Case studies: Resilience Playbook

The New Champions Resilience Playbook was a year-long co-creation project led by the World Economic Forum’s New Champions team, in collaboration with Falconi and Kaizen Institute.

Through four virtual working sessions held throughout the year, New Champions members shared experiences, tested ideas and explored how organisations can prepare for disruption, adapt under pressure and sustain long-term performance. Their contributions formed a collective body of knowledge, including peer insights, practical frameworks and real-world examples.

This collection brings together the case studies developed through the Playbook. The cases represent organisations from different sectors and regions. Each case study presents the challenge an organisation faced, the actions it took, the stakeholders involved and the outcomes or learning that emerged.

Together, the cases show that resilience is not a single plan or function. It is built through how organisations lead, make decisions, develop people, use technology, manage resources and collaborate with others. The collection is intended as a practical resource for organisations seeking ideas and approaches that can be adapted to their own context.

Team Internet Group operates digital consumer-buying guides, including Vergleich.org, which help people compare products and make informed purchasing decisions. Its business originally relied heavily on free traffic from search engines, but changes to search rankings and the rise of AI-generated answers made this distribution model increasingly uncertain.In response, the company developed a model based on paid traffic and clearly separated editorial recommendations from commercial placements. It created dedicated pages for users arriving through paid channels, introduced a labelled sponsored product section without allowing companies to buy editorial ratings, and used AI to expand its product coverage. It also adjusted its leadership structure and expanded into additional markets.The company’s experience illustrates how digital businesses can adapt when a major platform changes the rules of distribution. By developing alternative routes to customers while protecting the independence of its core product, Team Internet reduced its reliance on a single platform and created a more adaptable operating model.
Technology
Team Internet Group: Adapting a Consumer Guide Business to the Decline of Organic Search
Mohan Mutha Exports Private Limited (MMEPL) is an Indian EPC and infrastructure solutions provider operating across international trade, engineering, construction, marine infrastructure and logistics. Its projects span geographically dispersed and emerging markets where logistical complexity, climate vulnerability and changing regulatory requirements can affect execution.To support its expansion, MMEPL diversified into EPC contracting, marine infrastructure, renewable energy and smart infrastructure. It integrated engineering, procurement, material supply, logistics and project execution through a one-stop solution model, while developing local teams, marine assets and logistics capabilities in key markets.The company also introduced technologies such as BIM, automation and smart monitoring, supported by cross-functional decision-making, quality systems and clear accountability. MMEPL’s experience illustrates how diversification, integrated capabilities and local expertise can strengthen continuity as organisations expand across complex operating environments.
India | Engineering & Construction
MMEPL: Building organisational resilience through integrated capabilities and adaptive leadership
Mohan Mutha Exports Private Limited
FOHERB Group is a Chinese health and pharmaceutical company with activities spanning direct selling, home healthcare devices, skincare and daily chemical products. Drawing on earlier experience with regional operations, the group developed a model combining local autonomy with central supply-chain, technology and operational support.Following the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022, FOHERB expanded its activities in Eastern and Western Europe through local partnership enterprises. Regional leaders and their teams were given responsibility for local operations, budgets and targets, while the group provided support through shared supply-chain systems, warehouses, logistics and digital infrastructure.This model allowed the organisation to operate across multiple markets while adapting to different local conditions. FOHERB’s experience illustrates how local partnerships, distributed operations and central coordination can support continuity and growth in complex environments.
People's Republic of China | Health
FOHERB Group: Building resilience through local partnerships and distributed operations
Foherb (Tianjin) Pharmaceutical
Vieira de Almeida (VdA) is a Portuguese law firm with international reach. The firm began exploring strategic foresight through a World Economic Forum scenario-planning exercise in 2020 and later continued this work with the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS). The initiative was developed in response to changes affecting the legal sector, including artificial intelligence, regulatory developments, evolving client expectations and geopolitical uncertainty.VdA and the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS) CIFS developed a foresight process to help leadership explore multiple possible futures rather than rely on a single forecast. The process included horizon scanning, research, scenario development and the examination of two key uncertainties: the future role of AI and geopolitical change.The scenarios were used to assess VdA’s business model and strategic options. Partners and leaders participated in interviews, surveys and workshops designed to make assumptions explicit, support strategic dialogue and test a preferred direction against alternative developments. Around 70 leaders across three jurisdictions were involved through a Steering Committee, Board and Sounding Board.The work also supported the integration of foresight into ongoing leadership practice rather than treating it as a one-off strategic exercise. In the first seven months following strategy approval in January 2026, VdA recorded 13% revenue growth, 10% growth in client acquisition, 5% growth in new matters and 20% growth in collections. These results cannot be attributed solely to the foresight initiative, but provide context for the organisation’s progress during the period.
