Today's Leadership Pulse
Google CEO Sundar Pichai says CEO role is simple, AI will handle decisions
Sundar Pichai told The Verge that being a CEO is "not that complicated" and that AI agents will soon make many routine decisions, freeing leaders to focus on strategy. He noted that Google engineers are shifting from manual coding to directing AI‑driven product teams, reflecting a broader change in how leadership operates.
Pepper Construction Ohio President Earns JA Gold Leadership Award
Paul Francois, President of Pepper Construction Ohio, was selected as one of only 12 volunteers nationwide to receive Junior Achievement’s prestigious Gold Leadership Award. The honor recognizes his 20‑year commitment to JA, including 17 years on its Board of Directors. Under Francois, Pepper Construction has renovated JA’s Learning Center, creating a 14,000‑sq‑ft BizTown and Finance Park for hands‑on student learning. The company also runs a 17‑year‑old Casino Night fundraiser that supports thousands of youth across Ohio.
From Manager to Founder: The Next Startup Mode
.@jack started it, @brian_armstrong built on it, most 2025 vintage startups are running it. What is it called? Manager Mode -> Founder Mode -> _____ Mode
Elon Musk Wanted OpenAI to Go Commercial, Greg Brockman Testifies
OpenAI, founded as a nonprofit in 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and others, achieved a high‑profile Dota victory in 2017 that Musk hailed as a catalyst for commercial ambition. According to testimony from OpenAI president Greg Brockman,...
Chewy Appoints Former Amazon VP Yunyan Wang as CTO to Accelerate Tech Innovation
Chewy has hired Yunyan Wang, who spent more than 12 years at Amazon and most recently served as vice president of Commerce & Supply Chain Services, as its new chief technology officer. The move signals the pet‑e‑commerce leader’s push to...
Marlabs Names Paige Piani CRO to Drive Global AI Revenue Growth
Marlabs announced the appointment of Paige Piani as Chief Revenue Officer. The 25‑year transformation veteran will steer global revenue strategy and scale the firm’s AI consulting services. The hire signals Marlabs’ push to move enterprise clients from AI pilots to...
Mega Brokers Appoints María‑Lor Mamani as New COO to Drive Operational Growth
Mega Brokers has installed María‑Lor Mamani as its Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Michalis Kostis. The veteran financial services executive will oversee operational structures and service quality, signaling a strategic push for efficiency and growth.
NetApp Names Former AWS Exec Jurgen Hofkens CTO for EMEA & LATAM
NetApp announced that Jurgen Hofkens will serve as Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Sales Engineering for EMEA and LATAM, effective May 1 2026. The hire is aimed at strengthening the company’s AI‑driven data platform and addressing CIO concerns around sovereignty,...
Ionic Digital Names Chris Hickman CFO as It Gears Up for Public Market
Ionic Digital announced the appointment of Chris Hickman as chief financial officer and Richard Carson as general counsel. The hires bring more than 50 years of combined finance and legal experience, positioning the high‑performance computing and AI infrastructure firm for...
Revolve Group Co‑CEO Michael Mente Sells 119k Shares for $3.1 M
Revolve Group’s co‑CEO Michael Mente disposed of 119,241 Class A shares for roughly $3.14 million, wiping out his indirect holdings in the company. The sale, executed as a conversion‑for‑sale of Class B shares, arrives as the retailer prepares to report Q1 2026 results, raising...
What D’Amaro Has in Mind for Disney
Disney’s new CEO Josh D’Amaro is steering the company toward disciplined execution, targeting investments in storytelling, streaming, technology and live sports. He frames Disney+ as a strategic platform rather than a mere product, aiming to tighten the subscriber loop and...
From Efficiency Economy to Judgment Economy: Cases&Faces Conference on the New Value System in Business
The Cases&Faces Conference on May 11, 2026 highlighted a transition from an efficiency‑driven economy to a judgment economy, where AI tools are ubiquitous and competitive advantage stems from human insight. Speakers from Google, Nike, Coca‑Cola and others emphasized asking the...
