Du and Federal Youth Authority Power Next-Gen Talent for Digital Economy Success
du concluded its Youth Council Retreat 2026, bringing together the telecom’s youth representatives, senior executives and the Federal Youth Authority. A fireside chat between CEO Fahad Al Hassawi and Chief People & Impact Officer Fatema Al Afeefi gave emerging talent direct access to leadership insights. The event emphasized alignment with the UAE National Youth Agenda 2031 and highlighted the role of private‑sector initiatives in shaping the digital economy’s future talent pipeline.
Ted Sarandos Responds to Donald Trump’s Call to Fire Board Member Susan Rice: ‘He Likes to Do a Lot of...
Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos dismissed former President Donald Trump’s demand that Netflix fire board member Susan Rice, emphasizing that the pending Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition is a purely business transaction. He highlighted Netflix’s $83 billion vertical merger proposal, contrasting it with...
Havas Helia Appoints Andy O’Carroll in Major Shake-Up
Havas Helia has appointed Andy O’Carroll as its first chief creative officer, replacing two regional executive creative directors as part of a broader agency overhaul. O’Carroll brings a track record of Cannes Lions Grand Prix and D&AD awards from stints...
Design Hotels Appoints Asia Pacific Senior Director
Design Hotels has appointed Aik Wee Ong as senior director for the Asia Pacific region, bolstering its executive team. Ong previously served as deputy managing director at a Singapore‑based design‑and‑build studio, where he led a multidisciplinary team and drove growth....
Co-Op Q-Commerce Managing Director Steps Down
Co‑op’s managing director of quick‑commerce, Chris Conway, announced his departure after eight years at the retailer. Conway, who joined from Morrisons in 2018 after a long tenure at Asda, oversaw the growth of Co‑op’s online and q‑commerce platform. Under his...
3 Standout Strategies Driving Revlon’s 2026 Comeback Plan
Revlon, under CEO Melissa Peluso, is executing a three‑pronged turnaround aimed at reviving its legacy brands. The strategy emphasizes a narrowed “e‑glam” identity for Revlon, a clean‑beauty refresh for Almay, and an aggressive expansion of its fragrance portfolio through new...
Age Is Not the Risk. Perceived Relevance Is. And That’s What Leaders Should Focus On
Seasoned professionals increasingly question their relevance, not because of age but due to perceived bias. In Australia, 24% of workers over 50 report age discrimination and 35% have faced broader bias, while surveys show similar motivation across generations. Research from...
FUEL THE FUTURE: THE C-SUITE PLAYBOOK FOR BREAKTHROUGH GROWTH
The article outlines a C‑suite playbook for breakthrough growth, urging leaders to shift resources from legacy operations to continuous transformation. It proposes seven strategic levers—including streamlining outdated processes, building long‑term investment cases, hard‑wiring transformation into financial rhythms, and embedding it...
Faraday Future Founder and Co-CEO YT Jia Shares Weekly Investor Update: For EAI Robotics, FF Will Officially Begin Its First...
Faraday Future’s founder and co‑CEO YT Jia announced that the company will begin its first batch of EAI robotics deliveries next week, marking the start of revenue‑generating robot sales. The update also highlighted new sales and collaboration MOUs for the...
When TIME Named “You” Person of the Year: What That Decision Means for CEOs in 2026
TIME's 2006 "You" Person of the Year highlighted a shift from individual celebrity to collective influence. The article argues that two decades later this shift has eroded institutional monopoly on power, making influence lateral across employee and customer networks. CEOs...
Sarah Peacock Joins Opus Agency As Head Of Marketing
Opus Agency, previously known as The Company We Keep, has appointed Sarah Peacock as Head of Marketing for the APAC region. Peacock arrives with more than 20 years of experience at PwC Australia, Business Australia, TrueLocal and Skip, and will...
Edysor.ai Gets Garima Rathore as Vice President-Human Resources
Edysor.ai, an AI automation provider for higher‑education institutions, has appointed Garima Rathore as its Vice President of Human Resources. Rathore brings over a decade of HR leadership experience, most recently serving as Chief Human Resources Officer at PincodeKart. In her...
Former Xbox President Sarah Bond Opens Up About Resignation: “The Right Time to Take My Next Step”
Microsoft announced a sweeping Xbox leadership overhaul as Phil Spencer retires, Asha Sharma steps in as Gaming CEO, and Matt Booty becomes Chief Content Officer. In the same wave, longtime Xbox President Sarah Bond resigned, citing personal and professional timing,...
