CEO Pulse News and Headlines

New Perspective: Thom Geshay Brings Management Expertise to His Role as AHLA Vice Chair
NewsFeb 20, 2026

New Perspective: Thom Geshay Brings Management Expertise to His Role as AHLA Vice Chair

Thom Geshay, longtime CEO of Davidson Hospitality Group, has been appointed vice chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) for 2026, partnering with Chair Liam Brown. Geshay brings a management‑company perspective, stressing the split performance between upscale/luxury and...

By Lodging Magazine
Equinox's $40,000-a-Year Membership Has a Waiting List, Says Chairman Harvey Spevak
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Equinox's $40,000-a-Year Membership Has a Waiting List, Says Chairman Harvey Spevak

Equinox’s ultra‑luxury Optimize membership, priced at $40,000 a year, now has a waitlist of more than 1,000 affluent clients. The all‑inclusive program bundles personal training, nutrition, sleep coaching, massage, a health concierge and twice‑year biomarker testing. Chairman Harvey Spevak says...

By CNBC – Business
Exel by Merak Appoints Faisal Sedrani as CEO to Lead Its Next Growth Phase
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Exel by Merak Appoints Faisal Sedrani as CEO to Lead Its Next Growth Phase

Exel by Merak, the Saudi gaming accelerator owned by Merak Capital, has named Faisal Sedrani as its new chief executive officer. Sedrani, who previously built Exel as a Merak subsidiary and serves as VP of Innovation Platform, will steer the...

By PocketGamer.biz
Nucor Promotes Jack Sullivan to CFO, Treasurer, and EVP
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Nucor Promotes Jack Sullivan to CFO, Treasurer, and EVP

Nucor Corporation announced that Jack Sullivan will assume the roles of Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Executive Vice President effective March 1, 2026, succeeding Steve Laxton, who moved to President and Chief Operating Officer on January 1. Sullivan, who joined Nucor in 2022...

By CEO North America
Rob Wiseman Named CEO of Classical KING
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Rob Wiseman Named CEO of Classical KING

Classical KING announced that Rob Wiseman will assume the chief executive officer position on March 10, succeeding long‑time leader Brenda Barnes. Wiseman, who joined the Seattle‑based public radio station in 2024 as chief advancement officer, brings a track record in development...

By Current
CHS Could Slow Pace of Divestitures as It Makes Progress Paying Debt
NewsFeb 20, 2026

CHS Could Slow Pace of Divestitures as It Makes Progress Paying Debt

Community Health Systems (CHS) announced it will decelerate its aggressive divestiture program as it focuses on strengthening core markets. The for‑profit hospital chain has cut its debt leverage to 6.6× in 2025, down from 7.4× the year before, and boosted...

By Healthcare Dive (Industry Dive)
ETGIRS 2026: Growth at What Cost? CEOs of Home Centre and USPA Call Time on Vanity Expansion
NewsFeb 20, 2026

ETGIRS 2026: Growth at What Cost? CEOs of Home Centre and USPA Call Time on Vanity Expansion

At the ETGIRS 2026 Leadership Trialogue, Home Centre CEO Jayanti Ganguly and USPA chief Amitabh Suri warned that unchecked store‑count growth is no longer a viable strategy. Both leaders emphasized profitability, brand equity and selective premium locations over blind expansion. Ganguly...

By ETRetail (India)
6 Ways to Make Strategy Resonate with Skeptical Leaders
NewsFeb 20, 2026

6 Ways to Make Strategy Resonate with Skeptical Leaders

Leaders often dismiss formal strategy as bureaucratic, yet the article argues that this skepticism creates a "strategy deficit"—a gap between the choices an organization makes and the clarity it communicates. Drawing on 30 years of advisory work, the author outlines...

By Harvard Business Review
Leaders, Consider Pausing Before Acting on Employee Feedback
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Leaders, Consider Pausing Before Acting on Employee Feedback

Recent research in the Academy of Management Journal shows that the speed of a leader’s response to employee feedback shapes perceptions of authenticity. Rapid behavioral changes are often judged as insincere, while gradual adjustments are seen as genuine growth. The...

By Harvard Business Review
Speaker Spotlight: Liz Williams, CEO, El Pollo Loco
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Speaker Spotlight: Liz Williams, CEO, El Pollo Loco

Liz Williams, CEO of El Pollo Loco, will speak at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in San Diego on March 16‑18, 2026. In the interview she outlines her career path from a paper route to leading a national fast‑casual...

