AGL chief executive Andy Vesey has flagged nervousness in corporate circles is building ahead of the American election.
At The Australian Financial Review's Chanticleer lunch Mr Vesey described the upcoming election as a "wildcard".
"The upcoming US election... there is a lot of uncertainty that will come out to play. That's going to be a key indicator that is going to have a big impact globally," he said.
A Trump presidency has gone from a fanciful notion to a distinct possibility after the US election primaries. Photo: AP
"A lot of companies are building [it] into their scenarios: 'What happens if you have a Trump presidency?'"
Mr Vesey, who is originally from New York, describes himself as a Democrat voter.
But he says both the Democrats and Republicans have done a poor job of engaging their bases, which is why both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have arrived as serious contenders.
Sir Rod Eddington, Dr Nora Scheinkestel and AGL's Andrew Vesey at the AFR's Chanticleer lunch. Photo: Louie Douvis
"I don't think it's a Republican issue or a Democratic issue.
"I think the established parties have fundamentally missed something that is very real in the electroate. There is a sense that the electorate at large has become disconnected from these established parties.
"I think that's why you have this big rush to the outsiders. It's why you have a 75 year old socialist from Vermont giving such a tough time to someone who everyone thought was going to take a walk to the nomination.
"If HIllary can't bring out the Sanders voters she is going to be in a very tough spot." Mr Vesey said he recently talked to his daughter in New York after she voted for Sanders in the Democratic primary.
"You have this level of disaffected Democrats… but feel totally disaffected from the US economy."
Mr Vesey says he would never have considered voting for Hillary Clinton but now that Donald Trump looks like a serious contender he will "vote for her three times".
Meanwhile Infrastructure Australia chair Sir Rod Eddington said the American election and the possible exit of Britain from the European Union were the two "seismic shifts out there".
A "brexit" would have a major trade impact he said. If Britain left the EU, "what sort of deal will they then be able to negotiate in terms of their own trading relationship with the Euro zone", he asked.
"Will it mean that others who might be disenchanted with Europe choose to leave the EU too?"
A vote to exit Europe was a very real possibility, he said.
"My guess is that at the death they won't, but let's agree it's very close."
5 comments so far
New user? Sign up
Make a comment
You are logged in as [Logout]
All information entered below may be published.
Thank you
Your comment has been submitted for approval.
Comments are moderated and are generally published if they are on-topic and not abusive.