It's that time of the year again, as 2,600 politicians, thought leaders, executives, and media elites make their way to a mountain in Switzerland. What compels them to make the trek? As usual, the summit--and the jet-fueled pilgrimage to attend--gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'It's not where you are; it's who you're with." A lot of excitement as everyone congregates. For my first post, I'll talk through what--and who--to expect. 
 
 Firstly, I'd just like to say how thrilled I am to be the Huffington Post's 'man on the ground' here in Davos. I'll be regularly updating this blog to give you a front row seat as events unfold--and, as always, a dose of my characteristically cranky global political outlook. 
 
 What to Expect 
 
 The World Economic Forum has set the catchphrase for this year's summit: 'Resilient Dynamism." If that's difficult to digest, it's because the risk outlook is equally cloudy and disparate. In a sentence, I take the term to mean that, in a world of shocks that strike faster and from less predictable sources, the ability to navigate them--and even grow because of them-- is paramount. Arianna Huffington's take on the term is particularly engaging. In short, last year's meeting was dominated by eurozone crisis response. This year, that risk has abated considerably, and it accordingly fades within the packed slate of issues that will compete for attention. 
 
 So what's the unifying challenge through all the noise? As the world struggles to bolster its resilience against economic and political uncertainty, the key risk is the increasing vulnerability of elites. We're seeing leaders of all kinds, in the developed and developing world, in politics as well as business and media, answering to constituents who grow more dissatisfied... and information-rich. Look at the riots in India over the recent rape scandal, the US Congress' abysmal approval ratings, or the phone hacking scandal at News Corp. Corruption, special interests, or a lack of transparency will spell trouble for leaders. The same goes for a widening gap between rich and poor. The threat to elites of all kinds comes in multiple forms: leaders who are battling for legitimacy will struggle to pursue long-term objectives rather than resort to reactive, 'quick fix' approaches. And in some instances, it could destabilize the very institutions--or even governments-- that these elites represent. 
 
 I chair the Global Agenda Council on Geopolitical Risk, where we outline the growing vulnerability of elites--as well as key risks and opportunities more generally--in our report that launched today. Feel free to take a look at the report in more depth. 
 
 En route to #Davos. Going to be a very different feel this year: financial crisis behind us, but inequality on the rise. 1/2 — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 22, 2013 
 
 En route to #Davos. Political elites more vulnerable; business elites aren't...but probably should be. 2/2 — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 22, 2013 
 
 Who's Turning Heads 
 
 Last year, Angela Merkel and Christine Lagarde were the big draws, and their speeches/comments stood out above the Davos noise. This year they are both attending again and their contributions will, of course, be highly anticipated. But with less attention on the eurozone, some other plenaries are very much 'must-sees' this year. I'd specifically flag David Cameron in the wake of the UK's existential concerns regarding its EU status, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, in light of increasing tension between the US and Russia. 
 
 Last year's #Davos, Merkel and Lagarde were the belles of the ball. Suspect much less cohesion this week..but tilt of focus to US. — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 22, 2013 
 
 Medvedev, Cameron among the biggest #Davos plenaries this year, w exceptionally difficult messages to sell. — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 22, 2013 
 
 For a breakdown of attendees at Davos, Quartz put out an interesting piece. Some highlights: a full two-thirds of Davos attendees hail from North America or Europe (no wonder we see such focus on the eurozone crisis!). Africa and South America? Just 4.8% and 3.1%, respectively. 
 
 Every year, Davos has celebrity attendees who take their share and more of media attention. Last year, it was Mick Jagger. The early front-runner for 2013? Charlize Theron, here representing her native South Africa. Celebrity sightings make heads swivel--but they don't move the needle much when it comes to the focus of Davos debate. 
 
 
 
 Quick scan of #Davos attendees on ride up from Zurich: Charlize Theron appears to be this year's Mick Jagger. #whatever — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 22, 2013 
 
 Ian Bremmer is writing a Davos Diary exclusively for Huffington Post, and will update it several times daily. 

