When Europe resets, only one thing matters: competitive clarity

INSIGHT by Founder Maja Hurtigh, Advisory on demand

Europe is entering its most dramatic transformation since the industrial revolution – just as leaders find themselves without the senior support needed to navigate exploding complexity.

These were the words of Anders Borg at Ledarskapsdagen.

AI. Battery technology. EV. Renewable energy. Nuclear. Material innovation. Humanoids. Cyber security. The digitalisation of everything.

A shift closer to an epoch change than a business cycle.

The US is accelerating in innovation.China dominates production and commercialisation.

And Europe?

👇 Here is the reality few say out loud:

Europe is world-leading in the very industries now facing the deepest restructuring:

Automotive. Steel. Chemicals. Paper. Cement. Telecom. Finance. Energy.

Every sector is meeting disruption – simultaneously.

Germany’s energy costs are 50% higher than in China and India.

Labour costs up to 10x.The US holds 50% of global venture capital and the strongest innovation climate in the world.

Europe risks de-industrialisation and stagnation in its three major economies:

Germany, Italy, France.

This puts Europe – including Sweden – in the most dangerous strategic position:

– not the cheapest

– not the fastest

– not the most innovative

A no-man’s-land in global competition.

Borg warns:

"A rigid labour market, a paralysed capital market, an inability to build an innovation climate and a regulatory burden aimed at emerging technologies make this transition extraordinarily difficult."

This will weigh heavily on Sweden – despite being far better positioned than many of our trading partners.

And here lies the core problem for leaders right now:

📌 Most organisations lack the senior advisory depth and strategic capability required to navigate this shift.

🎯 What does this mean for Swedish companies?

It is now – not in three years – that leaders must:

– redraw strategic maps

– reassess markets

– review value chains

– build new risk models

– strengthen innovation and technology investments

And above all:

👉 Secure senior advisory capacity while it is still available.

As Europe’s major economies move into stagnation, competition for experienced operators, technical strategists, risk leaders and transformation profiles will become extreme.

Those who wait will stand without.

Leaders cannot afford 12-month delays wrapped in long, expensive consultant reports.

They must act now – when pace, timing and decision quality determine competitiveness.

Companies need:

– external senior expertise

– neutral analysis

– risk assessment

– decision support

– market perspective

– transformation capability

…yet most cannot access it when it matters.

This is why Advisory on demand exists.

A new model for real-time senior access – built precisely for the uncertainty we are entering.

✔ Immediate access to experienced ex-CXOs, specialists, operators and investors

✔ Advisors who have led complex transitions nationally, internationally and globally

✔ Precision matching based on your exact challenge

✔ No long contracts, no friction

✔ Support before a mistimed decision costs millions

Operational clarity when decisions are too critical – and too urgent – to take in isolation.

To navigate Europe’s transformation, companies need three things:

1️⃣ Speed in analysis and decision-making

2️⃣ Senior experience from similar environments

3️⃣ External neutrality to avoid decision blind spots

This is exactly what Advisory on demand delivers.

🚀 Europe is entering a systemic shift.

Those who secure the right support, at the right moment, will emerge stronger.