Choosing Integrity Over Short‑Term Revenue Pays Off
Turned down a four-figure engagement this morning. The client wanted me to 'just facilitate' a reorg they'd already designed. The design was the problem. Saying no to misaligned work is structural alignment for your own practice. Cost me potential revenue. Bought me...
Redesign Work: AI Agents Boost Human Agency
Every firm will need to reconceptualize work as they build agentic systems. As AI and agents take on more of the execution, the opportunity is to expand human agency and redesign how work gets done. An in-depth look from the team at...
New VA OIG CIO Aims for Mission-Centered Approach to Oversight
Lance Jenkinson has been appointed chief information officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG). A veteran federal technologist, he previously led enterprise IT and program‑management initiatives for the War Department and other agencies. Jenkinson...
7 Warning Signs Your A‑Player Is About to Quit
Losing an A-Player sucks. I lost an A-player once and I didn’t even see it coming. Never let that happen to you. Here are 7 signs your top performer could be on the move: 1. Communication Dips 2. Routine Slips 3. Overly Agreeable 4. Conflict Aversion 5....
Accountability Means Understanding, Not Micromanaging—Evolve with Digital Twin
Holding people accountable means understanding them and their circumstances well enough to assess whether they can and should do some things differently, getting in sync with them about that, and, if they can't adequately do what is required, removing them...
Why Gen X Is Struggling to Reach the C‑Suite as CEOs Get Older
A new NBER working paper finds that the average age of U.S. CEOs has climbed to 61, up a full decade since 2000, pushing appointments later in life—from 48 years old then to 55 today. This aging trend shrinks the...
Xbox CEO Cancels Console AI Chatbot Copilot on Consoles
Microsoft announced that Xbox will cease development of its AI chatbot Copilot for consoles, a decision made by newly appointed CEO Asha Sharma. The move follows a broader strategic overhaul that includes leadership reshuffles and a focus on accelerating community...
Spectrum Names New SVP of Connectivity Products
Charter Communications' broadband arm Spectrum announced that Dave Rodrian has been promoted to senior vice president of connectivity products. In his new role he will head a newly created connectivity organization that merges the company’s internet, Wi‑Fi and voice product...
Satya Nadella Pushes "Learn‑it‑all" Mindset, Reshaping Microsoft’s 200,000‑strong Workforce
Microsoft chief Satya Nadella has renewed his “learn‑it‑all” mantra, telling staff that personal vision drives growth. The message, echoed in recent Reuters and Storyboard18 reports, signals a cultural overhaul aimed at preparing the tech giant’s 200,000 employees for AI‑heavy futures.
Norwegian Cruise Line Shares Drop 7% After Cutting 2026 Outlook Despite Q1 Profit
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings posted a first‑quarter profit of $104.7 million and raised revenue to $2.33 billion, yet it trimmed its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $1.45‑$1.79. The surprise cut sent the stock down roughly 7% in pre‑market trading, highlighting the clash...
GameStop CEO Says 5% eBay Stake Is Mostly Derivatives, Fueling $56 B Takeover Bid
GameStop chief executive Ryan Cohen told CNBC that the retailer’s newly disclosed 5% stake in eBay is comprised primarily of stock options and other derivatives. The disclosure underscores a high‑stakes strategy to bridge a $44 billion valuation gap as GameStop pursues...
Green Cabbage Hires Leo Dalle Molle as CRO to Accelerate Global Expansion
Green Cabbage announced the appointment of Leo Dalle Molle as chief revenue officer. The former KPMG senior leader will steer global sales, partnerships and customer growth for the procurement‑intelligence firm’s Harvest platform, signaling a push into new markets and a...
FRB Hires Christopher Warren to Launch AI‑native Newark Office and Co‑chair AI Practice
Falcon Rappaport & Berkman (FRB) announced that Christopher Warren has joined as New Jersey Managing Partner and co‑chair of its Artificial Intelligence Practice Group. The firm simultaneously opened a Newark office designed as an AI‑native incubator, signaling a deeper commitment...
