While a global pandemic has been a looming risk for decades, COVID-19 has come as a shock to society, health systems, economies and governments worldwide. In the midst of extraordinary challenges and uncertainty, and countless personal tragedies, leaders are under pressure to make decisions on managing the immediate impact of the pandemic and its consequences, decisions that will shape the state of the world for years to come. What might be the silver linings in the crisis and how might leaders use this moment to build a more prosperous, equitable and sustainable world? In this collection of essays, the Global Risks Advisory Board of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Initiative looks beyond the current crisis to the potential challenges and opportunities in the post-COVID-19 world. The result is a range of expert opinions from a geographically diverse set of leaders. They are designed to offer new perspectives on the post-pandemic future, in support of efforts to proactively and collectively shape the future we want. The views represented are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of the World Economic Forum.