Geoeconomics in Action: Aligning Economic Policy with Strategic Goals

In today’s fragmented and strategically contested global landscape, geoeconomics is reshaping how nations pursue influence and security. Economic policy is no longer solely about growth and efficiency—it has become a central instrument of statecraft. Governments are increasingly leveraging trade rules, investment flows, financial systems, and development aid to advance strategic objectives, manage risks, and respond to shifting global power dynamics. This presentation will:

• Highlight the growing relevance of geoeconomics in a multipolar, interdependent world;
• Introduce the strategic toolkit and real-world applications of geoeconomic instruments, including trade, investment, sanctions, financial tools, and development finance;
• Explore the role of middle powers and regional actors in shaping international norms and navigating great power competition; and
• Consider how policymakers can strengthen economic diplomacy through strategic foresight and deeper geoeconomic understanding.

Fergus Cumming is Deputy Chief Economist of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where his portfolio covers North America, Europe and Asia. Fergus started his career at the Bank of England, working for a little over a decade in roles that spanned policy advice and research. In 2020 he moved to the Joint Biosecurity Centre to lead part of the UK Government’s analytical response to the Covid-19 crisis and other health threats. Fergus holds an undergraduate and master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a DPhil from the University of Oxford.
 

Please join us via Zoom. Register here.