Tiffany Burrows looks at the key figures driving the Davos agenda.

This week world leaders descended on Davos, Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF). With the stated aim of "improving the state of the world”, the WEF brings together not only political leaders, but also business and civic society leaders to contribute to shaping the global economic agenda.

Last year’s summit came quickly after a year of unpredictability and uncertainty in the political realm. The Davos attendees had yet to digest and interpret the events of 2016, including the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, and the shock election of United States President Trump. The very essence of Davos – free trade, free flow of capital and free markets – was seemingly under threat and understandably, the rise of populism was on everyone’s mind. President Xi Jinping made headlines not only by being the first Chinese President to attend Davos, but for his rebuke of the then President-elect Trump’s embrace of protectionism by championing economic globalisation.

This year brings another first, with President Donald Trump becoming the first US President since Clinton in 2000 to attend the summit. The President is due to take to the stage on Friday where he is expected to defend his populist and protectionist policies to an audience whose views are predominantly antithetical to ‘Trumponomics’. Given this year's theme ("Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World"), and with topics including climate change, artificial intelligence and harassment up for discussion, the tone he adopts will certainly be interesting - particularly as two of these are synonymous with the Trump administration, for all the wrong reasons.

Although Trump’s vision for America’s role in the world is unlikely to find many supporters at Davos – the worldview of attendees being in stark contrast with the anti-establishment and anti-elitist sentiments that are seemingly in vogue – his speech is set to dominate the conference. The Financial Times reports that the President’s presence is intended to be more conciliatory than his usual rhetoric: “the sense that this is a genuine courtship of Davos is strengthened by the number of senior members of the US administration accompanying the president”. The world will have to wait and see how it plays out.

Another visitor also has their work cut out. A year after her first appearance as British Prime Minister, Theresa May returns to Davos in a much weaker position. Given the spotlight on Trump, Mrs May will be undertaking a diplomatic repair mission with the UK’s closest ally following the President’s recent decision to cancel his visit to the UK (fearing mass protests and reportedly being disappointed with a downgraded visit). The Prime Minister was criticised for offering President Trump a state visit to the UK so early in his presidency. Her offer was viewed by many commentators as being naïve and premature, and the relationship between the pair has been less than smooth ever since.

Given the UK’s ‘Global Britain’ drive, the Department for International Trade and No 10 are keen to secure a free trade agreement with the United States, so May’s meeting with Trump will be seen to be mission critical. The Prime Minister will also be aiming to promote (or convince) the rest of the global community that the UK, despite leaving the EU, is still a significant player on the world stage economically, socially and culturally.

Domestically, May is keen to refresh her party's image, seeking to reassure voters that the Government is on their side - but this is a difficult picture to present against the Davos backdrop. Mrs May has also been trying to ensure her legacy will feature more than being the ‘Brexit Prime Minister’, but Davos provides the unmissable opportunity for the Prime Minister and Chancellor Philip Hammond to commence a charm offensive with the leaders of the EU27 ahead of transition talks.

Other figures to watch out for are French President Emmanuel Macron – who commentators acknowledge “ticks every Davos box” – and who, for true believers of the European project, is a symbol of hope given the current uncertainty over its future direction. UK Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell also makes his first visit to Davos. At a first glance, given McDonnell’s well documented and entrenched Marxist views, his attendance is odd. The Opposition is particularly hostile to the core messages of Davos, with nationalisation of key domestic industries high on Labour’s policy agenda. However, a closer look reveals that McDonnell is using Davos as a platform for domestic reasons to challenge the Prime Minister, comparing and contrasting her ‘schmoozing’ with big business with Labour’s mantra of policies “for the many, not the few”.