SANTO DOMINGO – It has become a cliché to say that change is the only constant, but it is true. There is a new president in the United States and a newly formed European Commission, and a profound shift is underway in trade policies; new ways of relating to technology are emerging, along with drastic demographic transformations. In some countries, the average company already has as many Generation Z employees as baby boomers . Decision-makers cannot ignore these changes because they impact all human activities and attitudes: consumption, labor relations, political ideas, our relationship with the environment, and fundamental values.
Given this scenario, LLYC has developed a map of the realities that all those whose job involves making decisions should consider, from CEO to any head of finance, marketing, or human resources departments. In short, all those whose job is to manage risk. Some LLYC executives have shared their perspectives on these challenges and how they can be addressed, overcome, and leveraged. Decisions are not made in a vacuum.
1. Prepare for constant change. This time, it may be more radical. We have just experienced a “super election cycle.” In 2024, 1.6 billion people voted in free elections. In several countries, such as the US and the UK, citizens demanded radical change. In others, such as India, France, and South Africa, they conveyed their dissatisfaction to their leaders, forcing them to form new coalitions and welcome new players. This signals widespread global discontent with the status quo. Newly elected politicians will attempt to implement the measures people are demanding. But political change is not the only factor. It is part of a broader technological, cultural, and economic process that encompasses virtually everything. This will generate significant instability, but also, possibly, some opportunities. Change is always a topic of discussion. But this time, it is likely to be more radical. “How open are we to collaborating with startups that can contribute new technologies or unexplored solutions? How open are we to participating in regulatory and normative changes or evolution?” asks María Esteve , Partner and General Director of Corporate Affairs Strategy at LLYC.
2. We've been talking about AI for some time now. We'll soon know the magnitude of its impact. We're entering a crucial period to understand what we can expect from the advancement of AI. According to The Economist , there are currently eleven trillion dollars (that's millions upon millions) invested in data centers. Added to this is the increasingly fierce competition between companies and AI models, which recently highlighted the Chinese company DeepSeek's commitment to open sources and low costs. Artificial intelligence affects people's well-being, talent management, the detection of major patterns, and the automation of processes. In short, it has an enormous impact on businesses, and early adopters . Joining this enormous investment seems unavoidable. "AI is not a fad; it's the foundation of the next industrial revolution. Those companies that adopt it into their business model will be the leaders of the next decade," says Miguel Lucas , Global Director of Innovation at LLYC.
3. There is a backlash against values worth defending. Faced with the new political climate, many companies are abandoning the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and ESG (environment, sustainability, and governance) frameworks. This is clearly evident in the United States. This will likely clash with the European perspective and EU regulations because the DEI framework has strategic relevance. As long as customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and society in general remain diverse, defending diversity is an asset. As long as resources remain scarce and the climate continues to warm, sustainability is a winning strategy. DEI and ESG have not been just a fad but a source of pride and a sound long-term investment. According to Luisa García , Partner and Global CEO of Corporate Affairs at LLYC: “Moving forward is possible, but it requires a comprehensive analysis. The resulting narrative must have the support of senior management and be fully integrated into leadership teams.”
4. If you want lasting success, the worst enemy is inaction. In his bestseller "Think Again," organizational psychologist Adam Grant states that we prefer the comfort of certainty to the insecurity that comes with doubt. In the field of economics, this behavior is called path dependency (if it's worked well for me doing this, why change my strategy?). One of the examples economists love most is the transition from analog to digital photography: companies dedicated to the former were so successful that many struggled to embrace "unlearning," innovation, and a change in their business model. Today, without realizing it, many of us may be making that same big mistake: inaction.
5. Disinformation is no longer an occasional nuisance. It's the new ecosystem. The World Economic Forum considers disinformation and false narratives one of the top risks of 2025. Meta has removed content controls. Elon Musk has changed X's algorithm. TikTok's algorithm remains a mystery. New networks like Bluesky and Rednote are emerging. Fragmentation will increase: everyone will gravitate to the social network where they can consume opinions like their own and ignore the others. Disinformation, false narratives, and ideological fragmentation will dominate a large part of the public conversation. In this context, corporate values are susceptible to being attacked or manipulated for self-serving purposes, and a formal response or the identification of the truth will not be effective solutions. We must carefully consider how to navigate this situation.
6. Regulations are changing faster and faster. Who wouldn't want to influence them? Brussels has presented its main project for the next five years. It's called the Compass for Competitiveness and contains some highly disruptive regulatory elements for any company operating in the EU. And not only that: 53% of the laws passed in Spain between 2019 and 2024, for example, stem from European guidelines and decisions. In the US, changes are happening drastically and rapidly. In Latin America, the rules are changing due to trade agreements and governments seeking to transform the status quo . Having a seat at the table where regulatory decisions are made will become increasingly important. Regulators are increasingly aware that they need to understand the experiences of economic actors. And these actors are becoming increasingly adept at organizing themselves to be heard transparently.
7. People have an increasingly ambivalent relationship with technology. Executives of large technology companies, such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, or Silicon Valley investors, such as Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen, have increasing influence on global politics. This is a consequence of the success of their products and investments, or of their access to political decision-makers. But it has also generated greater skepticism toward the power concentrated in technology. Around 90% of the population in wealthy countries uses the internet daily. But trust in the internet has been steadily declining. Today, our relationship with social media and the digital world is somewhat more conflicted than in the recent past, and we shouldn't consider citizens as uncritically addicted to the digital side of life.
8. A Gen Zer could become your boss. And a Silver could become your best client. In the developed world, there are 250 million people born between 1997 and 2012. They are members of Generation Z. In the United States, there are already more workers from their generation than from the baby boomers. Generation Z is increasingly defining consumption and working conditions: they want more sustainability, they are more concerned about the climate and diversity, and they don't consider career advancement to be the priority in life. They want more flexibility. At the same time, the population is aging. In Spain, 20 million people are over 65. And seniors are becoming a growing market segment.
9. The world is fragmenting into blocs: welcome to bi-globalization. Since the 1990s, we have taken for granted that the world would become increasingly globalized and that the flow of capital and goods would become ever easier and cheaper. The world would become ever more connected. Today, that assumption is in crisis. The world has not deglobalized, but the process of interconnection has become slower and more chaotic. And we face a new risk: fragmentation. More specifically, bipolarity. If this thesis is correct, the United States and China will lead two global blocs, and the rest of the countries will have to choose to be a member of one or the other. Logistics chains, export and import strategies, foreign investment, and consumption patterns will all be affected.