IBM Study Shows 76% of CEOs Add Chief AI Officer, Redefining the C‑suite
IBM's new global study reveals that 76% of surveyed CEOs have created a Chief AI Officer role, a jump from 26% in 2025. The finding underscores a broader restructuring of C‑suite responsibilities as AI becomes central to strategy, governance, and...
Seer Names Anthony Bazarko CCO to Accelerate Global Proteomics Sales
Seer, Inc. announced the appointment of Anthony Bazarko as chief commercial officer, tasking him with leading sales, marketing and customer experience worldwide. The veteran life‑sciences executive brings more than 20 years of commercial leadership, including a recent stint as CEO...
Deepwatch Names Brian Dhatt CEO to Accelerate Autonomous SOC Platform
Deepwatch announced Brian Dhatt as its new chief executive officer, succeeding John DiLullo, while promoting Anand Ramanathan to president. The leadership change is aimed at scaling the company’s autonomous security operations center (SOC) platform and deepening its AI‑driven market position.
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet on His Company’s Monopoly: No One Is Coming for Us
ASML, the sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, remains a monopoly in the chip‑making ecosystem, with each system priced between $200 million and $400 million and a market value exceeding $530 billion. The surge in AI investment—over $600 billion this year from...
I Got a B in 3rd Grade—And It Quietly Sabotaged My Leadership
Mike Sharrow recounts how a third‑grade B, reframed as an F by his mother, seeded a self‑critical narrative that later sabotaged his leadership. Decades later, a candid exchange with his boss exposed the internal "tape" driving his fear of failure...
Alona Talykova: How Multicultural Experience Drives Business Performance
Alona Talykova leverages her Eastern European, Western European, and U.S. experience to turn underperforming projects into profit drivers. She reclaimed a lost client with a $3.5 million program and boosted conversion rates by up to 26 % while lifting customer retention 35 %....
IBM CEO Says AI Triggers Need for New Operating Models
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna says that to get the most out of AI investments, companies must overhaul their operating models, not just add new tools. He explains that AI adoption moves from individuals to teams to the entire enterprise, with...
Why Leaders Should Consider Launching a Business Book Club
Leaders such as Warren Buffett and Indra Nooyi champion reading, yet only 16% of Americans read daily, a sharp drop from pre‑digital levels. The article argues that launching a business‑focused book club can rebuild critical thinking, improve small‑talk, and develop...
Wolverine Worldwide Continues to Bolster Work Group’s Leadership Team
Wolverine Worldwide announced a reshuffle of its Work Group leadership to revive the lagging Wolverine brand. Mike Maloney was promoted to global general manager of the Wolverine brand, while Ryan Drew joined as chief product officer of the Work Group....
Only Adaptable, Hands‑on Leaders Survive in Agent-Driven Work
Strong agree -- "The two types of people that will not survive are pure people managers, and people that are rigid and don't want to change and evolve." A ton of managers couldn't do the work of their direct reports and...
Note to Readers
Matt Taibbi announced that his newly hired editor, Emily Kopp, and co‑host Walter Kirn have both left the outlet. He cited added administrative duties and stalled projects as reasons for the turnover. Taibbi also said he will pause the "Today’s News" program...
Grow Faster by Doing Less; Stop Being the Bottleneck
Want to grow faster? Start doing less. You started your business KNOWING you could make a difference. And for a while, hustle got you here… The late nights. The 80-hour weeks. The weight of knowing it’s all on you. But here's what I...
The 3 Questions I Use to Audit My Leadership — and Keep My Team Moving Forward
University of Nevada, Las Vegas president introduced a three‑question Leadership Impact Audit to gauge real‑time effectiveness. The framework focuses on trust‑building relationships, elevating team members, and generating genuine momentum instead of busywork. By mapping stakeholders, publicly crediting contributors, and pruning...
If We Want Teachers to Stay, Principals Must Lead Differently (Opinion)
High‑school principal S. Kambar Khoshaba argues that teacher retention hinges on principal‑driven support, not slogans. He outlines three actionable levers: protecting teachers' planning time, reducing professional isolation, and making workload feel shared. By de‑implementing low‑value tasks and fostering collaborative decision‑making, principals can...
Pinterest CEO Says Social Media Companies Should Compete on Safety as Meta Faces Another Trial
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready told investors that the platform is betting on safety as a competitive advantage, citing its 2023 move to make accounts for users under 16 private by default. He said the policy helped Pinterest attract its fastest‑growing...
The Ostrakismos Mechanism: An Ancient Lesson and a Warning for Modern Democracy
The ancient Athenian practice of ostrakismos let citizens exile a rival for ten years after a 6,000‑vote quorum, aiming to curb the rise of unchecked power. While conceived as a democratic safeguard, scholars note it later became a tool for...
Why Security Leadership Makes or Breaks a Pen Test
Penetration testing delivers real security value only when leadership sets clear scope, threat focus, and stakeholder alignment before the engagement and drives disciplined follow‑up afterward. Experts stress that testers need autonomy during the test, but the pre‑test decisions dictate relevance...
Culture Is Built in the Field, Not the Boardroom
The piece contends that corporate culture is forged in the field, not in boardroom declarations. While executives craft values and mission statements, real culture emerges when frontline staff make decisions under pressure. Consistent standards, reinforcement, and accountability translate abstract values...
Morningstar Plants Big Flag at Vanguard Amid 16-Month, Share-Price Nosedive, After It Offloads Three Lackluster Units and Makes Fortuitous Deal...
Morningstar is branding 13 Vanguard funds—representing $3.2 trillion in assets—with its name, a move that follows the $375 million acquisition of CRSP and the divestiture of three under‑performing units. The deal gives Morningstar licensing rights to Vanguard’s massive distribution network, while Vanguard...
Chronic Absenteeism: How Districts Are Actually Responding
Chronic absenteeism is turning into a budget crisis for school districts, forcing leaders to sacrifice flexibility before they can act. Recent spikes—68% in Durham, NC, in a single week—have prompted drastic measures such as $50 million cuts in Columbus, OH, the...
HubSpot’s Early Culture Code Inspires AI‑native Playbooks
One thing that really worked for HubSpot in the early days was that we published our "culture code" which, at the time, was quite unique. I'm waiting for someone to create a version of that for a truly ai native company....
Leading From Within: Collaborative Studio Leadership
The studio is an ecosystem, and I lead from inside the work… side by side with my team, at the table, in it. That is my leadership. XK. https://t.co/7CHRbBjwpS
Eliminate Obligations: Subtraction Creates Space, Not Just Saying No
Subtraction is harder than saying no. Saying no prevents future obligations. Subtraction kills current commitments. Subtraction creates space. Stop seeking more time. Eliminate obligations. Click to learn 7 ways to practice subtraction. https://t.co/KZ8PmqKDRl
Former Tyson CEO Donnie Smith Discusses Leadership Insights
Last week, Donnie Smith, former CEO of Tyson Foods, joined us for a Dean’s Dialogue. Watch the full conversation. ⬇️ https://t.co/7XdQomPD9c
Inclusion in Decision-Making Outweighs the Decision Itself
"What we choose matters, but how we choose matters more. Because in the end, people might forget the specifics of a decision, but they rarely forget how they were included, or excluded, in the process." Great Ideas Often Fail Without Great Conversations...
Kim Lomis Named CEO of Macy Foundation
Thrilled @KimLomisMD is the new CEO of @macyfoundation–which focuses on health profession education (I'm on the board). Kim has had an extraordinary career as a surgeon, educator, & leader @VanderbiltU and @AmerMedicalAssn, & has a great vision for Macy at...