We were delighted to once again attend the 2026 Annual Tacitus Lecture, hosted by the Worshipful Company of World Traders. We continue to be a proud sponsor of this exceptional event, as we have for the past four years.
This year’s keynote speaker was Dr Fiona Hill, CMG, a distinguished expert in global foreign affairs and a former presidential advisor to Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Dr Hill is a widely recognised authority on Russian and European Geopolitics. Renowned for her expertise in international relations and global trade, she is a leading voice on diplomacy, national security and global power shifts. Her ability to connect historical context with present‑day concerns made her address both compelling and timely.
Speaking on the theme “Peril and possibility: collapsing old order, emerging disorder or new order?”, Dr Hill highlighted how world orders have continuously transformed throughout history and how today’s environment is marked by a similar period of turbulence.
Despite the gravity of global challenges, Dr Hill emphasised the importance of agency. “We can chart a new way forward, as we have done before,” she reminded us all, explaining that disorder is not inherently negative. Drawing on historical patterns, she noted that “collapse and disorder are all parts of a system adapting to a new order. We just can’t sit around in the dark waiting for it to happen. No one is going to build it for us.”
A central motif of her lecture was the “year of the fire horse”, a symbol of volatility, speed, and transformation. Dr Hill stressed that 2026 represents a moment when “crisis and opportunity co‑exist.” She urged leaders, businesses, and societies to respond with agility: “This is really a year to take charge of things. Because we are going to have to try to ride or tame the fire horse. Or frankly we’ll just have to get out of its way as it gallops ahead.”
Her message was both firm and hopeful. It was an invitation not to fear the disorder of the moment, but to recognise it as a catalyst for rethinking trade, rebuilding systems, and shaping the next global order.
The 2026 Tacitus Lecture left us inspired and energised as always. Our sincere thanks go to the Worshipful Company of World Traders for organising yet another insightful evening.
