ESSEC Business School, L’Express, and OpinionWay unveil the first edition of the geopolitics & business barometer

National political uncertainty weighs heavily on the economy,
while geopolitical tensions further concern business leaders

Paris, September 8, 2025 - The Institute for Geopolitics & Business at ESSEC Business School, in partnership with the French newspaper L’Express and with the support of OpinionWay, has released the inaugural edition of the "Geopolitics & Business Barometer." This annual study aims to assess how French business leaders perceive and prepare for geopolitical risks.
Conducted in summer 2025 among 100 members of executive and management committees from companies with over 250 employees, the survey showed that:
● 97% of respondents report that their company has already been impacted by a geopolitical shock
● The primary consequences include rising costs (raw materials: 81%, energy: 80%), supply chain disruptions (46%), and cyberattacks (40%)
However, only a minority of business leaders have systematically integrated these risks into their strategic planning. Most remain in a wait-and-see mode, relying on external guidance.
Based on the survey findings, the ESSEC Institute for Geopolitics & Business highlights three underestimated major risks:
● The shift in U.S. foreign policy toward economic predation
● The persistent and worsening threat posed by Russia to Europe and its economy
● The deep penetration of the European economy by China, which could become problematic in the event of a forced reunification with Taiwan
In response to these challenges, the Institute urges companies to accelerate their preparedness independently of political discourse. Recommendations include developing in-house geopolitical expertise, establishing executive roles dedicated to geopolitical risk management, and adopting forward-looking methodologies to better anticipate the realities of a post-globalization world.
"With the Geopolitics & Business Barometer, ESSEC creates a benchmark to understand how business leaders perceive geopolitical risks and the strategies they adopt to remain competitive in an international environment that is increasingly brutal, complex, and uncertain. Our Institute for Geopolitics & Business aims to become a reference for all leaders seeking to make informed decisions in this context," said Vincenzo Vinzi, Dean and President of ESSEC.
"The major challenges of our time are inherently international in scope. Yet leaders—politicians in particular—continue to act as if they can be understood and resolved at the national level alone. Since its founding, L’Express has always placed geopolitical issues at the heart of its news coverage, delivering the most insightful information to its readers—who are also French and European decision-makers. With the ESSEC Geopolitics & Business Barometer, these leaders now have a valuable tool to better navigate our turbulent times.", stated Sébastien Le Fol, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of L’Express, in charge of Europe.
"Until now, there has been no tool to study how geopolitical shocks disrupt economic models and the transformations companies must implement to address them. With the Geopolitics & Business Barometer, ESSEC fills this gap and provides valuable insights into how economic elites approach geopolitical risk management—a necessity in today’s international environment," noted Frédéric Micheau, Deputy CEO of OpinionWay.

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For more information, a copy of the paper, or to speak to the researchers, contact Lucy Whytock at BlueSky Education on lucy@bluesky-pr.com.