ASTANA – As global businesses navigate geopolitical shifts and supply chain disruptions, globalization is entering a fundamental “rewiring” that positions Kazakhstan as a critical strategic hub, said David Livingstone, Chief Client Officer at Citi. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the 38th plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Astana on July 2, 2026.
Photo credit: Akorda. Speaking ahead of the annual Foreign Investors’ Council meeting in Astana, Livingstone highlighted how the country’s geography at the crossroads of Europe and Asia combined with its aggressive digital transformation and robust legal frameworks has transformed it from a resource-dependent frontier market into a resilient, multi-polar corridor attracting international capital.
Over the past year, global businesses have had to navigate tariffs, sanctions, industrial policies and shifting alliances simultaneously. Is globalization entering a new phase, or are we witnessing the emergence of several parallel global economies? You have raised what is perhaps one of the most critical questions facing global business today.
The simple answer is that globalization is not reversing; it is rewiring. We are not witnessing a retreat but rather the emergence of a multi-dimensional, multi-polar global economy. The world is arguably more fragmented, yet trade is resilient, with growth shifting to emerging-to-emerging market flows.
This rewiring is driven by a fundamental shift that began during the pandemic and has been accelerated by geopolitical events: the move from a singular focus on efficiency to a balanced focus on efficiency plus resilience. For decades, the just-in-time supply chain was the gold standard.
Now, businesses are operating in a just-in-case world, actively diversifying their operations to withstand disruption. This strategic shift is creating a world of new corridors and fresh opportunities, a trend we have analysed extensively at Citi. While headlines may focus on fragmentation, trade has proven remarkably resilient.
We are seeing growth increasingly driven by new flows, particularly between emerging markets. Instead of a single, interconnected model, businesses are building more diversified, regional networks. In many ways, this represents a more mature and robust phase of globalization.
We live in a world with new corridors and opportunities. For an institution like Citi, this new landscape makes our global network more critical than ever. Citi’s network becomes more valuable as complexity rises. Our global footprint means we are where our clients want to do business.
Citi’s global network is both a growth driver and a source of resilience – it enables clients to navigate dimensions, manage risk, and gain competitive advantage through scaled cross-border connectivity. We are the pre-eminent banking partner for companies with cross-border banking needs.
Our presence in over 90 markets means we can provide that stability and insight, helping them turn today’s volatility into tomorrow’s opportunity. Many executives now speak about resilience rather than efficiency. What does resilience look like from the perspective of a global bank advising multinational clients?