By Fast Casual
TD Aims to Retain Its Branch ‘Essence’ Amid Brand Refresh
NewsFeb 20, 2026

TD Aims to Retain Its Branch ‘Essence’ Amid Brand Refresh

TD Bank U.S. is launching a "More Human" brand refresh while pledging to keep its traditional branch‑centric ethos. New head of consumer deposit and payment products Marc Womack says the focus is on retaining customers amid fierce deposit competition and...

By Banking Dive
How AI Could Kill the Return to Office
NewsFeb 20, 2026

How AI Could Kill the Return to Office

Executives are pushing return‑to‑office (RTO) mandates even as they pour billions into AI initiatives that automate tasks traditionally done on‑site. Recent research shows RTO does not improve productivity, innovation, or team cohesion, but it does erode morale and increase turnover....

By Fast Company — Leadership
Middle-Market Confidence Splits in 2026 as Tariffs and Supply Chains Weigh on High-Uncertainty Firms
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Middle-Market Confidence Splits in 2026 as Tariffs and Supply Chains Weigh on High-Uncertainty Firms

The 2026 Certainty Project surveyed CFOs of U.S. middle‑market firms (revenues $100 M‑$1 B) and found overall uncertainty stable, but a sharp split between goods and services sectors. Tariff policy shifts and supply‑chain exposure pushed high‑uncertainty among goods producers up 27% year‑over‑year,...

By PYMNTS
Former Firaxis Games Creative Director Announces Closure of Midsummer Studios
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Former Firaxis Games Creative Director Announces Closure of Midsummer Studios

Microsoft announced that longtime Xbox leader Phil Spencer will step down, remaining in an advisory role through the summer, while President Sarah Bond also departs. Asha Sharma, previously president of Microsoft CoreAI, will assume the role of Xbox CEO, and...

By GamesIndustry.biz
Regional Infrastructure Demands Robust PPPs
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Regional Infrastructure Demands Robust PPPs

Lamar Holding CEO Lina Noureddin told MEED that the Middle East’s infrastructure surge is increasingly reliant on public‑private partnerships to close financing gaps. She highlighted that robust PPP frameworks, clear regulatory guarantees and risk‑sharing models are essential for attracting institutional...

By MEED (Middle East)
Remitly Names Former Santander Exec Sebastian Gunningham as New CEO
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Remitly Names Former Santander Exec Sebastian Gunningham as New CEO

Remitly announced that Sebastian Gunningham, a former senior executive at Santander, will take over as chief executive officer effective immediately. Gunningham previously led Santander’s consumer banking and digital transformation initiatives across Europe and Latin America. The appointment follows Remitly’s recent...

By Fintech Futures
Flying Tiger Appoints New CEO as It Looks to Strengthen International Growth
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Flying Tiger Appoints New CEO as It Looks to Strengthen International Growth

Flying Tiger Copenhagen has promoted Jens Aarup Mikkelsen to group chief executive, succeeding Martin Jermiin after a seven‑year tenure. Mikkelsen, who previously led the company’s international division, will steer the retailer’s next phase of growth. The appointment underscores a strategic...

By The Retail Bulletin (UK)
Xerox Holdings Corporation Declares Dividend on Common and Preferred Stock
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Xerox Holdings Corporation Declares Dividend on Common and Preferred Stock

Xerox Holdings Corp. announced its board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.025 per common share, payable April 30, 2026 to shareholders of record March 31, 2026. The company also set a $20 per share quarterly dividend on its Series A...

By Business Wire — Executive Appointments
Opendoor CEO: ‘We’re Asking You to Hold Us Accountable’
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Opendoor CEO: ‘We’re Asking You to Hold Us Accountable’

Opendoor reported Q4 2025 revenue of $736 million, a 33% drop from the previous year, while net loss ballooned to $1.1 billion, nearly ten times the prior period. New CEO Kaz Nejatian, who took over in September, outlined “Opendoor 2.0” and pledged transparency,...

By Real Estate News (REN)
Can MAS Financial Sustain Its Outperformance on Strong Growth Momentum?
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Can MAS Financial Sustain Its Outperformance on Strong Growth Momentum?

MAS Financial Services (MFSL) posted double‑digit year‑on‑year growth in assets under management, revenue and net profit for the December 2025 quarter and the first nine months of FY 26, driving its stock up 9% versus the BSE Financial Services index. The...

