Colliers: Geopolitical Risk Is Reshaping Industrial Real Estate and Supply Chain Strategy Across EMEA

Geopolitical volatility, trade fragmentation and regulatory divergence are forcing organizations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to rethink their real estate and supply chain strategies, according to new research from Colliers published June 7, 2026.

The findings, contained in a report titled Building Resilience: 5 Megatrends Redefining Corporate Real Estate, identify a shifting global order as one of the most significant forces redefining corporate real estate. Colliers warns that organizations relying on static or highly concentrated footprints are becoming increasingly exposed as global trade, policy and economic power continue to fragment and rebalance.

Location Decisions Are Now Being Shaped as Much by Geopolitical Exposure and Policy Stability as Real Estate Fundamentals

According to Colliers, escalating trade tensions, the re-emergence of tariffs and an increasingly complex regulatory landscape are testing long-established trade relationships and accelerating the reconfiguration of global supply chains. The firm notes that while the rebalancing of economic growth is a global phenomenon — with emerging markets in Asia expected to drive an increasing share of future expansion — the implications are becoming more immediate for EMEA occupiers.

Colliers states that location decisions are now being shaped as much by geopolitical exposure and policy stability as by cost, talent or market access, raising the stakes for both occupiers and investors as disruption becomes more frequent.

"The world is changing in a myriad of ways, making business planning much more complex," said Damian Harrington, Head of Research, Global Capital Markets and EMEA at Colliers. "For corporate real estate leaders, understanding how these geopolitical and trade shifts affect location decisions is critical to supporting growth and resilience in a more volatile environment."

Industrial Real Estate at the Center of Supply Chain Redesign

Industrial and logistics real estate plays a central role in the supply chain redesign described by Colliers. The report highlights that flexible facilities, bonded options and third-party capacity are being used to absorb shocks and maintain operational continuity. By contrast, single-market or overly rigid footprints are proving more vulnerable as trade relationships and regulation continue to evolve.

Colliers notes that real estate and supply chain strategy are becoming increasingly interconnected. Location choices now directly influence lead times, inventory exposure, infrastructure access and operational continuity.

Hub-and-Spoke Models Gain Traction as Legacy Footprints Become a Risk

Rather than following historic expansion patterns, many organizations are redesigning their operating models, according to the Colliers report. The firm identifies a growing shift toward hub-and-spoke strategies, in which core operations, talent and capital are anchored in politically and commercially stable locations. These hubs are supported by more flexible, asset-light spokes that allow companies to remain close to customers and supply chains while retaining strategic optionality.

Across EMEA, Colliers says nearshoring and friendshoring are elevating the role of parts of Eastern Europe, while politically and commercially friendly or neutral markets are attracting higher-value strategic functions. Growth centers such as India and hubs like Dubai are also gaining prominence within global networks as organizations seek resilience alongside access to future demand.

The dominant corporate response identified by the report is redesign rather than retreat from global growth. By combining stable hubs with agile spokes, organizations are repositioning their real estate portfolios to navigate geopolitical uncertainty while preserving flexibility for the years ahead.

Sources

Colliers — Navigating Geopolitical Risk and Supply Chain Strategy (June 7, 2026)