BCG Henderson Institute

The BHI Geopolitics & Society Lab explores the drivers and business implications of changes in the geopolitical landscape.

The BHI Geopolitics & Society Lab brings together experts from business, policy, and academia. Our fellows, ambassadors, and external collaborators include senior practitioners and research experts, whose combined perspectives ensure that our work is both pragmatic and analytically grounded.

Our team’s research is centered on the geopolitics of technology, the future of Europe, and the nature of geopolitically resilient businesses.

Research Themes

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The Evolving Geopolitics of Generative AI

Who are the leading and emerging players in the supply of this transformative technology, and why?

BCG.com | December 9, 2024

How CEOs Can Navigate the New Geopolitics of GenAI

While the US and China have established early dominance in supplying this crucial technology, other competitors are emerging. Here’s what leaders need to know.

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Talent and the Future of Technological Competitiveness

How is the competition for tech talent changing and why does it matter—for countries and companies alike?

BCG.com | July 21, 2025

Where Will Tomorrow’s AI Geniuses Go?

Policy shifts could reshape the AI map—but talent, not tariffs, will have the greatest long-term impact.

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Building Geopolitically Resilient Organizations

How can companies adapt to the rising intensity and complexity of geopolitical disruption?

BCG.com | April 8, 2025

The Geopolitics of Tech Is Hitting All Companies. How Boards Can Respond

Competition over AI development is contributing to technological fragmentation globally. But boards can help their management teams anticipate threats and increase resilience.

BCG.com | February 9, 2026

The Defense Technology Frontier: How Europe Could Lead

European governments looking to improve their military capabilities must also strategically invest in emerging defense technologies of the future.

BCG.com | January 28, 2026

Old Continent, New Growth: Pension Reform as an Economic Engine for Europe

Restructuring pensions to rely on funded schemes could ease fiscal burdens for European governments and for taxpayers.

BCG.com | December 5, 2025

How Europe’s CEOs Are Winning with Quiet Resilience

Outside the spotlight, key European firms are powering the continent’s economic revival. Their resilience and long-term growth prospects offer lessons for bold leaders.

BCG.com | July 21, 2025

Where Will Tomorrow’s AI Geniuses Go?

Policy shifts could reshape the AI map—but talent, not tariffs, will have the greatest long-term impact.

Harvard Business Review | June 2, 2025

Tariffs, Technology, and the New Geography of Manufacturing

Geopolitical disruptions and tech advances are shaking up manufacturing strategies, pushing leaders to rethink their approaches. Companies need to rethink the way they traditionally decide where to locate plants, and instead utilize scenario planning and the possibility of automation to create a manufacturing footprint that makes sense as tariffs rise.

BCG.com | May 28, 2025

Ten Forces Reshaping Global Business

From trade wars and geopolitical shifts to regional wars and climate change, business leaders must manage through unprecedented complexity in the global landscape.

Fast Company | April 14, 2025

Tokyo is Reinventing the Downtown—By Making More Than One

How Tokyo is inventing the “urban knowledge campus” by creating aa mosaic of distinct downtown districts.

MIT Sloan Management Review | March 10, 2025

How to Strategize in an Out-of-Control World

In 2025, political surprises are adding fuel to the fires of business uncertainty, complexity, and volatility. Here’s how leaders can navigate this special type of risk.

World Economic Forum | January 14, 2025

Why Businesses Need ‘Geopolitical Muscle’ in a Multipolar World

CEOs and leaders must look beyond the immediate challenges and integrate geopolitics into corporate decisions and strategies.

Nikolaus Lang
Leadership

Nikolaus Lang

Global Leader, BCG Henderson Institute