Portugal | Other
Vieira de Almeida: Embedding strategic foresight in leadership and decision-making
VdA Legal Partners
PALO IT is a technology services company that helps organisations develop and implement digital solutions. The widespread adoption of generative AI created both an opportunity to improve software delivery and a challenge to the company’s existing business model, which was based largely on selling human delivery time.In response, PALO IT launched a company-wide transformation to develop an AI-enabled operating model. It trained its workforce in prompt engineering, AI tools and new delivery methods, and created Gen-e2™, a methodology and set of toolkits for using generative and agentic AI in enterprise software development.The company also redesigned its workforce structure, delivery approach and value proposition around outcomes rather than effort. It focused its resources on selected markets and clients, while developing partnerships across the AI ecosystem.The new model has supported faster delivery and productivity improvements in selected client engagements. PALO IT’s experience illustrates how technology companies can respond to AI disruption by combining workforce development, new methodologies and changes to their operating and commercial models.
People's Republic of China | Technology
PALO IT: Transforming the operating model for an AI-driven technology industry
PALO IT
Midis Group is a technology services holding company connecting global technology brands and ICT solutions with businesses and consumers across emerging EMEA markets. During the regional escalation in March 2026, several group entities in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had to respond to changing conditions affecting staff safety, business continuity and customer confidence.The group used a decentralised response model that enabled local leaders to make time-critical decisions while maintaining regular communication and visible support for employees. East Gulf, a system integration company in Qatar, introduced flexible work arrangements, emergency management structures, communication channels and staff support measures. iSTYLE, a retail chain in the UAE, maintained store operations and introduced safety measures for public-facing teams.The case illustrates how local autonomy, trust and visible leadership can help organisations adapt their response to different operating conditions during an unexpected disruption.
Qatar, United Arab Emirates | Technology
Midis Group: Building resilience through local leadership and distributed decision-making
Midis Group
GoDigital Media Group is a privately held media company focused on music rights, digital distribution and intellectual property. As generative AI changes how music is created, distributed and monetised, the company has faced new risks related to unauthorised use of catalogues and artist likenesses, as well as fraudulent AI-generated submissions.GoDigital developed tools to identify AI-generated and suspicious content before it entered the royalty pipeline. It combined this technical response with a decision-making approach that enables teams to act quickly, learn from emerging patterns and adjust detection models as new forms of misuse appear.The company’s experience illustrates how organisations operating in rapidly changing technological environments can combine monitoring tools, distributed decision-making and continuous learning to manage emerging risks while protecting the interests of legitimate rights holders.
USA | Technology
GoDigital Music: Adapting music rights and distribution for the generative AI era
GoDigital Media Group
Kmind Consulting is a strategy consulting firm in China working with companies navigating changes in markets, consumer behaviour and technology. As AI reshapes the consulting industry, Kmind has focused on strengthening leadership resilience by broadening pathways into senior roles and decision-making positions.The firm developed a Women’s Leadership and Resilience initiative focused on leadership development, representation and visibility. It expanded opportunities for women to lead strategic projects and key clients, introduced development programmes and women entrepreneur salons, and launched Herstory, a platform showcasing the experiences and perspectives of women leaders in consulting.The initiative supports a broader leadership pipeline and provides role models for emerging talent. Kmind’s approach illustrates how organisations can strengthen resilience by developing more diverse leadership perspectives and embedding inclusion into talent and business practices.