By Economic Times — Markets
Shares of Local Oil Explorers Surge on Supply Disruption Fears
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Shares of Local Oil Explorers Surge on Supply Disruption Fears

Shares of Indian upstream explorers jumped as Brent crude breached $71 per barrel amid renewed US‑Iran tensions and temporary Strait of Hormuz closures. Oil India rose 5.2% and ONGC gained 3.6%, while downstream marketers HPCL and BPCL slipped nearly 5%...

By Economic Times — Markets
PPL Corp (PPL) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
NewsFeb 20, 2026

PPL Corp (PPL) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

PPL Corp reported fourth‑quarter 2025 earnings with ongoing EPS of $1.81 per share, a 7.1% year‑over‑year increase that hit the midpoint of its guidance. The utility raised its quarterly dividend to $0.285 and reaffirmed a 4‑6% dividend growth target while...

By Motley Fool – Earnings Transcripts
‘Having a “Human” Bank Is Very Important’: A Conversation with Citi CEO Jane Fraser
NewsFeb 20, 2026

‘Having a “Human” Bank Is Very Important’: A Conversation with Citi CEO Jane Fraser

Citi CEO Jane Fraser emphasized that a "human" bank remains essential despite rapid digitalization. She highlighted Citi's strategy of blending technology with personal relationships to deepen client trust and improve outcomes. Fraser cited recent investments in employee training, AI‑augmented advisory...

By McKinsey – M&A
Cogent Communications Holdings Inc (CCOI) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
NewsFeb 20, 2026

Cogent Communications Holdings Inc (CCOI) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

Cogent Communications reported Q4 2025 revenue of $200.1 million, a modest 0.6% sequential decline, while on‑net services grew 7.8% year‑over‑year and now represent 58% of total revenue. Off‑net revenue contracted 17.9% YoY, but the high‑margin Wavelength business surged 74% YoY, expanding to...

By Motley Fool – Earnings Transcripts
ESAB Corp (ESAB) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
NewsFeb 20, 2026

ESAB Corp (ESAB) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp reported Q4 2025 revenue of $2.97 billion, a 14.8% year‑over‑year increase, and adjusted EPS of $2.10, up 25%, while GAAP EPS fell 4.1% due to restructuring charges. The company expanded its multiyear backlog to $27 billion, up...

By Motley Fool – Earnings Transcripts
M&T Says Tricolor-Related Lawsuit Could Lead to Losses
NewsFeb 19, 2026

M&T Says Tricolor-Related Lawsuit Could Lead to Losses

M&T Bank’s Wilmington Trust subsidiary is defending a New York lawsuit alleging it failed to fulfill custodial duties for several Tricolor‑related trusts. Plaintiffs claim the bank breached contracts and fiduciary obligations, seeking unspecified damages, interest and fees. M&T reports that...

By American Banker
Medallion Stresses Home Improvement to Drive 2026 Growth
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Medallion Stresses Home Improvement to Drive 2026 Growth

Medallion Financial, the former taxi‑medallion lender, is pivoting to accelerate home‑improvement loan growth, aiming for mid‑teens percentage expansion in 2026. The strategy is anchored by hiring veteran consumer lender Joel Cannon from Regions Financial to lead a dedicated home‑improvement team....

By American Banker
Meet Jake Basden, CEO of HYBE AMERICA Nashville’s Blue Highway Records: ‘I Bring a Manager’s Mentality to the Position.’
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Meet Jake Basden, CEO of HYBE AMERICA Nashville’s Blue Highway Records: ‘I Bring a Manager’s Mentality to the Position.’

HYBE America has rebranded its Nashville division, formerly Big Machine Label Group, as Blue Highway Records and appointed veteran Jake Basden as CEO. Basden, who previously led Sandbox Management and served as SVP of Communications at BMLG, brings a manager‑first...

By Music Business Worldwide (MBW)
Forget B2B—Think P2P (People-to-People), and Other Tips For Genuine Thought Leadership
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Forget B2B—Think P2P (People-to-People), and Other Tips For Genuine Thought Leadership

SupportYourApp’s CEO Daria Leshchenko demonstrates that thought leadership succeeds when it centers on people‑to‑people storytelling rather than pure B2B messaging. By granting her team autonomy, sharing personal successes and failures, and publishing across LinkedIn, Inc. forums, and podcasts, she has...

