Leadership News and Headlines

Senior Executive Leadership Program

The Australian Public Administration Association’s Senior Executive Leadership Program is a four‑session intensive for SES Band 1 and equivalent senior public servants. Held on June 10‑11 and June 17‑18, 2026, the course runs at the National Archives of Australia and KPMG’s Canberra office....

Experience Is Everything – Interview with Jeannie Walters

Jeannie Walters, founder and CEO of Experience Investigators, discusses her new book *Experience Is Everything* on the Punk CX podcast. She argues that customer experience must be proactively designed, anchored to organizational goals, and driven by clear mission statements. Walters stresses...

Tim Cook Names Successor as He Steps Down as Apple CEO

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced he will step down after a 15‑year tenure, handing the role to hardware chief John Ternus on September 1 while remaining executive chairman. Under Cook, Apple’s market value surged from $350 billion in 2011 to roughly $4 trillion...

Volvo Group Picks Lirmann to Head Mack Trucks

Volvo Group announced Wilson Lirmann will become President of Mack Trucks on August 1, 2026, succeeding long‑time leader Stephen Roy, who is retiring after nearly 25 years. Lirmann arrives from Volvo Trucks Latin America, where he has overseen the brand and regional...

Databricks Hires SAP’s Simon Davies to Lead APJ

Databricks has appointed former SAP Asia Pacific president Simon Davies as senior vice president and general manager for the APJ region, based in Singapore. Davies brings over 30 years of experience across SAP, Splunk, Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, Citibank and PwC,...

Retaining Director After "Proven S-Xual Misconduct" Forced Employee to Quit

The Fair Work Commission rebuked WA Mirning People Aboriginal Corporation for keeping a director on its board after sexual harassment allegations were substantiated, forcing a communications manager to quit. The manager filed a general protections dismissal claim, arguing the board’s...

Is Target CEO Michael Fiddelke’s Plan to Refresh the Brand Working?

Hayden-Murphy Hosts Premier Executive Leadership Forum

Hayden‑Murphy Equipment Company hosted its first Executive Leadership Forum on Feb. 20, 2026 in Golden Valley, Minnesota. The day‑long event brought together construction executives for strategic discussions on tax management, macro‑economic trends, and leadership resilience. By shifting focus from equipment showcases to...

More Structure Needed in Employee Sponsorship and Advocacy

Employee sponsorship is a key driver of career advancement, yet most companies treat it informally, which tends to favor bold, outspoken staff. Victoria Butt, founder of Parity Consulting, argues that without structured sponsorship programs, quiet high‑potential employees are overlooked, creating...

Advantages and Disadvantages of Leadership Styles: Uncovering Bias and Generating Mutual Gains

The article examines how leadership styles shape gender bias, citing Google’s struggle with a male‑dominant workforce and low female representation in technical and managerial roles. It details Google’s response—unconscious‑bias workshops, video lectures, and promotion‑process checks—to curb a 1% evaluation bias...

Reimagine Asia 2026: People & Business

Reimagine Asia 2026: People & Business is a C‑level conference targeting senior business and HR leaders across Asia to discuss productivity, growth, and technology amid economic pressure and talent constraints. The agenda features executive panels, focused small‑group discussions, and peer...

Hephzibah Pathak Named the New Chief Executive Officer of WPP Creative in India

Advertising giant WPP announced that Hephzibah Pathak will serve as CEO of WPP Creative in India, overseeing the network’s flagship agencies such as Ogilvy, VML, AKQA, and Landor. Pathak will continue as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, making her the...

Deepika Chavan Is Now CPO-Group, POWERCON

POWERCON, the Indo‑German renewable‑energy joint venture, has appointed Deepika Chavan as its new chief people officer. Chavan returns after a four‑year stint as HR manager, bringing more than two decades of experience across technology, manufacturing, and education sectors. Her mandate...

Can Perfectionist John Ternus Steer Apple Through the AI Age?

Apple’s long‑time hardware engineer John Ternus is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, bringing a product‑first philosophy to a company that has lagged in AI. Ternus stresses leveraging technology to ship great products rather than shipping technology...

Five Takeaways From CEO Shantanu Narayen’s Final Keynote at Adobe Summit

At Adobe Summit 2026, outgoing CEO Shantanu Narayen delivered his final keynote, unveiling Adobe’s next‑generation “agentic AI” strategy built on the Experience Platform, which processes 35 trillion segment evaluations daily. He introduced Adobe CX Enterprise, a suite of AI co‑workers that...

Digital Transformation Governance Framework Example: How to Structure and Prioritize Decisions

Digital transformation initiatives often falter because decision‑making lacks discipline, leading to fragmented projects and misallocated spend. The article presents a governance framework that unites strategy definition, evidence‑based validation, and criteria‑driven prioritization into a single decision system. By applying transparent scoring...

Tim Cook Hands Apple over to Its Hardware Guru

Apple announced that longtime CEO Tim Cook will step down, naming hardware engineering head John Ternus as his successor. The move signals a strategic shift toward integrating artificial intelligence across Apple’s product line. Cook’s 15‑year leadership has been marked by...

