A Reading List on Geopolitics and the C-Suite

C-Suite Options
Written By Polybian

On 16 July 2025, the World Economic Forum website published an article entitled “Why every company now needs a Chief Geopolitical Officer.” The author, William Dixon, a fellow with the Royal United Services Institute in London, argued that business needs a new type of c-suite executive to help navigate an increasingly fraught international order. Dixon’s analysis followed from the UK Cabinet Office’s guidance on Chronic Risks Analysis, published a week earlier, and the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report, released earlier this year.

All three cited current political and strategic ructions. Per Dixon: “When both governments and international institutions are explicitly warning businesses about geopolitical risks, traditional corporate approaches to navigating international relations are no longer sufficient. The solution isn't merely better government relations or enhanced risk management; it's the emergence of an entirely new C-suite role.” The “Chief Geopolitical Officer” idea, proffered in a 2024 report by the Geneva Center for Security Policy, a Swiss think tank, is the latest variation on a theme that CKS has been following closely.

Dixon, the World Economic Forum, the UK Cabinet Office, and the Geneva Center for Security Policy are in good company. We’ve compiled a starter bibliography of similar pieces published in just the last three years. They consist of a mix of news reporting, think pieces, deep studies, and practice descriptions, published by the Financial Times, The Economist, Reuters, Boston Consulting Group, FTI, McKinsey, Kearney, EY, Baker McKenzie, and a long list of others. All revolve around geopolitics, risk, and business, and ways to manage them.

We’ll be updating the bibliography as new reports come online. We’ll also be providing coverage, commentary, and analysis of our own. Get in touch to let us know if we’ve missed anything, and to find out more about what we can do to help.

The Reading List

  1. Baker Mckenzie. “Navigating Geopolitical Divides: What Global Businesses Need to Know in 2025.” Baker McKenzie (17 March 2025). URL: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/insight/publications/2025/03/navigating-geopolitical-divides.

  2. Bleizeffer, Kristy. “A New Geopolitics Push? How International B-Schools Are Responding To Global Chaos.” Poets & Quants (5 August 2025). URL: https://poetsandquants.com/2025/08/12/a-new-geopolitics-push-how-international-b-schools-are-responding-to-global-chaos/.

  3. Bharadwaj, Aparna and Lang, Nikolaus. "Businesses Need 'Geopolitical Muscle' in a Multipolar World." World Economic Forum (14 January 2025). URL: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/businesses-need-geopolitical-muscle-multipolar-world/.

  4. Blom, Marieke. "How Businesses Are Coping with Ever-Increasing Geopolitical Risks." World Economic Forum  (16 January 2025). URL: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/how-businesses-coping-ever-increasing-geopolitical-risks/.

  5. Bloomberg. “JP Morgan Open Geopolitics Arm As Dimon Warns of “Hinge” Point.” Bloomberg (21 May 2025). URL: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-21/jpmorgan-opens-geopolitics-arm-as-dimon-warns-of-hinge-point.

  6. Cohen, Jared, George Lee, Lucas Greenbaum, Frank Long, and Wilson Shirley. "The Generative World Order: AI, Geopolitics, and Power." Goldman Sachs Global Institute (2023). URL: https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-generative-world-order-ai-geopolitics-and-power.

  7. Davine, Christine, Bob Lamm, and Caroline Schoenecker. "The 2025 Board Agenda." Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (30 January 2025). URL: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2025/01/30/the-2025-aoard-agenda/.

  8. De Villa, Maria A. "Assessing Geopolitical Risk: A Multi-Level Approach for Top Managers of Multinationals." AIB Insights (17 January 2023). URL: https://insights.aib.world/article/67875-assessing-geopolitical-risk-a-multi-level-approach-for-top-managers-of-multinationals.

  9. Dixon, William. "Why Every Company Now Needs a Chief Geopolitical Officer." World Economic Forum (30 July 2025). URL: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/07/chief-geopolitical-officer-business/.

  10. Epstein, Rolf, Richard Horton, and Ram Krishna Sahu. “European CFOs see geopolitical risk as a rising threat in 2025.” Deloitte / Insights (05 June 2025). URL: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/business-strategy-growth/geopolitical-risk-cfos-europe.html.

  11. Evenett, Simon. “Here are the steps governments can take to help business navigate geopolitical tensions.” World Economic Forum (20 December 2023). URL: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/12/geopolitical-tensions-business-six-lessons-for-governemnts/.

  12. FTI Consulting. "Turbulent Waters, Trusted Anchors: The General Counsel's Evolving Role in Navigating Crises." The Economist / Economist Impact (2024). URL: https://www.fticonsulting.com/insights/reports/turbulent-waters-trusted-anchors-general-counsels-evolving-role-navigating-crises.

  13. FTI Consulting. "How General Counsels Are Turning Global Disruption into Strategic Advantage." (21 July 2025). URL:  https://www.fticonsulting.com/insights/articles/general-counsels-turning-global-disruption-strategic-advantage.

  14. Furlong, Jordan. “Your law firm needs a Situation Room.” Jordan Furlong (14 March 2025). URL: https://jordanfurlong.substack.com/p/your-law-firm-needs-a-situation-room.

