I n the Agora Strategy Group geopolitics podcast “The Future of Power”, Dr. Timo Blenk (CEO) invites decision-makers from diplomacy, business, politics and the military to discuss current geopolitical developments on a monthly basis. The core of this project is to provide information about the influences of these developments and to create a sound basis for decision-making.   This month's guest is Dmitri Alperovitch, geopolitics expert and Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator! In the 33rd episode of our podcast, Dr. Timo Blenk and Dmitri Alperovitch talk about the new Cold War, Donald Trump and future opportunities for Europe!   You find our podcast with subtitles on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbT2uYlhP1g This month's highlights Great power competition: The sino-American race for technological, economic and energy supremacy US domestic politics: Trump's policies, rudderless Democrats and the government shutdown Security capabilities: Cyber, space and the European defense sector     In-house announcements All other episodes of the podcast Agora Strategy website Agora Strategy on LinkedIn Current projects, publications & events of the Agora Strategy team Agora Strategy Institute Executive Mitgliedschaft White Paper: "Smart Resilience for an Uncertain Age" Agora Strategy Executive Briefing: La France, inquiète: Macron has only one year to secure his economic and European legacy Agora Strategy Executive Briefing: A Global Financial Crisis 2.0? Between Geopolitical Disruption and Financial Fragility

Wolfgang Ischinger zu Trumps Plan für den Nahost   05.10.2025     Im Interview mit Deutschlandfunk äußert sich Botschafter a.D. Prof. Dr. h.c. Wolfgang Ischinger, ehemaliger Vorsitzender der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz sowie Ehrenvorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats der Agora Strategy Group AG, zu Trumps Plan für den Nahost.   Trumps Friedensplan sei eine Chance. So sehen es viele Staaten der Region, sagt Wolfgang Ischinger. Es brauche jedoch Zwischenschritte und Geduld. Das höchste Ziel sei, das Töten in Gaza zu beenden.  Hier geht es zur vollständigen Folge:  https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/interview-ischinger-wolfgang-praes-d-stiftung-muenchner-sicherheitskonferenz-100.html

„Naivität ist das größte Risiko“     September 2025     Im aktuellen Whitepaper des  human Magazins  zum Thema „SMART RESILIENCE: DEFENDING EUROPE. Strategien für einen zukunftsfähigen Kontinent“ analysieren Dr. Timo Blenk, Senior Partner der Agora Strategy Group, und Christina Schäfer, Senior Consultant bei Agora Strategy, die Gefahren hybrider Kriegsführung, denen Unternehmen zunehmend ausgesetzt sind, und welche Maßnahmen jetzt notwendig sind, um Angriffen von morgen standzuhalten.  Der Schutz kritischer Infrastruktur ist zur sicherheitspolitischen Daueraufgabe geworden. Was dabei oft übersehen wird: Pipelines, Datenkabel, Umspannwerke, Gesundheitsdienste, Verkehrswege oder Cloudzentren sind meist privat betrieben.   Damit rücken Unternehmen selbst ins Zentrum geopolitischer Auseinandersetzungen, sei es durch Sabotage, Cyberangriffe, Propaganda, wirtschaftliche Erpressung oder gezielte Desinformation.  Fazit: „ Wer heute noch glaubt, Geopolitik „geht uns nichts an“ oder „betrifft nur andere“, hat den Ernst der Lage nicht erkannt.“   Hier geht’s zum vollständigen Artikel:  DE Version ab S. 141: https://human-magazin.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/humanForward_DefendingEuropeDE.pdf   ENG version starting from p. 137: https://human-magazin.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/humanForward_DefendingEuropeEN.pdf

From values to reality: Priorities for an interest-driven German foreign economic policy   September 2025   In the new policy paper published by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Benjamin Thake , Senior Manager at Agora Strategy, together with Alexander Badenheim, argues that Germany must use its foreign economic policy as a tool for prosperity, security, and geopolitical flexibility. This requires moving away from norm-driven debates toward faster, pragmatic trade agreements, strategic raw-material partnerships, and a strengthened defense industry as both a security and economic asset. Such a strategic shift would strengthen corporate resilience, diversify supply chains, and create real competitive and innovation advantages. More in the full policy paper:  https://www.kas.de/documents/d/guest/vom-werteanspruch-zur-wirklichkeit-prioritaten-einer-interessengeleiteten-deutschen-au-enwirtschaftspolitik  (only available in German)

