
Seems like the secretive “off the record” Bilderberg group has finally caught the eye of the general public as more than 140 of the world’s most powerful leaders and richest businessmen met at the luxurious Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire, UK for the four-day Bilderberg Conference, sparking protests around the hotel as spectators gathered to jeer the blacked-out limos as they entered the compound. The elite guest list for the Bilderberg meeting includes Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The forum for prominent politicians, royalty, thinkers, business leaders and other powerful elites has been held annually at a series of secluded venues in Europe and North America since 1954 – and what happens at Bilderberg, stays at Bilderberg. No records are kept of the event and the public is kept away by a large security contingent.
Many have expressed concerns about the secrecy surrounding the event. A British lawmaker noted:
“When 130 of the leaders from all across the West get together, and many of these are billionaires, they are people who are immensely wealthy and immensely powerful. And when they all get together, it’s not just to have a chat about the latest problem, it is to concert plans for the future of capitalism in the West that is on a very different scale.”
The Bilderberg Group (or Bilderberg Conference) is an annual private four-day conference of about 150 invited guests from over 20 countries around the world, nearly all of whom are people of influence. About one-third of the attendees are from government and politics with the remaining two-thirds hailing from leaders in finance, industry, labor, education and communications. The group’s name derives from the original conference held on May 29,1954,4 at the Hotel de Bilderberg in Oosterbeek, Netherlands.
The group describes the conference as “a forum for informal, off-the-record discussions about megatrends and the major issues facing the world” and states that the private nature of the meeting allows participants to “listen, reflect and gather insights” without being bound by the conventions of office or by pre-agreed public positions. There is no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued – or so they say…
Dr. J.H. Retinger, Bilderberg’s permanent secretary, explained that regardless of what is discussed behind closed doors, participants are free to act as they see best.
“We do not contemplate taking any direct action. We draw the attention of existing organizations to the points in question; what those organizations do remains their own responsibility.”
Regardless of Bilderberg members’ claims that decisions are not made at the meeting, that they have an open website, and that the proposed “agenda” is made public, detractors say that anytime one hundred of the world’s most influential people gather for a secretive meeting where everything that is discussed is considered “off the record”, it is a threat to society and the democratic process. And the fact that the meetings are highly secretive goes without question. As an example, after the conclusion of this year’s conference, UK Senior Minister Ken Clarke was “summoned to the Commons” to answer questions about the secret Bilderberg group meeting. Clarke promptly refused to answer any questions about what was discussed behind the group’s closed doors.
“In a dismissive statement to MPs, Clarke said this was a ‘first occasion for me as I have never previously answered a question in the House of Commons about a private organization for which the government has no responsibility’. Clarke insisted that everyone who attended the conference did so as an individual and not representing any organization.”
When asked about what occurred at the conference and how Clarke participated in the discussions, an official spokesman told reporters:
“It was a private meeting. He attended Bilderberg on Friday. I don’t have any more to add to that.”
Meanwhile, during the conference, protesters gathered on roads leading into the compound and on barges floating along a canal near the conference in order to protest the cars with blacked-out windows as they entered the gates of the Grove Hotel.
Below is believed to be the official list of 2013 attendees:
BILDERBERG CONFERENCE 2013: FULL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Castries, Henri de (chairman)
Chairman and CEO, AXA GroupAchleitner, Paul M.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AGAckermann, Josef
Chairman of the Board, Zurich Insurance Group LtdAgius, Marcus
Former Chairman, Barclays plcAlexander, Helen
Chairman, UBM plcAltman, Roger C.
Executive Chairman, Evercore PartnersApunen, Matti
Director, Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVAAthey, Susan
Professor of Economics, Stanford Graduate School of BusinessAydıntaşbaş, Aslı
Columnist, Milliyet NewspaperBabacan, Ali
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial AffairsBalls, Edward M.
Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerBalsemão, Francisco Pinto
Chairman and CEO, IMPRESABarré, Nicolas
Managing Editor, Les EchosBarroso, José M. Durão
President, European CommissionBaverez, Nicolas
Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLPBavinchove, Olivier de
Commander, EurocorpsBell, John
Regius Professor of Medicine, University of OxfordBernabè, Franco
Chairman and CEO, Telecom Italia S.p.A.Bezos, Jeff
Founder and CEO, Amazon.comBildt, Carl
Minister for Foreign AffairsBorg, Anders
Minister for FinanceBoxmeer, Jean François van
Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Heineken N.V.Brandtzæg, Svein Richard
President and CEO, Norsk Hydro ASABronner, Oscar
Publisher, Der Standard MedienweltCarrington, Peter
Former Honorary Chairman, Bilderberg MeetingsCebrián, Juan Luis
Executive Chairman, Grupo PRISAClark, W. Edmund
President and CEO, TD Bank GroupClarke, Kenneth
Member of ParliamentCorydon, Bjarne
Minister of FinanceCowper-Coles, Sherard
Business Development Director, International, BAE Systems plcCucchiani, Enrico Tommaso
CEO, Intesa Sanpaolo SpADavignon, Etienne
Minister of State; Former Chairman, Bilderberg MeetingsDavis, Ian
Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & CompanyDijkgraaf, Robbert H.
Director and Leon Levy Professor, Institute for Advanced StudyDinçer, Haluk
President, Retail and Insurance Group, Sabancı Holding A.S.Dudley, Robert
Group Chief Executive, BP plcEberstadt, Nicholas N.
Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy, American Enterprise InstituteEide, Espen Barth
Minister of Foreign AffairsEkholm, Börje
President and CEO, Investor ABEnders, Thomas
CEO, EADSEvans, J. Michael
Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs & Co.Federspiel, Ulrik
Executive Vice President, Haldor Topsøe A/SFeldstein, Martin S.
Professor of Economics, Harvard University; President Emeritus, NBERFillon, François
Former Prime MinisterFishman, Mark C.
President, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical ResearchFlint, Douglas J.
Group Chairman, HSBC Holdings plcGallagher, Paul
Senior CounselGeithner, Timothy F.
Former Secretary of the TreasuryGfoeller, Michael
Political ConsultantGraham, Donald E.
Chairman and CEO, The Washington Post CompanyGrillo, Ulrich
CEO, Grillo-Werke AGGruber, Lilli
Journalist – Anchorwoman, La 7 TVGuindos, Luis de
Minister of Economy and CompetitivenessGulliver, Stuart
Group Chief Executive, HSBC Holdings plcGutzwiller, Felix
Member of the Swiss Council of StatesHalberstadt, Victor
Professor of Economics, Leiden UniversityHeinonen, Olli
Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs,
Harvard Kennedy SchoolHenry, Simon
CFO, Royal Dutch Shell plcHermelin, Paul
Chairman and CEO, Capgemini GroupIsla, Pablo
Chairman and CEO, Inditex GroupJacobs, Kenneth M.
Chairman and CEO, LazardJohnson, James A.
Chairman, Johnson Capital PartnersJordan, Thomas J.
Chairman of the Governing Board, Swiss National BankJordan, Jr., Vernon E.
Managing Director, Lazard Freres & Co. LLCKaplan, Robert D.
Chief Geopolitical Analyst, StratforKarp, Alex
Founder and CEO, Palantir TechnologiesKerr, John
Independent Member, House of LordsKissinger, Henry A.
Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc.Kleinfeld, Klaus
Chairman and CEO, AlcoaKnot, Klaas H.W.
President, De Nederlandsche BankKoç, Mustafa V.
Chairman, Koç Holding A.S.Koch, Roland
CEO, Bilfinger SEKravis, Henry R.
Co-Chairman and Co-CEO, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.Kravis, Marie-Josée
Senior Fellow and Vice Chair, Hudson InstituteKudelski, André
Chairman and CEO, Kudelski GroupKyriacopoulos, Ulysses
Chairman, S&B Industrial Minerals S.A.Lagarde, Christine
Managing Director, International Monetary FundLauk, Kurt J.
