When does strategic autonomy actually become financially rational?
 

For years, you as a finance leader operated in a world where one logic dominated: optimize for cost, efficiency and scale. That logic is starting to crack.

Geopolitical tensions and shifting trade dynamics are forcing companies to rethink their dependencies. The ambition to regain control is clear, but the financial reality is far less straightforward.

So the real question is: When does independence actually make sense and when does it simply make things more expensive?

In this session, three perspectives collide.

* Susan Swarte (CFO TNO) outlines why strategic autonomy is rising on the agenda, from the development of new technologies to strengthening Europe’s ability to produce critical capabilities itself.

* Remco Rijn (CEO/CFO RESiLICON) brings a concrete example: the development of a new semiconductor materials chain in Europe, including plans for a ~€1 billion facility in the Netherlands and what that requires in terms of capital, risk and long-term commitment.

* Vivienne de Leeuw (CFO Port of Rotterdam) brings a system-level view, operating at the heart of global trade and energy flows. She sees how deeply interconnected supply chains really are and why dependencies don’t disappear, but shift, often in less visible ways. Her perspective challenges a key assumption: how much control can companies realistically achieve, and at what cost?

What is the price of independence and are you willing to pay it?