From Operators to Leaders
Manufacturers are recognizing that frontline workers’ “power skills” such as critical thinking and communication are the hidden drivers of productivity. Conventional training programs, designed for desk‑based staff, fail to reach operators who cannot step away from the line, leading to higher turnover. Companies that adopt micro‑learning, mobile‑first approaches and tie development to real‑time tasks report up to 17% productivity gains, 25% lower turnover, and a 41% drop in absenteeism. Investing in a continuous, shop‑floor skills supply chain turns operators into future supervisors and secures a resilient leadership pipeline.
George Whittier Back as CEO at Fairbanks Morse Defense
Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) announced the return of George Whittier as chief executive officer. Whittier, a veteran of Precision Castparts, Regal Beloit and The Morey Corporation, will lead the century‑old defense supplier as it pursues growth in the maritime sector....
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Says He’s ‘Learned and Relearned’ to Not Make Big Decisions when He’s Tired on Fridays
JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon told NPR he deliberately avoids making major decisions on Fridays because fatigue impairs judgment. He described the habit as a lesson learned over four decades in finance, yet admits he sometimes slips back into the...
Sanjay Khanna Appointed BPCL CMD
State‑run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has appointed Sanjay Khanna as Chairman & Managing Director, effective immediately, with a tenure lasting until his superannuation on May 31 2029. Khanna, currently Director (Refineries), brings over three decades of refinery operations and project execution experience,...
It Takes Two To Tango: Creating A Long-Lasting Relationship Between C-Suite And L&D
A disconnect between C‑suite leaders and learning‑and‑development (L&D) teams is a leading cause of failed training programs. The article outlines how misaligned expectations—quick ROI for executives versus engagement metrics for L&D—create friction. It proposes a framework for early expectation setting,...
Cutting Employee Compensation to Invest in AI Could Backfire
A recent ResumeBuilder survey shows that more than half of organizations plan to cut employee compensation to fund AI initiatives, with 92% ranking AI investment above employee satisfaction. While executives chase generative‑AI capabilities, 54% intend salary, raise, benefit or equity...
‘I Hate Working 5 Days’: Zoom CEO Says Traditional Work Schedules Are Becoming Obsolete—And Predicts a 3-Day Workweek by 2031
Zoom’s CEO Eric Yuan says five‑day schedules are becoming obsolete, predicting a three‑day workweek by 2031 as AI agents take over routine tasks. He cites historical productivity gains like Ford’s assembly line and points to his own AI avatar joining...
Julia Sand & The Art of Inspiration
Anthony Guerra argues that inspiration, more than strategy or coaching, is the key driver of high‑functioning teams. He illustrates this with the historical case of President Chester A. Arthur, whose unexpected moral shift followed a series of letters from Julia Sand urging him...
Leadership Transition: Capespan CEO and CFO Step Down Amid Organizational Evolution
South Africa‑based fruit giant Capespan announced that CEO Charl du Bois will step down immediately, handing the role to Commercial Director André de Klerk. The board also confirmed CFO Jolanda van Heerden’s departure, with finance duties shifting to the Fruit and Farms division heads. Bernie Denton,...
RESEARCH@DBTA: Survey: AI Is Boosting Enterprise Data Leaders? Influence
Deloitte’s 2026 CDAO Survey shows chief data and analytics officers are gaining influence as AI adoption accelerates, with 94% expecting their impact to grow in the next year and 65% saying AI has made their role more critical. Most data...
Simon Property Forges Ahead With New Leadership and a Reliably Bold Playbook
Simon Property Group, the nation’s largest mall REIT, announced a leadership transition after founder‑CEO David Simon’s death, appointing his son Eli Simon as chief executive officer and chief operating officer while veteran Larry Glasscock becomes non‑executive chairman. The REIT reported...
Kristie Byrd Named Lodging Dynamics CCO
Hospitality management firm Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group has promoted Kristie Byrd to the newly created chief commercial officer position. The CCO role consolidates sales, marketing, revenue management and business development under a single leader to implement a fully integrated commercial...