Sarah Bond Bids Farewell to Xbox Colleagues
Sarah Bond resigned as Xbox president and COO, coinciding with Phil Spencer’s announced retirement as CEO. Bond, who spent eight years in senior roles and served as the No. 2 executive alongside Matt Booty, is leaving the company. Matt Booty will...
Building Sales Teams That Don’t Quit with Eric Laroque
In a February 2026 interview, Eric Larocque, founder of Cultivate Winning, detailed how his early experiences in a butcher shop and competitive hockey forged a grit‑first mindset that now drives his sales leadership. By overhauling team structure, deploying Salesforce and SalesLoft,...
Culture as Capital: Why CXOs Must Treat It Like a Strategic Asset
The piece argues that corporate culture must be managed like capital, with the same discipline applied to strategy and technology investments. It highlights talent scarcity, remote‑work disruption, and AI as forces that turn culture into a strategic lever. Four actionable...
Robert Massimi: Building Strategy Across Markets and the Arts
Robert Massimi’s career weaves together logistics, hedge‑fund investing, and theater production, culminating in his role as CEO of RM Global Advisors. Early discipline from competitive sports and a triple‑major education shaped his focus on accountability, research, and long‑term perspective. After...
How to Thrive in the Era of the ‘Supermanager’
The rise of “supermanagers” is reshaping corporate hierarchies as firms trim middle‑management layers. A Gallup‑BLS analysis shows average direct reports climbing from 10.9 in 2024 to 12.1 in 2025, with 13% of managers now overseeing 25 or more employees. This...
Jeff Bezos Reveals the Brutal Fundraising Fight Behind Amazon’s Origin Story
Jeff Bezos recalled that raising Amazon’s first seed round in 1994 was his toughest challenge. He met roughly 60 angel investors, many of whom needed convincing about the nascent internet. Forty of those angels flat‑out rejected the pitch, forcing Bezos...
OpenAI’s Leadership Drama Reveals 5 Hard Truths About Running a High-Growth Company
OpenAI’s recent leadership clash highlighted how rapid AI growth strains organizational foundations. The public dispute between CEO Sam Altman and the board exposed communication gaps, informal decision‑making, and governance failures. The episode underscores five hard truths about scaling high‑growth tech...
3 Ways to Build Rapport and Understanding Before You Negotiate
Effective negotiators prioritize rapport by first understanding the other party’s motivations. Researching a counterpart’s professional history, social media presence, and personal interests uncovers non‑financial drivers that often shape decisions. By mapping these insights, negotiators can tailor their approach, build trust,...
Why the Best Founders Approach Business Like an Engineer
The article argues that founders who adopt an engineering mindset can cut through startup chaos and scale more efficiently. By applying systems thinking, architects‑first planning, and rapid feedback loops, leaders transform vague problems into discrete, testable components. Constraints are reframed...
Microsoft and Nexon Put Faith in New Creative Leads With Wildly Different Backgrounds
Patrick Soderlund, founder of Embark Studios, has been appointed executive chairman of Nexon, while Asha Sharma, a former Azure AI lead, will replace Phil Spencer as CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Soderlund’s track record includes successful multiplayer titles like The Finals...
6 Lessons Shaping Health System Strategic Leaders’ Operational Approach for 2026
Health system leaders are reshaping 2026 operations amid technology, regulation, and labor pressures. Executives from Cedars‑Sinai to Novant Health stress frontline immersion, cost‑control focus, system‑design that simplifies right actions, and building trust through candid dialogue. Prioritizing a narrow set of...
Spencer and Bond Out at Microsoft Gaming as AI Exec Sharma Takes Over
Microsoft Gaming announced a leadership overhaul as longtime Xbox chief Phil Spencer retired and COO Sarah Bond departed. Asha Sharma, former head of Microsoft’s CoreAI division and veteran of Instacart and Meta, was appointed CEO of the entire gaming portfolio,...
Xbox’s New Boss Promises Not To Flood It With ‘Soulless AI Slop’
Phil Spencer retires after a 12‑year tenure, and Microsoft appoints Asha Sharma—formerly head of its Core AI Product division—as Xbox’s new CEO. In her inaugural memo, Sharma vows to keep “soulless AI slop” out of games while acknowledging AI’s role...
Eric Avila Joins Siebert Williams Shank
Veteran public‑finance banker Eric Avila has joined Siebert Williams Shank & Co. as managing director and head of the Midwest region, bringing senior experience from Janney Montgomery Scott, Morgan Stanley, Samuel Ramirez & Co., and U.S. Bank. Siebert highlighted the hire as a catalyst to capitalize on...
