Leaders Unplugged

IMD

Leaders Unplugged is real talk with the impactful. Candid, honest, actionable – and fresh from behind the scenes. Presented by IMD in collaboration with Remote Daily. Hosted by IMD’s president, David Bach and Felix Zeltner.

  1. WEF Unplugged: Geopolitics, Sustainability, and a Look behind the Scenes

    JAN 23

    WEF Unplugged: Geopolitics, Sustainability, and a Look behind the Scenes

    Live from Davos: IMD’s Julia Binder and David Bach cut through the headlines on geopolitics, AI, energy – and competing visions for the international order. Recorded live on the final day of WEF 2026 in Davos, David Bach sits down with colleague and fellow IMD professor Julia Binder to unpack what shaped the week beyond the headlines – and why there is room for optimism. Bach reflects on two competing visions now emerging in global affairs: a world driven by raw power, and an alternative he describes as values-based realism or principled pragmatism, insisting on “a commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights, free speech, self-determination, and respect for sovereignty” while recognizing and navigating the distribution of power and influence. While discussions on sustainability and greater inclusion were less present on the main stage, Binder shares her assessment from behind the scenes: “It’s not that the sustainability conversation is dead. It’s happening under different terms. It’s reframed,” she explains. Many companies, she notes, are practicing quiet corporate activism: “We can’t speak out at the moment, but actually our actions do not just continue – we’re doubling down, we’re putting more money on the table.” Overall, a new logic dominates the transition: “those that will win the race for AI are the ones that manage energy better.” Our Guest: Julia Binder is the Director of IMD's Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, and the host of “Inside the Transition”. She works with organizations globally on transformation and helps leaders turn sustainability and societal challenges into strategic opportunity. LinkedIn - https://ch.linkedin.com/in/julia-k-binder

    26 min
  2. Gideon Rachman (FT): Can liberal democracy win the 21st century?

    10/23/2025

    Gideon Rachman (FT): Can liberal democracy win the 21st century?

    In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, IMD President David Bach sits down with Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator Gideon Rachman for an unflinching look at the shifting balance of global power – and what it means for leaders today. As Rachman puts it, “It’s hard to get past Donald Trump as the sort of biggest current disruptive force in international politics… because essentially he represents the United States turning on the global system that it helped to create after the Second World War.” And yet, amid disruption and doubt, he remains cautiously hopeful: “Can liberal democracy survive? Yes – because in the end it’s an idea that’s almost impossible to kill.” This conversation is a guide to understanding how politics, power, and leadership are being redefined before our eyes – and what to do about it. Our guest Gideon Rachman is Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator at the Financial Times and one of the world’s most influential geopolitical commentators. As the Financial Times’ Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator and author of The Age of the Strongman, Easternization, and Zero-Sum World, he provides deep insight into how global politics and economics shape the world of business and leadership. Gideon also hosts the Rachman Review, a podcast that gives a chance to listen in on his reflective and often probing conversations with politicians, intellectuals and analysts around the globe.

    42 min

About

Leaders Unplugged is real talk with the impactful. Candid, honest, actionable – and fresh from behind the scenes. Presented by IMD in collaboration with Remote Daily. Hosted by IMD’s president, David Bach and Felix Zeltner.