Our city is now a masterclass in urban innovation, and you don’t have to take my word for it.
If you follow me on LinkedIn, you know that I fully support the idea of moving the World Economic Forum from Davos to Detroit. An idea originating with one of the Forum’s planners.
The reason for the potential change, according to BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, is that the Forum should be “in the places where the modern world is actually built.”
Mr. Fink is not alone.
Last July, Global Citizen NOW came to Detroit for the first time, bringing together leaders from business, government, media, philanthropy, nonprofits, and culture to “explore what it takes to build inclusive, sustainable cities.”
In January, Wallpaper Magazine’s Design Awards named Detroit its City of the Year 2026, citing, “Once a byword for urban distress, the Motor City is undergoing a fresh wave of regeneration, driven by progressive developers, design distinctions and dynamic investment.”
This June, hundreds of placemakers from around the world will land in Detroit for the Project for Public Spaces 5th Annual International Placemaking Week. “Detroit is a city that has weathered some of the toughest place-based challenges—economic disinvestment, population decline, vacancy, and even bankruptcy—yet has emerged with unmatched resilience and grit.” Adding that attendees will experience “the exciting living laboratory that it is today.” The Downtown Detroit Partnership is pleased to be co-hosting this important gathering.
In November, Fortune announced that its Innovation Forum America, the largest gathering of Fortune 500 CEOs and Innovators, will be in the “Great City of Detroit.”
And late last year, I had quite a surprising opportunity. I met with representatives of The King’s Foundation, a charity founded by King Charles III and inspired by His Majesty’s philosophy of Harmony. The visit was twofold. The Foundation wanted to present a screening of its new documentary, “Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision,” (now available on Amazon Prime), and explore the possibility of a partnership with Detroit to leverage His Majesty’s global platform to catalyze urban regeneration and sustainable development. Just three cities — Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland – were considered for what will be a tangible, long-term investment and development project in honor of our country’s 250th birthday.
The discussion focused on the city’s incredible momentum, neighborhood development, and our deep cultural and economic ties that align with the Foundation’s mission.
Detroit has now emerged as a living case study of industrial transformation, technological disruption, workforce transition, geopolitical trade, inclusive growth, urban resilience, and cross-border collaboration.
In fact, few border economies have been tested as Detroit and Windsor. From 9-11 to the pandemic to more recent political and economic challenges, our binational community gets stronger.
And, cities embody the tension between legacy systems and future growth as clearly, or as honestly, as Detroit. The city’s resurgence is not theoretical; it is operational, measurable, and ongoing. For global leaders, this matters because conversations gain credibility when grounded in lived economic reality, not abstraction.
We should find ways to capitalize on our master class status and look for opportunities to do that both externally and internally.
Externally, Detroit’s recent success hosting major global and national events demonstrates its readiness. We have complex, multi-stakeholder coordination; a secure, walkable, high-density urban core; innovative hospitality and event infrastructure; and public-private collaboration.
Detroit has shown it can deliver flawless execution, while also offering something increasingly rare: authenticity.
Internally, there is still much work to be done to improve the lives of Detroit residents and support investment. We must build on the business/government/nonprofit partnerships we have created.
We should continue to remind ourselves where we came from and how we got here. We must remind ourselves to see what everyone else around the world is witnessing and direct that attention to drive progress and execute projects for the greater good.
If we can do that, they’ll be beating down the door to come here.