General a.D. Domröse zur aktuellen Sicherheitslage und der Verteidigungsbereitschaft der NATO     22.09.2025     Im Gespräch mit t-online äußert sich General a. D. Hans-Lothar Domröse, ehemaliger NATO-Kommandeur, Viersternegeneral der Bundeswehr und Senior Advisor der Agora Strategy Group AG, zur aktuellen Sicherheitslage und den unterschiedlichen Reaktionen innerhalb der NATO auf russische Provokationen. Jedes Mitgliedsland hat eine eigene Wahrnehmung von Gefahr, was eine gemeinsame Reaktion erschwert. Domröse hält die bisherige Zurückhaltung der NATO für richtig und lobt die schnelle, aber besonnene Reaktion auf russische Luftraumverletzungen als Beleg dafür, dass das System funktioniert. Forderungen nach einem Abschuss russischer Jets lehnt er derzeit ab, da dies eine Eskalation mit schwerwiegenden Folgen auslösen könnte. Statt öffentlicher Drohungen plädiert Domröse für stille Entschlossenheit und den weiteren Ausbau der Verteidigungsbereitschaft – die Stimmung innerhalb der NATO beschreibt er als „professionell angespannt, aber weder aufgeregt noch verzweifelt“.   Hier geht es zum vollständigen Beitrag: https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/internationale-politik/id_100924614/nato-nach-russischen-provokationen-das-hat-das-verteidigungsbuendnis-vor.html

Dr. Rainer Esser (c) Vera Tammen Dr. Rainer Esser has been CEO of the @ZEIT publishing group since 1999 and a member of the supervisory board of Agora Strategy since 2025. He has also been a member of the management board of DvH Medien GmbH since 2011 and chairman of the supervisory board of the Hamburg Media School since 2015. Under the leadership of this experienced publicist and media manager, DIE ZEIT has developed into a nationally and internationally recognized example of successful transformation in the media sector.

Munich/Hallbergmoos, September 9, 2025  – Agora Strategy, an internationally renowned geopolitical strategy consultancy, and SupplyOn AG, a leading provider of collaborative supply chain solutions, are joining forces. The aim of the strategic partnership is to support companies in identifying and managing geopolitical risks in their supply chains – directly integrated into existing SupplyOn processes. With growing global uncertainty for business decisions, Agora Strategy and SupplyOn are thus creating a new dimension of supply chain security. By linking the supplier data on the SupplyOn platform with Agora Strategy's geopolitical expertise and global network of experts, companies receive individual opportunity-risk assessments for relevant supplier countries. This is based on a two-stage analysis approach: a quantitative assessment using around 30 indicators and a qualitative assessment by Agora Strategy with over 350 experts from politics, diplomacy, business, science, and security worldwide. The joint offering enables SupplyOn customers to identify opportunities and risks at an early stage, initiate targeted measures, and thus significantly increase the resilience of their supply chains. “A sound database and speed are the key success factors for management decisions in times of geopolitical uncertainty. I am very pleased that SupplyOn, a well-established platform provider, has been successfully engaged to deliver a scalable solution for linking supply chain data and geopolitics. The industry will benefit from this,” said Dr. Timo Blenk, CEO & Senior Partner, Agora Strategy. “In a world where geopolitical risks are increasingly leading to massive disruptions, it is essential to provide our customers not only with transparency but also with actionable insights. The partnership with Agora Strategy adds a crucial dimension to our offering: in-depth geopolitical analysis, seamlessly integrated into our platform,” said Markus Quicken, CEO, SupplyOn AG.   About Agora Strategy Agora Strategy is a geopolitical strategy consultancy specializing in political risk analysis, strategic policy advice, and international crisis management for industrial companies. We make complex geopolitical developments tangible—and translate them into clear, effective strategies. We help our clients assess risks in a targeted manner, make decisions faster, and act with confidence—supported by a unique network of experienced individuals from the fields of diplomacy, security, business, and science. Unlike traditional think tanks, we don't just provide assessments; we also develop strategies and support their implementation. And while strategy consultancies often treat geopolitics as a side issue, for us it is the core of our work. About SupplyOn SupplyOn is the leading supply chain platform for global companies to transform complex end-to-end supply chain processes. More than 140,000 manufacturing companies rely on SupplyOn to improve both supplier collaboration and operational performance. Our solutions seamlessly integrate business partners into a unified ecosystem, ensuring high acceptance and global usage. Leading industrial companies such as Airbus Group, Bosch, Leonardo, Liebherr, Oerlikon, Safran, Schindler, Schneider Electric, Siemens, TE Connectivity, Thales, and ZF rely on SupplyOn to increase their efficiency, ensure compliance, and drive sustainable growth. Contact: Agora Strategy Group AG Friederike von Bargen, Manager vonbargen@agora-strategy.com SupplyOn AG Cornelia Staib, Manager Marketing cornelia.staib@supplyon.com