Stagwell Recruits Petersen as Chief Brand & Comms Officer
Stagwell announced the appointment of Lena Peterson as its chief brand and communications officer, reporting directly to CEO Mark Penn. Peterson arrives with more than three decades of experience at agencies such as UTA MediaLink, Publicis Media’s Starcom MediaVest, and...
A Giant Succession Wave Is Coming for Family Businesses
Family businesses account for roughly two‑thirds of companies worldwide and generate a comparable share of global GDP. As baby‑boomers retire, a massive wave of leadership transitions is imminent across the West and emerging markets such as China, India and Southeast...
The Pros and Cons of Stretch Goals
Stretch goals—exceptionally ambitious targets set beyond normal expectations—are gaining traction among CEOs seeking rapid growth. Proponents argue they spark innovation, elevate performance, and can lift revenue by pushing teams beyond incremental thinking. Critics warn that overly aggressive goals may fuel...
The AI CIO Will Govern Outcomes At Scale
Forrester’s new report "The AI CIO" argues that artificial intelligence will remodel the chief information officer’s role more dramatically than the past decade of digital transformation. The focus will shift from merely delivering technology to governing AI‑driven outcomes at scale....
NSG’s New CEO: Eng. Haithem Alfaraj to Lead Next Phase of Growth
Neo Space Group (NSG), Saudi Arabia’s flagship commercial space services firm backed by the Public Investment Fund, announced Eng. Haithem Mohammed Mojil Alfaraj as its new chief executive, effective April 9, 2026. Alfaraj arrives after a two‑decade career in telecom,...
What the Best Private Equity-Backed CEOs Do Differently
Private‑equity‑backed CEOs operate under compressed timelines, yet more than half fail to meet value‑creation targets. A two‑year study of 75 interviews uncovered 53 “super‑performer” CEOs who delivered an average 6.2× multiple on invested capital—about double the industry norm. These leaders...
How Wes Cummins Foresaw The AI Boom
Wes Cummins, CEO and co‑founder of Applied Digital, turned a modest Dallas startup into a $7 billion AI‑infrastructure leader, driving revenue from $8.5 million in 2022 to $264 million in the latest quarter. The firm’s strategy of building high‑density data centers in rural...
The Top Priority for Adobe’s Next CEO? Prepping for the ‘Age of Agents’
Adobe announced that longtime CEO Shantanu Narayen will step down after 18 years, triggering a board search for a successor. Analysts say the top priority for the next leader will be reshaping Adobe’s portfolio for the emerging "agentic AI" era,...
Leading with Service: Anthony Maddox’s Journey in Facilities Management
Anthony Maddox, a veteran of more than two decades in facilities management, now leads a division that oversees over 200 buildings and a 3‑million‑square‑foot portfolio in Orlando. Starting as a part‑time maintenance technician, he leveraged a service‑first mindset to build a...
Rethink Responsibility in the Age of AI
The MIT Sloan article argues that traditional blame‑centric accountability is obsolete in an era where AI and autonomous systems disperse decision‑making across humans and machines. It introduces “narrative responsibility” – a framework that maps the full story of an incident,...
Stopping Power: The Leadership Skill that Separates Modern IT Leaders
Modern IT leaders are judged on their ability to halt misaligned projects, a skill dubbed “stopping power.” Research shows two‑thirds of top‑performing firms involve tech chiefs in strategy and 80% say their duties have broadened, with many now managing a...
Virtual Vanguard Recap: Michael Ventura
The latest Virtual Vanguard brought together chief marketing officers and leadership strategist Michael Ventura to explore how empathy can be operationalized in today’s fast‑changing business environment. Participants examined empathy’s concrete impact on decision‑making, trust building, experimentation, and purpose across teams,...
Goodfella’s Owner Appoints Two New Presidents
Nomad Foods, the owner of frozen‑food brands Findus, Iglo, Ledo and Frikom, named Jon Fernandez de Barrena as President for Southern Europe, a role covering France, Benelux, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Adriatic. He joins from Alvinesa Natural Ingredients where he was CEO...