By Inc. — Leadership
UPS Is Closing Package Facilities: See the List of Doomed Locations Across Several States in 2026
NewsFeb 19, 2026

UPS Is Closing Package Facilities: See the List of Doomed Locations Across Several States in 2026

United Parcel Service disclosed that 22 of its planned package‑facility closures will occur across more than 18 states, part of a broader network reconfiguration announced after a 30,000‑job reduction. The closures, revealed in a court filing, include several unionized sites...

By Inc. — Leadership
Global Payments' Turnaround Gets Off on the Right Foot
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Global Payments' Turnaround Gets Off on the Right Foot

Global Payments reported fourth‑quarter net revenue of $2.3 billion, a 6 % year‑over‑year increase, while net income fell to $217.5 million, missing consensus forecasts. The results sparked a 13 % surge in the stock as the company completed its Worldpay acquisition and announced a...

By American Banker
Inside the Rolling Layoffs at Jack Dorsey’s Block
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Inside the Rolling Layoffs at Jack Dorsey’s Block

Jack Dorsey’s Block announced a rolling layoff that could trim roughly 10% of its 11,000‑person workforce. The cuts are being framed as performance‑based, yet employees report a crumbling culture, heightened anxiety, and a mandatory shift to generative AI tools. Workers...

By WIRED — Business
Vanbarton Seeks to Alter Public Space at Whimsical FiDi Building Under Conversion Plan
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Vanbarton Seeks to Alter Public Space at Whimsical FiDi Building Under Conversion Plan

Vanbarton Group filed plans to remodel the 5,100‑square‑foot plaza at 77 Water Street, a privately owned public space in Manhattan’s Financial District. The proposal calls for removing two long‑standing metal sculptures and roughly half the existing honey‑locust trees, while adding...

By Crain’s New York Business
Home Depot Alum Takes YETI CFO Seat
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Home Depot Alum Takes YETI CFO Seat

YETI Holdings announced that Scott Bomar, a two‑decade Home Depot finance veteran, will assume the CFO role on Feb. 23, also serving as treasurer and principal accounting officer. Bomar’s compensation package includes a $725,000 base salary, a $500,000 sign‑on bonus and significant...

By CFO Dive
Code Metal Raises $125 Million to Rewrite the Defense Industry’s Code With AI
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Code Metal Raises $125 Million to Rewrite the Defense Industry’s Code With AI

Code Metal, a Boston AI startup, closed a $125 million Series B round, lifting its valuation to $1.25 billion. The company’s platform translates legacy defense software from languages such as Python and C++ into modern, hardware‑specific code while generating test harnesses to catch...

By WIRED — Business
Hasbro CEO: ‘We’re Beyond Experimentation’ with AI
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Hasbro CEO: ‘We’re Beyond Experimentation’ with AI

Hasbro is scaling artificial‑intelligence tools across finance, supply‑chain, order management and product design, moving beyond pilot projects. The company has formalized responsible‑use guidelines and teamed with Google Gemini, OpenAI and ElevenLabs to embed AI into daily workflows. Executives estimate the...

By Retail Dive
Omnicom’s Lack of Surprises in Its 2025 Earnings Is Both a Good and Bad Thing
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Omnicom’s Lack of Surprises in Its 2025 Earnings Is Both a Good and Bad Thing

Omnicom reported 2025 revenue of $17.3 billion, a 10% increase helped by the final month of its IPG acquisition and favorable foreign‑exchange effects. Media & Advertising accounted for 58% of revenue and grew 15.7%, while adjusted operating margins held just above...

By Digiday
From Prime Day and Black Friday to Surprise Spikes: Why Retailers Are Rethinking Peak Sales Readiness
NewsFeb 19, 2026

From Prime Day and Black Friday to Surprise Spikes: Why Retailers Are Rethinking Peak Sales Readiness

Retailers are abandoning the outdated notion of seasonal peak‑sales windows and adopting a year‑round growth‑readiness mindset. Unexpected demand spikes—from TikTok trends to surprise influencer drops—can now rival traditional events like Prime Day, exposing fragile point‑to‑point integrations. Mark Simon of Celigo...

By Modern Retail
Maersk to Upsize India-USEC Capacity to Tap Post-Trade Deal Cargo Growth
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Maersk to Upsize India-USEC Capacity to Tap Post-Trade Deal Cargo Growth

Maersk announced a significant upsizing of its West India‑US East Coast (MECL) service to add incremental westbound container capacity. The move follows the United States’ reduction of tariffs on Indian‑made goods from 50% to 25%, with a further cut to...

