While discussions of US tariff policies dominated Q2 earnings calls to an unprecedented degree, another equally important trend is bubbling just under the surface in C-suites and on trading floors: concern that the economic uncertainty caused by tariff turmoil may lead to a downturn. That’s the conclusion of the third edition of the CEO Radar—a tool to help CEOs determine which issues truly deserve their time and attention. It unpacks the leading topics discussed on more than 4,500 earnings calls worldwide in Q2 2025, enabling chief executives to compare their agendas to those of their peers, and to the market’s expectations. On this episode of the CEO Radar Podcast, Edward Adams of Bloomberg Media Studios is joined by BCG Global Chair Rich Lesser and Mai-Britt Poulsen, Global Leader of BCGs Consumer & Retail Practice, to discuss how CEOs can build their resilience. 

Listen to CEO Radar: https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive-story/bcg/the-ceo-radar-q3-2025 

By the year 2035, we will likely be able to utilize AI to crunch complex data sets and produce far more accurate predictions of the future, for everything from stock market fluctuations to consumer trends. Already, meteorologists are using AI to improve weather forecasting—for instance, by more accurately predicting when a hurricane will make landfall. But BCG’s Alan Iny says this does not mean that business leaders will be able to dispense with planning for multiple scenarios. Predictions will never be perfect—and everyone will have access to the same tools—so strategic planning will remain critical even as it evolves in new ways. 

Learn More: 

Alan Iny: https://on.bcg.com/4fCNDo5

Are Leaders as Prepared for Strategic Risks as They Think They Are?: https://on.bcg.com/3AXqw8J 

BCG on Corporate Finance and Strategy: https://on.bcg.com/496c3Ek 

CEO Moments of Truth: https://on.bcg.com/ITMoT 

GenAI on GenAI: https://link.chtbl.com/bcg-genai-on-genai?sid=IT 

CEO Digest: https://link.chtbl.com/ceo-digest-bcg-show?sid=IT 

What can ancient Greek myths teach us about modern leadership? 

Kirsten Rulf has spent her career at the intersection of tech, policy, and public service. 

In this episode, Kirsten shares how she found clarity in moments of uncertainty, why AI presents a major opportunity for the public good, and what it was like helping shape the EU’s landmark tech legislation. 

Kirsten is a Partner and Associate Director at BCG. Before joining BCG, she advised German Chancellor Angela Merkel and served as head of digital policy in the German government, playing a key role in negotiating Europe’s AI and data laws.  

Listen to In Her Ellement: https://lnk.to/bcg-in-her-ellement-series-link04 

[1:26] A Big Win, Then The Hard Work Follows 

[05:21] Potential of AI in Public Sector 

[08:56] Roots In Ovid’s Metamorphosis 

[12:09] From Journalism to CyberSecurity 

[14:14] A Phone Call from Angela Merkel 

[13:48] Navigating Career Changes and Mentorship 

[19:23] “Hope is not a strategy” 

[22:16] Reflections 

Apps were supposed to make life easier to navigate, but they often create more complexity. Planning a trip can involve hundreds of digital touchpoints over several months. But new advances–especially the growth of AI agents–coupled with ambient and voice-recognition technology, could make apps obsolete. BCG’s Dutch MacDonald imagines a world where, for example, we could just have a conversation with our personal AI assistant about our dream vacation and it could do all the planning and booking for us. 

Learn More: 

Dutch:https://on.bcg.com/4k3Hy5s 

How AI Agents Are Opening the Golden Era of Customer Experience: https://on.bcg.com/4ndwK7K 

BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/3ZMzmj0 

The pharmaceutical industry has yet to develop highly effective treatments for common chronic and neurological issues, like Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. But GenAI promises to accelerate the discovery and development of breakthrough treatments. BCG’s Priya Chandran explores possible new approaches and how breakthrough drugs can be made more affordable and more available to the patients who need them. 

