Ian Bremmer's Programs

The Rise of the Different: Why the Global Order Doesn’t Work and What We Can Do About It 

After World War II, the United States emerged as the most powerful state in history, and it set out to create a world order in its own image. The U.S. shaped a global system that served U.S. interests and those of anyone who accepted American preferences. Since then, the world has fundamentally changed. Emerging market nations are much poorer, less diplomatically experienced, and have different priorities and political systems. Perhaps most importantly, they are inherently less stable.

Bremmer talks with audiences about what this means for the global order. With the rise of so many players who cannot be ignored—and aren’t ready to agree—conflict and a lack of leadership will increasingly be the norm. At this presentation, audiences will learn about:

• The causes and consequences of a broken global order
• Geopolitical conflict at large, from Euro-crisis and U.S. elections to Arab Spring and Asian power politics
• The best bets for U.S.-led initiatives going forward
• The future of U.S.-China relations
• The shifting balance between security and economics
• New investment strategies and the power of resilience
• Winners and losers in a leaderless world and what the future will hold

Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World

The need for international leadership has never been greater. Leaders have the leverage to coordinate multinational responses to transnational problems, and the wealth and power to persuade governments to take actions they otherwise wouldn’t take. They pick up the checks that others can’t afford and provide services no one else will pay for. Bremmer predicts that in years to come, there will be no global leadership because there is no single country or bloc of countries with the political and economic muscle to drive an international agenda. A world without leaders will undermine the U.S.’s ability to keep peace in Asia and the Middle East, grow the global economy, reverse the impact of climate change, feed growing populations, and protect the most basic of all necessities—air, food, and water. At this presentation, audiences will learn about:

• The impact of a world without leadership in international politics and the global economy
• Next challenges facing the United States, Europe and China
• Asia’s evolving balance of power
• The future of the Middle East
• Winners and losers in a world without leaders
• Crisis points from food security to cyberspace
• The global balance of power most likely to emerge from a G-Zero world

The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?

A generation after communism’s collapse, the future of free market capitalism isn’t what it used to be. Public wealth, investment, and ownership have made a stunning comeback. The political leadership in China, Russia, the Arab monarchies in the Persian Gulf, and other authoritarian states have invented a new system: state capitalism. According to Bremmer, they’re using markets to create wealth that can be directed toward achieving political goals. Governments now dominate key domestic economic sectors; the oil companies they own control three-quarters of the world’s crude oil reserves; they use state-owned companies to manipulate entire economic sectors and industries; and they own enormous investment funds that have become vitally important sources of capital for Western governments and banks weakened by financial crisis. An expert on the impact of politics on market performance, Bremmer illustrates how the rise of state capitalism threatens relationships among nations and the future of the global economy. At this presentation, audiences will learn about:

• The rise of state capitalism
• Why it exists and how it works
• The threat to free market capitalism

Managing Risk in an Unstable World

To navigate globalization’s choppy waters, every business leader analyzes economic risk when considering overseas investments or looking at market exposure. But do you look beyond data about per-capita income or economic growth to assess the political risk of doing business in specific countries? If not, you may get blindsided when political forces shape markets in unexpected ways—from European accession in Turkey, social unrest in India, or protectionist legislation on China.

Acclaimed political analyst and entrepreneur Ian Bremmer explains that by blending political and economic risk analysis, you can make savvier investment decisions and seize valuable opportunities around the globe while avoiding danger zones. At this presentation, audiences will learn:

• How to spot political risk on the horizon and balance it against economic opportunities—and what it means for your global investments
• How to understand the opportunities, and dangers, of dramatic Chinese growth
• What are the trends around global terror, proliferation, and shifting geopolitics, and how it impacts the global markets
• What growing political risk means for the global economy, and where the opportunities are

China, India, and Beyond: The Opportunities and Pitfalls of Asian Growth

China is a colossal world force, and business leaders can’t get enough of the promised riches of Asia. But does unprecedented growth mean your company will benefit? Bremmer explains the dangers of Asian growth for global investors seeking to build a presence in international markets, for companies seeking to sell their products there, and for the global markets more broadly. In this speech, audiences will learn:

• How to read the political and economic landscape in China, India, and beyond
• How geopolitics is creating greater risks—and opportunities—for investors in Asia

Ian Bremmer's Books