  15. Galaviz, Jonathan and Alghazali, Sally. "Lawyers Must Now Be Geopolitical Analysts." Reuters (5 March 2025). URL: https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/lawyers-must-now-be-geopolitical-analysts-2025-03-05/.

  16. Hogan Lovells. "Geopolitical Risk and National Security." Hogan Lovells – Practice Area Description. (2025): URL: https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/aof/geopolitical-risk-and-national-security.

  17. Kearney. "How Are Government Affairs Leaders Navigating the New Geopolitical Reality." Insights: Public Sector (25 June 2025). URL:  https://www.kearney.com/industry/public-sector/article/how-are-government-affairs-leaders-navigating-the-new-geopolitical-reality.

  18. Lacey, Simon. "Why a 'Geopolitical Radar' Is Critical for Global Businesses." World Economic Forum.  (16 January 2025). URL: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/geopolitical-radar-critical-global-businesses-develop/.

  19. Lambert, Yasmin. “In-house lawyer role broadens in response to technological change.” 10 December 2024). URL: Financial Times, https://www.ft.com/content/73e807cb-21fa-47a6-b934-0bb2439133b3.

  20. Lang, Nikolaus et al. "How CEOs Can Navigate the New Geopolitics of GenAI." Boston Consulting Group (09 December 2024). URL: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/how-ceos-navigate-new-geopolitics-of-genai.

  21. Levy, Cindy,  Shubham Singhal, Matt Watters. "A Proactive Approach to Navigating Geopolitics Is Essential to Thrive." McKinsey & Company (12 November 2024). URL: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/a-proactive-approach-to-navigating-geopolitics-is-essential-to-thrive.

  22. McCaffrey, Courtney Rickert, and Jones, Oliver. "Why a level head is needed to deal with geopolitical risk." EY / EY Parthenon (23 August 2023). URL: https://www.ey.com/en_kz/insights/geostrategy/why-a-level-head-is-needed-to-deal-with-geopolitical-risk.

  23. McCaffrey, Courtney Rickert, Witold J. Henisz, Oliver Jones. Geostrategy by Design: How to Manage Geopolitical Risk in The New Era of Globalization. Disruption Books (25 June 2024). URL: https://disruptionbooks.com/books/geostrategy-by-design.

  24. McCaffrey, Courtney Rickert, and Jones, Oliver. "The five habits of successful Geostrategists." EY / EY Parthenon (12 April 2025). URL: https://www.ey.com/en_us/insights/geostrategy

  25. Miller, Joe. “General counsel seek clarity on rising geopolitical risks.” Financial Times (23 May 2024) URL: https://www.ft.com/content/abf4aa78-e335-4e69-8d59-78a49f8071b9.

  26. Reisinger, Helmut. "Supply Chain Chaos in 2025: How Geopolitics Are Rewriting the Rules." Palo Alto Networks / Perspectives (2025). https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/perspectives/supply-chain-chaos-in-2025-how-geopolitics-are-rewriting-the-rules/

  27. Rickli, Jean-Marc and Lukacs, Richard. "The Chief Geopolitical Officer: Guiding Business in a Polarised Global Era."  Geneva Centre for Security Policy (1 July 2024). URL: https://www.gcsp.ch/publications/chief-geopolitical-officer-guiding-business-polarised-global-era.

  28. Rozen, Miriam. “Geopolitical upheaval recasts chief legal officer role.” Financial Times (20 April 2023). URL: URL: https://www.ft.com/content/edcdfa3e-577e-4ef3-a0a0-861e92e883bb.

  29. Russell Reynolds Associates. "Navigating Global Shifts: The Increasingly Important Role of Government Affairs Leaders." Insights (20 June 2024_. URL: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/the-increasingly-important-role-of-government-affairs-leaders#.

  30. SenGupta, Reena. “Wanted: in-house legal leaders who can interpret world events.” Financial Times (25 May 2023). URL: https://www.ft.com/content/100af542-9dec-4433-8a60-9f35e26753fa.

  31. SenGupta, Reena. “Opportunities arise amid the geopolitical turbulence.” Financial Times (16 May 2025). URL: https://www.ft.com/content/70baeab4-2491-4386-a625-cc30665fce26.

  32. Shivji, Khaled. “Abu Dhabi to Stargate: Rethinking Data Sovereignty in Era of AI Giga-Projects.” Exec X AI (14 May 2025). URL: https://execxai.substack.com/p/abu-dhabi-to-stargate-rethinking.

  33. Smith IV, Ben T., Drew DeLong, and Colette LaForce. "Reimagining How Executives Handle Geopolitics." Kearney (28 February 2025). URL: https://www.kearney.com/industry/technology/article/reimagining-how-executives-handle-geopolitics.

  34. Financial Times. “Business risks push legal team leaders to the centre stage.” Financial Times (25 June 2025). URL: https://www.ft.com/content/36aa1589-509b-4fcd-82c8-d9f5d93af27c.

  35. Alim, Arjun Nei, Michael O’Dwyer, Leo Lewis. “Companies on the hunt for geopolitical advice as tensions rise.” Financial Times (17 October 2023). URL: https://www.ft.com/content/608a43e2-710c-4918-84d6-e0d75511918e.

This reading list is compiled for reference purposes only. Inclusion does not constitute agreement or endorsement.

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Polybian