Chairman of the Economic Council to the CDU, BerlinLessig, Lawrence
Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law SchoolLeysen, Thomas
Chairman of the Board of Directors, KBC GroupLindner, Christian
Party Leader, Free Democratic Party (FDP NRW)Löfven, Stefan
Party Leader, Social Democratic Party (SAP)Löscher, Peter
President and CEO, Siemens AGMandelson, Peter
Chairman, Global Counsel; Chairman, Lazard InternationalMathews, Jessica T.
President, Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceMcKenna, Frank
Chair, Brookfield Asset ManagementMicklethwait, John
Editor-in-Chief, The EconomistMontbrial, Thierry de
President, French Institute for International RelationsMonti, Mario
Former Prime MinisterMundie, Craig J.
Senior Advisor to the CEO, Microsoft CorporationNagel, Alberto
CEO, MediobancaNetherlands, H.R.H. Princess Beatrix of The
Ng, Andrew Y.
Co-Founder, CourseraOllila, Jorma
Chairman, Royal Dutch Shell, plcOmand, David
Visiting Professor, King’s College LondonOsborne, George
Chancellor of the ExchequerOttolenghi, Emanuele
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of DemocraciesÖzel, Soli
Senior Lecturer, Kadir Has University; Columnist, Habertürk NewspaperPapahelas, Alexis
Executive Editor, Kathimerini NewspaperPavey, Şafak
Member of Parliament (CHP)Pécresse, Valérie
Member of Parliament (UMP)Perle, Richard N.
Resident Fellow, American Enterprise InstitutePetraeus, David H.
General, U.S. Army (Retired)Portas, Paulo
Minister of State and Foreign AffairsPrichard, J. Robert S.
Chair, Torys LLPReding, Viviane
Vice President and Commissioner for Justice, European CommissionReisman, Heather M.
CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc.Rey, Hélène
Professor of Economics, London Business SchoolRobertson, Simon
Partner, Robertson Robey Associates LLP; Deputy Chairman, HSBC HoldingsRocca, Gianfelice
Chairman,Techint GroupRostowski, Jacek
Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime MinisterRubin, Robert E.
Co-Chairman, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Secretary of the TreasuryRutte, Mark
Prime MinisterSchieder, Andreas
State Secretary of FinanceSchmidt, Eric E.
Executive Chairman, Google Inc.Scholten, Rudolf
Member of the Board of Executive Directors, Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AGSeguro, António José
Secretary General, Socialist PartySenard, Jean-Dominique
CEO, Michelin GroupSkogen Lund, Kristin
Director General, Confederation of Norwegian EnterpriseSlaughter, Anne-Marie
Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs,
PrincetonSutherland, Peter D.
Chairman, Goldman Sachs InternationalTaylor, Martin
Former Chairman, Syngenta AGThiam, Tidjane
Group CEO, Prudential plcThiel, Peter A.
President, Thiel CapitalThompson, Craig B.
President and CEO, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterTopsøe, Jakob Haldor
Partner, AMBROX Capital A/SUrpilainen, Jutta
Minister of FinanceVasella, Daniel L.
Honorary Chairman, Novartis AGVoser, Peter R.
CEO, Royal Dutch Shell plcWall, Brad
Premier of SaskatchewanWallenberg, Jacob
Chairman, Investor ABWarsh, Kevin
Distinguished Visiting Fellow, The Hoover Institution, Stanford UniversityWeston, Galen G.
Executive Chairman, Loblaw Companies LimitedWilliams of Crosby, Shirley
Member, House of LordsWolf, Martin H.
Chief Economics Commentator, The Financial TimesWolfensohn, James D.
Chairman and CEO, Wolfensohn and CompanyWright, David
Vice Chairman, Barclays plcZoellick, Robert B.
Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics