Plenary Session – The Global Economy and Corporate Strategy

The global economy is in an extraordinary state of flux and presents management and boards with difficult strategic questions. Inflation persists as a global challenge. Recession risk looms as interest rates remain high and can still go higher. Layoffs grow although unemployment remains low. Geopolitical issues, including the war in the Ukraine and tensions with China, compound macroeconomic uncertainty. The banking system now faces enhanced risk because of the speed with which once-stable deposit bases now stampede from smaller institutions. Commercial real estate has been deeply impacted by the shift to work-from-home and by higher interest rates, as billions of additional write downs have yet to be recognized. Combine all these factors, and management and boards face daunting challenges in setting strategy, allocating capital, and determining headcount. This panel will offer practical advice for providing oversight on strategic issues in a difficult and unpredictable macroeconomic environment.