Are you ready for 2026?

Make sure to reserve your spot at the most important future conference of the year in the Winter Garden at the Grand Hôtel as we kick off 2026. 

Why?

We are entering a new world order with far-reaching consequences for security, trade, and politics. New alliances are emerging while the war in Europe remains unresolved. At the same time, the green transition must push ahead, AI starts to have a real impact on jobs, and competition over critical minerals, new materials, and breakthrough technologies—such as gene editing, humanoid robotics, and new space missions—is intensifying.

Demography and the race for talent and skilled expertise are reshaping competitiveness, as the United States marks its 250th anniversary and co-hosts the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

In Sweden, national elections add another piece to the global puzzle that affects us all.

At Världen 2026, experts, business leaders, and analysts come together to deliver insights on the greatest challenges—and opportunities—shaping 2026.

Join us in Stockholm on January 15th, when Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist and editor of The World Ahead 2026, will share his predictions for the year ahead.

The event will bring together intellectually curious readers of The Economist from business, government and academia, alongside experts and inspiring speakers. Mr Standage and Alasdair Ross, Countries editor, will discuss the key events and trends to watch in 2026. And, being in Sweden’s capital, guests will also be invited to share their own insights, hopes and concerns about the future of Northern Europe.

We will map the most disruptive trends and questions for 2026 within:
➤ Geopolitics
➤ Business & Finance
➤ Science & Technology
➤ Lifestyle & Culture

📍 Vinterträdgården, Grand Hôtel, Stockholm – 15 Jan 2026, 08.30 am to 5 pm

Världen 2026 is the Swedish edition of The World Ahead 2026, produced by InPress under an exclusive license from The Economist, in collaboration with Dagens Industri. Articles from previous years can be found at www.varldenom.com.

Download highlights from Världen 2025.

Who will attend?

More than 250 senior leaders will gather: CEOs, policymakers, investors, founders, media, executive teams, and futurists – people who value a global outlook, strategic foresight, and the trusted journalism of The Economist.

The day will equip you with insights and practical tools to anticipate the major transformations and trends shaping geopolitics, business, finance, science, and technology in the year ahead. Expect the unexpected.

Don’t miss the opportunity to stay ahead. Registration and Early Bird offers will be announced shortly.

Curious about last year’s event and who attended? Learn more 

© MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors

Draft Programme

08:15

Registration, coffee & sandwiches. Networking

09:00

INTRODUCTION InPress/ Världen 2026/Världen Om

InPress och Världen Om välkomnar på stora scen.

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09:15

OPENING KEYNOTE: “Tom’s Top Ten Trends for 2026”

Tom Standage, Editor of The World Ahead 2026 and Deputy Editor, The Economist


Introduction of The World Ahead 2025 Quiz



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Tom Standage
Deputy Editor The Economist & Editor The World Ahead 2026
09:45

GEOPOLITICS

What will global alliances look like in a multipolar world—after a year of Donald Trump in the White House, Putin’s continued war against Ukraine (and the West), and China’s ambitions to shape a new world order?

Introduction by Alasdair Ross


Geopolitics and the New Security Order: Guest of Honour, Keynote Speaker, TBA

FOLLOWED BY OPEN DISCUSSION:

Joakim Paasikivi (Senior Geopolitical Advisor, Mannheimer Swartling), Anna Wieslander (Atlantic Council) Ms Samantha Job, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden

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Alasdair Ross
Moderator & The World Ahead Countries Editor
Anna Wieslander
Director for Northern Europe & Head of the Stockholm Office Atlantic Council
Joakim Paasikivi
Senior Geopolitical Advisor, Mannheimer Swartling
Samantha Job
His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden
10:30

Coffee & networking

10:45

THE U.S. – State of nation at 250.

The United States celebrates its 250th anniversary. Looking back and ahead, considering that the transatlantic economy is the largest in the world ($9.5 trillion). The U.S. and Europe remain each other’s most important markets and geo-economic bases. How will this relationship evolve in the year(s) ahead?

OPEN DISCUSSION

Johan Norberg, Historian, author of ”Peak Human”

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Johan Norberg
Historian & Author "Peak Human"
11:15

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Has the tariff shock subsided? How will Swedish businesses and trade remain competitive in 2026? Concerns over trade wars, economic stagnation, and fiscal incontinence are mounting. How can startups and innovation continue to thrive despite these challenges? There’s plenty to discuss.

KEYNOTE by Ebba Busch, Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister

OPEN MIND DISCUSSION

AI as growth accelerator – or bubble? Anders Madsen, Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG, Daniel Sack, Managing Director & Partner, BCG 

Fireside chat with Alasdair Ross and business profiles TBA

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Anders Madsen
Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG Sweden
Ebba Busch
Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Sweden
12:00

Lunch & networking

13:15

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Which groundbreaking ideas and technologies will emerge in 2026? AI’s impact on jobs, innovation and growth? Will the green transition accelerate or stall in 2026? Security and defence reshaping European industry. And what about the next generation of drugs for weight loss, cancer, and antibiotics?

 Keynote/showcase/Fireside chat with Tom Standage, The Economist

Anton Osika*, Founder and CEO Lovable 


Technical Innovation for Preparedness in a Polycrisis World

OPEN MIND Discussion 

With global risk levels 30 percent above average, resilience investments are more critical than ever. This session explores how innovation and resilience strategies can address today’s interconnected risks in energy, digital infrastructure, food, and healthcare.

