Lecture 1 – Introduction to the Course Lecturers: Beniamino Irdi & Andrea Pane Objective: Present the course structure and strategic relevance of geopolitical and regulatory affairs in global business. Summary: This joint lecture introduces the goals, methods, and structure of the course. It sets the stage for understanding why businesses today must integrate geopolitical risk and regulatory intelligence into their decision-making processes. Lecture 2 – Hybrid Threats and Modern Political Warfare Lecturer: Beniamino Irdi Objective: Provide students with a strategic understanding of hybrid threats and modern political warfare, and their implications for states, democratic systems, and private actors operating in contested environments. Summary: This lecture focuses on hybrid threats as instruments of modern political warfare, operating in the grey zone between peace and open conflict. It examines how military, economic, cyber, and informational tools are combined to exert strategic pressure, with implications for democratic systems, critical infrastructures, and business environments.

Lecture 3 – European Union Law: risks and opportunities for business Lecturer: Highly qualified expert in European law. Objective: Understand how legal and regulatory developments in the EU context can be used strategically by businesses. Summary: The lecturer will provide the basic tools for understanding the legislative processes in Europe. Through concrete examples, it will be shown how anticipating legal shifts and leveraging regulatory intelligence can offer firms a competitive edge and reduce exposure to institutional volatility. Lecture 4 – Technological Innovation as Geopolitics: From Silicon Valley to the EU DARPA Debate Lecturer: Top expert in strategic intelligence, risk analysis, and security studies Objective: Analyze how technological innovation shapes today’s geopolitics - covering implications for intelligence and strategic risk- using recent NATO initiatives and EU regulatory frameworks (including the EU Space Act) as case studies. Summary: This lecture explores how technological innovation—from semiconductors to artificial intelligence—has become the decisive driver of strategic risk and intelligence power. No longer a background variable, innovation now defines the operating system of geopolitics: who sets standards, who captures value, and who builds sovereign capabilities.

Lecture 5 – Regulatory Intelligence and the Regulatory Ecosystem Lecturer: Andrea Pane Objective: Introduce the concept of regulatory intelligence and show how it integrates into corporate decision-making processes, using the Draghi reports as guiding frameworks. Summary: The lecture will first clarify what is regulatory intelligence and what means, the ability to monitor, analyze, and interpret legislative and extra-legislative processes, anticipating their impact on sectors and businesses. It will then illustrate how regulatory intelligence feeds into decision-making, supporting companies in compliance, risk management, and competitive strategy. The Draghi and Letta reports will serve as reference points to understand the crucial role of EU institutions and national governments in shaping the economic and regulatory environment. In this way, the lecture will highlight how regulation evolves from being an external constraint to becoming a strategic variable that drives competitiveness and innovation. Lecture 6 – OSINT for Strategic Advisory Lecturer: Tiziano Marino Objective: Provide students with a practical understanding of how open-source intelligence (OSINT) supports strategic advisory in complex political and institutional environments. Summary: This lecture introduces the use of open-source intelligence as a tool for assessing political and institutional risk in foreign markets. It explores how publicly available information can be systematically collected and analyzed to support due diligence, stakeholder mapping, and strategic decision-making.

Lecture 7 – From Insight to Impact: Public Policy as a Strategic asset for Professional Services Networks Lecturer: A senior professional in Public Affairs Objective: Analyze how professional service networks can inform public decision-making processes by providing multidisciplinary expertise to foster dialogue between institutions and the private sector. Summary: Offer a perspective on the role of public policy as a supporting function to policy-making processes, exploring how accurate analyses and high-quality content, active participation in multilateral fora, and the production of thought leadership can foster an informed debate on strategic issues for society and the economy. Lecture 8 – Foreign Investment control and Compliance Lecturer: Senior regulatory analyst specialized in FSI Objective: Understanding EU foreign investment and foreign subsidies control regimes, and how regulatory frameworks shape the compliance mechanisms of international companies. Summary: This lecture will provide the basic tools to understand how EU FDI and FSR works and explore best practices in compliance for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions. During the session case studies involving foreign investment, enforcement risks, and legal design will be discussed, especially in sectors exposed to high regulatory pressure.

