Author | CEO & Founder | Business Advisor
Alex Kruzel
Alex Kruzel
Author | Business Advisor | CEO & Founder
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The Courage to Continue: Stay the Course on Sustainability to Secure Our Future
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Public Speaking
Book Alex to discuss her book, facilitate executive-level discussions on pressing business topics - environmental security, trade policy, sustainability, geopolitics, climate, and corporate governance and growth
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Management Consulting
Alex is CEO and Founder of Telesto Strategy, a Chicago-based management consulting firm focused on unlocking value in uncertainty as companies grow because of, not in spite of, shifts to global trade policy, ESG and climate risk, and the energy transition.
Why stay the course on sustainability?
I’m not here to issue a prescriptive call to action with “three easy steps” or “here’s what you need to do.” Instead, I want to encourage debate with objectivity, non-partisan intent, and rigor. Together, let’s consider the pragmatic reasons a company or country would stay the course on sustainability, along with potential reasons not to.
Top considerations include:
Regulation forces disclosure in the U.S. and globally
Destabilization of insurance markets raises challenges
Stranded assets pose massive financial risks
Litigation risks mount for multi-nationals
Restructured supply chains open doors to sustainability measures
U.S. businesses need consistent access to critical minerals that reflect American values
AI can help reduce costs in achieving sustainability goals
Employees push companies to stick their sustainability commitments
Industry leaders continue with their goals, sustainability sells
Shared American values and tradition create a middle ground
With so much at stake, business leaders and policymakers must bring a commonsense approach to assessing fundamental questions about our national security priorities and their connectivity to environmental security and economic prosperity.
More insights from Alex
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Cyber threats to energy – From downtime to shareholder impact
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Corporate diplomacy in the age of economic warfare
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Entering the Quantum Economy – what boards need to know in 2025
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Managing the backlash in the boardroom – The quiet strength of Sustainability oversight
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When trade policy meets the balance sheet – Impairment pressures mount for audit committees
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The Golden Dome moment – A new boardroom agenda for national security and innovation
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Onshoring to the U.S. – Have boards considered the physical risks?
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Tariff Engineering – Boards face new risks as multinationals reduce tariff exposure
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Tariffs endgame, calculated or chaotic?
Find Alex at upcoming speaking events
New York Climate Week
Accountability in a Sustainable World
International Chamber of Commerce - Supply Chain Finance Summit
DePaul University’s In the Business of Sustainability Conference
Bloomberg New Economy Forum
mHub’s Women in Manufacturing Summit
Northwestern University Kellogg Business School Climate Conference
Chicago’s Climate Action Museum
The University of Chicago - Committee on International Relations
A time to spark non-partisan debate
Recently, Alex spoke at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, with Patrick Shewewll, Director of Sustainable Packaging for Mondelez, with the intent of creating more middleground and evaluate the reasons to stay the course, or not, on sustainability.
What do we stand to gain?
America, especially at this time, does not need another reason to fight itself. Instead, I envision a near future where American leaders can come to the table and advocate for a shared agenda around environmental security priorities.
The Security-Sustainability Connection
Alex Kruzel, author of The Courage to Continue: Stay the Course on Sustainability to Secure our Future, uncovers a clear connection between national security, environmental security, and economic prosperity.
About Alex Kruzel
Alex Kruzel is an author, entrepreneur, business advisor, and leader of Telesto Strategy, a management consulting firm based in Chicago focused on unlocking value in uncertainty as companies grow because of, not in spite of, shifts to global trade policy, ESG and climate risk, and the energy transition. Before founding Telesto, Alex has spent the past two decades advising the Fortune 500, investors, and public sector clients globally as part of Deloitte’s Emerging Markets Practice and as President of Market Strategy Group. As a reflection of her commitment to service and her country, Alex served in the Peace Corps as an education volunteer in Southern Africa and is now a board director of the National Peace Corps Association. Alex contributes to Chicago’s strong civic community through her efforts at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs as a member of its Board of Directors. As a mother, Alex is inspired by the inherent curiosity of children and is reminded of the need for generational thinking.
Author of The Courage to Continue: Stay the Course on Sustainability to Secure our Future
CEO & Founder of Telesto Strategy
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