The leader in the face of geopolitics, reflections following the dinner of the Circle of Women Leaders
I/ Dealing with geopolitics.
The issues of conquest are intimately linked to geopolitics. It suffices to be convinced of this to see that during the trips of heads of state, business leaders are often part of the delegation. The 2 current issues of terrorist Islamism and Power States, their implications such as the American Sanctions, complicate the deal. And this, all the more so since the countries of southern Europe are looking at terrorism while those of northern Europe are looking at Russia.
II/ Convergence of objectives.
Where the geopolitician sees issues of sovereignty, territorial victories or political conquests, the entrepreneur sees market share opportunities. The allies become new worlds of conquest such as India, which has become even more attractive in the context of the USA-China decoupling
III/ geopolitics as an element of corporate strategies.
The importance of forging flexible commitments throughout the value chain to avoid dependence on large oligopolies being created (in terms of natural resources, components, technology, rare skills)?
But also how to participate in the peace effort after wars and tensions, because prosperity is the only guarantee of lasting peace.
IV/ geopolitics and time.
How to take into account geopolitical crises at a time when everything is crisis? It is complicated to go from a linear world to a linearity made up of successive crises...
More specifically, how to identify the right times to leave… or to return (is the notion of investment “at the sound of the gun” still acceptable in our financial markets?)
Companies know how to adapt, it's in their DNA. The leader will have to have the courage to decide and position himself in the short and medium terms on the geopolitical chessboard.