 Story highlights David Frum says reports are the elites attending Davos feel vulnerable 
 
 He says that's a good sign, given all the harm their decisions have done to the world economy 
 
 Frum: Bad decisions by those with "superior knowledge" have caused great harm 
 
 Frum: He says people are looking to leaders, expecting them to make better decisions 
 
 The world of punditry is divided into two groups: those who attend the World Economic Forum at Davos and those who mock the World Economic Forum at Davos. (There's a subgroup that both attends and mocks, but it's tiny.) 
 
 Yet Davos is important, whether you attend or no. (I don't.) And if Ian Bremmer is right, this year something genuinely encouraging may be happening at the grand global gathering of business leaders, politicians and big-thinking academics. 
 
 "As the world struggles to bolster its resilience against economic and political uncertainty, the key risk is the increasing vulnerability of elites. We're seeing leaders of all kinds, in the developed and developing world, in politics as well as business and media, answering to constituents who grow more dissatisfied... and information-rich. Look at the riots in India over the recent rape scandal, the U.S. Congress' abysmal approval ratings or the phone hacking scandal at News Corp. Corruption, special interests or a lack of transparency will spell trouble for leaders." 
 
 David Frum 
 
 Bremmer, a brilliant analyst of the global economy, is a regular Davos participant. He's recording his impressions of the 2013 conference in a diary for the Huffington Post. 
 
 If he's perceiving elite anxiety, one can only say: finally. 
 
 "What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass." So snarked Queen Victoria's first prime minister, Lord Melbourne. 
 
 He might have been talking about the euro. Or the securitization of the U.S. mortgage market. Or the British government's attempt to restore prosperity through budget austerity. Or. Or. Or. Over the past decade and a half, we've seen one horrendous economic decision after another made, not by voters in democracies, but by people who owed their power to their claims of superior knowledge. Together, they have plunged us into a decade and a half of disasters, culminating in a global financial crisis triggered by new credit instruments that were advertised as ending financial crises once and for all. 
 
 Cameron at Davos: Focus on trade, taxes, transparency 
 
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 Yet by and large, these leaders have escaped public accountability or even criticism over the past six years of global crisis. The people who designed the euro continue to run the European Central Bank. The people who wrecked the American banking system walked away with multimillion-dollar severance packages. We all know that life's not fair. But this unfair? 
 
 So it's welcome news that the Davos attenders are suddenly feeling "vulnerable." They ought to. Elected leaders can at least be removed by the voters. Not so central bankers, financial regulators, and investment bankers, even though they can (and often do) exercise more power than any elected official. 
 
 Global CEOs lack confidence in 2013 
 
 Bremmer appears to suggest that the correct response to elite vulnerability is more transparency. I don't think that's quite right. If banks and regulators were delivering good results, nobody would mind their opaqueness. It's the bad results that drive the demand for transparency. But that's not because we really want more transparency. 
 
 What we really want is more competence and more success and success that benefits the many, rather than lavishly over-rewarding a privileged few even as they ruin everything and everyone around them. 
 
 According to Bremmer, the theme of this year's Davos conference is "Resilient Dynamism." It would have done better if it had adopted instead the theme, "We Messed Up." That would open the way to panels on "Why We Messed Up" and "How Not to Do it Again." More cynical attendees might opt for practical discussions on topics like, "How to Sound Contrite Even Though You're Not a Bit Sorry." 
 
 It's probably too much to expect the Davos gathering to feel any real remorse. But if they at least feel fear, that's a promising start on the way to reform. 
 
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– Today's global elite are "answering to constituents who grow more dissatisfied ... and information-rich," observes Ian Bremmer at the Huffington Post—and as they gather at Davos, they appear concerned about their "increasing vulnerability." That's a very good thing, notes David Frum: "Over the past decade and a half, we've seen one horrendous economic decision after another made not by voters in democracies, but by people who owed their power to their claims of superior knowledge," he writes at CNN. But since they're not elected leaders, these people aren't facing any consequences—"even though they can (and often do) exercise more power than any elected official." Those behind the euro are still running the European Central Bank, and bankers who fueled our financial mess exited with cushy severance packages. But if they're finally feeling "vulnerable," these leaders might take steps toward competence and accountability. "It's probably too much to expect the Davos gathering to feel any real remorse. But if they at least feel fear, that's a promising start on the way to reform," Frum writes. Click through for the full piece.