Exiger Exchange Episode 5 | The Australian Diplomat Who Made Memes Serious Business

● Episode 05

The Australian Diplomat Who Made Memes Serious Business

With Jeremy Dicker - Co-Founder & Managing Editor, International Intrigue

With Kit Conklin

The rules of global trade have changed. Is your business keeping up? Jeremy Dicker of International Intrigue joins Kit Conklin to explore how strategic intelligence moves from government cables to executive decision-making — and what companies miss when that transfer breaks down.

“The gap between top-secret cables and public knowledge is often just a few hours. We’re not telling people things governments don’t know. We’re telling people things governments do know — faster, and in a language that isn’t designed to be impenetrable.”

- Jeremy Dicker, Co-Founder & Managing Editor, International Intrigue

The Conversation

Geopolitical intelligence has become a business imperative as governments reshape trade, supply chains, and global competition through new forms of economic statecraft. Kit Conklin and Jeremy Dicker explore how these shifts are redefining resilience, exposing new vulnerabilities, and changing the way organizations think about risk. From Australia's experience with economic coercion to the growing competition for critical resources and talent, their conversation examines the forces reshaping today's global business landscape. Together, these insights offer a practical framework for understanding how global events translate into business impact.

Kit Conklin

Chief Strategy & Global Affairs Officer, Exiger

Kit Conklin is a seasoned expert in technology, policy, and national security. He served as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. House Select Committee on China and is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council.

Jeremy Dicker

Co-Founder & Managing Editor, International Intrigue

Co-founder and Managing Editor of International Intrigue, a daily geopolitics briefing read by more than 160,000 leaders worldwide. Before co-founding the publication, he spent 14 years as an Australian diplomat and received Peru’s Presidential Order of Merit for distinguished service.

The New Risk Landscape

Why Geopolitical Intelligence Has Become a Business Imperative

Jeremy Dicker spent 14 years as an Australian diplomat before co-founding International Intrigue, a daily geopolitical briefing read by more than 160,000 professionals around the world. His premise is simple: if geopolitical intelligence helps governments make better decisions, why shouldn’t business leaders have access to the same level of insight?

As global trade becomes increasingly shaped by geopolitics, executives need more than headlines—they need context. In this conversation, Jeremy and Kit explore how governments are rewriting the rules of trade and why organizations must begin treating geopolitical intelligence as a business capability.

Supply Chain Resilience

Anticipate disruptions & protect critical inputs

Market & Investment Strategy

Make informed decisions in volatile markets

Risk Management

Identify vulnerabilities & mitigate exposure

Competitive Advantage

Turn insight into faster, smarter decisions

A Global Case Study

What Australia's Trade Dispute Reveals About Modern Supply Chain Risk

Australia’s confrontation with Chinese economic coercion marked a turning point in modern geopolitics. Rather than relying solely on traditional diplomacy, China demonstrated how economic relationships themselves could become strategic leverage.

Jeremy explains why the lesson wasn’t simply to diversify—it was to recognize that governments can reshape industries, supply chains, and markets faster than many organizations are prepared to respond.

Australia-China Trade Dispute: Key Events

2019

Australia calls for an independent inquiry into COVID-19 origins

2020

China imposes tariffs and informal trade restrictions on Australian exports

2020-21

Barley, wine, coal, lobster, beef and more face trade barriers

2021+

Australia diversifies markets and invests in supply chain resilience

Emerging Risk Signals

Three Geopolitical Trends Reshaping Global Supply Chains

01

Indonesia's Rising Influence in Supply Chains

Indonesia is becoming a critical player in minerals, manufacturing, and technology. Its policy decisions will increasingly influence global supply chains and investment strategies.

02

When Exports Become Leverage

Governments are using export restrictions to advance national interests, creating new vulnerabilities for organizations dependent on concentrated sourcing or key commodities.

03

People are Becoming Strategic Assets

Countries are increasingly competing to attract—and retain—the engineers, researchers, and AI talent driving the next generation of innovation.

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