By Journal of Commerce (JOC)
Associated Wholesale Grocers Adopts Forecasting and Fresh Optimization Solution
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Associated Wholesale Grocers Adopts Forecasting and Fresh Optimization Solution

Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has chosen Relex’s forecasting and fresh‑product optimization platform to improve distribution‑center planning across its extensive network. The solution targets the cooperative’s 1,100 supermarket members operating in 3,500 locations across 33 states, aiming to boost forecast accuracy,...

By Retail TouchPoints
Topgolf Appoints David McKillips CEO
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Topgolf Appoints David McKillips CEO

Topgolf International announced David McKillips as its new chief executive officer, effective February 23, 2026. McKillips arrives with more than three decades of experience in family entertainment, most recently steering CEC Entertainment through a $350 million strategic investment and a Chapter 11...

By Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN)
From Physicist to Philanthropist: Yuri Milner's Journey to Scientific Giving
NewsFeb 19, 2026

From Physicist to Philanthropist: Yuri Milner's Journey to Scientific Giving

Yuri Milner, a former quantum‑field theorist turned tech investor, redirected his fortune toward scientific philanthropy after joining the Giving Pledge in 2012. He co‑founded the high‑profile Breakthrough Prize, offering $3 million awards to top researchers, and launched the Breakthrough Initiatives to...

By CEO Today
Palo Alto Networks CEO Sees AI as Demand Driver, Not a Threat
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Palo Alto Networks CEO Sees AI as Demand Driver, Not a Threat

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora told investors AI will drive, not diminish, cybersecurity demand. He argued AI expands attack surfaces, creating new risk categories that require robust security solutions. The company posted 15% year‑over‑year revenue growth to $2.6 billion and...

By Cybersecurity Dive (Industry Dive)
Analysis: Palo Alto Networks Vs. Everyone
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Analysis: Palo Alto Networks Vs. Everyone

Palo Alto Networks marked the two‑year anniversary of its platformization strategy, a move that initially sank its stock but has since become an industry standard. CEO Nikesh Arora highlighted a “flywheel” effect as new customers consolidate tools onto Palo Alto’s...

By CRN (US)
Wendy’s Is ‘Undervalued’ and Could Face Takeover by Nelson Peltz
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Wendy’s Is ‘Undervalued’ and Could Face Takeover by Nelson Peltz

Activist investor Nelson Peltz, through Trian Fund Management, has filed with the SEC stating Wendy’s is significantly undervalued and signaling possible actions, including buying more shares to gain control or divesting his stake. The fast‑food chain’s stock has slumped about...

By Restaurant Dive (Industry Dive)
Firing the CEO Is the Wrong Answer, Ask Sean McDermott
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Firing the CEO Is the Wrong Answer, Ask Sean McDermott

The article likens the NFL’s habit of firing coaches to the surge in CEO dismissals, noting that 2025 saw one in nine CEOs replaced across 1,500 large firms. It argues that removing a top executive rarely resolves deeper systemic flaws...

By Fast Company — Leadership
Walmart Says AI Users Build 35% Bigger Baskets than Others
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Walmart Says AI Users Build 35% Bigger Baskets than Others

Walmart’s AI‑driven shopping assistant, Sparky, is generating baskets that are about 35% larger than those of non‑users, according to CEO John Furner on the Q4 earnings call. Launched in June, Sparky lives behind a smiley‑face button in the Walmart app...

By Modern Retail
Investor Asks Six Flags CEO About ‘Enchanted Parks’ Rumor as Park Portfolio Review Continues
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Investor Asks Six Flags CEO About ‘Enchanted Parks’ Rumor as Park Portfolio Review Continues

Six Flags CEO John Reilly was asked about the rumored "Enchanted Parks" trademark during the Feb. 19, 2026 earnings call and offered no comment, leaving the speculation unresolved. He reiterated that the company is actively evaluating its portfolio but did not signal...

By Attractions Magazine
Remitly Co-Founder CEO Exits
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Remitly Co-Founder CEO Exits

Remitly announced that former Santander executive Sebastian J. Gunningham will replace co‑founder Matt Oppenheimer as chief executive effective Thursday. Oppenheimer, who led the company for nearly 15 years, will move to board chair and focus on strategic initiatives. The leadership...

By Payments Dive