How Luxury Retail Actually Works: Retail Staff
Luxury retail’s success hinges on staff, not just marble floors or curated lighting, according to former Dior VP Douglas Mandel. He argues that an employee‑centric culture translates directly into a client‑centric brand, especially in Canada’s competitive luxury corridors. Empowering associates, coaching them on the floor, and redesigning incentives toward team goals are presented as the new performance levers. The article warns that pressure‑driven quotas erode the emotional experience that luxury shoppers expect, making human connection the decisive differentiator.
Brian Henry Jr., Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux
Brian Henry Jr. has been appointed Director of Operations Services at Walk‑On’s Sports Bistreaux, where he oversees the creation of scalable systems, modern training platforms, and execution models for both corporate and franchise restaurants. As the brand’s first leader in...
Polished Personas Are Out — Candid, Clear, Confident Leadership Is Redefining Power in the C-Suite
The article argues that the traditional notion of "executive presence" is losing relevance in today’s C‑suite. It promotes a new leadership model built on clarity, confidence, authenticity, and authority, especially for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and other historically marginalized executives. Practical advice...
The New Leadership Playbook: What Public Sector CISOs Need Now
Public sector CISOs are confronting a new threat landscape where AI‑driven attacks and looming quantum decryption outpace traditional, manual defenses. The article urges a shift from point‑product reliance to integrated, AI‑enabled cyber platforms that can act at machine speed. It...
5 Ways to Take Your Leadership Skills From Good to Great
Beverly Flaxington, a practice‑management consultant, shares five actionable leadership habits for middle‑management professionals in the financial advisory sector. She stresses the need to articulate clear, measurable goals, understand each team member’s motivations, and proactively remove obstacles. The piece also highlights...
Will New Apple CEO Combat Fake Crypto Apps Littering the “Walled Garden” App Store?
Apple announced that senior hardware VP John Ternus will replace Tim Cook as CEO by Sept. 1, 2026, as Cook moves to executive chairman. The transition arrives amid heightened scrutiny of the App Store’s security after Kaspersky uncovered 26 fraudulent crypto‑wallet...
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry to Step Down in October
Best Buy announced that its first female chief executive, Corie Barry, will step down on October 31, with veteran Jason Bonfig slated to succeed her. Barry, who has led the retailer for seven years, will remain as a strategic advisor for...
Why Better Communication, Smarter Tech, and Stronger Training Are Rising up the Business Agenda
A recent Alliance Manchester Business School survey of 500 UK senior decision‑makers shows that 45% of firms have prioritized improving collaboration and communication, while 40% have invested in new technology and automation, and 35% have upgraded training for complexity and...
When “Be Human” Isn’t Enough
The article argues that simply telling leaders to “be more human” is insufficient; they need concrete skills and coaching to translate empathy, curiosity, and psychological safety into daily actions. As organizations invest heavily in AI and automation, the demand for...
Tim Cook Is Exceptional at This Leadership Skill. I Saw It when I Interviewed at Apple 16 Years Ago—And Still...
Apple CEO Tim Cook will step down on Sept. 1 after 15 years, sparking retrospectives on his operational mastery. Beyond supply‑chain expertise, Cook is lauded for his exceptional listening skill, using prolonged silences to coax candid employee input. The piece contrasts...
MetLife CHRO: 3 Ways HR Can Lead Through Uncertainty
MetLife’s new workforce report shows American employees’ financial confidence has slipped to a 14‑year low, echoing pandemic‑era anxieties. The study warns that workers are prioritizing security over growth, which could curb long‑term innovation. To counter this, MetLife CHRO Shurawl Sibblies...
PwC Tells Remote Tax Staff to Get Their Butts Into the Office
PwC announced that its tax practice will move to a consistent hybrid model beginning July 1, 2026, requiring professionals to be in a PwC office or client site at least three days per week. The change ends the “virtual profile”...
