Welcome to the latest episode of our Elephants in the Boardroom podcast, where Graeme Codrington and Dean van Leeuwen unpack the obvious-but-underweighted forces reshaping business and translate weak signals into practical moves leaders can make now.
Our hosts went down three rabbit holes in this episode that, as a leader, you’ll want on your radar:
1) War-proofing the cloud.
If “data is the new gold”, where’s the vault? We explore the rise of underground data fortresses – old mines and bunkers becoming hardened data centres. It’s not sci-fi; it’s an early signal of how resilience is being rebuilt.
2) Living in a +2°C world.
Climate isn’t a future risk; it’s today’s operating context. Yes, keep reducing impact – but leaders now need to plan to operate in a hotter decade: insurance, cooling, water, workforce, and yes, opportunity for those who move early.
3) The politics of a multipolar world.
From UN reform debates to shifting electorates, institutions are straining. This has direct implications for trade routes, supply chains, and ESG. Weak signals today become tomorrow’s constraints – or competitive edges.
Dean also chats with Øistein Jensen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Odfjell, who shared how what began in 2008 with a cost lens (fuel efficiency) turned into the emissions and profit story converging. Øistein makes a simple point: acknowledgement isn’t strategy; ownership is – and collaboration across the value chain, with shared data standards, is how ambition turns measurable.
👉 Listen now
- Practical examples you can use: resilience patterns, +2°C planning, supplier transparency.
- A candid CSO view from global shipping – where decarbonisation meets hard economics.
- A simple lens to spot Grey Elephants: obvious, high-impact forces too many strategies still ignore.
If the conversation sparks ideas, our team can help you install a Grey Elephants Radar with your execs – so weak signals become clear scenarios, triggers and opportunities.
P.S. If you only have ten minutes, start with Øistein’s segment (25:41) on cost → climate ROI and value-chain transparency – then circle back for the data-fortress discussion.
TomorrowToday empowers forward-thinking organisations to not just anticipate the future but to shape it. To learn more about the 7 Grey Elephants transforming our world, book a 30-minute strategy call with our team today.
Elephants in the Boardroom is brought to you by Achilles – helping the world’s biggest companies build ethical, sustainable, and transparent supply chains. Learn more at achilles.com.