The initiative was spearheaded by Wolfgang Schürer, Clemens Ernst Brenninkmeyer, Franz Karl Kriegler, Urs Schneider, and Terje I. Wölner-Hanssen, who established the International Students' Committee (ISC) as a platform for constructive dialogue between decision-makers and the younger generation.

Over time, the event grew in stature and scope, with international speakers such as Kofi Annan, Josef Ackermann, and Christine Lagarde contributing to the symposium's increasing prominence.

In February 1970, Wolfgang Schürer (DE) founded the International Students' Committee (ISC) together with Clemens Ernst Brenninkmeyer (NL), Franz Karl Kriegler (AT), Urs Schneider (CH), and Terje I. Wölner-Hanssen (NO).

[9][10][11] After holding the first International Management Dialogue, the founding presidents Wolfgang Schürer and Urs Schneider published a book with the presentations of the first meeting as proof of the importance of the topics, the quality of the speakers and the large number of requests due to the media response.

[13] With the holding of a second International Management Dialogue in the following year, the symposium passed another test and was further encouraged by the Rectorate of the University of St.

With Aurelio Peccei and the former Minister of Science of Lower Saxony Professor Eduard Pestel, the Club of Rome was given the first major forum in the German-speaking world.

[13] The global economic downturn caused by the 1973 oil crisis and problems with securing the continuity of the student initiative led to the symposium not being held in 1974.

In 1977, the St. Gallen Symposium made the headlines with a round table discussion with German Employers' President Hanns Martin Schleyer and DGB Chairman Heinz Oskar Vetter.

Thanks to the presence of renowned international speakers and attractive programmes, the ISC Symposium was able to become the epitome of one of the leading forums on management issues in Europe.

With the burst of the dot-com bubble, the September 11 attacks, and the bankruptcy of Swissair – one of the symposium's most important benefactors – the beginning of the new millennium posed great challenges for the subsequent year.

In the following year, Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, received the Freedom Prize of the Max Schmidheiny Foundation, which was already awarded to him in 2003.

This Knowledge Pool is made up of 100 people who are specifically invited to the symposium by the ISC, and that provides a counterweight to the 100 winners of the academic St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award (now the Global Essay Competition).

New formats For the St. Gallen Symposium from May 5 to May 7, 2021, strategic further development of the physical dialogue with digital elements was realized, thus guaranteeing the security of the participants and more sustainability.

Newly, the St. Gallen Symposium also took place through two hubs in New York and Singapore and worked with 8 Swiss embassies around the world on new formats.

Their qualification is evaluated according to the criteria for the "Global Essay Competition" (former St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award) or the Knowledge Pool.

The St. Gallen Symposium is intended to provide Leaders of Tomorrow with a platform where they can discuss with today's executives at eye level and challenge them so that new approaches to thinking and solutions can emerge.

With more than 1000 contributions from over 60 different countries annually, the St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award belongs to one of the biggest student essay competitions of its kind.

Other members of the main jury are Peter Day, Nigel Fretwell, Heike Bruch, Marcela Escobari and Riz Khan.

The prestigious honourees include Kofi Annan, Nicolas Hayek, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Jorma Ollila and Muhammad Yunus.

Some of the most well-known ISC alumni are: The St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies acts as the supervisory body and ensures the continuity of the symposium given the annually changing organising team.

Former CEOs include Philip Erzinger (2008-2017), Andreas Kirchschläger (1997-2008), Eugen von Keller (1995-1997), Gerard & Ursula Stoudman and Wolfgang Schürer (1975-1993).

Further members are Manuel Ammann, Thomas Buberl, Christian Mumenthaler, Christoph Loos, Claudia Suessmuth Dyckerhoff und Ulrike Landfester.

[60] Within this circle are currently seven Main Partners, who provide special support in their respective areas: ABB, Accenture, BCG, UBS HCL Tech, Swiss Re, Omega and the Max Schmidheiny Foundation.