On January 24/25, 2004 a group of concerned wealth owners gathered in the surroundings of the Schatzalp hotel in a charming chalet, which was located just above Davos, Switzerland at 1'800 meters altitude. The gathering arose out of a dialogue with the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the months leading up to the 2004 Davos summit and was hosted by Fritz and Birgit Kaiser. Participants came together to discuss the concept of responsibility in the context of private wealth ownership and, moreover, determine the feasibility and scope of a possible collaboration with the WEF. Beyond that, participants were invited to define the rationale and parameters of a more permanent Responsible Wealth Owners Forum (RWOF).

The event was participant-led, with input from renowned experts from the respective fields e.g. government/foreign policy, socio-economics, philanthropy, philosophy and literature. From a discussion of 'mega trends', participants progressively honed in on the implications of these trends for themselves and their families. In essence, what did it mean to be a 'responsible' wealth owner?