Lecture 9 – Strategic risk and economic security Lecturer: Expert in foreign affairs Objective: Provide students with a strategic framework to understand economic security as a core dimension of national and corporate resilience, and its implications for risk assessment and policy choices. Summary: This lecture examines economic security as a central pillar of contemporary strategic risk, at the intersection of geopolitics, industrial policy, and national security. It explores how states increasingly frame trade, investment, supply chains, and technological dependencies through a security lens, reshaping the operating environment for businesses. Lecture 10 – Hybrid Threats, Information Warfare and Strategic Screening Lecturer: A leading expert in national security and disinformation. Objective: Explore how disinformation, media interference, and foreign acquisitions impact corporate security, public perception, and national interest. Summary: This lecture will investigate hybrid threats and their implications for the private sector, including disinformation campaigns, perception manipulation, and the use of media ecosystems for strategic influence. The lecturer will delve into foreign investments in sensitive sectors, the EU and Italian screening mechanisms, and the application of Golden Power as a tool of economic security. The session will also highlight the intersection between national sovereignty, technological dependence, and regulatory defense frameworks.

Lecture 11- Sustainability, Supply Chains, and Regulatory Developments Lecturer: Senior Policy Analyst in Sustainability Objective: Prepare a response to a Call for Evidence issued by the European Commission Summary: This lesson focuses on the production of goods in the EU and sourcing materials in relation to regulatory developments on sustainability and circularity in manufacturing. We will explore why companies in Europe supply materials from non-European sources and whether the EU’s call to action to embed recycled inputs in products will help EU goods become more sustainable. We will look at the Call for Evidence issued by the European Commission in relation to The Circular Economy Act, which requests input on the potential impact on SMEs of measures on the supply and demand of secondary raw materials. Using a fictional case study, we will prepare a draft of a response to the Call for Evidence. Lecture 12 – EU-China: Partner, economic competitor and systemic rival? Lecturer: A leading expert in economic security, EU-China relations, and geoeconomics Objective: Examine the strategic implications of the EU–China relationship and its impact on supply chains, investment, and regulation. Summary: This lecture will explore the logic of European de- risking, the tools of economic security (screening mechanisms, anti-coercion measures), and the strategic consequences of China's rise. The lecturer will discuss how firms can adapt to increasing scrutiny over Chinese investments, navigate restrictions like the EU Chips Act, and understand broader decoupling dynamics.

Lecture 13 – Strategic Priorities in the Middle East: a Geopolitical Focus Lecturer: A senior expert in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dynamics Objective: Understand the Middle East as a strategic quadrant for businesses, balancing political instability with regional opportunity. Summary: The lecturer will analyze how the business environment in the Middle East is shaped by geopolitical rivalries, security challenges, and diplomatic shifts. Topics include Gulf economic diversification, regional tensions (e.g. Iran-Saudi, Israel-Gaza), and the role of global actors. A focus is placed on how companies can engage with this high-risk, high-reward region. Lecture 14 - Trade Policy, Tariffs and Global Value Chains Lecturer: A leading expert in international arbitration, cross-border litigation, and comparative private law. Objective: Understand how global trade dynamics and protectionist measures affect business strategy and supply chain resilience. Summary: This session will explore the intersection between trade policy and corporate exposure, with a focus on U.S. protectionism, tariffs, and global value chains. The lecturer will explain how firms can assess trade risks, respond to regulatory frictions, and navigate shifting geopolitical alignments across export and import routes.

Lecture 15 – Corporate Security and Threat Assessment in International Operations Lecturer: A highly qualified corporate security and threat assessment expert from a strategic company Objective: Analyze how a company structures its security model to operate in geopolitically unstable or high-risk environments. Summary: This session will explore how multinational corporations conduct threat assessments to identify, evaluate, and mitigate security risks across physical, digital, and reputational dimensions. The lecturer will illustrate how companies organize their corporate security functions abroad, including interactions with local partners, diplomatic authorities, and logistics operators. Lecture 16 – Policy and Strategic Planning at NATO Lecturer: A highly qualified NATO official Objective: The lecture will explore the role of policy and strategic planning at NATO and examine the evolution of the Alliance's strategy since 2014. Summary: This lecture examines NATO’s policy and strategic planning processes, focusing on how the Alliance has adapted its strategy since 2014 in response to a more contested security environment. It analyzes key shifts in deterrence, defense, and resilience, and discusses their implications for allied cohesion and long-term strategic planning.

