Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will

The world Thomas Leysen helped shape is changing at remarkable speed. Globalisation is giving way to geopolitical rivalry. Democratic institutions are under pressure. The green transition faces growing resistance. The transatlantic alliance is being tested. Technological disruption is transforming economies, politics and societies.

Few European business leaders have witnessed these shifts from as many vantage points as Thomas Leysen.

Professor Dave Sinardet, one of Belgium’s leading political analysts, engages Leysen in a wide-ranging dialogue on the major challenges facing Europe and the world today.

They will explore the resilience of democratic institutions, the importance of independent media, the future of Europe, the return of industrial policy, the strategic challenges posed by China and the United States and the evolving responsibilities of business in an increasingly fragmented world.

As chairman of Umicore, Mediahuis and DSM-Firmenich, Leysen stands at the intersection of industry, media, technology and public life. During his career, he helped transform a traditional mining company into a global leader in advanced materials and recycling, while becoming one of Europe’s most respected voices on the relationship between business, society and democratic governance.

Despite the uncertainties of the present moment, Leysen rejects both complacency and despair. Borrowing Antonio Gramsci’s famous phrase, he describes his outlook as one of “pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will”: the capacity to see the world as it is, acknowledge its dangers, and still believe in the possibility of progress.

In this conversation, Dave Sinardet will also explore a lesser-known dimension of Leysen’s engagement, that with art and culture, and what they can teach us about preserving meaning, perspective and human values in turbulent times.