Boardrooms and Battlegrounds: Closing the Geopolitical Risk Gap

Jan de Vries · 2026-05-08

Geopolitical risk is no longer a distant concern for boardrooms—it's a daily reality. From trade wars to cyber threats, companies across the United States and Europe are waking up to a new normal where stability is fragile and disruption is just a headline away. A recent podcast episode, featured in The European Business Review, dives into this exact challenge. It explores how boards can bridge the gap between traditional governance and the fast-moving world of geopolitical uncertainty. ### Why Geopolitical Risk Matters Now More Than Ever It's easy to think geopolitics is a problem for governments, not businesses. But that's not true anymore. Supply chains are global. Data flows across borders. A single policy change in one region can ripple through your entire operation. For U.S. companies eyeing European expansion—or European startups looking to scale stateside—this risk is magnified. The podcast highlights how boardrooms often underestimate these threats. Many directors are comfortable with financial risk but less so with political or military instability. Yet, the battlegrounds are shifting. Trade restrictions, sanctions, and even armed conflicts can upend a business plan overnight. - Trade disruptions can delay product launches by months. - Cyber attacks tied to state actors can cripple IT systems. - Regulatory changes can make a once-profitable market unviable. ### The Role of the Board in Navigating Uncertainty So what can boards actually do? The conversation points to a few key strategies. First, boards need to build geopolitical awareness into their core agenda. This isn't a one-time workshop. It's an ongoing process. Second, they should diversify risk. Relying too heavily on a single region or supplier is a recipe for trouble. For example, a tech company sourcing chips from one country faces a major bottleneck if tensions flare. Spreading production across multiple locations—say, the U.S., Germany, and Taiwan—can soften the blow. Third, boards must ask better questions. Instead of just reviewing quarterly earnings, they should probe: "What happens if trade tariffs increase by 20 percent?" Or "How would a cyberattack on our European office affect our U.S. customers?" > "The best boards don't just react to crises. They anticipate them." ### Practical Steps for U.S. and European Startups If you're a startup founder or a board member, these insights aren't just academic. They're actionable. Here's how you can start closing the geopolitical risk gap today: - **Map your exposure.** List every country where you have suppliers, customers, or data. Assess the political stability of each. - **Build redundancy.** Have backup plans for critical operations. This might mean keeping extra inventory in a U.S. warehouse or using cloud servers in multiple regions. - **Stay informed.** Subscribe to geopolitical risk reports. Encourage your team to follow reliable news sources. - **Simulate scenarios.** Run tabletop exercises with your leadership team. Walk through a crisis like a sudden trade embargo or a regional conflict. ### The Bottom Line for Board Members Geopolitical risk isn't going away. If anything, it's becoming more complex. The podcast makes it clear that boards have a responsibility to step up. They can't outsource this to a single risk officer. It requires collective attention. For U.S. companies working with European partners—or European firms entering the American market—this is especially critical. The gap between boardroom strategy and real-world battlegrounds is narrowing. Closing it starts with awareness, continues with action, and ends with resilience. If you want to stay ahead, start the conversation now. Not after the crisis hits.