Anders Fogh Rasmussen

The Shifting Landscape of American Foreign Policy

In this speech, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of Denmark, will examine the impact of the Trump administration’s foreign policy on global dynamics, with a particular focus on NATO, European security, and transatlantic relations. Rasmussen will explore how President Trump’s foreign policy affects traditional alliances, including NATO, the European Union, and other Western powers while discussing key moments such as the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the Iran Nuclear Deal, and the trade war with China, analyzing how these decisions affected Europe and the broader global order. Rasmussen will delve into security concerns, highlighting NATO’s evolving role under Trump’s leadership. Including calls for European allies to increase defense spending, while also questioning the U.S.’s commitment to Article 5 and collective defense.

Covering themes of global leadership, with an examination of the U.S.’s shift toward more unilateral decision-making. Rasmussen will assess how this shift impacted America’s leadership role in international institutions and its ability to address global challenges, such as climate change, terrorism, and nuclear proliferation. Drawing from these discussions, Rasmussen will offer insights into how these policies are being perceived by the international community, their short-term and long-term consequences for global security, and the lessons that can be drawn. 

Technology: New Frontiers in the Battle for Global Leadership

As the United States and China vie for global influence, technology will be central to the balance of power. 5G and artificial intelligence will bring major geopolitical challenges and present ethical and existential questions that must be tackled, from availability and use of data, to the development of fully autonomous weapons systems.

Drawing on his own experiences as Secretary General of NATO and founder of the Alliance of Democracies foundation, Anders Fogh Rasmussen examines the influence of technology on geopolitics, and makes the case for more cooperation among democracies.

These include:

• A Technological Alliance of Democracies to set norms and standards and avoid a race to the bottom
• Stronger cooperation with the private sector and across the Atlantic to counter the challenge from autocracies
• Strengthening our defense by sharing more data, increasing investments in R&D and speeding up decision-making
• As a co-chair of the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity – a group he co-founded with Joe Biden – he discusses how technology can be deployed to undermine and divide democracies.

The Post-Covid World

Covid-19 has ensured the world can never go back to business-as-usual. The pandemic exposed three systemic crises at once: public health, financial and global governance. Adaptation in public and private lives has brought upheaval in our economies and changed how we think about health challenges. It has made us question the vulnerability of our interdependency and put the security of supply chains under a microscope. Anders Fogh Rasmussen draws on his extensive geopolitical knowledge from his time as Prime Minister of Denmark and his tenure as Secretary General of NATO to evaluate trade policy and global cooperation in light of the pandemic. Bracing businesses for the new geopolitical reality and highlighting the need for stronger EU cooperation, this presentation looks at political and economic life post-Covid-19. 

A Changing Geopolitical Landscape: Risks and Opportunities for Financial Institutions

Last year brought significant change to the world’s existing geopolitical structures, and this year is likely to increase their complexity even more, causing financial investors to be additionally meticulous. This new climate requires a solid basis for balancing risk and reward. In this presentation, Anders Fogh Rasmussen explores the ever-changing geopolitical environment with a sharp focus on the intersection between multinational business and trade, security and stability, economic growth, innovation, and governance. He describes the impact of changing US Administrations on global cooperation, the growing tensions with China from the US and the EU, the impact of the global pandemic, and the increasing need for a transition to green energy as the climate crisis wreaks havoc across the globe.

Brexit: The Future Relationship Between the UK, the EU, and the U.S.

The British vote to leave the European Union has led to an uncertain future of the relationship between the UK and the EU—and the United States. Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed that Britain would leave the EU single market and made it clear that her fundamental aim is to regain control of immigration and lawmaking. During this presentation, Anders Fogh Rasmussen will share his perspective on the political, societal, and public trends that led to the outcome of the referendum of the British membership of the EU. He will also explore the upcoming negotiations with a heavy emphasis on the subsequent risks and opportunities for companies on both sides of the Atlantic and around the world.

The Art of Leadership and Negotiation

Drawing on his three decades at the center of European and global affairs, Anders Fogh Rasmussen shares his extensive experience leading international organizations and driving change. In his tenure as Secretary General of NATO, he transformed it into a fitter, faster, and more flexible organization. Audiences will receive unmatched practical insights that will help prepare them for future challenges. Rasmussen’s approach to negotiations includes three specific rules that can be easily applied to any business deal:

• Active listening: Listen to your counterpart’s side and make them aware you’re listening
• Empathy: Get an understanding of where they are coming from and how they feel
• Create winners: All participants in a negotiation must be seen as winners