# EMS & The Economist - Chaos-as-a-Strategy and How Tariffs Are Changing Supply Chains (May 25)

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2025-05-28
- Length: 23m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains

## Summary

Shawn Dubravac, Chief Economist at IPC, joins Philip Stoten to discuss how tariff uncertainty and geopolitical tensions are reshaping the electronics manufacturing supply chain. They analyze the shift in smartphone imports from China to India, the strategic pivot toward US and Mexican manufacturing capacity, and the surge in defense spending in Europe. The conversation also highlights unprecedented AI infrastructure investments in the Gulf region and the resulting demand for power generation and PCBs.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains#t=6) Introduction and Q1 Economic Growth Analysis
- [2:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains#t=134) Interest Rates and Federal Reserve Strategy
- [4:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains#t=289) Tariff Uncertainty and Supply Chain Shifts
- [11:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains#t=686) Manufacturing Capacity and Geographic Diversification
- [15:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains#t=928) Defense Spending and AI Infrastructure Investments
- [18:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains#t=1119) IPC Sentiment Data and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- IPC (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Koh Young (company)
- Global Electronics Association (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [OnTrack PCB Design Podcast 2025 Year in Review](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-12-30-ontrack-pcb-design-podcast-2025-year-in-review) (OnTrack)
- [Overcoming Global Supply Chain Obstacles in Electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-29-overcoming-global-supply-chain-obstacles-in-electronics) (OnTrack)
- [Episode 114: More Semi Tariff Chaos, Lip Bu's Plan, TSMC Earnings](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-04-21-episode-114-more-semi-tariff-chaos-lip-bus-plan-tsmc-earnings) (The Circuit)
- [The Future of PCB Manufacturing: Tariffs, Supply Chains & More](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-18-the-future-of-pcb-manufacturing-tariffs-supply-chains-more) (OnTrack)
- [World Trade Futurity (WTF)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-11-11-world-trade-futurity-wtf) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-28-ems-the-economist-chaos-as-a-strategy-and-how-tariffs-are-changing-supply-chains. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EMS@C-LEVEL.