J.P. Morgan Asset Management Names Head of Private Markets Emea
J.P. Morgan Asset Management announced the appointment of John Doe as head of private markets for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The move comes as equity funds in the region have recorded roughly £1.44 b ($1.83 b) of net outflows, prompting...
Box CEO: This Is the One Job AI Won’t Replace
Box CEO Aaron Levie told a Wall Street Journal‑hosted CPO Council that the chief people officer is the one role AI cannot replace. He argues that HR’s core function—creating and managing people—remains timeless despite automation of software and processes. Levie...
Tech’s Acceleration Paves CIOs’ Path to the Corner Office
Digital technology’s deepening role is turning CIOs into a pipeline for CEOs. Deloitte’s 2025 survey shows 67% of CIOs aspire to the top seat, and 65% now report directly to CEOs, up from 41% a decade ago. Leaders like Tony...
The Path to CIO
After three decades at IBM and consulting stints at Citibank, the author explains that reaching the CIO role requires more than technical mastery. The CIO’s function has evolved from a cost‑center reporting to the CFO to a strategic leader who...
Leading When Your Agency Is Acquired
Cortney Stapleton, former CEO of The Bliss Group, shares the leadership principles that guided her through the agency’s acquisition by Highwire. She emphasizes transparent communication, cultural alignment, and empowering teams as core to a smooth transition. Stapleton also outlines three...
A New Study Found That There Are 4 Core Skills Every Leader Should Hone
A new study by Nidhi Tewari and Dr. Mallory McCord surveyed 490 workers and identified four core attunement skills—flexibility, reading cues, self‑regulation, and collaboration—that correlate with higher psychological safety, job satisfaction, and productivity. The research builds on Gallup data showing...
GRYB International Makes Strategic Changes to Executive Leadership Team
GRYB International announced a sweeping executive reshuffle, appointing Jason McNeil as chief commercial officer, Jesse Roy as the newly created chief experience officer, Luc D’Amours as chief operating officer, and expanding Jean‑Claude Perrault’s remit to vice‑president of product strategy and innovation. The changes are...
Robilant and Voena Gallery Founders Part Ways to Start Separate Ventures with Their Children
After 22 years together, co‑founders Edmond di Robilant and Marco Voena have dissolved their partnership to launch two independent family‑run galleries, Robilant and Voena. The next generation steps into leadership, with Michele di Robilant taking the director role at Robilant...
The PR Week: 4.9.2026 - Bradley Akubuiro, Bully Pulpit International
Bradley Akubuiro, founder of Bully Pulpit International, appeared on the PR Week podcast to dissect crisis communications and corporate decision‑making. He drew parallels between modern reputation management and the advocacy tactics of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson. Akubuiro emphasized authenticity, rapid response,...
5 Questions Every Aspiring CIO Should Be Prepared to Answer
Aspiring CIOs, CTOs, and CDOs must be ready to answer executive questions in brief, high‑impact moments. The article outlines five core questions—value of initiatives, technology‑driven growth, biggest risk, emerging tech focus, and IT agility—and provides guidance on framing answers with...
Directive Leadership: When It Does—And Doesn’t—Work
Directive leadership, often viewed as outdated, remains valuable in contexts demanding clear guidance and rapid decisions. Research from the 1970s to recent studies shows it excels when tasks are ambiguous or crises familiar, delivering faster, more accurate outcomes. However, the...
Quest Nutrition Co-Founder Tom Bilyeu Built a $1 Billion Brand Using 1 Uncomfortable Rule About Emotions
Tom Bilyeu, co‑founder of Quest Nutrition, turned a modest protein‑bar startup into a $1 billion exit by insisting on a single uncomfortable rule: rigorously regulate his emotions. After leaving a security‑software firm and walking away from $2 million in equity, he spent...
CPO, PMI | Principles Before Platforms: Why CHROs Must Steward Workplace AI Adoption
Philip Morris International (PMI) is using its "PMI DNA" cultural framework to guide workplace AI adoption, emphasizing that AI should augment rather than replace human judgment. The company reports that 94% of employees recognize the DNA values, fostering trust in AI...
