Genava — No Bono, no Angelina.

With capitalism in crisis, the 2,500 business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week finds less star power than usual.

Organisers say the five-day event that started Wednesday will focus on work and on shaping the world after the crisis ends.

But with dozens of world leaders and finance ministers, and heads of the some of the world's biggest companies in attendance, this year's gathering may have trouble looking beyond the world's current economic problems. But the forum's head says they need to try.

"We are still in the midst of the crisis, let's face it," said Klaus Schwab, founder of the 39-year-old forum. "But we will look also at the world after the crisis, because this is a transformational crisis and the world certainly will be different afterward."

There will still be receptions with canapes and champagne, but no A-list Hollywood stars such as previous guests Angelina Jolie and Sharon Stone.

Even Bono, the U2 frontman who prodded the wealthy for years at Davos to give more to the poor, is not coming.

"Bono has a day job, too," said forum spokesman Mark Adams. "He's finishing an album."

Adams said there will still be actors, writers, designers, and architects. This year, they include singer Peter Gabriel, Chinese martial artist Jet Li and Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan.

"If there's a change, it's a shift eastwards as we are bringing in artists from different cultures around the world," Adams said. "I'm sure there will be a different tone this year and a sense that we need to get down to work. There are 230 working sessions and that's what people are coming for."

The economic crisis that emerged out the collapse of securities based on shaky US mortgages poses challenges for an event that champions market-driven approaches combined with sound global governance to the world's problems, ranging from climate change to terrorism.

 1 2 Next >