AI, Accountability, and Inclusion: Inside Standard Chartered’s Next Chapter

Standard Chartered is redefining diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) as an operational mandate rather than a cultural add‑on. The bank has embedded formal sponsorship into succession planning and leadership assessments, while launching an AI Academy and a safety framework that...

Most Boards Were Built for a Pre-AI World. The Gap Is Now Visible.

Boards recognize AI as a material risk, but most governance structures remain rooted in pre‑AI models. The article argues that discussion alone is insufficient; boards need integrated oversight, clear accountability, and directors with hands‑on AI experience. Misaligned oversight leads to...

It’s Time to Reimagine the Modern Board

The article argues that today’s boards must be redesigned to handle unprecedented geopolitical, technological and climate pressures. Recent events—from West‑Asia conflict disrupting supply chains to AI models like Anthropic’s Mythos heightening cyber‑risk and climate tipping points alarming investors—have expanded the...

Apple’s CEO Is Stepping Down

Apple announced that longtime CEO Tim Cook will step down on September 1, 2026 to become executive chairman, while senior vice president of Hardware Engineering John Ternus will assume the chief executive role. The board approved the transition unanimously after a multi‑year...

How Leaders Can Help Their Organizations Metabolize Strain

The article outlines how leaders can transform workplace stress into a source of growth by treating strain like a metabolic process. It recommends diagnosing stress signals, adjusting organizational structures, and fostering adaptive cultures that convert pressure into innovation. Practical tools...

Upsun Names Meta’s Fundamental AI Research Team Executive Stephane Kasriel to Board

Upsun announced the appointment of Stephane Kasriel, Meta’s FAIR Foundations lead and former Upwork CEO, to its Board of Directors. Kasriel brings over two decades of experience scaling global technology platforms and deep AI expertise. The move comes as AI‑assisted...

Apple Goes for the 'Continuity Candidate' To Replace Cook. What the CEO Change Means for Investors

Apple announced that senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus will replace Tim Cook as CEO on Sept. 1, with Cook moving to executive chairman. The surprise move caused Apple shares to dip about 0.5% in after‑hours trading, threatening a...

Tim Cook Reactions: Sam Altman, Palmer Luckey React to Apple CEO Move

Apple announced that longtime CEO Tim Cook will step down on September 1, 2026, transitioning to the role of executive chairman. He will be succeeded by John Ternus, the senior vice president of hardware engineering, who will assume the CEO title....

Chase Tucker Takes on New Leadership Role at Shoe Show

Chase Tucker, third‑generation family member, will become senior vice president of merchandising at Shoe Show Inc. on July 3, succeeding retiring veteran John Walker. Tucker’s career spans secret‑shopping as a child, distribution, sourcing, planning, and most recently men’s buying for the...

Apple C.E.O.s Through the Years: From Michael Scott (Not That One) to John Ternus

Apple announced that longtime CEO Tim Cook will step down in September 2026, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus slated to take the helm. The move marks the latest transition in a lineage that began with Michael Scott in 1977...

Tim Cook To Step Down As Apple’s CEO

Apple announced that senior vice president of Hardware Engineering John Ternus will become CEO on September 1, 2026, while longtime chief Tim Cook will transition to executive chairman. Cook’s tenure saw Apple’s market cap soar and operational stability, but the...

STAT+: Former Banker Brought on to Revitalize Pfizer’s Strategy Departs His Post

Pfizer announced that Andrew Baum, the former Citi analyst who joined as executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer in June 2024, is leaving his post. Baum will remain as an adviser to CEO Albert Bourla through the...

Major US Airline Says Bankruptcy Not On The Cards

JetBlue Airways told employees that bankruptcy is not under consideration, aiming to quell mounting speculation about its financial health. The carrier highlighted a $500 million aircraft‑backed financing commitment and an optional $250 million tranche, underscoring its liquidity cushion. Despite a $3 billion debt...

JetBlue CEO’s Staff Note: No Bankruptcy Now — But ‘Decks Are Stacked Against Smaller Carriers Like Us’

JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty told staff the airline is not weighing Chapter 11, despite market chatter that soaring fuel costs could force a bankruptcy filing. She said the carrier has enough liquidity and has secured new financing to weather the price...

Tim Cook Stepping Down as Apple CEO, John Ternus Taking Over

Apple announced that Tim Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, transitioning to executive chairman while remaining on the board. Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus will assume the CEO role and join Apple’s board of directors....

Execs Fear Job Loss over AI Adoption Failures

A Writer survey of 2,400 knowledge workers reveals that 61% of C‑suite leaders fear losing their jobs if they fail to steer AI adoption, while three‑quarters anticipate AI use expanding across their firms in the next five years. Executives also...

Studio System Under Strain

The Walt Disney Co. and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced hundreds of layoffs under their new CEOs—Josh D’Amaro and Ravi Ahuja—highlighting lingering post‑pandemic pressures, strikes and rising production costs. Sony disclosed 133 cuts, primarily at its Culver City campus, while Disney’s...

