At the Berlin Security Conference, Torsten Bernström, Vice-President and Global Industry Lead for Defence & Intelligence at CGI, explains how industry acts as a bridge between nations and alliances. He emphasizes that defence innovation must flow across the entire ecosystem, including military capabilities, civilian infrastructure, and manufacturing. Bernström highlights “total defence” as the coordinated mobilisation of manufacturing and supply-chain infrastructure, civilian society, and military capabilities to ensure societal resilience under crisis, from armed conflict to natural disasters. Key challenges include speeding up government decision-making, optimizing supply chains, and leveraging technology like AI. By connecting expertise and systems across countries, companies like CGI help strengthen Europe’s security, agility, and collaborative capabilities.