Speaker Insights: The World in 2026 - A Preview of World Business Climates
On January 14, 2026, International Business Circle, Inc. (IBCircle) in partnership with Graebel and Wipfli, convened 65 executives and investors from over 15 countries at the Ranch Country Club in Westminster, Colorado, to network, connect and discuss the shifting economic and geopolitical landscape, global growth, and operational challenges for 2026. The evening featured a "short lineup" of top, highly respected, global, locally based leaders who provided critical perspectives on managing growth, innovation, and risk in an increasingly complex world.
Here are the key insights for business leaders from our speakers:
1. Leading Through a "BANI" Landscape
Bill Graebel, Board Chair, Graebel Companies (Bio), argued that the traditional framework of VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) has been replaced by BANI: Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible.
• The Mindset for 2026: Leaders must adopt three attributes: vulnerability (humility in solving global shifts), curiosity (studying the landscape to find opportunities), and hard work.
• Workforce Shifts: Modern relocation data shows that today's 35-year-old employees have completely different expectations than previous generations, requiring a "head on a swivel" approach to retention and community assimilation.
2. Capitalism as a Human Development Engine, TARRIFS and M&A
Sanjai Bhagat, Provost Professor of Finance, University of Colorado at Boulder (Bio), provided a data-driven defense of capitalist systems, using international data to show their impact on the Human Development Index.
• Historical Proof: Bhagat highlighted that transitions to capitalist structures in India and China (e.g., private property and legal contracts) lifted several hundred million people out of abject poverty—a feat never replicated in human history.
• Socialism's Decline: Conversely, countries like Venezuela and Cuba have seen a significant decline in their economic standards and well-being after moving toward socialist-oriented economies. (Note: more details on this can be found in his Op-Ed article of 02/06/26 here).
• The Utility of Tariffs: Bhagat challenged the common narrative that tariffs are merely consumer taxes, arguing they are peaceful behavior modification tools that encourage domestic manufacturing and hold foreign entities accountable.
• M&A trends for 2026 will be a “Catalyst of business confidence".
3. Aviation Growth and Infrastructure Constraints
Phillip A. Washington, CEO, Denver International Airport (Bio), discussed the strategic future of Denver International Airport (DEN) and the broader challenges of building in America.
• Vision 100 and Operation 2045: While the airport was built for 50 million passengers, it hit 82.3 million last year, necessitating long-term planning for 100 million annual travelers.
• The Energy Crisis: Growth is limited by power; a new consolidated rental car facility alone will require 40 megawatts - nearly as much as the current entire airport. This has forced DEN to explore alternative energy options, including nuclear, to avoid prolonged outages.
• Systemic Concerns: Washington expressed concern over the "politicization of the military" and the increasing difficulty of infrastructure acquisition due to conflicting federal and local environmental rules.
4. Tax Strategy and the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"
Magnolia Mabel Movido, Partner, Head of International Tax, Wipfli (Bio), broke down critical tax provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4th.
• Tax Incentives: Key provisions include the reinstatement of 100% bonus depreciation, full expensing for domestic R&E, and an increase in the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000.
• Global Relief: The act notably excluded the "revenge tax" (Section 899), providing a reprieve for foreign companies doing business in the U.S. Additionally, a G7 "side-by-side deal" has offered some relief for US companies with respect to the 15% global minimum tax.
Other key areas include:
• Remote Work "PE" Rule: Under new OECD guidance, an employer may minimize its Permanent Establishment risk that result from an employee working abroad. Two decisive factors are emphasized: (a) whether the employee spent 50% remote work abroad and (b) whether the activities at the relevant location is of a commercial nature.
• The transformative role of AI in 2026: In the area of tax enforcement, global tax authorities are now using predictive AI to catch anomalies, such as 20,000 undeclared swimming pools in France which led to real property tax collections
Click here for our deep dive blog article providing more detailed insights: Navigating the 2026 Global Tax Frontier: Strategic Wisdom from Magnolia Mabel Movido