Inclus x ESF webinar: "Europe squeezed between US and China - how should companies prepare?"
In this fireside chat, Mikael Wigell from the Economic Security Forum, ESF and Mikaeli Langinvainio, CEO and co-founder of Inclus explore how growing geopolitical competition between the US and China is reshaping Europe’s strategic environment — and what this means for companies operating in and from Europe.
The discussion will connect geopolitics with enterprise risk management and strategic decision-making, helping organizations understand how global power shifts translate into concrete business risks, dependencies, and choices.
Date & Time
📅 January 28th, 2026
🕒 15:00 - 16:00 EET
Webinar agenda
This session moves beyond headlines into practical implications for companies, focusing on:
The changing geopolitical landscape:
How US–China rivalry is impacting Europe’s economic, technological, and security positionWhat “being squeezed” means for companies:
Strategic dependencies, supply chains, technology, regulation, and market accessKey risk scenarios for European businesses:
From trade tensions and sanctions to technology controls and geopolitical fragmentationHow companies should prepare:
Integrating geopolitical risk into strategy, risk management, and decision-makingFrom awareness to action:
Practical steps for building resilience and strategic foresight in an uncertain global environment
This webinar is designed for board members, executives, risk management leaders, strategy professionals, and advisors who need to understand geopolitical risk as a core business issue, not just a political one.
About the presenters
Mikael Wigell – CEO, Economic Security Forum | Editor, Law & Geoeconomics | Ex-FIIA Research Director
Mikael Wigell is Founder and CEO of the Economic Security Forum (ESF), an independent think tank and advisory platform at the intersection of business, policy, and security. ESF helps decision-makers navigate the new era of strategic capitalism by offering foresight, tools, and public-private dialogue on economic security, geopolitical risk, and industrial competitiveness.
Before launching ESF, Mikael served as Research Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), where he led pioneering research on geoeconomics, hybrid threats, and resilience. In 2012, he established one of the world’s first dedicated geoeconomics research initiatives and have since worked to shape the field as both a scholar and strategist.
Mikael is Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Law & Geoeconomics, a scientific journal advancing interdisciplinary work at the intersection of law, economics, and international security. His research has been published in International Affairs, The Washington Quarterly, and Comparative Strategy, and he has edited the widely cited volume Geo-Economics and Power Politics in the 21st Century.
Mikael’s advisory work includes engagements with the European Parliament, IMF, OECD, Development Bank of Japan, and the Finnish Government. He’s part of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, an External Geopolitical Advisor to Hill & Knowlton Strategies, and a founding partner of the Geostrategic Intelligence Group.
Mikael holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and has taught at Oxford, Cambridge, and Johns Hopkins SAIS. He currently teaches international political economy and geoeconomics at Tampere University, Aalto University, the Hanken School of Economics, and he’s a Visiting Professor at College of Europe. Mikael’s book 'Age of Geoeconomics' will be published by Bloomsbury in 2026.
Mikaeli Langinvainio – Inclus Oy, CEO, Co-founder
Mikaeli has over 20 years of experience in business, crisis management and peace negotiations in over 20 countries on three continents.
Over his career he has designed and facilitated dozens of peace mediation, risk management and policy development processes of national importance in the world’s most challenging environments.
Mikaeli co-founded Inclus that provides software for collaborative risk management. Mikaeli's prior experience includes working at CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation - as Senior Manager leading the Methods and Tools Unit. He has worked at the Finnish Defense Administration as a strategic analysis team leader, routinely providing analysis to the top leadership of Finland. He has also acted as the National Coordinator of Civilian Crisis Management Training and Research at the Finnish Ministry of Interior taking part in establishing the Crisis Management Centre and representing Finland at the European Union. He has also served as a Peacekeeper with honorary mention of meritorious service.
Mikaeli works with both enterprise and government sector clients helping build and advance risk management practices. His methodology expertise includes building risk metrics and controls, cross impact analysis, continuity planning, and digital risk process facilitation.