Understanding the Forces Reshaping the World

Geopolitical events no longer sit outside business strategy.

Political instability can disrupt markets and supply chains. Elections can alter trade and investment conditions, while conflict in one region can quickly affect energy, security and confidence elsewhere.

At the same time, the institutions created to manage global challenges are struggling to respond to a more fragmented world. For leaders, the challenge is not predicting every event, but understanding the deeper forces shaping them.

An old international order is weakening, but the system that will replace it has not yet emerged.

Mark examines how changing economic power, political nationalism and competition between states are reshaping international affairs. He explores the pressures facing the United States and Europe, the growing influence of China and other emerging powers, and the implications for regions undergoing rapid political, economic and demographic change.

Drawing on his experience inside the United Nations, World Bank and government and his continued  involvement in geopolitical risk advisory work, Mark places current events within their wider historical and institutional context. He considers what these shifts may mean for trade, conflict, development and international cooperation.

Rather than offering simplistic predictions, Mark gives leaders a clearer framework for interpreting political risk and navigating an unsettled world.

After this keynote, audiences will:

• Better understand the forces changing the international balance of power.

• Place current geopolitical events within a broader historical context.

• Recognise how political developments may affect markets and international operations.

• Understand the pressures facing global institutions and alliances.

• Consider the implications of fragmentation for trade, security and growth.

• Leave better equipped to navigate uncertainty.