Deep-dive themes:

• Energy: Resilience, diversification, green transition

• Digital & Cybersecurity: Infrastructure, data security, defence

• Food: Agricultural resilience, supply chains, climate impacts

• Healthcare: Cutting-edge treatments, how to steer investments towards therapies and innovations that are more efficacious.

Read more
14:45

Coffee & Networking

15:00

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

What narratives and cultural shifts will carry us into 2026? What about transhumanism and art?

Speaker: 

Ruth Kvarnström-Jones, British-Swedish Author (The Phenomenal Women of the Grand Hôtel.  Ruth will bring to life the story of Wilhelmina Skogh, the legendary CEO who transformed Grand Hôtel. Discover how she shaped the Winter Garden, broke barriers as a woman on the board, and turned vision into reality — including the very room we’ll be meeting in.

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Ruth Kvarnström-Jones
Author & Historian
15:30

CLOSING REMARKS

Alasdair Ross: “Prepared for the World of 2026?” A Geopolitical Analysis of Risks and Opportunities

Read more
Alasdair Ross
Moderator & The World Ahead Countries Editor
15:50

Världen 2026-quiz

Svaren & vinnarna presenteras av Tom Standage.

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Tom Standage
Deputy Editor The Economist & Editor The World Ahead 2026
16:10

DRINKS & NETWORKING

Speakers include:

Alasdair Ross
Moderator & The World Ahead Countries Editor

At The Economist Intelligence Unit, EIU, Alasdair Ross has long experience in editorial responsibility for Risk Briefing and a range of publications on themes of global interest. His experience and responsibilities give him a strong insight into global economic and political trends, their implications for multinational corporations, and the strategies those companies use for managing risk. He brings these insights to high-level audiences around the world in an engaging and stimulating manner, bringing complex issues to life in bright and straightforward language.

Alasdair is a psychology graduate and has a master's degree in economics.

Tom Standage
Deputy Editor The Economist & Editor The World Ahead 2026

Tom Standage, joined The Economist as science correspondent in 1998 and was subsequently appointed technology editor, business editor and digital editor. He is the author of seven history books, including “Writing on the Wall” (2013), “The Victorian Internet” (1998) and “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” (2005). He studied engineering and computing at Oxford University and has written for other publications including the New York Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian and Wired, taking a particular interest in technology’s cultural and historical significance.

Ebba Busch
Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Sweden

Ebba Busch is one of Sweden’s most prominent political leaders and serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry. As party leader of the Christian Democrats since 2015, she has been a key figure in shaping Sweden’s energy transition, industrial policy, and competitiveness agenda. Known for her clear communication and pragmatic leadership, Busch plays a central role in advancing collaboration between government and industry to strengthen Sweden’s position in a changing global economy.

Joakim Paasikivi
Senior Geopolitical Advisor, Mannheimer Swartling

Joakim Paasikivi is a Military expert and Senior geopolitical advisor at Mannheimer Swartling. A former lieutenant colonel in the Swedish Armed Forces, he became widely known to the public during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when he frequently appeared in Swedish media to analyze and comment on the war. Paasikivi has served in both Sweden and Finland and held several senior positions in military intelligence and security. He previously taught military strategy at the Swedish Defence University in Stockholm and has also lectured at the Baltic Defence College in Estonia.

Johan Norberg
Historian & Author "Peak Human"

Johan Norberg is senior fellow at the Cato Institute, an internationally recognized writer on globalization, progress, and ideas. He is the author and editor of more than 20 books, translated into over 30 languages. His works include In Defense of Global Capitalism, Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future (Economist Book of the Year, 2016) and Open: The Story of Human Progress (Economist Book of the Year, 2020) and Peak Human (2025)

Anna Wieslander
Director for Northern Europe & Head of the Stockholm Office Atlantic Council

Anna Wieslander chairs the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) and serves as Secretary General of the Swedish Defence Association. Dr. Wieslander is a lifetime member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences and the Swedish Society for International Affairs, an Adjunct Professor at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, and a member of both the Alphen Group and RUSI’s European Security Advisory Group.

Samantha Job
His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden

Her Excellency Samantha Job CMG MVO appointed British Ambassador to Sweden in September 2024. Prior to her current role, she was Director of Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office from 2019 to 2022.

Anders Madsen
Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG Sweden

Anders Madsen is Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group in Stockholm, where he leads the Swedish office. He specializes in large-scale transformations, digital strategy, post-merger integrations, and decarbonization initiatives across industries including automotive, process industries, transport, and logistics. Anders holds an M.Sc. in Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.

Ruth Kvarnström-Jones
Author & Historian

Ruth Kvarnström-Jones is a British-Swedish author and historian, celebrated for her compelling narratives that illuminate the lives of pioneering women in Swedish history. Drawing from her background as a copywriter, Ruth crafts richly detailed stories that blend historical accuracy with engaging storytelling.

Her acclaimed works include: De fenomenala fruntimren på Grand Hôtel, Väninnorna på Nordiska Kompaniet & Halleholm series.

Contact us
Interested in speaking or the programme? Reach out to ulrica.s@inpress.com
Want to partner with us? Contact conny.u@inpress.com

www.varldenom.com