Chair in Geopolitics and Business Strategy
The EDHEC Chair trains students and executives to integrate geopolitics into their business strategy in order to better anticipate risks and seize opportunities.
TRAINING TOMORROW'S LEADERS IN GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Geopolitics and Business Strategy Chair at EDHEC Business School aims to educate students, future decision-makers and senior executives on the interactions between geopolitics and business strategy. Thanks to an academic approach informed by real-world expertise, the Chair offers analytical tools and frameworks for transforming geopolitical uncertainties into levers for action and sustainable performance.
In an international context marked by growing geopolitical tensions, companies must constantly adapt their strategic vision. Understanding global power dynamics, anticipating country risks and regional crises, and integrating geopolitical issues into decision-making: these skills have become essential for managing an organisation in an agile and informed manner.
IN THE FACE OF GEOPOLITICAL INSTABILITY, TRAINING LEADERS WHO CAN TAKE ACTION
Geopolitical tensions are no longer peripheral events: they are reshaping the rules of the global economy. According to an OpinionWay survey, 61% of business leaders say they have been impacted by geopolitical events in the last two years.
The AXA 2024 report on emerging risks confirms this awareness: the proportion of experts who place geopolitical instability at the top of their concerns has almost doubled in one year, rising from 9% to 16%.
Yet companies often remain ill-prepared. Geopolitical crises, conflicts, sanctions and trade restrictions are all factors that can lead to financial losses, weaken assets or disrupt supply chains. Delays, cost increases and the loss of strategic suppliers are just some of the direct consequences. Added to this is the need to navigate regulatory frameworks—national, regional or international—or risk seeing certain markets close or suffering lasting damage to their reputation.
A CLEAR GOAL: ACTING INSTEAD OF REACTING
Faced with these challenges, EDHEC's Geopolitics and Corporate Strategy Chair aims to give leaders the tools they need to analyse, anticipate and make decisions. It is fully aligned with the Generations 2050 plan, which aims to educate and transform for the common good.
Specifically, the Chair focuses on four strategic areas, which are translated into training courses, conferences, practical tools and publications:
1. Understanding the world
Mobilising EDHEC's academic tools and forging partnerships to decipher contemporary power dynamics.
2. Developing analytical reasoning
Producing concrete methodologies: risk mapping, geopolitical forecasting tools, economic intelligence grids.
3. Making decisions in complex situations
Develop case studies inspired by successes and failures, incorporating ethical dilemmas and situations involving operational stress.
4. Cultivating a critical mind
Organise conferences, debates and publications to challenge assumptions and enrich perspectives.
‘We will not train specialists in geopolitics, but enlightened leaders. Our goal is to give students and executives the practical tools they need to analyse, anticipate and act responsibly in a complex global context, where companies are geopolitical players in their own right.’
Luc de Rancourt, former Air Force general, director of the Chair
A PRESTIGIOUS ADVISORY BOARD
High-level leaders from institutions, the media, consulting, academia, think tanks and businesses whose expertise will help guide the chair's work and ensure its relevance for businesses.
Academic / Think-Tank
- Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt, Director - Institut Montaigne
- Frederik Douzet, Director of the Geode Centre for Geopolitics of the Data Sphere -Université Paris 8
- Jean-Vincent Holeindre, Director of the Thucydides Centre - Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas
- Xavier Pasco, Director - Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS)
- Michelle Sisto, Associate Professor, Director of the AI Centre - EDHEC
- Olivier Zajec, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Defence Studies – Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3
Institutional
- Eric Autellet, Chairman of the Board of Directors - Défense Angels
- Luc de Rancourt, Director of the Chair in Geopolitics and Business Strategy - EDHEC
- Gilles Lara-Adéalaïde, Inspector General of Finance - IGF
- Guillaume Ollagnier, Director of Strategic Affairs, Security and Disarmament - Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères
Firms
- Jacques Battistella, President - SYNAPSES Entreprises Industrie aérospatiale
- Thomas Buberl, Chief Executive Officer - Groupe AXA
- Justine Coutard, Deputy Chief Executive Officer - Groupe ADP
- Emmanuelle Crane, Founding director - Emmanuelle Crane Consulting
- Paola Fabiani, Spokesperson & Vice President - Medef, Présidente Fondatrice - Wisecom & Vado Via
- Bérénice Lajouanie, Chief Executive Officer - Pôle Les Échos
- Alain Quinet, Executive Director, Strategy and Corporate Affairs - SNCF Réseau
- Billy Salha, Managing Director - Fleury Michon, Co-Director of the Executive & Entrepreneur Programme - EDHEC
EDHEC
- Benoit Arnaud, Director of Programmes - EDHEC
- Emmanuel Métais, Dean - EDHEC
- Maïlys Vicaire, Co-Director of the Executive & Entrepreneur Programme - EDHEC
THE CHAIR'S PROJECTS
Starting in the 2025/2026 academic year, all students in the EDHEC Pre-Master's programme will benefit from a training module on contemporary geopolitical issues.
>> Multidisciplinary expertise with an international outlook: A multidisciplinary team of experts will share perspectives, promote intercultural dialogue and enrich analysis to provide the broad perspective needed to understand geopolitical issues in all their complexity.
>> Practical expertise to ‘train to transform’: The chair is committed to providing concrete methodologies, practical tools and the general knowledge essential for systemic analysis of geopolitical and strategic issues, enabling students to navigate a complex and uncertain world. Particular emphasis will be placed on AI as a subject of study.
KEY DATES
10 January 2025: first meeting of the Chair's Advisory Board.
5 February 2025: presentation of the Chair's activities by Luc de Rancourt during a Foundation evening event.
20 March 2025: Conference on ‘Geopolitics and Business’ given by Jean-Charles Antoine (Institut Français de Géopolitique) to Executive MBA participants on the Lille campus.
26 March 2025: Conference on ‘CGO& Decision Making’ given by Florent Parmentier (CEVIPOF – Sciences Po) to Global MBA participants on the Nice campus.
28 April 2025: Conference on ‘Geopolitics: Act rather than react’ dedicated to microprocessor sourcing in Taiwan, given by Luc de Rancourt and Martin Serralta (Organisational Futurist) to participants in the Executive & Entrepreneur Programme on the Paris campus.
18 June 2025: Training session entitled ‘How to integrate geopolitics into your organisations? Focus on mapping’ as part of the Executive and Entrepreneur Programme.
Starting in the 2025 academic year
- Innovative and practical training: Course modules integrated into EDHEC programmes, practical case studies, strategic foresight and ethical judgement workshops, and serious games for total immersion in geopolitical issues. A focus on developing operational maps, risk analysis and representations.
- One course session as part of the Executive and Entrepreneur Programme, one conference for EMBA students, and one conference for GMBA students.