Over the past few years, the global defense industry has undergone significant transformations.

Long-standing geopolitical alliances have shifted, new economic powerhouses have risen, and emerging technologies have revolutionized warfare. These factors have not only reshaped the way nations perceive security but also altered the very nature of defense manufacturing and strategy.

In order to keep citizens safe, the defense industry in 2023 is under pressure to keep pace with both rapidly developing technology and evolving shifts on the geopolitical stage.

This includes staying ahead in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous solutions, and robotics, while also contending with the ever-growing challenges posed by asymmetric threats, cyber warfare, and the escalating significance of climate change in defense planning. These challenges require highly agile organizations that can quickly adjust to new ways of working and have firmly established innovation as a key success factor.

We are delighted to welcome Micael Johansson​​, President and CEO of SAAB​ Group​, to share how he sees the role of the defense industry in our society today, an outline of his key strategic priorities for SAAB Group, how current geopolitical uncertainties impact the company, and what he considers as crucial measures in order to continue to keep our world a safe place.

The conversation will be led by Meia Nouwens​​, Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernization at the International Institute for Strategic Studies​ (IISS)​.