We are at the half way mark for 2020, and every fibre of my being tells me that the next six months will see many more extraordinary events.

My first big picture observation from the past six months is that Covid-19 can be seen as the great accelerant, or amplifier.

Many major and secular trends that were already in existence have been accelerated and amplified by the global pandemic.

In the political and geopolitical realm, there are many examples: the decoupling between the United States and China; the forces of deglobalisation; and, the rise of populism and economic nationalism.

In the business world...