Lessons from London Insight tour on geopolitics, finance and business strategy
Insights|March 26, 2026
For the third time, Roschier invited a selected group of senior decision‑makers from different businesses to an insight tour. This time, we visited London with the theme ”Shifting Powers”. For two days, we explored how shifts in power structures, trade dynamics, investment flows, and international relations are influencing the business landscape – and how Nordic companies can strengthen their strategic position in response. For Roschier, these insight tours is about enabling new opportunities and to offer insights and connections beyond sectors.
As the world’s sixth‑largest economy, the United Kingdom continues to play a pivotal role in global trade and investment. London remains, even post‑Brexit, one of Europe’s most influential financial hubs, combining a strong geopolitical voice with enduring international appeal.
Day one
The first stop on the delegation tour was a meeting at the Houses of Parliament, where the group had the opportunity to meet with Member of Parliament Ben Spencer. The discussion began with him emphasising the importance of the UK–Nordic relationship and how the aim now is to strengthen this longstanding friendship through both military and economic alliances. The conversation touched on AI and entry‑level jobs, the aftermath of Brexit, and the upcoming elections in the UK.
The discussion was followed by a private tour of the Houses of Parliament, during which the group gained insights into how the UK democracy works and the historical building itself.
The second visit was at Lloyd’s, where Henry Petch, Europe Network Manager, gave insights into how Lloyd’s operates today. Founded in Edward Lloyd’s coffee house in 1688, Lloyd’s began as a place for merchants and sailors to share information and insure ships. Today, it is the world’s leading marketplace for commercial, corporate, and specialty risk. Henry also stressed that Lloyd’s is not a single company, but a marketplace for independent syndicates. The group also had the chance to visit the Underwriting Room and speak with the independent dealers.
Lunch was held at the Law Society, an organisation dating back to 1825 that represents over 140 000 solicitors. During the meal, the incoming president, Brett Dixon, gave a speech about how the organisation plays a distinctive role in the UK legal system. He highlighted how the Law Society does not regulate individual lawyers, but rather represents the profession as a whole, ensuring that the voices of practising solicitors are heard in Parliament, government, and the wider justice system. The work focuses on safeguarding access to justice, reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, and helping lawyers focus on high‑quality service delivery.
After lunch, the delegation went to the London Stock Exchange. There they were greeted by Chris McGahan, Head of Western Europe and Nordics, and Ayuna Nechaeva, Head of Europe, Primary Markets. They talked about how the London Stock Exchange Group is a 300-year‑old fin‑tech company sitting at the heart of one of the world’s most international capital markets, connecting European companies with global investors. The UK has long been a preferred destination for IPOs and cross‑border equity capital raising, combining deep liquidity, a strong legal framework, and a concentration of professional services. Today, the group is working to sharpen its offer for growth‑ and technology‑driven companies, simplify its listing process, and strengthen its position in green and transition finance. The focus is on making London attractive not only for Nordic and European issuers, but also resilient and credible in an increasingly competitive global landscape for capital. This is supported by new reforms to the capital markets that have been implemented over the last ten years, including oversight of pension funds, corporate governance, and alignment with international listing rules.
The day ended with a dinner at the residence of Swedish Ambassador Stefan Gullgren, co‑hosted by Finnish Ambassador Teemu Turunen. After the dinner, a spontaneous Q&A with the ambassadors covered topics such as cooperation between Finland, Sweden, and the UK, NATO membership, post‑Brexit lessons, and the future of the transatlantic relationship.
Day two
The day started at Guildhall, the historic heart of the City of London and home to the City of London Corporation, where Alderman Prem Goyal CBE, Chair of the City of London Corporation, led a discussion with the delegation and invited London business leaders. Tim Hailes, incoming Lord Mayor of London, also gave a presentation on the work carried out by his team, whose mission is to increase business and investment in London. He talked about how relevance and soft power have once again become increasingly important in turbulent geopolitical environments. A private tour of Guildhall, a building dating back to the 15th century, concluded this part of the program.
At the Bank of England, Nathanaël Benjamin, Executive Director for Financial Stability Strategy and Risk and member of the Financial Policy Committee, shared insights into how the Bank of England works with monetary policy, financial stability, and regulation to shape the wider economy. He discussed how they balance risk and innovation, use AI to process vast amounts of economic data more efficiently, and see “sandboxing” as the best approach to testing AI‑driven products in a controlled environment. He also mentioned how geopolitical tensions are currently testing the markets, and how uncertainty has become the new norm for the foreseeable future. Finally, he highlighted the importance of international cooperation. AI knows no borders and capital flows move at lightning speed across the world. To regulate this effectively, central banks must collaborate more closely than ever before. He explained how they are currently building common frameworks to monitor systemic risks arising from AI‑driven trading strategies that can create sudden instability – so‑called “flash crashes.”
Lunch was held at Bloomberg’s European headquarters, where Mauro Beretta gave insights into how artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of financial data and corporate decision‑making. With over four decades of experience in data collection, Bloomberg is now leveraging AI to make that data more accessible and actionable for C‑suite executives. While Bloomberg was traditionally the tool of choice for treasury and investor relations teams, there is a significant shift toward use by CEOs, CFOs, and Heads of Strategy who require real‑time, accurate data to navigate global uncertainties. He noted that 2026 is “the year of AI-agents,” and shared some figures on investment into how AI interacts with the physical world through robotics, explaining that humanoid robots are expected to enter the market by 2027-2028.
The program concluded at Revolut, the world’s fastest‑growing bank. After a tour of the office headquarters, insights were provided by Dietrich Stadlmann and Hannah Bernasconi on the bank’s growth journey, during which it adds 2 million new users every month. They also talked about how the company is structured into two different segments – personal and business – and how Revolut acts as the intermediary in both scenarios.
Common themes became clear throughout the visits. Geopolitics, finance and technology are becoming increasingly interconnected, with power shifting across traditional boundaries. Political developments, capital flows and regulatory frameworks now directly shape business strategy, while AI is rapidly transforming how decisions are made and risks are managed.
In this environment, uncertainty is not temporary but structural. For Nordic companies, this underscores the need to stay agile, globally informed and prepared to navigate both risk and opportunity as the landscape continues to evolve.