Plenary Session: The Global Economy and Corporate Strategy

The global economy is in an extraordinary state of flux. Newly enacted tax legislation may provide fiscal stimulus while adding to the long-term national debt. The Federal Reserve appears ready to respond with a series of rate hikes. The Trump Administration threatens to raise tariffs and to upend a range of traditional trade relationships. Meanwhile, critical aspects of Brexit remain to be negotiated, and China and India’s influence on the global economy continues to grow. These macroeconomic trends have significant implications for corporate strategy across a wide range of industries. This panel will review the state of the global economy and connect macroeconomic trends and causes to practical, bottom-line issues that arise in corporate boardrooms as directors face the challenge of assessing corporate strategy in a highly uncertain economic environment.