People's Republic of China | Other
Kmind Consulting: Building leadership resilience through women’s leadership
Kmind Consulting
Elite Education Group’s Praxis Studio works with education institutions to develop learning models that strengthen critical thinking, communication, collaboration and adaptability. In 2025, it partnered with Hanyang University in South Korea to adapt an interdisciplinary programme while courses were already running.The programme faced challenges including large cohorts, language anxiety, uneven teaching methods, limited faculty experience with active learning and increasing student reliance on AI and translation tools. Praxis Studio and Hanyang faculty responded by introducing active-learning practices, course augmentations, shared interdisciplinary rubrics and faculty training in facilitation and coaching.Weekly student and faculty feedback was used to identify challenges early and adjust the programme during implementation. The partnership also developed a localised curriculum that Hanyang could continue using independently. A digital facilitation tool, Pulseo, was piloted to help instructors monitor participation and support quieter students during class discussions.The initiative increased student participation, reduced reliance on AI as a substitute for independent thinking and strengthened collaboration and communication skills. It also equipped faculty with shared standards, training and feedback systems to continue adapting the programme over time.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | Education
Elite Education Group: Building adaptive learning systems at Hanyang University
Elite Education Group
Banco Montepio is a Portuguese mutualist bank providing banking services to individuals, families and Social Economy organisations. Its resilience challenge is linked to maintaining social impact at scale while responding to pressures including housing affordability, financial exclusion, fragile Social Economy organisations and uneven access to essential services.Since 2023, the bank has implemented a Social Impact Strategy across three areas: financing for Social Economy organisations, housing access and financial inclusion. The strategy includes dedicated products for Social Economy entities, targeted housing finance for priority groups and low-density territories, microcredit and investment in impact-focused funds.Banco Montepio also introduced a Theory of Change to strengthen impact measurement and began aligning its reporting with frameworks including IRIS+, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards and the Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures. Partnerships with public institutions, education organisations, mutual guarantee societies and community organisations support implementation across different sectors and territories.In 2025, the bank mobilised €1.08 billion with explicit social intent, supporting approximately 465,000 beneficiaries through financed organisations. Its approach illustrates how financial institutions can integrate social outcomes into core banking activity, product design and impact measurement rather than treating social impact as a separate philanthropic function.
Financial services
Banco Montepio: Embedding social impact in core banking activity
FreeBalance is a technology company providing Government Resource Planning software and advisory services to public-sector institutions. Its systems support public financial management, including budgeting, accounting, reporting, transparency and fiscal governance.The company operates in environments affected by political transitions, macroeconomic volatility, changing regulations and institutional turnover. To remain responsive to these conditions, FreeBalance developed a co-creation and horizon-scanning model that brings government clients, public finance leaders and governance experts into its product and strategy discussions.The FreeBalance International Steering Committee enables government users to contribute directly to software roadmaps, while the FreeBalance Ministers Roundtable supports discussion of longer-term policy and fiscal trends. The company also works with international standards bodies, multilateral development banks and public finance associations to anticipate changes in governance and reporting requirements.FreeBalance integrates these insights into a low-code, progressively updated and cloud-portable platform. The case illustrates how technology providers serving governments can strengthen resilience by combining customer co-creation, regulatory awareness and adaptable digital infrastructure.
Canada | IT and Communications (ICT)
FreeBalance: Strengthening public financial management through co-creation
Global Education Holdings (GEDU) is a group of education businesses operating across 16 countries, covering K12 schools, language education, apprenticeships, higher education and postgraduate programmes.Education institutions are facing rising costs, changing patterns of international mobility, geopolitical uncertainty and increasing pressure to remain financially sustainable. Smaller institutions may also lack access to the expertise, technology and networks needed to strengthen their academic offer and reach new students.GEDU developed a shared ecosystem model that provides participating institutions with financial investment, professional services and access to expertise across finance, human resources, marketing, communications and student recruitment. Institutions also exchange knowledge, share staff and collaborate on areas such as employer engagement, government relations and student support.Partnerships with organisations such as the United Nations Institute for Training and Research support international student and academic connections, while the group’s SDG-focused activities link education provision to local community priorities.The model has helped participating institutions improve their financial position, expand student access and establish new campuses in additional countries. The case illustrates how shared resources, international collaboration and long-term investment can strengthen the resilience of education institutions and widen access to learning opportunities.