Cathay Pacific Veteran Frosti Lau to Be Hactl’s New CEO
Hong Kong’s leading cargo handler Hactl announced that former Cathay Pacific executive Frosti Lau will assume the chief executive role in early June 2026, succeeding Wilson Kwong who departed after an eight‑year tenure. Lau arrives with 25 years of aviation...
What Values Do You Really Stand For?
Columbia Business School professor Paul Ingram’s 2026 book, *What Do You Really Stand For?*, argues that clear personal values are the most reliable decision‑making compass for leaders. The text illustrates the point with Captain Matt Feely’s 2011 Operation Tomodachi dilemma,...
The Silent Failure Between Approval and Delivery
The article argues that securing executive approval is often mistaken for securing execution momentum. After the green light, many initiatives languish in a limbo where ownership is unclear and daily work does not change, leading to silent, untracked failure. The...
How to Turn Everyday Employees Into Your Most Confident Leaders
Jotform chose to promote a junior employee rather than hire an external superstar for a senior product role, demonstrating the power of internal talent development. The article argues that hiring for long‑term potential, offering transparent career pathways, and delegating responsibilities...
How Leaders Can Maintain Humanity in the Modern Insurance Era
Insurance executives say the competitive edge now lies in how people apply AI, not just the technology itself. Gaurav Vasisht of the New York State Insurance Fund emphasizes that analytics provide insights, but human judgment crafts final outcomes. Greg Hendrick...
Mojaloop Foundation Appoints New CEO
The Mojaloop Foundation announced Jean Bosco Lyacu as its new chief executive officer, effective June 1 2026, succeeding retiring executive Paula Hunter. Lyacu, based in Kigali, brings over 15 years of experience in inclusive finance, digital public infrastructure, and market‑system development. He will focus on...
Apple CEO Shake-Up: 3 Succession Lessons
Tim Cook announced he will step down as Apple’s chief executive on September 1, handing the reins to John Ternus, the senior vice president of hardware engineering who has spent 25 years at the company. Cook will transition to an executive‑chairman role, pledging...
What Cisco Is Doing to Avoid ‘Compliance Theater’
Cisco’s Chief People Officer Kelly Jones says the company’s AI rollout is driven by continuous employee sentiment measurement and leadership modeling. Over 18 months of surveys and focus groups revealed that AI‑using staff are more engaged, confident, and likely to...
SPAR Strengthens Leadership Capability
South Africa’s SPAR Group announced a senior leadership reshuffle to accelerate operational execution across its Southern African network. Jerome Jacobs was named Managing Director of Grocery and Liquor, John Bradshaw appointed Chief Marketing Officer, and Megan Pydigadu promoted to Group...
RECLAIM Part III: Equity and Clarity Are the Foundation of a High-Performing Law Firm
The third installment of the RECLAIM model spotlights equity and clarity as twin pillars of high‑performing law firms. It argues that clear expectations, transparent processes, and consistent feedback reduce guesswork and boost productivity, while fair hiring, work allocation, and compensation...
AI Hype to AI Value: Escaping the Activity Trap
AI spending is projected to hit $2.5 trillion in 2026, a 44% jump from the prior year, yet the promised value is lagging. Only 6% of companies report clear financial returns and 95% of projects fail to show measurable results within...
M&C Saatchi Group Sets Sights on “Continuity” Following “Challenging” 2025
M&C Saatchi Group’s executive chair Dame Heather Rabbatts and CFO Simon Fuller addressed a “challenging” 2025, emphasizing a continuity strategy to navigate market headwinds. The leadership highlighted a renewed focus on revenue and profit growth as core priorities. They signaled...
What Leading Planned Parenthood Is Like Now
Since taking the helm in 2020, Alexis McGill Johnson has steered Planned Parenthood through a post‑Dobbs landscape marked by federal defunding, a wave of clinic closures and a shifting political spotlight. The organization, once operating over 600 health centers, has lost 53...
