Strategic Wargaming: Mastering Decision-Making in an Uncertain World
On 5 November, we were pleased to welcome our members to an event on Strategic Wargaming: Mastering Decision-Making in an Uncertain World, held in collaboration with PA Consulting at the Army Museum in Stockholm. The event explored how organisations can use wargaming methodologies to navigate today’s increasingly complex and volatile global environment.
We were welcomed by Judith Gough, Partner at PA Consulting, and our moderator Lars Hedström, Strategic Advisor at the Swedish Defence University, who reflected on the shifting geopolitical landscape, where populism, rapid technological development, and global crises are reshaping how leaders must prepare for the unexpected.
A keynote was delivered by Sara Ulrich, Partner at PA Consulting, who emphasised the critical value of wargaming in both public and private sector contexts. Drawing on the legacy of Helmuth von Moltke, she highlighted that “no plan survives first contact,” underscoring the importance of rehearsing strategic responses, building resilience, and creating space to explore the “unthinkable” in a safe, controlled environment. Sara outlined how business-oriented wargaming allows organisations to test strategies, align leadership, and de-risk high-stakes decisions amidst today’s “permacrisis” conditions of overlapping challenges and rapid change.
This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Sara Ulrich, Ben-Stephen Cox, Director Risk & Security at Electrolux Group, Christian Hedelin, GF Strategy & Technology at Saab, and Ivo Roussev, General Manager at GSK, moderated by Lars Hedström.
The panel shared how wargaming is being used to strengthen decision-making and organisational preparedness. Ivo Roussev described how GSK uses wargaming to enhance negotiation strategy by placing teams in the role of regulators or competitors. Ben-Stephen Cox explained how scenario planning supports Electrolux in navigating ambiguity and building strategic confidence. Christian Hedelin outlined how Saab applies wargaming to major programmes and defence planning, emphasising the importance of combining human judgment with digital models.
The panel also discussed the role of leadership and how to introduce wargaming in a way that promotes psychological safety. Gradual engagement, strong facilitation, and occasionally external moderation were highlighted as key to effective adoption. The event concluded with an open Q&A, where members reflected on leadership resilience, organisational culture, and preparing for extreme scenarios in a fragmented geopolitical environment.
We extend our sincerest thank you to our speakers, to PA Consulting for a great collaboration, and to all members who joined us for an insightful and engaging discussion.
