How Alexander Stubb Won WEF 2025
Davos during the World Economic Forum is full of fancy men and women.
Most, if not all, of them consider themselves winners.
Captains of industry, heads of state, billionaires of all shapes and sizes - every one a gold medalist in his or her own eyes.
But WEF 2025 produced one winner that no one was expecting - a clear and rising star out of the bright blue sky, whose first major stage turned out to be the snowy streets of Switzerland’s most international village.
His name is Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland - and this is how he won WEF 2025.
Alexander Stubb with Ukranian president Volodomir Zelensky.
Europe’s point guard
In case no one noticed, Stubb was the front-and-center spokesperson for both NATO and Europe during the four days of the WEF Annual Meeting.
This was not an accident.
European Commission President Ursual van der Leyen gave the most prominent address by an EU official, but she was not the face of Europe in Davos.
The Finnish President, elected just last year, sat down for 6 panel discussions and 10 media interviews - including the leading American outlets such as Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN and Eurasia Group’s GZero Media.
No other major European leader was even close.
In each and every interview, as well as in his panel discussions, Stubb clearly and succinctly hammered home a focused message of European strength and clear-eyed “realpolitik”.
Knowing that each conversation in on American news program would be viewed by key decision makers - and by even more business and political rank-and-file figures across the Atlantic - Stubb played “point guard” for Europe’s offensive in Davos.
And it was not an offensive based on charm.
Incoming president Alexander Stubb with his predecessor Sauli Niinistö.
The sleeping Finnish giant
As the leading man for Europe, Stubb came with “the goods.”
Finland boasts one of Europe’s largest and best equipped militaries, overflowing with modern systems, tanks, helicopters and artillery.
Over and over on air, Stubb hammered home the numbers: 900’000 reservists, 280’000 full-time troops to be mobilized in case of war.
At every turn, Finland’s president radiated - and communicated - power, not with big words and wild claims, but with facts.
His country’s readiness to fight, coupled with a certain Nordic mystic borne of Finland’s claim to be one of the few country’s to have defeated Russia in a hot war, made Stubb a star in the snow.
Power in the word
His message may have held weight thanks to Finland’s military strength, but Stubb clearly won the day with even more powerful rhetoric.
It wasn’t flowery or bombastic - but direct and punchy.
His simple words, key catchphrases and clearly outlined points hit their target - just like a SAM missile - whether he was speaking with Steve Sedgewick, Richard Quest or Ian Bremmer.
As a former prime minister, foreign minister and finance minister, the Finnish president has obviously had a lot of time to polish his style.
But perhaps even more important in developing his communication superpower was Stubb’s “Geopolitics with Alex” podcast which he hosted while serving as professor at the European University Institute in Florence.
Like Steph Curry or Michael Jordan putting in long hours at the gym, Stubb honed his sharp delivery to perfection until the day he was ready to step onto the world stage.
His style added gravitas to his words, allowing him to come across even more “manly” thanks to a level of refined bluntness that few other politicians can muster.
The north is rising…
But Stubb’s triumph in Davos was not just a personal one.
Representing Finland on the world stage in Davos, Stubb also signaled a new source of strength for Europe - the north.
While most of the attention has been focused on the aches and pains of the union’s two biggest economies - France and Germany - the rich, highly technical and highly stable nations of Scandanavia have been often overlooked.
Together Finland, Sweden and Norway - along with Denmark - stand as a tough (and wealthy) upper crust to the Old Continent. Alongside them, the formerly mocked PIGS nations (Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain) form a belt of economic prosperity.
After leading the conversation for Europe in Davos, the world will now know that there is more to Europe than flailing Frenchman and grumpy Germans.
Alexander Stubb with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte
A band of brothers
The fact that a Finn could step out of the shadows and project power, strength and wisdom in the biggest spotlight of all serves up one more important lesson:
Diversity can really lead to strength.
Despite the frictions and structural weakness of the the 27 nations of Europe, the broad range of countries, climates, talents and resources means that Europe has a long bench.
When one A-team player is down and out, another can step up. When injuries set in and some get out of shape, there is always another hidden talent ready to step up and shoulder the burden.
Just like a relentless band of brothers, Europe can and will survive - and thrive.
Alexander Stubb and the Finns are proving how it can be done.