The Global Insight

In the weeks following his inauguration, Donald Trump has already made a series of bold foreign policy moves. What does a second Trump presidency mean for the international order and global business?  Join Partner Claudine Fry for a discussion with Jonathan Wood , a Principal based in our DC office, and Barnaby Fletcher , a Principal based in our New York office. They investigate the key drivers b...

We’re midway through a year in which a record number of people are voting. Much has been made of 2024 as an election year, with a bumper crop of polls taking place across the world. Not all have been or will be free and fair. Not all have produced or will produce surprising results. But in an environment in which democracy is under severe pressure, the polls of 2024 have, so far, delivered a stron...

The 2024 US election marks a pivotal decision point: what kind of role will the US play in the world? While this may not be the top issue for most American voters, the rest of the world is watching and waiting to see who will be sitting in the Oval Office next year: Joe Biden or Donald Trump. Join Claudine Fry for a conversation with Jonathan Wood , our lead global affairs analyst, as they discuss...

The demand for the minerals we extract from the sea will continue to grow. What do businesses need to know about this pioneering space of seabed mining? Join Claudine Fry for a conversation with in-house experts Gabriel Brasil, Senior Analyst and our global lead on energy transition and critical minerals, and Dr Victoria Mitchell, Analyst and lead on maritime issues, about what governments, busine...

The Ukraine war is receiving less attention now, but the implications continue to reverberate. The Ukraine war will define a generation's understanding of European identity, the future of Russia's relationship with NATO, US engagement in Europe, and the cohesion of the Western alliance. It will also shape Russia's influence in the Global South and that of its allies, impacting businesses worldwide...

Critical minerals are a hot topic right now, but most people don’t realise how truly critical they are until there is a restriction on their use. Critical minerals drive AI, the cloud, the energy transition – but they also power our phones, keep the lights on, the dishwasher running. The US defines critical minerals as those which serve an essential function in one or more energy technology, and w...

Just as the shipping industry was recovering from years of pandemic disruption, its vulnerability has been laid bare yet again. This time the extra costs, delays and clogged berths are compounded by destroyers, drones and a higher-octane geopolitical tension. Growing insecurity in the Red Sea is a reminder that geopolitics underpins global trade and can threaten it as easily as it can uphold it. J...

2023 felt like an uneven, transitional year. Global inflation has fallen sharply, and supply chains have recovered without a major economic crisis. But overwhelming geopolitical volatility, including ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Europe and the Sahel, as well as a looming swathe of elections worldwide haunts any attempt to paint an overly rosy picture. 2023 also saw the emergence of a new...

Geopolitical turbulence is shaping trends in ESG regulation and enforcement globally. Indeed, the significant role geopolitics is playing in driving business risk and determining commercial success for companies has prompted some discussion about whether the “G” in ESG should be focused on “geopolitics” rather than “governance”. Join Claudine Fry as she sits down with Control Risks experts Gabriel...

The Middle East is changing rapidly, with consequences for sport, culture, politics, energy and economics. This is particularly true for the Gulf states. Join Control Risks Partner Claudine Fry for conversation with Control Risks Senior Analyst Niamh McBurney about the evolving power dynamics, global influence and business landscape of the Middle East.  Visit controlrisks.com to find out how we he...

In the new world order, middle power countries like Brazil, Turkey, India, and Egypt, are poised to be a significant force. These are countries capable of playing key strategic roles internationally or regionally, with natural resources, demographic advantages or historic links at their disposal.  Join Claudine Fry for a conversation with Control Risks experts Gabriel Brasil and Patricia Rodrigues...

Artificial Intelligence has been on the minds of governments for many years. But with the sudden advent of widespread public access to generative AI like ChatGPT, governments are now on the back foot. Join Control Risks Partner, Claudine Fry, for a conversation with Control Risks Principal, Jonathan Wood , for a conversation about how the real threat to geopolitics from AI might lie in its ability...

Demographics are routinely cited as a factor influencing unrest, elections, economic fortunes, politics.   Join Claudine Fry and Serena Pilkington as they unpack current global demographic trends, how these drive everything from economic vitality to unrest, and the implications for business now and into the future.    

The message from Western developed economies, but particularly from the United States, is to stop making things so far away from home. Is this the end of globalisation? Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for a conversation with Control Risks experts Alejandra Soto and Aryaman Bhatnagar about what the outlook for two nearshoring hotspots, Mexico and India, tells us about where supply chains, m...

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia was designed to decapitate the Ukrainian administration in just a matter of days. The war has now ground on for a year. What does the long-term really look like? Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for a conversation with Control Risks expert Anna Walker to discuss the near-term uncertainty for the conflict on the ground, the potential end goals for both Russi...

There has been much discussion recently about the erosion of democracy worldwide. As always, the picture is more nuanced than it seems at first glance. In 2023, where does democracy stand? Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for a conversation with Control Risks' expert Achmad Sukarsono and Elisabeth Braw, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about how businesses should be appro...

How will China project itself on the world stage in 2023? Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for a conversation with Control Risks' lead China Analyst, Andrew Gilholm, about the foreign policy implications of the recent National Chinese Communist Party Congress, the outlook for business critical issues like supply chain, and China’s relationship with the US and Russia.    Find out more about...

Which factors are driving inflation and, in turn, how is the rising cost of living driving social unrest worldwide? What do businesses need to know when evaluating the efficacy of government policies and moves by central banks? Join Claudine Fry and Jonathan Wood for a conversation with Ben May , Director of Global Macroeconomic Research at Oxford Economics about the impacts of inflation on global...

Cryptocurrency, bitcoin, blockchain, distributed ledgers, CBDCs – the flood of new terms and concepts surrounding digital currency can make your head spin. How should companies be approaching this fundamental shift to the way the world transacts, and why are central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) a key development to watch? Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for a conversation with Josh Lips...

The energy crisis spurred by the Russia-Ukraine conflict has led to the weaponisation of energy by governments and blocs on all sides to protect their energy security. Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for conversation with Control Risks experts Oksana Antonenko and Patrick Osgood about how energy weaponisation is manifesting differently around the world, the implications for energy transiti...

Against a backdrop of overwhelming humanitarian and an economic strife, an extraordinary election cycle has been playing out this year across Latin America. Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry for conversation with Control Risks experts Gavin Strong and Silvana Amaya about how organisations should understand the candidates, policies and populations in a region ready for change.  Learn more abo...

Kenya’s general elections will be held on 9 August, 2022, and the outcome is far from certain. Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry  for conversation with Control Risks experts Patricia Rodrigues and Rose Mumanya about the roll ethnicity, inflation, misinformation and the Ukraine-Russia conflict are playing in the elections and what businesses need to watch. Learn more about how we can support...

One of the broad implications of the Ukraine-Russia conflict is the acceleration of a trend already in motion: the pressure on companies to engage with geopolitics and take clear stances. Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry  for a conversation with Control Risks expert Maria Knapp about what organisations need to keep front of mind when engaging with thorny issues and why staying silent is no...

Emmanuel Macron may have won the 2022 presidential election, but he still has a lot on his plate. Join  Charles Hecker  and  Claudine Fry  for a conversation with Control Risks expert Alexandra Kellert about the challenges France and the EU will face in the coming years, from rising energy and living costs to security concerns. Find out more about how we're helping organisations here.

How will the Ukraine-Russia conflict effect food in the longer term? Join Control Risks Partners Join Charles Hecker and Claudine Fry  for a conversation with in-house expert Jonathan Wood about the impact food shortages and price increases will likely have on a range of risks, exacerbating political instability, social unrest and the effects of climate change. Subscribe to our twice-weekly Ukrain...