Today, we discuss the trilemma facing the energy and commodities markets - between security, affordability, and sustainability, what now matters in policy and investment decisions? In the previous US administration and in Europe, sustainability was a key policy driver. Under the new Trump administration, and indeed globally since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, security has come to the forefront.
How should organisations think about these three facets? How is the world changing and what does that mean for the energy and commodities sector?
Speaking to our host, Paul Chapman, on this episode is Clay Seigle, Senior Fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Clay holds the James R. Schlesinger Chair in Energy and Geopolitics and is an experienced energy industry analyst with specialisation in market intelligence and political risk. Clay provides policymakers and corporate leaders with thought leadership and strategic insights to navigate regional and global energy security challenges.
Read below for our key talent impacts from this episode.
Key Talent Impacts
Do we have the talent to navigate rising geopolitical and energy security risks?
As national priorities shift toward supply resilience, organisations must assess whether their leadership teams are equipped to manage the geopolitical complexity now shaping investment, operations, and long-term strategy.
Are we accounting for U.S. political volatility in our hiring and planning?
With political risk now a material factor in the United States, companies must assess how regulatory uncertainty affects succession planning, cross-border hiring, and workforce stability.
Can our teams sustain climate goals without government support?
With public subsidies and policy momentum under threat, the burden of delivering decarbonisation increasingly falls on the private sector. Teams must be equipped to drive sustainability without relying on regulatory incentives.
Do we have people who can work across the public and private sectors?
With increased state intervention in areas such as refining, critical minerals, and energy infrastructure, organisations need talent fluent in industrial strategy, policy development, and regulatory negotiation.
Is our workforce strategy resilient to trade disruption and local talent shortages?
Fragmenting global supply chains and rising protectionism demand resilient talent strategies that secure local capability and ensure compliance with increasingly complex international employment regulations.
Learn more about the World Energy Trilemma Index, which helps benchmark national energy systems against security, sustainability, and affordability goals.
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