Lecture 17 – The Security Manager’s Evolution: From Risk Mitigation to Business Resilience in a tough world Lecturer: A leading expert in Corporate Security, Risk Management, Integrity Due Diligence Objective: Examine the geopolitical exposure of the shipbuilding and maritime sectors. Summary: The expert will discuss how a leading industrial player approaches export controls, foreign competition, and critical maritime routes. Attention will be given to public-private cooperation in national industrial strategies, dual-use technologies, and the company’s response to international security tensions. Lecture 18 – Geopolitical risk and the Pharma Sector Lecturer: A highly qualified expert in corporate finance and strategic advisory Objective: Analyze how the life sciences sector can assess the impact of regulatory, political, and logistical risks. Summary: This lecture will focus on the tools through which pharmaceutical multinationals can measure the challenges posed by international developments to their supply chains and other sources of exposure.

Lecture 19 – ESG – challenges and opportunities Lecturer: A distinguished expert in ESG Objective: Understand the European Green Deal, how to balance the challenges for companies with the benefits for society Summary: The lecture will explore the European Green Deal, the evolution in its perception, and the challenges for companies in their effort to adapt. Lecture 20 – How to Do Business in the Age of Uncertainty Lecturer: A Senior risk manager Objective: Provide students with interpretative tools to understand how global uncertainty, geopolitical fragmentation, and systemic shocks reshape the business environment, and to assess how leaders can navigate complexity, risk, and strategic decision-making in an era of persistent instability. Summary: This lecture examines how persistent uncertainty—driven by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, and systemic shocks—reshapes the global business environment. It explores how leaders can interpret complexity, manage risk, and make strategic decisions under conditions of instability, emphasizing the importance of strategic vision, adaptability, and informed judgment.

Lecture 21 – Corporate and Financial Intelligence Lecturer: A leading expert in financial markets and investment fund management Objective: To equip students with the tools to conduct advanced financial investigations and critically evaluate corporate governance and financial integrity. Summary: This lecture will focus on corporate intelligence with a particular emphasis on advanced investigative due diligence techniques, including forensic analysis of corporate financial statements. The objective is to provide both practical and theoretical skills to critically assess corporate governance, identify early warning signs of accounting irregularities, and understand their implications. Lecture 22 – AI & impact on the fashion industry Lecturer: An expert in digital compliance and risk management Objective: Analyze the strategic, regulatory, implications of the EU’s AI Act on the fashion industry. Summary: The lecture will explore the legal aspects of AI considering the implementation of the AI Act and its impact on the fashion industry.

Lecture 23 – Cyber Security as a Strategic Risk Lecturer: A leading expert in cybersecurity and strategic risk management Objective: Understand cybersecurity as a strategic and systemic risk affecting national security, corporate resilience, and critical infrastructures. Summary: This lecture examines cybersecurity as a core dimension of strategic risk in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. It explores how cyber threats—ranging from espionage and sabotage to ransomware and hybrid operations—impact states, companies, and critical sectors. The session highlights the implications for governance, risk management, and business continuity, emphasizing the need to integrate cybersecurity into strategic decision-making. Lecture 24 – The Geopolitics of M&A Lecturer: A senior expert in Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, and Cross-Border Transactions Objective: Explore how international developments influence the legal and financial dimensions of Mergers and Acquisitions. Summary: This lecture will delve into the key legal challenges, international regulatory frameworks, and investment strategies that shape the industry. With a focus on strategic finance and cross-border M&A, the session will provide an applied understanding of how businesses can seize opportunities in this evolving domain while managing geopolitical and legal complexities.