United Kingdom | Education
Global Education Holdings: Building resilience through a global education ecosystem
Green Delta Insurance is a Bangladeshi non-life insurer that develops climate insurance products for farmers, agricultural workers, livestock owners and vulnerable households. The company identified that households affected by floods, droughts, cyclones, cold waves and heat stress often absorb losses through borrowing, asset sales or reduced spending, while grassroots organisations and humanitarian programmes have limited capacity to manage these risks alone.Green Delta developed an ecosystem model in which the insurer provides risk design, pricing, reinsurance and claims payment, while grassroots organisations, cooperatives, development partners and public institutions support distribution, awareness and access to local communities. Products have been developed for crops, agricultural income, livestock, dairy production and climate-related risks.The programme uses public weather and satellite data to determine insurance triggers and has included more than 1,800 awareness and training sessions to build understanding and trust. Partnerships with organisations such as WFP, UNDP, IFAD, PKSF, BRAC and local NGOs have supported delivery across different regions and communities.The programme has reached more than 1.7 million farmers across 59 districts and paid more than BDT 233 million in claims. The case illustrates how collaboration between insurers, communities, development organisations and public institutions can expand access to climate-risk protection and strengthen resilience in rural economies.
Financial services
Green Delta Insurance: Building climate resilience through inclusive insurance
Bacalia Group operates Grand Caribbean Marinas, a network of six marinas on Puerto Rico’s east coast. Following Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017, the company identified that restoring physical infrastructure was only one part of recovery. Electricity, communications, transport, staff safety, suppliers and the return of local businesses were also essential to restoring the wider coastal economy.Since then, Bacalia has coordinated reconstruction and upgrades across the network, including docks, boatyards, power, water and fuel systems, transient boating facilities, dry storage and repair capacity. It also introduced shared hurricane protocols with concessionaires, charter operators and fishing cooperatives covering preparation, emergency contacts and phased reopening.The company worked with public authorities and local stakeholders on access, debris removal, permitting, tourism promotion and shared coastal protection. At Marina Puerto Chico, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant and Bacalia co-financing supported the development of a floating wave attenuator designed to protect vessels and infrastructure while expanding transient capacity.When Hurricane Fiona caused an island-wide blackout in 2022, the marinas resumed operations within hours using backup power. The case illustrates how coordinated infrastructure investment, emergency planning and collaboration across public and private stakeholders can support recovery and strengthen the resilience of a wider coastal economy.
Health
Bacalia Group: Rebuilding a climate-resilient coastal economy
Xenco Medical is a medical technology company developing regenerative biomaterials, surgical systems and AI-enabled digital health solutions. The company identified a need to improve continuity of care across surgery, rehabilitation, patient engagement and long-term recovery, where information and monitoring are often fragmented between patients, clinicians and healthcare organisations.To address this, Xenco Medical developed the TrabeculeX Continuum, an AI-powered platform that uses non-contact computer vision to assess posture, movement and functional recovery. The platform acts as an intelligence layer connecting surgical technologies, rehabilitation services and digital care resources.The system provides patients with recovery insights and gives clinicians objective functional data to support decision-making and earlier intervention. AI-generated reports, remote monitoring and quantitative measurements create shared visibility across the care journey.Developed using more than 700,000 musculoskeletal assessment datasets, the platform can complete functional assessments in under two minutes. The case illustrates how connecting technology, data and stakeholders can support more continuous, transparent and adaptable care.
USA | Health
Xenco Medical: Connecting data, technology and stakeholders across the care continuum
Xenco Medical
Stronghold is a San Francisco-based financial infrastructure company providing pay-by-bank payment services to businesses across the United States. It focuses on legally operating businesses that may face difficulties accessing traditional banking services, particularly in cash-intensive sectors.These businesses often face barriers because banks must assess licences, identities, transactions and payment risks on an individual basis. When digital payment services are unavailable, merchants remain dependent on cash, while consumers, banks and public authorities have less visibility over transactions.Stronghold addresses this challenge by managing the compliance and verification processes across its network of merchants, partner banks and payment platforms. It verifies business licences, monitors expiration dates and transactions, confirms consumer identities and shares evidence with partner banks. Its multi-bank model also reduces dependence on any single financial institution.The company uses AI to assist with onboarding reviews, monitoring, audit preparation and bank inquiries, while people retain responsibility for decisions and approvals. Stronghold has completed two consecutive independent Nacha audits without findings and resolved most merchant support requests within one day. The case illustrates how transparent compliance systems, shared evidence and distributed banking relationships can support more resilient participation in digital payments.
