Spotlight On Podcast
Spotlight On with Dr Tim Hames, Co-founder & Partner at Acuti Associates
In this episode of Spotlight On , Nicholas Barton sits down with Dr Tim Hames, Oxford academic, political and business adviser, bestselling author, and Co-founder and Partner at Acuti Associates. His latest book, War and Peace: The United States and China, 2026–2049 , examines the future of one of the world’s most consequential relationships. Against a backdrop of growing geopolitical fragmentation, Nicholas and Tim explore what the changing relationship between the US and China means for global businesses. They discuss the risks of misunderstanding China, why geopolitical exposure needs to be quantified and owned within an organisation, and how the shift from the “Great Moderation” to the “Great Fragmentation” is reshaping global business strategy. They also challenge the idea of a single US–China AI race, examine how China’s changing economy and demographics could shape its future, and consider what further deterioration between Washington and Beijing could mean for investment and supply chains. Above all, Tim makes the case for rigorous contingency planning, and why having a credible plan B could become a competitive advantage.
