YPO EDGE 2025 in Barcelona kicked off with a bold challenge for global business leaders: unraveling the global order.
Geopolitics is shifting fast, and Ian Bremmer lays it out bluntly. The president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, recently attended the Munich Security Conference, where tensions between the U.S. and its European allies hit a level he’s never seen before.
“I’ve been going for 15 years … It’s been going on for decades and decades. I’ve never seen anything remotely like that in my life.”
Bremmer provided the over 2,200 chief executives gathering in Barcelona for YPO EDGE with sharp insights into global risks, shifting alliances and the forces shaping our future.
“Despite the fractures, globalization isn’t slowing — it’s just evolving,” Bremmer tells YPO members. “AI, post-carbon energy and digital powerhouses are shaping a new, multipolar world where corporations hold as much influence as nations.”
The future? Bremmer thinks a delicate balance of corporate and state sovereignty, especially in tech and climate governance.
The virtuosity of leadership
Great musicians don’t just play notes — they create magic — and fellow CEO and pianist, Felipe Gómez shared how the same principles that earn standing ovations — method, attitude and passion — can drive excellence in business and life.
Mastery starts with big dreams, discipline and perseverance. But true impact? “That comes from emotional intelligence — leading with empathy, service and humility, says Gómez. Passion, he argues, is the game-changer. “If we do everything with love, we’re going to completely transform everything.”
Gómez brought leaders to their feet singing in unison as he challenged them to embrace virtues like courage, prudence and love to become virtuosos — not just in leadership, but in life.
EDGE is YPO’s premier annual event and the largest gathering of CEOs in the world. For three days in Barcelona, more than 2,200 chief executives from 80 countries convene for a transformative experience with dynamic sessions, hands-on experimentation and immersive networking experiences. EDGE fosters a culture of trust, respect and inclusiveness, where global leaders emerge with solutions to drive change and help shape our collective future. YPO EDGE is exclusively for YPO members. Learn more about EDGE.
