CM Chandrababu's Davos Visit Boosts AP Brand Image
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu's four-day visit to Davos has successfully concluded, with the primary goal of enhancing the state's brand image and attracting substantial investments. During these four days, the Chief Minister engaged in discussions with CEOs of prominent global companies and representatives from various countries, while also participating in roundtable meetings and conferences to promote Andhra Pradesh and its brand.
After concluding the Davos visit, CM Chandrababu and his team traveled by road from Davos to Zurich. From there, they will depart for Delhi, where the CM is expected to arrive after midnight. Minister Lokesh will stay in Davos for an additional day to meet with more industrialists and will return tomorrow.
Day 1: On the first day of the World Economic Forum summit, CM Chandrababu met with Mridul Kumar, the Indian Ambassador to Switzerland, at the Hilton Hotel in Zurich. They discussed investment opportunities from Switzerland in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, technical textiles, and rail components. The Chief Minister emphasized the potential for collaboration between AP and Swiss universities in the areas of skilling and AI.
Day 2: On the second day, CM Chandrababu addressed a special session on Green Industrialization organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He outlined ten guiding principles being implemented in the state as part of the Swarnandhra – 2047 Vision Roadmap. He highlighted the establishment of a Global Leadership Center (GLC) in Amaravati to prepare future leaders and the state's efforts to become a global hub for green energy and green hydrogen.
Day 3:
Google Cloud: CM Chandrababu urged Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian to explore the possibility of setting up a design center in Visakhapatnam for developing custom chips for servers. He also suggested establishing a manufacturing unit in AP to integrate Google's server supply chain and making AP the primary center for server maintenance services.
Petronas: CM Chandrababu held discussions with Muhammad Taufik, President and Group CEO of Malaysian oil and natural gas company Petronas. Petronas plans to invest ₹13,000 to ₹15,000 crores in a green ammonia production plant in Kakinada. The Chief Minister invited Petronas to participate in the petrochemical hub in Moolapeta and the Global Capability Center.
PepsiCo: CM Chandrababu met with Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo International Beverages, and Stephen Kehoe, Chairman of PepsiCo Foundation. He suggested establishing a PepsiCo Digital Hub in Visakhapatnam and expanding the Global Business Services Center to the city.
Bahrain Representatives: CM Chandrababu met with Hamad Al Mahmeed, representative of the Bahrain Prime Minister's Office, and Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Mumtalakat. They discussed the new policies introduced by the state government for industrial development.
Meeting with Bill Gates: CM Chandrababu requested cooperation from Microsoft founder and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation founder Bill Gates to transform Andhra Pradesh into a center for health, education, and innovation. He proposed the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Health Innovation and Diagnostics and sought suggestions for setting up an AI university. The Chief Minister also suggested implementing successful health dashboards and social programs from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Andhra Pradesh.
Hindustan Unilever: CM Chandrababu held discussions with Willem Uijen, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Hindustan Unilever, a renowned company in food, home care, beauty, and personal care products. He proposed setting up a palm oil industry in AP with an investment of ₹330 crores and establishing a technology center for the beauty portfolio in Visakhapatnam. The Chief Minister highlighted the potential for Hindustan Unilever to utilize the state's agricultural produce for food processing and manufacturing beauty and home care products.
Senmatt: CM Chandrababu met with Roberto Bocca, Executive Committee Member of the World Economic Forum and Head of the Center for Energy and Materials (Senmatt). He sought Senmatt's cooperation in attracting global investments in green hydrogen, battery storage, and solar manufacturing sectors to Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister also requested WEF's support for the Clean Energy Knowledge and Skill Development Center.
DP World: CM Chandrababu urged DP World, a prestigious container terminal company, to come forward and establish a smart container terminal in Andhra Pradesh. He held discussions with Rizwan Soomar, Managing Director of DP World Central Asia and Africa, about the potential for setting up smart container terminals in Kakinada, Krishnapatnam, and Moolapeta.
Day 4: Even during the return journey, CM Chandrababu continued to hold meetings. He met with various company heads and prominent figures from different fields, discussing the state's development. Notable meetings included those with Andre Hoffmann, Vice-Chairman of Che Holdings and a renowned Swiss environmentalist, Achim Steiner, head of UNDP, and CNN's Becky Anderson.
