MC EXCLUSIVE Ericsson CEO says industry must stay flexible amid geopolitical, tariff uncertainties

Ericsson CEO says industry must stay flexible amid geopolitical, tariff uncertainties

Geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainties are realities the telecom industry must adapt to — not attempt to control , Börje Ekholm, CEO of Ericsson told Moneycontrol.

Responding to a question on whether the current global environment could impact industry investments, Ekholm said companies must focus on flexibility rather than prediction.

“So far, I would say geopolitical uncertainty is something we just need to act according to,” Ekholm said during an interaction with Moneycontrol at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

“We try to build a supply chain that’s flexible enough to handle different outcomes. So far, we’ve managed.”

His comments come at a time when geopolitical and trade tensions, export controls, and tariff shifts continue to reshape global technology supply chains. Telecom equipment makers, which operate across multiple jurisdictions and rely on complex component ecosystems, remain particularly exposed to policy shifts.

Ekholm stressed that resilience in supply chain design is central to navigating volatility. “We continue to focus on managing that situation,” he said, adding that geopolitical developments are largely outside corporate control.

“From a geopolitical point of view, we’re takers. We can’t shape that — it’s going to be shaped by others — so we just need to be flexible on our side,” he noted.

While uncertainty persists, Ekholm signaled that adaptability, rather than retreat, will define how companies sustain investment momentum in next-generation networks and AI-driven infrastructure.