Saatvik Green Energy CHRO Aman Attree Steps Down
Saatvik Green Energy announced that Chief Human Resource Officer Aman Attree will resign effective April 8, 2026, citing personal health reasons. Attree, who joined the firm in May 2025, led HR initiatives around leadership development, talent management, and people processes during a critical...
Garware Hi-Tech Films Appoints Nikhil Sharma as CPO
Garware Hi‑Tech Films announced the appointment of Nikhil Sharma as Chief People Officer, effective 9 April 2026. Sharma replaces the departing senior HR leader Yogesh Chavan and will oversee human‑resources and administration across the polyester‑film manufacturer. With nearly 18 years of experience in...
Jamie Dimon Says the Best Teams Work Like Navy SEALs, Not Sprawling ‘Flat’ Corporations
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon urged shareholders to adopt small, mission‑focused teams, likening them to Navy SEAL squads of eight or fewer. He argues that compact groups retain accountability and can act swiftly, contrasting with the ultra‑flat, high‑ratio structures championed...
Delta’s CEO Spent 15 Years Turning the Airline Into a Premium Brand. Now It Commands 20% More per Seat than...
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian’s 15‑year push to de‑commoditize the carrier is now delivering roughly 20% higher revenue per seat than rivals. Premium cabin revenue reached $5.4 billion in Q1, just $41 million short of main‑cabin earnings, and is set to...
From Confrontation to Conversation: How Coaching Transforms Conflict
Workplace conflict consumes about 2.8 hours per employee each week, amounting to roughly 385 million lost working days annually. Most managers instinctively turn to grievance or disciplinary processes, which often harden positions and erode trust. The article argues that applying coaching techniques—active...
Domestic Abuse Charity Reveals Interim Chief
SafeLives, the UK domestic‑abuse charity, has appointed Tracey Bleakley as interim chief executive following Ellen Miller’s departure for personal reasons. Bleakley, formerly co‑chair of NHS England’s National Palliative Care Programme Board, previously led Hospice UK and the Association of Police and...
Swyftx Cofounder Takes Helm After CEO Punted, Jobs Cut by 15%
Swyftx has dismissed CEO Jason Titman and cut roughly 15% of its workforce after two major acquisitions totaling about $133 million. Cofounders Alex Harper and CFO Andrea Yuen were named acting co‑CEOs, while director Cathryn Lyall stepped in as acting chair. The...
Former PropertyGuru Exec Kenneth Soh Spearheads Foodpanda Malaysia as New MD, Aims for Everyday Value Amid Rising Costs
Kenneth Soh, a former senior executive at PropertyGuru, has been appointed managing director of Foodpanda Malaysia. He will steer the platform toward delivering everyday value as Malaysian consumers grapple with rising living costs. Soh’s mandate includes expanding local restaurant partnerships...
Morgan Truck Body Announces New Leadership
Morgan Truck Body, North America’s largest maker of light‑ and medium‑duty dry freight and refrigerated truck bodies, announced a senior leadership overhaul. Vik Shah was named president, taking over from retiring veteran Corby Stover, and will oversee 14 manufacturing sites...
Case-in-Point: The Nepo Hire
Heritage Textiles, a 3,000‑employee, Rs 800 crore (~$96 M) family‑owned apparel firm, is testing its merit‑based transformation as CEO Arvind Kapoor asks HR to evaluate his 24‑year‑old daughter Kavya for a strategy trainee role. HR’s interview feedback is tepid, exposing the tension between...
Can Longtime Car Executive Luca De Meo Kick the House of Gucci Into Gear?
Luca de Meo, the former automotive chief who steered brands like Fiat and Renault, was appointed CEO of Kering in late 2025. Six months into his surprise tenure, he has been seen on the shop floor of Pomellato, a Kering jewelry...
HerSTORY: Richa Dubey, CPO, Nayara Energy
Richa Dubey, chief people officer at Nayara Energy, argues that lasting impact arises when competence is paired with deep contextual understanding. Her career shift from role‑focused execution to systems thinking highlights the need for courage over certainty in high‑pressure environments....