“I lived in the White House. I was first lady. That wasn’t my plan. I had no training for that…but we figured it out.”
Speaking at SXSW London, Michelle Obama offered a lesson that will resonate with global corporate leaders, many of whom will have spent their careers navigating roles or circumstances they may not feel fully prepared for.
“Nobody really knows what they’re doing,” Obama says, appearing alongside her brother, Craig Robinson, during a live recording of their podcast, IMO. Such an admission from the preternaturally composed former first lady, who occupied one of the most scrutinized positions in public life, drew laughter—and perhaps a little skepticism—from the audience.
Yet her point lands at a moment when uncertainty has become a defining feature of Europe’s corporate landscape. PwC’s 2026 Global CEO Survey found that confidence among business leaders has fallen to a five-year low.
Executives are charting the crosscurrents and turbulent waters of today’s geopolitical landscape, which is marked by trade tensions, economic fragmentation, and the continuing fallout from conflicts on Europe’s borders. Long-term business planning has become increasingly difficult as companies contend with new regulations, supply-chain risks, and questions about Europe’s future competitiveness.
