What happens when the global order that shaped the modern world begins to unravel?

In this episode of Getting to Aha!, host Darshan Mehta speaks with Marc Saxer, Director at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and head of its Asia-Pacific region, about the forces reshaping geopolitics and what comes next. They examine why the transformation began with the 2008 financial crisis, how democracy, global trade, and multilateral institutions are facing simultaneous pressure, and why power dynamics and human nature remain central to international relations.

Marc introduces the “Wolf World” framework and explains why competition between superpowers is more likely to unfold through economic pressure than direct military conflict, with semiconductors, AI, rare earths, and supply chains becoming critical battlegrounds. The conversation also explores how individuals and leaders can prepare for instability while building resilience in an uncertain environment. Finally, they consider what a genuinely multipolar world means—and why cooperation, pragmatic coalitions, and negotiated solutions may define the next era of global affairs.

Marc Saxer is a political analyst, strategist, and writer with more than 25 years of experience in geopolitics, social transformation, and international relations. Based in Bangkok, he leads the Asia-Pacific regional program of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and convenes the Asia Strategic Foresight Group. His work has appeared in over 20 languages and global media outlets. He also has a new book titled: Geopolitical Conflict in the Wolf World: Great Power Competition and the Illiberal Revolt Against the Liberal Order.

Episode Highlights:
👉 Understand Power Relations Behind Strategic Decisions – Marc Saxer introduces “transformative realism,” emphasizing that power relations, material conditions, and structural incentives often shape outcomes more than persuasion or ideals. For CMOs and entrepreneurs, this means looking beyond messaging to understand who benefits from the status quo, where pressures for change exist, and how stakeholder incentives influence decisions. This deeper analysis can reveal why seemingly compelling strategies succeed or fail.
👉 Identify Systemic Vulnerabilities Across Multiple Pillars – Marc explains how the global order is weakening across democracy, open trade, and multilateral institutions simultaneously. For business leaders, the lesson is to recognize when multiple foundations of their market are becoming unstable at once. By examining regulatory confidence, customer trust, supply chains, and competitive advantages together, organizations can distinguish systemic problems from isolated disruptions and respond with strategic repositioning rather than incremental fixes.
👉 Map Geoeconomic Risks Across Critical Supply Chains – Marc explains that competition between major powers is increasingly shifting from military confrontation toward economic arenas such as semiconductors, AI, energy, rare earths, and supply chains. CMOs and entrepreneurs should understand where their organizations depend on vulnerable technologies, suppliers, or resources. Mapping these dependencies can reveal opportunities to diversify suppliers, develop alternatives, strengthen partnerships, and build resilience before geopolitical disruptions become business-critical.
👉 Replace “Getting Back to Normal” With Pragmatic Strategy – Marc highlights a twin crisis facing liberal systems: declining faith in institutions alongside internal weaknesses in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and defense. For brands and businesses, this challenges narratives built around restoring an idealized past. Instead, leaders should acknowledge genuine customer concerns, constraints, and trade-offs. Credibility increasingly comes from helping people navigate uncertainty rather than promising a return to previous stability.
👉 Stress-Test Hidden Dependencies Before Crises Spread – Marc explains how financial crises can begin in one part of the system and eventually create unexpected disruptions elsewhere. Businesses therefore need to look beyond their immediate markets and identify vulnerabilities involving energy, currencies, interest rates, suppliers, technology, and customers. Scenario planning and stress testing can reveal potential breaking points, helping organizations build redundancy, flexibility, and resilience before systemic shocks expose weaknesses.
👉 Build Influence Through Flexible Strategic Coalitions – Marc argues that a multipolar world will require pragmatic coalitions rather than attempts at permanent dominance. Businesses can apply the same principle by bringing competitors, suppliers, regulators, NGOs, and other stakeholders together around shared challenges such as sustainability, AI governance, or supply chain resilience. By becoming a convener and problem-solver, organizations can build influence, shape emerging standards, and create opportunities beyond traditional competition.

Listen Now!
Fame Host - https://podcasts.fame.so/getting-to-aha
Apple - https://go.fame.so/gettingtoaha-apple
Spotify - https://go.fame.so/gettingtoaha-spotify
YouTube - https://go.fame.so/gettingtoaha-youtube

Episode Resources:
Darshan Mehta on LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta/
iResearch Website - https://iresearch.com
Marc Saxer on LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcsaxer/
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Website - https://www.fes.de/