(c) Vera Tammen Munich, 03.09.2025  – Dr. Rainer Esser was elected to the Supervisory Board of Agora Strategy at the company’s Annual General Meeting in June.    As long-standing CEO of the ZEIT publishing group, Managing Director of Dieter von Holtzbrinck Medien (DvH Medien GmbH), and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Hamburg Media School, Dr. Esser ranks among Germany’s most distinguished media executives. He will strengthen Agora Strategy with his decades of experience in management, media, and politics.    As a law graduate with a doctorate and an alumnus of the German School of Journalism, Dr. Esser has received multiple awards and is widely recognized, nationally and internationally, as the key driver behind the successful transformation of ZEIT. He succeeds former German State Secretary and senior diplomat Prof. Dr. Harald Braun, who is stepping down from the Supervisory Board after seven years but will continue to support Agora Strategy as a Senior Advisor.    Dr. Timo Blenk, CEO and Senior Partner of Agora Strategy Group, commented: “With Dr. Rainer Esser, we are gaining both the experience of a proven top executive and a unique media perspective. His ability to make complex issues clear and accessible in public debates perfectly complements our mission of providing strategic guidance to leaders through our geopolitical expertise. His deep understanding of communication, public discourse, and transformation will be invaluable for the further strategic development of Agora Strategy.”  Press contact:   Fabian Vetter  +49 89 2153 693-32  +49 152 5106 9060  vetter@agora-strategy.com     About Agora Strategy:   Agora Strategy is a geopolitical consulting firm founded in 2015 as a spin-off of the Munich Security Conference by, among others, Ambassador (ret.) Prof. Dr. h.c. Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council.  The firm specializes in geopolitical risk analysis, strategic policy advice, and international crisis management. Its network of more than 350 Senior Advisors and Fellows from politics, diplomacy, security and defense, business, and academia is globally, regionally, and locally connected.  Drawing on this unique expertise, Agora Strategy provides tailored advisory services to medium-sized and large corporations, governments, and multinational institutions. The company is headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Paris, and Brussels.    www.agora-strategy.com

Mariel von Schumann is a member of the supervisory board of several industrial and service companies. She previously held various management positions at Siemens AG, most recently as Chief of Staff to CEO Joe Kaeser. In this role, she was responsible for global, strategic corporate development as well as government affairs and investor relations.