Financial services
Stronghold: Building trust across the digital payments ecosystem
Eastnets provides compliance, payments and digital trust infrastructure for financial institutions, regulators and trade ecosystems. As digital trade and finance become increasingly interconnected, organisations continue to repeat onboarding, identity verification and compliance assessments across separate institutions and jurisdictions.To address this challenge, Eastnets explored a portable Compliance Passport: a digitally signed and auditable record that can carry authorised compliance evidence, screening outcomes, identity verification and trade-related trust information across participating ecosystems.The initiative involved proof-of-value activities focused on portable verification, selective disclosure, continuous compliance updates and validation across counterparties. Eastnets also explored how the model could connect with emerging digital identity and interoperability frameworks, including eIDAS2 and vLEI.The approach illustrates how compliance and trust infrastructure can become more portable, reusable and interoperable. This could reduce duplicated verification, support faster onboarding and enable broader participation in digital trade and trade finance ecosystems, including by SMEs and non-bank participants.
IT and Communications (ICT)
Eastnets: Developing portable trust infrastructure for digital trade
DIAS Group is a Turkish technology company that develops and operates national-scale digital public infrastructure. Its systems combine secure product identification, field devices, national data platforms and analytics to support public oversight, revenue collection, market supervision and regulatory enforcement.The company’s systems operate continuously across large and geographically dispersed networks. They must also respond to counterfeiting, fraud, changing regulations and international supply-chain disruptions. DIAS addresses these challenges through its Track. Trace. Transform. framework, which connects physical identification, digital verification and data-based oversight within one accountable system.The company integrates secure marking and high-security printing with field verification devices, national platforms and analytics. Local verification is combined with central data reconciliation, while regulatory requirements are held as configurable parameters so that systems can be updated without being rebuilt or taken offline.DIAS has developed five national systems across different sectors using the same underlying architecture. The approach provides public authorities with more timely and verifiable information, supports continuity of essential public functions and reduces dependence on fragmented suppliers. The case illustrates how integrated infrastructure and trusted data can strengthen the resilience of public systems.
Türkiye | Technology
DIAS Group: Building resilient digital public infrastructure
Dias Bilişim ve Teknoloji Hizmetleri
Xenco Medical is a medical technology company developing connected technologies for musculoskeletal care. Its XenVision platform was developed to make objective movement assessment more accessible in routine clinical settings, where traditional biomechanics laboratories can be difficult to deploy because they require specialised equipment, infrastructure and trained operators.XenVision is a kiosk-based, markerless AI platform that analyses patient movement in under two minutes. Cameras capture movement, while AI models identify anatomical landmarks and generate information on posture, joint angles, range of motion, symmetry and compensatory movement. The platform produces standardised reports that can be compared across visits.The system was designed to complement clinical expertise and integrate into existing orthopaedic and rehabilitation workflows. It does not require reflective markers, wearable sensors or specialised motion-lab operators. The platform was developed using a large dataset of musculoskeletal assessments and was introduced to clinical partners in 2026.Within approximately two months of its launch, XenVision had been installed in 11 US clinics and used to analyse more than 6,000 patients. The case illustrates how AI and simplified technology design can make specialist clinical capabilities more repeatable, scalable and accessible in everyday care.
USA | Health
Xenco Medical: Bringing AI-enabled musculoskeletal assessment into routine care
Xenco Medical
Allied Bank Limited is a Pakistani commercial bank offering conventional and Islamic banking services through branches and digital channels. To improve service navigation and encourage the use of digital banking, the bank introduced Pepper, an AI-powered humanoid robot, at its Head Office Lobby and Digital Lounge in Lahore.Pepper provides information about banking products and services, answers routine customer questions and guides visitors through the bank’s digital channels. The system combines voice recognition, conversational AI, a controlled knowledge base and interactive screen and movement features to support customer engagement.The initiative was designed to make banking information more accessible, reduce pressure on branch staff and engage customers who are familiar with conversational digital technologies. Allied Bank worked with Jacky’s Business Solutions to customise the software, integrate large language model capabilities and adapt the interface from Chinese to English.Since its launch, Pepper has interacted with more than 1.8 million customers and visitors and addressed approximately 16,500 queries. The case illustrates how banks can use AI-enabled interfaces to support routine customer service while allowing employees to focus on more complex interactions requiring human judgement and advice.
Pakistan | Financial services
Allied Bank: Using an AI-powered humanoid robot to improve customer service
Allied Bank