BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew Mackenzie has warned that unless businesses and governments invest in skilled workforces to tackle populism and poverty it could lead to conflict.
He singled out the protectionist America First trade policies of the Trump administration and the rise of the right wing AFD in Germany.
His comments continued a theme that has dominated a German-Australian conference in Perth.
He followed speeches by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier containing thinly veiled criticisms of the US and warnings that rising populism and protectionism threatened global prosperity with false solutions.
Businesses had to stop blaming others for populism and show they were a force for good that invest to create jobs.
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"Globalisation is seen as the reason why many people have been left behind," Mr Mackenzie said.
He said the decisions by the US to withdraw from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and Paris Climate Accord were "a big disappointment, as I campaigned hard for both of them".
But diplomacy and trade deals were only one part and more skilled workforces were needed to compete and be more productive in the future, he said.
Mr Mackenzie is president of the German Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"Our foundation has a focus on joint projects with government and communities on education equity because we believe in the power of education to drive progress and to lift people out of poverty and away from armed conflicts," he said.
"Our social licence depends on it. The future global economy requires it.
"In the long term, however, less will be possible in Asia-Pacific if the best of the China model is not combined, through our influence, with best practices from the liberal multilateral consensus.
Australia could learn from Germany's commitment to lifelong technical and vocational job training systems through its Technische Hochschulen, while more investment was needed in STEM (of science, technology, engineering and maths), he said.
