings—will analyze changes in the global investment environment and present new investment strategies. Merton's participation signals the forum's emphasis on translating academic economic theory into practitioner-relevant investment frameworks.
The World Knowledge Forum is organized by Maekyung Media Group and operates as a non-profit international non-governmental organization committed to promoting balanced global growth through knowledge-sharing. Cumulative participation data indicates sustained institutional engagement: since the inaugural forum in 2000, approximately 6,058 global speakers and 66,022 attendees have participated across the organization's events. The multidisciplinary approach—spanning environmental, international relations, economic, and cultural dimensions—positions the WKF as a convening mechanism for stakeholders at critical decision points in their respective domains.
The speaker roster reflects high-level geopolitical and economic representation. Former French President François Hollande and former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta will address international challenges and opportunities. Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver remarks on global leadership, while OECD Deputy Secretary-General Mari Kiviniemi (former Finnish Prime Minister) will contribute perspectives on multilateral governance. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has also confirmed attendance. These speakers underscore the forum's positioning as a venue for dialogue among senior political decision-makers and institutional leaders.
The economic and investment track draws particular relevance for alternative investment professionals. Harvard economist Oliver Hart, the 2016 Nobel laureate in economics, will make his first visit to South Korea following his award to discuss economic conditions in a new era. More directly aligned with hedge fund and institutional investor interests, MIT Professor Robert Merton—the 1997 Nobel laureate in economics and Resident Scientist at hedge fund Dimensional Holdings—will analyze changes in the global investment environment and present new investment strategies. Merton's participation signals the forum's emphasis on translating academic economic theory into practitioner-relevant investment frameworks.
The World Knowledge Forum is organized by Maekyung Media Group and operates as a non-profit international non-governmental organization committed to promoting balanced global growth through knowledge-sharing. Cumulative participation data indicates sustained institutional engagement: since the inaugural forum in 2000, approximately 6,058 global speakers and 66,022 attendees have participated across the organization's events. The multidisciplinary approach—spanning environmental, international relations, economic, and cultural dimensions—positions the WKF as a convening mechanism for stakeholders at critical decision points in their respective domains.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.