Tim Cook Built Apple Ads, But His Successor Has the Harder Job
Apple’s advertising division, quietly built under Tim Cook, is projected to generate about $7 billion in 2025, with roughly 95 % of revenue coming from App Store search ads. The company has kept its ad inventory limited to owned platforms such as...
Hactl Appoints Cathay’s Frosti Lau as CEO
Hong Kong’s leading air‑cargo handler Hactl announced the appointment of former Cathay Pacific executive Frosti Lau as its chief executive, effective 8 June 2026. Lau succeeds Wilson Kwong, who departed after an eight‑year tenure to join MTR Corporation. The new CEO brings more than...
One-Third of Managers Unsure About Neurodiversity Adjustments
A VinciWorks survey of 495 HR, L&D and compliance professionals found that 35% of managers lack confidence when discussing reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent staff, with 30% “not very confident” and 5% “not confident at all.” Tribunal data from Irwin Mitchell shows...
McDonald's Boss on Abuse Claims: 'I Don't Want to Talk About the Past'
Lauren Schultz, the new chief executive of McDonald’s UK and Ireland, told the BBC she will not discuss the chain’s past abuse allegations, calling the incidents “unacceptable” and emphasizing a forward‑looking agenda. The company has already agreed with the UK...
Code and Theory’s New President Will Help CMOs Navigate AI Complexity
Code and Theory has appointed former VML chief growth officer JJ Schmuckler as its new president to steer the agency through the accelerating AI wave. CEO Michael Treff said the traditional service‑only model is ending, and the firm will blend technology,...
Apple's Next Era: After Tim Cook's Dream Run, New CEO Has to Help the Company Catch Up
Apple will hand the CEO reins to hardware chief John Ternus on Sept. 1, 2026, ending Tim Cook’s 15‑year tenure. Under Cook, Apple’s market value surged from about $350 billion to $4 trillion and revenue topped $416 billion in 2025, supported by 2.5 billion active...
Ways CIOs Can Prove to Boards that AI Projects Will Deliver
CIOs are under mounting pressure from boards to prove AI projects generate measurable value, as surveys reveal most initiatives have yet to boost revenue or cut costs. Failure rates for AI efforts remain high—up to 95%—prompting a shift from speculative...
Granarolo Chairman to Step Down From Italian Food Group
Granarolo’s long‑time chairman Gianpiero Calzolari is stepping down after 17 years, citing a generational handover at age 70. The board appointed Stanislao Giuseppe Fabbrino—former Fruttagel CEO and current Deco Industries executive—as the new chairman. In its 2025 results, the cooperative...
Google Research Shows Building a Great Team Requires Focusing on How, Not Who
Google’s People Operations analyzed 180 cross‑functional teams and discovered that who sits on a team matters far less than how the team operates together. The study examined variables such as personality mix, tenure, and background diversity, finding no consistent link...
The One Thing Apple’s New CEO Needs to Get Right on AI
Apple has appointed hardware veteran John Ternus as its new CEO, signaling a shift toward a hardware‑centric AI approach. Analysts expect the company to focus on running AI models directly on its devices rather than investing heavily in cloud‑based AI...
Puma Appoints Nike and ASICS Alum as Vice President of Global Wholesale
Puma has hired former Nike and ASICS executive Bertrand Blanc as Vice President of Global Wholesale, effective May 1. The newly created role tasks Blanc with shaping sales strategy and driving revenue across Puma’s international wholesale accounts. This appointment follows two...
Sam Hu Named Managing Director at Universal Music China
Universal Music Group has appointed Sam Hu as Managing Director of Universal Music China and Senior Vice‑President of Universal Music Greater China, effective April 22, 2026. Hu brings over two decades of experience, having led Sony Music Entertainment China, Warner...
