Turning Weak Signals and Trends into Strategic Direction

It might not always seem so, but major changes often begin as small signals: a new technology gaining traction in an adjacent industry, a regulatory idea still circulating in policy circles, or a subtle shift in behaviour that has not yet surfaced in the data. 

In this session, Ira Stening, Senior Consultant at Futures Platform, will be joined by Rikard Egeriis, Vice President Risk & Compliance at Alfa Laval, to discuss how organisations can move from scattered signals to a structured process for identifying these early signals of change, understanding how they connect, and determining when they warrant leadership attention.

As a global industrial company with more than a century of history, Alfa Laval operates in a complex risk environment spanning technology, geopolitics, regulation, supply chains, and sustainability transitions. 

Drawing on Rikard’s experience leading group-level risk work at Alfa Laval, the discussion will offer an inside look at how a large multinational organisation approaches future-oriented risk management. From the company’s annual risk clock to its macro trend reporting, they will explore how emerging signals are mapped, assessed, and integrated into strategic conversations.

Key takeaways include:

• How weak signals emerge across markets, technology, regulation, and society

• How to distinguish meaningful signals from background noise

• How foresight connects with enterprise risk management and strategic decision-making

• How structured approaches help translate signals into leadership insight