In the Agora Strategy Group geopolitics podcast “The Future of Power”, Dr. Timo Blenk (CEO) invites decision-makers from diplomacy, business, politics and the military to discuss current geopolitical developments on a monthly basis. The core of this project is to provide information about the influences of these developments and to create a sound basis for decision-making. This month's guest is General Christian Badia, Deputy Commander for Transformation at Allied Command Transformation (ATC) in Norfolk, NATO's strategic think tank. In the 32nd episode of our podcast, Dr. Blenk and General Badia discuss the warfare of the future and the transformation of NATO in times of global uncertainty and profound geopolitical change.   You find our podcast with subtitles on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CatxcB5U_k This month's highlights USA: Most tariffs come into effect, massive punitive tariffs against India, increasing questioning of Fed independence, influence in Greenland, deployment of the National Guard in major cities Future of Ukraine: Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, EU/Ukraine summit in Washington, discussion of security guarantees Gaza: Famine, Israeli takeover plan and international reactions, steps toward recognition of Palestine by several Western countries Hybrid threats: Chinese hacker campaign “Salt Typhoon” against critical infrastructure in over 80 countries, disinformation from Russia   In-house announcements All other episodes of the podcast “Agora Strategy Group” website “Agora Strategy Group” on LinkedIn Current projects, publications & events of the Agora Strategy team Agora Institute Executive Membershi p Agora Strategy Executive Briefing: Japan Facing Political Instability, U.S. Tariffs, and Regional Insecurity Agora Strategy Executive Briefing: China's Evolving Economic Arsenal: From Fragmented Retaliation to Structured Coercion Dean's Comment: Merz Meets Trump: The Art of Expectation Management

A commentary by Prof. Dr. Kai Andrejewski Since the global financial crisis of 2008, political and economic decision-makers have relied on a seemingly stable foundation: low interest rates, regulatory oversight, and multilateral rules. However, the tectonic shifts in the geopolitical power structure are introducing new systemic risks – shaking the very core of the global financial system. Two major developments make a new crisis scenario imaginable – and dangerously realistic: 1. The rules-based financial order is history! For a long time, global capitalism was defined by legal standards, institutional independence, and market transparency. However, today, we are witnessing an increasing politicization of the financial architecture: the US dollar is being used as a geopolitical instrument of power, central banks are facing political pressure, and alternative monetary forms like stablecoins are circumventing regulatory control. The result: Markets are no longer reacting primarily to economic indicators, but to political signals – a dangerous shift in paradigm. 2. Structural risks: Three continents, one problem In the U.S., the interest payments on national debt now exceed defense spending. Europe is grappling with an aging population and a funding gap for climate and defense projects. China faces challenges in the form of overcapacities – particularly in e-mobility – and a fragile real estate sector, both of which threaten economic stability. Both regions are following a clear, albeit risky, trend: reducing regulation to generate short-term liquidity – at the cost of long-term stability. The key insight:  A crisis does not have to fully materialize to have real consequences. The mere questioning of entire asset classes, such as intangible assets or government bonds as eligible collateral, can already lead to valuation and liquidity challenges. Companies must therefore ensure that their reported financial figures align with the actual geopolitical and fiscal risks. Too often, there is a disconnect between optimistic earnings forecasts on the one hand, and a growing number of systemic threats on the other hand, such as sanctions, macroeconomic instability, or regulatory interventions. This incoherence can severely undermine the confidence of investors and capital markets, especially in an environment where political developments increasingly have immediate effects on financial markets. Companies are therefore well advised not only to consider geopolitical risks and ESG factors in risk management but also to actively integrate them into balance sheet analyses, investment decisions, and strategic communication. Those who continue to focus solely on efficiency risk losing sight of effectiveness and resilience – both of which become critical competitive factors in times of structural uncertainty. Resilience pays off—especially in times of crisis The world is undergoing a phase of strategic uncertainty. Yet, like any crisis, this also presents opportunities for companies that take geopolitical trends seriously and strategically embed financial resilience. Investments in infrastructure, energy, and security are not only reactions to political upheavals but can become drivers of growth in the new normal.

What does the coming week hold for Ukraine? Ukraine should be able to rely on strong security guarantees from the EU and the US to ward off further Russian attacks. However, it is unclear how far Washington is actually willing to go and what role the EU should play in Europe's security in the future. Our COO, Fabian Vetter, shares his thoughts on radio100.7's morning show: https://100komma7.lu/show/Moiesstudio/202508200748/episode/Greisste-Beschbrann-dei-Spuenien-je-erlieft-huet?pd=programm