Business | The world on a string

Inside the secretive business of geopolitical advice

As multinationals grapple with a fragmenting world, specialist consultants are cashing in

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Image: Rose Wong

These are anxious times for the bosses of Western multinational companies. After decades of being wooed by governments the world over, many now live with an ever-present fear of being caught in the crossfire of fraying geopolitical relations. An increasingly assertive China has now taken to slapping exit bans on the executives of foreign firms. The latest example came on September 29th, when a Hong Kong-based restructuring consultant at Kroll, an American advisory firm, was reported to have been barred from leaving the mainland.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “The world on a string”

From the October 7th 2023 edition

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