04/01/2026
As today’s global market is shaped by rapid technological advancement, diverging regulations, and political instability, “we should not fear competition, but welcome it.” This was Oliver Zipse’s main message as he delivered the 8th Herbert Quandt Distinguished Lecture on The Hilltop last week. He noted that geopolitical shocks of the last few decades— COVID, financial crises, armed conflicts— have all led to a “dissolution in global collaboration.”
In his introduction, SFS Dean Joel Hellman reminded us that, “one of the things we have learned at this moment of tremendous change is how critical the role of the private sector is in shaping wherever the global order goes from here.”
As Chairman of the Board of BMW, Mr. Zipse is cultivating an open, fact-driven global marketplace driven by customer demands and innovation. Mr. Zipse highlighted the importance of American technologies and manufacturing as “a perfect example of successful foreign direct investment and the economic benefits of open markets and free trade.” This sort of collaboration and growth will help bring a future in which the global marketplace can thrive by "sharing ideas and experiences with people from every culture.”
Thank you to BMW Group for making this event possible!
Read the full event recap here: https://cges.georgetown.edu/news/event-recap/chairman-of-the-board-of-bmw-oliver-zipse-strategic-challenges-for-theglobal-auto-industry/
