i3 - March/April 2021 - 2

From the CEO

We live in a
time of massive
change. This
means new
strategies as
well as new
opportunities.

2

MARCH/APRIL 2021

i3_0321_02_FOB_CeoLetter.indd 2

With a new administration and more people getting vaccinated, we sense a brightening light at the end of the tunnel. It is
beautiful to some and blinding to others.
But we are approaching a strategic inflection point and need to consider scenarios
for our post-pandemic world.
Here is my thinking:
1. The end of the pandemic won't be
sudden. The road will be bumpy. There
will be fits and starts. Countries will
recover at different times and many will
keep restrictions in place. Easy global
travel will be slow to return.
2. The Biden era will be more stable
on a daily basis, but its global strategy
shifts may be huge. The new administration has raised tensions with China by
legally accepting the Trump characterization of China as committing genocide of
Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic minority, and
invited Taiwan's top-ranking Washington
diplomat to attend the Inauguration.
President Biden is challenging Russia,
reversing immigration restrictions and
making jobs a priority in trade talks. And
Commerce Secretary-designate Gina
Raimondo backed the use of tariffs and
export limits in her confirmation hearing.

Gary Shapiro,
President and CEO

MediaPunch/Alamy

The Post-Pandemic New
Administration New Reality

3. Business priorities and practices
will continue to change. Social responsibility and environmental impact have
become priorities. Leaders are expected
to speak out on big, divisive issues.
4. Some COVID-19 changes will
last. Decisions will be made quickly.
Supply chains will move from sole
source and become more flexible.
We will slowly return to face-to-face
events, but many meetings will stay
digital. Some employees will want
to stay home. Some people will be
reluctant to travel. People will invest
in their homes. Many will leave cities.
Offices and office buildings will shrink
and be sold or repurposed.
5. Our nation must move to the
middle to survive. Our cleaved country
has millions of people with different
realities and alternative sources of
news, and it is threatening democracy.
The bipartisan Congressional Problem
Solvers Caucus (an outgrowth of No
Labels, which CTA helps fund) will
grow in size and influence, as the near
perfect Democrat-to-Republican equal
numbers in Congress give power to a
strong middle. Long term, we may
emulate others who elect not the most
popular extremes but rather the most
liked (or least disliked) candidate. We
also must listen and respond to the
nation's disenfranchised.
We live in a time of massive change.
This means new strategies as well as
new opportunities. Countries and companies (including trade associations)
cannot do business as usual or expect
things will go back to the old normal.
We are moving quickly toward a new
normal, and scenario planning and
strategy require thought, investment
and change.

I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

3/11/21 12:22 PM
i3 - March/April 2021

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