PAX ECONOMICA TROPHY 2026
"Diplomatic entrepreneurship"
Towards a Culture of Economic Peace
Recipient:
Guila Clara Kessous, UNESCO artist for peace, Executive Coach and Founder of the European and International Label “Economica Pax” for organizations
With participation of
Dr. Dominique Steiler, Founder of the UNESCO Chair Towards a Culture of Economic Peace
Khen Than Nhat, CEO of Sentai Asiancook – T&T Foods Group, Executive Producer and Human Rights Defensor
Sunday, 18 January 2026
07:30 PM
Ahead Spark Night Dinner in Davos
"Visionaries build the future"
PRESENTATION
In a global context marked by rising geopolitical, economic, and social tensions, the Pax Economica Trophy 2026 honors a visionary initiative that places business at the heart of peacebuilding dynamics.
The trophy will be awarded to Dr. Guila Clara Kessous for her outstanding commitment to diplomatic entrepreneurship and for creating the Economica Pax label, which promotes businesses as non-state actors of peace, capable of transcending political, cultural, and geographical antagonisms.
In 2026, businesses can no longer limit themselves to an economic role alone; they are called upon to become concrete actors of peace. Through their unique ability to bring together individuals of different cultures, religions, and nationalities, businesses constitute a tangible space for peaceful coexistence, beyond political narratives and geopolitical tensions.
By demonstrating that it is possible to collaborate with populations sometimes considered “antagonistic,” businesses help dismantle stigmas, restore human dignity, and open channels of dialogue where states may fail. Organizations operating in conflict zones or internationally thus possess a powerful lever for pacification through work, a universal language that transcends borders and divides.
The Economica Pax label aims to recognize and reward companies that, through their multicultural governance, collective intelligence projects, and commitment to intercultural dialogue, contribute to the reduction of international tensions and the creation of a sustainable culture of economic peace as defined in a new paradigm by Dr. Dominique Steiler in his work.
The benefits are multiple: social stability, reduced geopolitical risks, increased attractiveness for purpose-driven younger generations, and enhanced economic sustainability. At a time when conflicts impose a colossal global economic cost, making business a driver of peace is both a moral responsibility and a strategic imperative.
Economica Pax thus proposes a new paradigm: an economy serving coexistence and lasting peace.
The trophy will be presented during the Ahead Spark Night – Opening Dinner, an exclusive evening bringing together economic leaders, investors, policymakers, and visionaries on the eve of Davos Week 2026. This distinction celebrates entrepreneurial innovation in the service of peace and dialogue, embodied by the vision and actions of Dr. Guila Clara Kessous.
CONTRIBUTOR
Guila Clara Kessous
Guila Clara Kessous is a UNESCO Artist for Peace, a professional coach, and the creator of the concept of “diplomatic entrepreneurship”, which applies corporate leadership and coaching methodologies to diplomacy, cultural dialogue, and economic peacebuilding. She holds an Executive MBA from ESSEC Business School and a PhD conducted under the mentorship of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel.
For over fifteen years, she has worked internationally with executives, organizations, and institutions, supporting leadership transitions, collective intelligence, and courage-driven decision-making in complex and multicultural environments. Her work bridges entrepreneurial strategy, diplomacy, and organizational transformation, translating values into operational leadership practices.
She is a leading figure in feminine diplomacy and founded the “Sarah and Hajar Accords”, the feminine equivalent of the Abraham Accords, bringing together women diplomats from the Middle East. She is also the founder of strategic feminine alliances, including the “International Accords for Women in Diplomacy” and the “African Accords for Women in Diplomacy”. She founded and directs at UNESCO the “Femina Vox International Forum” and, in 2025, submitted a United Nations resolution advocating for quotas for women in all international peace negotiations which will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March 2026.
Her work in cultural and artistic diplomacy is carried through the “World Art Day International Forum” that she created at UNESCO, where she integrates creativity, art-based coaching, and art therapy into leadership development and organizational transformation.
In the field of economic diplomacy, she launched “Economica Pax”, a certification enabling companies to contribute to international peacebuilding while embedding ethical leadership, collective intelligence, and sustainable performance into their strategies.
She has taught at Harvard University, SciencesPo Paris, and HEC Paris. She was appointed Chevalier of the National Order of Merit by the French government and has received many awards including “Peace Woman of the Year” 2025 and “Woman of the Decade” from the First Lady of Italy at the Women Economic Forum.
SUPPORT
Khen Thanh Nhat
Khen Thanh Nhat is a Franco-Asian entrepreneur and producer, committed to the development of economic, industrial and cultural projects connecting Europe and Asia. As the head of several organizations specializing in agri-food, distribution and strategic consulting, he has established himself as a recognized figure in promoting Asian cultures within European markets.
A key player in the retail sector, he has contributed to the structuring and growth of the Asian food category in France and across Europe, supporting international brands and building long-term partnerships with leading retail groups.
At the same time, Khen Thanh Nhat is leading a large-scale industrial project in France, aimed at the creation of three Asian food production units, with the potential to generate nearly 200 jobs. This strategic initiative is part of a broader approach focused on industrial relocation, innovation and sustainable economic cooperation between Europe and Asia.
Convinced that business can also serve as a powerful vehicle for cultural dialogue, he develops gastronomic events and is actively involved in the production and support of international, humanist film projects. His career reflects a contemporary vision of entrepreneurship, at the intersection of economy, culture and purpose.
Dr. Dominique Steiler
Dominique Steiler holds a doctorate in Management from the University of Newcastle and served for twenty-five years as a professor of leadership and organizational psychology in leading business schools. In 2012, he founded the research and teaching chair “Mindfulness, Well-Being at Work, and Economic Peace”, which later became the “UNESCO Chair for a Culture of Economic Peace”. In 2025, he founded the association “Pax Economica: Movement for advancing of a Culture of Economic Peace”.
His research and practice focus on personal and managerial transformation, mindfulness, joy, sustainable performance, and—most distinctively—on reimagining economic systems as drivers of peace rather than violence. He is a Research Fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, Princeton (NJ).
A former naval fighter pilot and Olympic team coach, Dominique Steiler now works internationally with executives, organizations, and institutions, bridging inner transformation, leadership, and systemic change to help build the foundations of a lasting culture of peace by advancing a regenerative economic paradigm in service of the common good.
MEDIAS
