Davos 2026 – what really sticks for entrepreneurs and boards?

Blogs, Board Advisory

written by Martin Wilderer

Two observations from Davos stand out to me:

  • Geopolitics has reached a new level.
    It’s no longer just about tariffs, but about new partnerships, power blocs, and dependencies.
  • Europe has taken a position.
    Whether this will translate into lasting strength remains to be seen but the willingness to move is clearly tangible.

So what – what does this mean for us in practical terms?
If the past few years have felt dynamic, that’s not going to change anytime soon.
Planning won’t get easier – it will get more demanding.
A once-a-year strategy workshop is no longer enough.
But driving yourself crazy on a daily basis doesn’t help either.

So how can we deal with this very practically?

Work consistently on the company.
Not every day in detail, but in a structured and regular way.

In uncertain times, having no direction is more dangerous than choosing the “wrong” direction.

Think lean & agile at board level:

  • Translate great uncertainty into small, testable steps
  • Define hypotheses and keep them stable for a certain period to remain capable of action
  • Regularly review: What has really changed? Which assumption no longer holds?
  • Prepare scenarios and consciously “put them in a drawer” so you can react quickly when needed
  • Don’t try to solve everything alone.
    Different perspectives help. Especially when they are discussed together in a structured way.
    Fewer one-on-one conversations, more moderated debate. The truth often lies between the arguments.

In the end, it’s not about finding perfect answers.
The goal is continuous decision-making capability.

Or put differently:
The winners of this phase are not those with the best forecasts,
but those with the best decision-making routines
.

At Board Advisors, we call this the Dynamic Board – or Board 2.0.
The name is secondary. What matters is not freezing in shock, but rolling up your sleeves and taking action.

Especially at a time when Europe appears ready to do just that. Entrepreneurs and boards are needed now.

CES 2026: AI Is No Longer a Feature. It Is Becoming a Driver of Liability and Value.

Written by Martin Wilderer Last week, the annual CES took place. I did not perceive it as “the next AI hype cycle,” but rather as a turning point. My hypothesis:AI has left the app layer. It is...

Was Oscar Wilde right?

Anyone who follows the news about company acquisitions can get the impression, loosely based on Oscar Wilde, that „the cynic knows the price of everything but the value of nothing”. So, it often...

M&A Conversations: Insights and Success Secrets from an M&A Insider in the Mid-Market

A conversation with Board Advisors founder Christoph Löslein As part of our series "M&A Conversations," Martin Wilderer interviews Christoph Löslein on topics including: Key success factors in...