Geopolitics now sits at the core of the CEO agenda, shaping how companies operate, invest, and grow. Trade policy, regulatory divergence, sanctions, and shifting alliances are redefining competitive dynamics and testing long-held assumptions about global strategy. Volatility is no longer episodic; it is embedded in the operating environment.
A recent McKinsey survey underscores the shift: Business leaders rank geopolitical and trade instability as a greater threat to global growth than macroeconomic volatility, cybersecurity risks, or technological disruption. The leaders distinguishing themselves in this environment are not just tracking developments—they are operationalizing them. They are building ecosystems of geopolitical insights, drawing on internal capabilities and external networks to make decisions in real time and adapt strategy as conditions evolve.
For a deeper look at how leading companies are turning geopolitics into a strategic advantage, explore McKinsey’s latest insights.
How CEOs are responding to geopolitical uncertainty
Geopolitics and the geometry of global trade: 2026 update
Leading amid geopolitical upheaval: Five imperatives for today’s CEOs
What leaders need to know about building tech resilience amid geopolitical risk
McKinsey’s Geopolitics Practice strengthens our Geopolitics Advisory Council