Insights from the World Economic Forum Panel on Digital Identity

As a participant in some of the ongoing discussions centered around digital technologies and digital identity during the World Economic Forum’s latest meeting in Davos, Hedera helped spark conversation on the importance of decentralized technology use cases. But what exactly did innovators and leaders around the globe talk about?

On the latest episode of Gossip About Gossip, Zenobia Godschalk, SVP of Communications with Swirlds Labs, welcomes Hedera Global Governing Council’s Chair and President Brett McDowell, to provide insight on WEF’s panel on digital identity.

The two discuss:

  • McDowell’s background in digital optimization, ICT coalitions, and security and how his experience led to his role with Hedera
  • What participating in the WEF panel on digital identity was like and how the forum helps to build community, connections, and strategic priorities
  • How decentralized technologies can blend into the future with current use cases

“…In general, happy to say that one of the themes that I believe is an outcome of some of the smaller room discussions with the leadership around blockchain, crypto, and Web3, has been to shift the focus from what the technology could be used for and to focus on what the technology is being used for…” said McDowell.

McDowell has been with Hedera Hashgraph for over four years and has helped shape the IT industry with over twenty years of coalition experience. He is the Founding Executive Director and Chair of the Hedera Governing Council. Previously, McDowell worked in executive leadership roles with FIDO Alliance and has led or advised numerous other future-forward companies, including PayPal and the Liberty Alliance Project. McDowell is a graduate of Alma College with a B.S. in Physics. He has also been awarded the Lemelson Fellowship for Innovation, Invention, and Entrepreneurship and worked as a Fellow for the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s National Center for Digital Government.

Recent Episodes

Artificial intelligence has already moved beyond the hype cycle and into the day-to-day reality of business operations. Companies across industries are rushing to integrate AI into their workflows, but many are running into the same challenge: it’s relatively easy to build something that works in a demo, and much harder to make it reliable…

Farming is under more pressure than it’s been in years. Costs are rising, prices are unpredictable, and every decision carries more weight than it used to. What many still think of as a traditional industry is quietly evolving, with more farmers turning to digital tools to manage risk and stay competitive. It’s not about chasing…

Artificial intelligence has moved from buzzword to boardroom priority at a staggering pace. Yet despite widespread adoption, many organizations are still struggling to turn experimentation into measurable business value—some estimates suggest the majority of enterprise AI initiatives fail to scale successfully. As AI becomes “table stakes” across industries, the real challenge is no longer…