Marco Vicenzino traces the historical arc from empires to the Cold War to the “golden age” of globalization and into today’s fractured order. He defines the 21st century as an age of fragmentation, polycrisis, and great-power rivalry. Vicenzino calls on business leaders to adapt to “re-globalization,” where alliances, supply chains, and capital flows follow political fault lines.

Takeaways:
• The unipolar U.S.-led era is ending; multipolar fragmentation defines the new order.
• Revisionist states (China, Russia, Iran) seek to rewrite global rules.
• The “global rest” of middle powers will increasingly shape world outcomes.
• Geopolitical alignment now dictates trade, finance, and innovation flows.
• AI, demographics, and climate change are the next competitive battlegrounds.