Rittener Reflections

EP29: When Europe Stopped Following Washington – Export Controls in Europe: An Insider View

Europe's export control system is evolving quickly, creating new challenges for global companies operating across borders. In this episode, Jeff speaks with Anna Goncz, founder of the Export Compliance Academy, for an inside view of how EU rules are developing — from the post-Ukraine shift in European posture to the practical realities of dual-use licensing, member state divergence, and the growing tension between EU and U.S. approaches. Anna brings a rare ground-level perspective from inside the European system, helping global trade professionals understand what's changing, why it matters, and what comes next. This conversation adds the essential European lens to Jeff's ongoing series on the evolving trade profession.

EP28: Part Two: Riding It with Confidence

With clarity on the forces shaping the profession, this second episode turns to what it takes to ride the rollercoaster with confidence in 2026. Bruce Jackson and Karen Murphy return discussing the capabilities, leadership qualities, hiring priorities, and practical improvements that define strong trade teams today and what it now means to lead with clarity, judgment, and strategic influence in a rapidly shifting environment.

EP28: Part One: The New Rollercoaster Moment

Cross‑border trade is being reshaped by geopolitical tension, new regulatory demands, and rising expectations inside global companies. In this opening episode, Bruce Jackson and Karen Murphy join Jeff Rittener to explore the new rollercoaster moment facing trade professionals — why the role is shifting, what’s driving the volatility, and how teams can navigate a profession that now sits closer to strategy, risk, and the business than ever before.

EP27: Know Your Data: Trade’s New AI Reality

Trade has become a strategic driver of the bottom line, and the team's leading it are being asked to move faster with greater accuracy than ever before. In this episode, Angela Aaron, Vice President of Trade Compliance at KlearNow.AI, joins Jeff to explain why “knowing your data” is now the core requirement for efficient, compliant, and resilient trade operations. They explore how modern technology—especially AI‑enabled tools for structuring and validating data—is reshaping the work of trade professionals, strengthening compliance, and unlocking new strategic value for companies.

EP26: Trustworthy AI for a Fragile Supply Chain

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Baz Khuti, CEO of Sustain360, to explore what trustworthy AI really looks like in a world where supply chains are becoming more fragile and more exposed. They discuss why traditional tools can’t keep up with climate shocks, policy volatility, ownership complexity, and critical‑minerals risk — and how agentic and sovereign AI offer leaders transparent, system‑level intelligence they can actually trust. From the explosion of AI tools to the growing role of governments, this conversation cuts through the hype and gives trade, supply‑chain, and C‑suite leaders a clear view of the capabilities they’ll need for the decade ahead.