Boardroom vs. Beijing vs. D.C.: Navigating the New Trade Cold War

In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell talks with Drew DeLong, Lead, Corporate Statecraft, Kearney Foresight, about how companies can navigate a new era of persistent geopolitical and economic volatility. Drew traces his path from engineering at Carnegie Mellon to policy roles in Congress, the White House, DOT, FAA, and State, and now advising global firms at Kearney Foresight. They discuss the shift from pure efficiency to resilience after COVID exposed supply chain vulnerabilities, the reality behind “reshoring” and what Kearney’s reshoring index actually shows, and how tariff volatility and sectoral tariffs are reshaping global manufacturing decisions. Drew explains how companies should think about capital planning, total landed cost, and automation in this environment, and explores China’s move up the value chain and the emerging race over semiconductors, critical minerals, and AI infrastructure. He closes by raising the open question of what a coherent, long-term American industrial policy should look like, and how the US government can realistically execute it. Highlights from their conversation include: From Engineering to Policy and Corporate Statecraft (0:47)   What Kearney and Corporate Statecraft Do for Clients (4:26)   Shift from Efficiency to Resilience after Covid (8:47)   What Kearney’s Reshoring Index Reveals about Imports (12:29)   How Sectoral Tariffs Signal US Industrial Strategy (17:10)   Capital Planning amid Tariffs and Geopolitical Volatility (21:12)   China’s Move up the Value Chain and Strategic Sectors (24:32)   What an American Industrial Policy Could Look Like (28:49)   Final Thoughts and Takeaways (29:30)   Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.