Why HR Leaders Are Prioritizing Recognition to Retain Skilled Employees

HR leaders are increasingly adopting structured employee recognition programs to combat rising turnover. These initiatives go beyond occasional praise, offering consistent, value‑aligned acknowledgment through peer‑to‑peer, manager‑led, and milestone awards. By making appreciation a routine part of the employee experience, companies...

Following National Stage Debut, Strategic Architect Michelle May O’Neil of Concierra Business Announces Free Live Training on Founder Overload for...

Concierra Business announced a free national live training for entrepreneurs on April 28, focusing on founder overload. The session, led by strategic architect Michelle May O’Neil, will introduce the Atlas Load Reset™ framework, a five‑domain diagnostic tool she unveiled at the...

The Mortgage Industry's Crisis Communications Problem

The mortgage sector’s crisis‑communication playbooks were built for a slower market, assuming ample time to align legal, compliance, and leadership before speaking publicly. Recent events—First Guaranty’s abrupt 2022 layoffs and loanDepot’s 2024 ransomware breach—show that narratives form within hours, leaving...

This Company Pays an Average of $400K. Here’s What It Looks for in New Recruits, According to Its Chief People...

Citadel Securities’ chief people officer Alexander DiLeonardo says the firm now hires junior talent as de‑facto managers, emphasizing leadership, creativity and problem‑solving over pure technical skill. The firm’s AI‑driven workflow requires new hires to allocate tasks between people and algorithms...

Feel Like a Fraud? Read This Before You Doubt Yourself Again

Imposter syndrome touches roughly 70% of high‑achieving entrepreneurs, but it isn’t a career‑ending flaw. Leaders who treat self‑doubt as a signal—rather than a setback—use it to prepare more thoroughly, listen deeper, and act decisively. Research shows that moderate anxiety can...

Why I Take a ‘Roll up Your Sleeves’ Approach to Leadership – And How It’s Paying Off

The article outlines a CEO’s “roll‑up‑your‑sleeves” leadership style, emphasizing curiosity‑driven questioning, collaborative problem‑solving, and a calibrated mix of coaching patience with result‑oriented urgency. By working side‑by‑side with teams at a veterinary‑hospital network, the leader provides guidance without commandeering ownership. The...

How I Leveraged Learning and Community to Drive Lasting Success — and How You Can Do the Same

Thiru Thangarathinam, CEO of KeenStack, explains how the company drives long‑term success by embedding learning, storytelling and community into its DNA. He details practical initiatives such as Audible credits, office libraries, leadership book clubs, and regular story‑sharing sessions that reinforce...

3 Years with French Business Leaders, 5 Lessons in Leadership

After three years at the British Embassy in Paris, the author reflects on leadership insights gained from France’s top executives. He identifies five core lessons—vision, ambition, risk‑taking, networking, and geopolitical awareness—that shape how French leaders drive growth at home and...

Lee Hardware and Building Supply Preserves Legacy Through Open Succession Planning and Humble Leadership

Lee Hardware & Building Supply, a third‑generation family business in Georgia, has expanded its footprint with a 7,500‑sq ft Lakeland store and a new Douglas location. Under third‑generation owner Heather Lee Bruner, the company introduced a profit‑sharing program, expanded PTO, and...

Convergence Is a Leadership Issue, Not a Technology Problem

Security leaders have long advocated convergence of cyber, physical, and enterprise risk, yet most initiatives stall at the execution stage. Organizations pour money into unified platforms and dashboards, only to see fragmented information and slow decision‑making during incidents. The article...

When It Comes to Leadership, Do Companies Know What They Are Doing?

Robert Walters’ latest research reveals that only 16% of Irish companies have a formal leadership succession plan, while more than 40% have none. A striking 72% of senior leaders report a shortage of senior talent, with half describing it as...

Guest Speakers Reveal Where AI Belongs In CX — And How Leaders Protect Trust

At CX Forum West, senior CX leaders from Nationwide, Schwab, UKG, PetSmart and others examined how artificial intelligence is moving from a buzzword to a strategic input. Sessions highlighted the shift from broad AI adoption to intentional, purpose‑driven use, emphasizing...

Austin Powder – Mark Dawson

Austin Powder announced the appointment of Mark Dawson as president of its U.S. & Canada Services division, effective April 1. Dawson will report directly to company president and CEO John Rathbun. He arrives from Halliburton, where he most recently served as...

Wesdome Gold Mines – Christine Barwell

Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. has appointed Christine Barwell as senior vice president of Human Resources. Interim VP Kim Humphreys will stay on until Barwell’s start date and then shift to a consulting role for special projects. Barwell joins from Li‑Cycle...

Gunby Sticks Around at FTI Consulting

FTI Consulting CEO Steve Gunby, 68, has reversed his plan to step down in 2027 and will continue serving as both chief executive and chairman. The firm had combined the two roles temporarily to mentor a successor, but the transition was...