Reflections from Davos: Leadership, Resilience, and the Future of Mental Health

If I were to sum up my biggest takeaway from Davos this year, it would be this: on our rapidly evolving world, resilience and collaboration is absolutely critical.

We’re navigating a world shaped by four deep and simultaneous transformations: the climate crisis, the technological revolution, shifting demographics, and rising geopolitical tensions. Each of these forces brings extraordinary change and complexity, demanding leaders who can adapt, inspire, and thrive through uncertainty.

I was grateful to be participating in a range of conversations on resilient leadership as part of the Young Global Leader track at the annual meeting, and will be taking many of these lessons home with me.

When it comes to resilient leadership, this isn’t just about bouncing back in the face of challenge — it’s about evolving and helping others do the same. And, it's strongly determined by a sense of self, perception of the future, community cohesion and family belonging/identity.

This theme of resilience threaded through so many conversations over the week, particularly in the context of mental health. Below are some of the moments and insights that left a lasting impression on me.

Social Media: Time to Lead by Example

One standout moment for me was hearing Pinterest CEO Bill Ready talk about the urgent need for social platforms to shift from fostering toxicity to promoting connection and well-being. Pinterest 's commitment to action stood out above the rest —they’re tackling mental health risks on their platform, funding global mental health initiatives, and even taking bold stances, like supporting phone-free schools in the U.S. It’s refreshing to see a major platform leading by example so authentically and holistically.

But it also reminded me of the bigger picture: all tech companies must own their impact—not just on their platforms but on the world at large.

As Paul Polman famously says, “If you break it, you fix it.”

Phone-Free Schools: Results from Arkansas

Going into the week I was particularly looking forward to spending time with Prof. Jonathan Haidt, who's book An Anxious Generation has sparked a growing movement.

I really appreciated the opportunity to sit down with Jon and discuss the global relevance of his research - and need for context specific application, especially in countries where phone usage is not the key negative impact on the mental health of young people.

And, I was thrilled to hear about some of the early results and data coming out of this movement, especially as many of the solutions in An Anxious Generation did not have evidence based results, yet.

The Governor of Arkansas joined the discussion sharing that over 75% of schools there have voluntarily embraced this approach, and the results are extraordinary—a 51% drop in drug-related offences and a 57% reduction in verbal and physical aggression, with increased student participation.

But still while the evidence is promising, it’s also clear that we need to tread carefully when applying these policies globally. Different cultures, contexts, and needs require tailored approaches, and we can’t overlook the fact that, for many young people, social media provides crucial connection and support.

Foreign Aid: A Lifeline Under Threat

It was deeply concerning to hear about significant cutbacks in foreign aid, with the U.S. pausing funds for 90 days and potential 70% cuts from the Netherlands. The ripple effects on mental health services in low-income and conflict-affected countries could be devastating.

In a conversation hosted by 联合国儿童基金会 and private funders like the Z Zurich Foundation , it was clear that collaboration is more critical than ever. We’ve made too much progress to scale back now.

Workplace Mental Health: Let's Make Sure We We Measuring What Works

The conversations around workplace mental health felt more urgent this year, with businesses increasingly recognising the need for clarity and accountability. But we still have a long way to go. From tracking outcomes to aligning regional expectations, the path forward needs stronger metrics and more unified approaches.

The pull back in DEI we are seeing from the President of the United States' address, along with many CEOs pulling back on their mental health and wellbeing budgets are concerning. Ensuring investment is being placed in what works, and measuring this, like we do with our mental health diagnostic assessments, is what business leaders need to continue to make the case.

At Prospira Global, our mission has always been to help companies adopt holistic mental health strategies—integrating support across their people, products, and philanthropic efforts. Seeing this conversation gain traction globally was incredibly good to see - but there's still a way to go for industry, and even the discussions in these forums, to take this holistic approach.

Gen Z in the Workplace

Gen Z was a hot topic throughout the week. Their expectations—purpose, belonging, and mental health support—are reshaping the workplace in real-time.

While some leaders seemed unsure how to meet these demands, I left feeling optimistic. With more transparency and intergenerational collaboration, there’s so much potential to build workplaces where everyone thrives.

However, I was also reminded - as we often see in our mental health company assessments - that this doesn't always simply mean to bend to changing expectations. What is required is to understand what's working, and healthy - and learn and pivot together with curiosity and understanding.

AI: A Double-Edged Sword

AI was another theme that came up repeatedly—and honestly, I’m equal parts hopeful and nervous. The pace of innovation is staggering, with breakthroughs happening faster than we can fully grasp their implications.

AI holds incredible promise for advancing mental health solutions, but it also comes with risks we don’t yet fully understand. One thing is clear: ethical guardrails need to keep pace with progress.

Davos Takeaway: Collaboration Is Everything

Every year, I leave Davos reminded that we can’t do this work alone. The progress we’ve made on mental health—whether through policy, funding, or advocacy—has only been possible because of collaboration.

This year is a big year for potential progress in mental health, with the upcoming . However, it will take more collaboration and unity than we have seen before. While the increasing conversation on mental health at Davos is encouraging, I am concerned this is also causing less unity than I've seen in the past, and worked hard to establish.

I look forward to greater collaboration for impact in the year ahead, and am deeply thinking about how - as a growing, changing, sector - this can be possible, while avoiding some of the classic collective action challenges true collaboration requires.

My most favourite meeting of the week was meeting with collective of the largest mental health funders, and leaders, hosted by Prospira Global . We didn't just discuss opportunities for collaboration, we also reported back on collective actions achieved since we last meet in 2024. I'm excited to continue this collaboration with many of our partners in the year ahead.

For me, this week wasn’t just about the big sessions or high-profile speakers. It was about the connections we build, the new partnerships formed, the shared passion, and the hope that, even in a complex and polarised world, we can build a future based on ethics, kindness, impact and integrity.

The The Forum of Young Global Leaders community embody this approach so powerfully. This community for me has changed so much - not just during Davos, but in my life more broadly, and I am forever grateful.

There are many critiques of Davos, I know. However, what I can say for sure is that progress on mental health in our work will be much more likely and impactful in the year ahead, because of the last week.