Learn More: 

Priya Chandran: https://on.bcg.com/3ZZO5ad 

BCG’s Latest Thinking on the Health Care Industry: https://on.bcg.com/4kFxhxH 

Biopharma Trends 2025: https://on.bcg.com/4mX6CxN 

The most enthusiastic AI evangelists say that in the not-too-distant future bots with artificial general intelligence (AGI) will match—or even exceed—the cognitive abilities of humans on pretty much any task. But what if we don’t reach that elusive goal? BCG’s Noah Broestl imagines how AI will nonetheless continue to evolve in amazing ways, yielding a proliferation of specialized models each with its own specific advantages. These models will be much more accurate, and they will feature advances in safety, transparency, and efficiency. 

Learn More: 

Noah Broestl: https://on.bcg.com/4mtes1N 

BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/4jnOLNz 

You Won’t Get GenAI Right If You Get Human Oversight Wrong: https://on.bcg.com/45rTvyj 

GenAI Will Fail. Prepare for It: https://on.bcg.com/4kx8ECP 

The AI Instant Skills Boost: What CEOs Need to Know: https://on.bcg.com/4jnE8dJ 

We could be on the verge of a nuclear power renaissance. Climate change is one reason: nuclear power remains the largest source of carbon-free energy in the United States. Also, demand for electricity is surging. BCG’s Ben Vannier imagines a future where the promise of less expensive nuclear power has been realized. The key will be small modular reactors (SMRs) that are less complex and easier to build. Let’s not ignore the big question: safety. Nuclear power’s already safe, Ben says, and with SMRs, there's even less risk.

Learn More: 

Ben Vannier: https://on.bcg.com/4jKRQYV 

What’s Holding Back Nuclear in the West?: https://on.bcg.com/42Tg7Gt 

A Fusion Future Is No Longer Wishful Thinking: https://on.bcg.com/44xwWIi 

BCG’s Latest Thinking on Energy: https://on.bcg.com/44weiQR 

In the future, hackers will have many new vulnerabilities to exploit, especially as industries move from legacy IT to state-of-the-art digital systems. BCG’s Vanessa Lyon looks at how cyber-attacks are likely to evolve over the next ten years, and what business leaders need to do to protect their companies. This is critical, she explains, because governments are already moving to hold CEOs and other top executives personally accountable for cyberattacks on their companies. 

Learn More: 

Vanessa Lyon: https://on.bcg.com/4jmhN0M 

The Cyber Secure CEO: https://on.bcg.com/3Gq91QW 

What Cybersecurity Leaders Get Right: https://on.bcg.com/4iACrJk 

Cybersecurity Has a Talent Shortage. Here’s How to Close the Gap: https://on.bcg.com/445Ozi3 

BCG on Cybersecurity and Digital Risk: https://on.bcg.com/44advVG

AI Can Build Your Next Business—If You Think Bigger

Businesses are overlooking AI’s ability to create entirely new products and businesses. Beth Viner, who leads BCG’s corporate venturing and business building at BCGX, explains how organizations can move beyond efficiency and generate big revenue gains. Companies can combine their historical strengths with AI’s power to meet customer needs in new and unexpected ways.  

Learn More: 

Beth Viner: https://on.bcg.com/4193Lco 

BCG X: https://on.bcg.com/3WUviLQ  

BCG on AI: https://on.bcg.com/42OlGpK 

Beth’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92AnU6MUr0 

The So What from BCG: https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show10

Cities have been struggling since the pandemic. In some—including Los Angeles and San Francisco—office high-rises have become “zombie buildings,” with vacancy rates of 50% or more. But many people still want to live in cities and be part of a vibrant community. BCG’s Santiago Ferrer explores how new forms of transit, from modular pods to self-driving cars, can help reinvigorate moribund downtowns by making them easier to reach and navigate. As part of this transformation, cities will find innovative uses for zombie buildings, turning them into everything from residential units to community art hubs. 

Learn More: 

Santiago Ferrer: https://on.bcg.com/4iXe2Po 

Accelerating the Shift to Sustainable Transport: https://on.bcg.com/3Y8ScQo 

Cities of the Future: https://on.bcg.com/43Ttw2f 

BCG’s Latest Thinking on Public Sector: https://on.bcg.com/4le9qWn