IE Masterclass: Globalization trends. From trade wars to AI opportunities

After three decades of ever deeper integration, globalization is being redrawn by five forces that reinforce one another. Technology is advancing at an exponential pace, with artificial intelligence as the great wildcard, and the borders between industries are fading. Economic weight keeps shifting towards emerging economies. Trade and technology have become instruments of power, while high public debt and persistent inflation narrow the room for manoeuvre of governments and central banks. And the transition to a sustainable economy is redefining energy, industry and investment. 

From trade wars to the opportunities opened by artificial intelligence, these trends will decide where growth, investment and talent flow in the coming years. Each brings significant opportunities, but also risks that need to be well understood. 

Luis Maldonado is a financial sector economist with more than 25 years of experience. He has been a professor at IE University since 2013 and is a consultant on Digital Financial Services and Sustainability for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank, among other institutions. He is also a senior advisor at Beka Finance and has served on the boards of several regulated companies. He has held senior roles in both the public and private sectors, including advisor to Spain's Vice-President and Minister of Economy, CSO and executive committee member at Bankia (now CaixaBank), Director of Strategic Consulting for the Financial Sector at PwC Spain, Managing Director of the PwC–IE Business School Financial Sector, and senior advisor at Everis (now NTT Data).