Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Microsoft founder Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to explore partnerships aimed at transforming the state into a hub for healthcare, education, and innovation.
The two discussed establishing a centre of excellence for health innovation and diagnostics to provide cutting-edge services, the state government said. Naidu invited Gates to join the advisory board of a proposed artificial intelligence (AI) university in Andhra Pradesh, emphasizing the state’s commitment to leveraging innovation for better public health outcomes.
“Andhra Pradesh could serve as a gateway for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s (BMGF) initiatives across south India,” Naidu said, highlighting opportunities to amplify the foundation’s reach in the region.
During the WEF, the CM also met Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, urging Google to consider Visakhapatnam as a chip design and manufacturing hub. “Andhra Pradesh’s talented youth are poised to redefine the future of technology,” Naidu tweeted after the meeting.
Naidu also engaged with Muhammad Taufiq, President and CEO of Petronas, encouraging investment in Andhra’s emerging petrochemical hub at Mulapeta. Petronas is planning to invest up to Rs 15,000 crore in green ammonia and hydrogen projects in Kakinada.
The chief minister met PepsiCo executives, including Eugene Willemsen, CEO of Pepsi International Franchise Beverages, and Stephen Kehoe, Chairman of the PepsiCo Foundation. Naidu proposed making Visakhapatnam PepsiCo’s global delivery centre and urged collaboration with local farmers for supply chain development.
He also interacted with representatives from Bahrain and Mumtalakat, inviting investments in Andhra Pradesh under its new industrial policies. Unilever Chief Supply Officer Willem Uijen expressed interest in investing Rs 330 crore in palm oil projects, while Naidu proposed Visakhapatnam for Unilever’s technology centre.
The CM sought the World Economic Forum’s support in attracting global investments in green hydrogen, battery storage, and solar manufacturing. He also discussed establishing a clean energy knowledge and skill development centre in the state.
Naidu’s engagements at the WEF underscore his focus on technology, sustainability, and global collaboration to drive Andhra Pradesh’s development.
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