Snapshot: Cathay United Bank’s Quek Li Ling on Why Culture Isn’t Built by HR Alone
Cathay United Bank Singapore’s Quek Li Ling, who heads Human Resources, General Affairs and Marketing Communications, argues that culture cannot be built by HR alone. By overseeing three distinct portfolios, she connects policy, branding and workplace experience into a holistic...
CEOs Behaving Badly Put Customers Off
New research by Raconteur and consumer platform Attest shows a direct link between CEO conduct and purchasing decisions. Nearly half (49%) of surveyed shoppers would feel uncomfortable buying from a company whose leader expressed disagreeable views, and 92% said they...
Confronting Implicit Biases That Hinder Diversity and Inclusion
Harvard’s Program on Negotiation interviewed authors of *Race, Work & Leadership* about the covert biases that keep Black professionals out of senior roles. Research cited shows Black‑sounding names, ethnic hairstyles, and performance evaluations systematically disadvantage Black candidates. The experts propose...
Is Command-and-Control Leadership Back in Fashion?
A wave of articles and podcasts is championing a comeback of command‑and‑control leadership, dubbing CEOs as “wartime” leaders and praising authoritarian coaching. The narrative gains traction because volatile markets make decisive, centralized authority feel reassuring. Yet scholars note that top‑down...
Stop Hiring for Confidence, Start Hiring for Capability
Michelle Carson argues that construction firms still prioritize confidence and polished presentation over genuine leadership capability. While on‑site talent is quickly recognized for diagnosing issues and adapting in real time, promotion decisions often shift to superficial proxies such as linear...
What Is ‘Friction-Maxxing’ and Should Leaders Embrace It?
Businesses are discovering that generative AI tools, touted as productivity boosters, are actually intensifying work and eroding critical‑thinking skills, according to studies from UC Berkeley and MIT Media Lab. In response, some employees are deliberately re‑introducing inconvenience—a practice dubbed “friction‑maxxing”—by...
JD Sports Chair Andy Higginson to Step Down
JD Sports announced that chairman Andy Higginson will step down after the July AGM, ending a four‑year tenure that coincided with a governance overhaul and accelerated international growth. Higginson will be succeeded on an interim basis by independent director Darren...
LGA Appoints Interim CEO
Jenny Rowlands has been appointed interim chief executive of the Local Government Association, taking the role on 11 May while Joanna Killian is absent. Rowlands brings a track record of leading Camden Council and Lewes District Council, as well as sector‑wide improvement...
Admiral CEO Attributes FTSE Giant’s Staff Retention to Share Awards Scheme
Admiral Group’s CEO Milena Mondini says the company’s share‑award plan – up to £3,600 ($4,500) in free shares per employee after one year – has been a key driver of its unusually high staff‑retention rates. Since its 2005 IPO the...
Global Employee Engagement Falls to 20% as Managers Disengage
Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report shows global employee engagement has slipped to a historic low of 20%, marking the first back‑to‑back decline since 2020. The plunge is driven primarily by managers, whose engagement fell from 31% in...
The Conversation that Could Change a Founder’s Life
Burnout in startups often goes unnoticed until it threatens performance, with nearly half of people leaders reporting severe fatigue, according to Wiley Workplace Intelligence. As teams grow from five to fifty, informal support erodes and leaders become stretched across hiring,...
Vaibhav Raghuvanshi Joins Arvind as Head of HR CoEs-Talent, L&D, OD
Vaibhath Raghuvanshi has been appointed head of HR Centres of Excellence at Arvind, overseeing talent management, learning & development, and organisational development. He arrives from Aditya Birla Health Insurance, where he led talent and organisational effectiveness since 2025. Raghuvanshi’s career...
CB Hot Suit Takes: Tom Ootes, Managing Director / Agency Principal, SAUCE.
Tom Ootes, Managing Director and Agency Principal of SAUCE, rose from a journalism, law and commerce background to buying the agency he once joined as a creative. He highlights two flagship campaigns: the “Selfish Prick” anti‑drink‑driving effort for SA Police,...