Podcast: Rittener Reflections
Worldwide trade has become increasingly complex, risky and unpredictable. Those who engage in cross-border trade have been forced to change long-standing practices and adjust their supply chain to continue providing the world with desired goods at an optimal cost. This coming year will continue to present those who engage in cross border trade with uncertainty and challenge. This podcast is intended to offer my reflections on this critical topic.
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22: 2025, the Year of the Unexpected
The final episode of Rittener Reflections for 2025. When I launched this podcast back in January, I opened with five certainties I believed would shape cross‑border trade in the year ahead. What I didn’t anticipate—what none of us anticipated—was just how unpredictable 2025 would become. If Episode 1 was about preparing for volatility, this episode…
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21: Pathways to Portugal
Portugal has become one of the world’s most popular destinations — a place people are visiting, revisiting, and in many cases choosing to call home. After hearing so much about it, especially from my daughter who traveled there last year, I finally had the chance to explore it myself. Her insights shaped how I planned…
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19: The Ugly Mug
Episode 19 arrives just before Thanksgiving: lessons from a lopsided mug and a turbulent year.” A lopsided mug from my childhood has become my metaphor for this ugly year in trade and in life. In this episode, I share its story, the turbulence of 2025, and five lessons worth keeping. I’ll leave you with a…
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18: Export Controls: Past, Present, and the Path Forward. – Pt. 3 I Can See Clearly Now (Not!)
Welcome back to Rittener Reflections Episode 18 and to Part 3 of our series on export controls which I have called, “I can see clearly now” (Not!) You see, we’ve looked back, we’ve looked around—and now we look ahead. But clarity is elusive. Will the world split into two economic spheres? Can AI help automate…
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18: Export Controls: Past, Present, and the Path Forward. – Pt. 2 Reality Check
Welcome back to this three-part series of Rittener Reflections where we seek to understand the complex, critical and ever-changing world of export controls, the past, present and the way forward. In Part 1, which I called The Long Strange Trip, we explored the historical arc of export controls. Today, we turn to the present—and it’s…
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18: Export Controls: Past, Present, and the Path Forward. – Pt: 1 The Long Strange Trip
The Long Strange Trip. In this first session, I’m joined by Bruce Jackson*, a longtime practitioner and friend whose depth of experience spans government, industry, and the multilateral frameworks that define this space. Bruce has not only witnessed the evolution of export controls—he’s helped shape how companies and policymakers respond to it. We will trace…
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17: Two lives. One legacy. A tribute to my parents, Patricia and Eric Rittener
Welcome to a special episode of Rittener Reflections. Today, I’m stepping away from my usual format to share something deeply personal. Last month, my mom passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family. A few days later, I gave a talk at her memorial service—a tribute honoring her faith, family, and the things she loved…
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16: Special Edition: Doing the Difficult Things
One year ago today, I testified before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. I was still with Intel. The topic: export controls, diversion risk, and the role of U.S. technology in global conflict. This week on my podcast, I’m telling the story—not of what I said, but of what it meant. It’s about showing…
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15: – Doing Something “Wonderful” Again
For this episode, I revisit the topic of layoffs. Many individuals globally are affected by decisions made by corporations and governments to reduce their workforce. While layoffs can be challenging, they may also lead to new opportunities. It can be traumatic and uncomfortable, but it can be positive and liberating, opening new opportunities never imagined.
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