Quantum: Photonic Inc. Names Executive Chair and Four Directors
Photonic Inc., a Vancouver‑based distributed quantum computing firm, announced a refreshed board after a CAD 180 million financing round. Alex van Someren returns as Executive Chair, while Don Mattrick takes the Vice Chair role. New directors include Nathan Medlock, Ashton Scordo, and existing founders Stephanie Simmons...
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Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer Retires, Xbox President Sarah Bond Resigns [Update]
Microsoft Gaming announced that longtime CEO Phil Spencer will retire on February 23, and Xbox president Sarah Bond has resigned. Asha Sharma, formerly head of CoreAI and with experience at Instacart and Meta, will take over as CEO, while Matt Booty...
Phil Spencer Retires From Xbox And Sarah Bond Resigns As Microsoft’s AI Exec Takes Over
Microsoft announced that longtime Xbox chief Phil Spencer will retire after 38 years, stepping down this summer. Asha Sharma, previously head of Microsoft CoreAI, is named the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, with Matt Booty promoted to chief content officer....
Armada Hoffler Hits Reset to Focus on Retail, Office Portfolio
Armada Hoffler announced a strategic reset, rebranding as AH Realty Trust and narrowing its portfolio to retail and office assets. The REIT will divest most of its multifamily holdings, exit its construction and financing platforms, and use the proceeds to...
14 Months Later, UMG’s Virgin Officially Wraps Its Downtown Buyout — Pieter Van Rijn Shifts to COO, Justin Kalifowitz Steps...
Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music Group has completed its $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Group, finalizing the deal 14 months after announcement and shortly after EU approval. Pieter van Rijn, former Downtown head, is appointed COO of Virgin Music, reporting...
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...
B2BMX 2026 Tracks: Building Teams That Drive Success
B2BMX 2026’s Leadership & Culture track spotlights how modern CMOs are reshaping teams to drive growth, featuring sessions on playbooks, lead‑gen risk mitigation, and social selling. Speakers include Ricky Abbott, May Petry, Uky Chong, Sarah Icely Hill, and Darren McKee, who...
Exclusive: Qualcomm Hires AMD PC Exec To Lead Global Compute Sales
Qualcomm has hired longtime AMD executive Jason Banta as vice president of global compute sales to spearhead its Snapdragon X Series push in PCs. Banta, who led AMD’s client OEM business and helped the company secure record CPU share, replaces...
World Bank Chief's Role on Trump-Led Board of Peace Prompts Questions
World Bank President Ajay Banga joined President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza reconstruction, igniting debate over the lender’s political neutrality. Critics warn his involvement could blur the Bank’s traditionally apolitical stance, while supporters argue his presence may temper...
Matthew Moore Named President of Global Risk Solutions at Liberty Mutual Insurance
Liberty Mutual announced that Matthew Moore will become president of its Global Risk Solutions division, effective March 6, 2026. Moore, who has served as president of underwriting for GRS and held senior roles across the company’s specialty and reinsurance businesses...
Robin Udhwan Named Head of Canada Programs at Munich Re Specialty – North America
Munich Re Specialty – North America appointed Robin Udhwan as Head of Canada Programs. In this role, Udhwan will oversee underwriting and management of the MGA portfolio, reporting to Claudia Carnevale and Derek Stewart. He brings extensive underwriting and operational...
CLIA Names Azamara and WorldVia Executives as Committee Co-Chairs
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has named Michelle Lardizabal, Azamara’s Chief Sales Officer, and Joshua Harrell, WorldVia’s Chief Revenue Officer as co‑chairs of its Trade Relations Committee for the 2026‑2027 term. The committee serves as a strategic bridge between...
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...
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...
Sean M. Dell’Orto Named Park Hotels & Resorts COO
Park Hotels & Resorts announced that Sean M. Dell’Orto will serve as chief operating officer while continuing as executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. Dell’Orto has held the CFO and treasurer positions since the company’s 2017 spin‑off from...
Morgan Stanley’s PCA Chief Leaves the Bank
Morgan Stanley announced that its global head of the Principal Capital Allocation (PCA) group has departed the firm. The bank confirmed the PCA unit will continue operating without interruption, but a successor has not yet been named. The move follows...
StepStone Hospitality Promotes Kristina Randorf
StepStone Hospitality has promoted Kristina Randorf to senior vice president of revenue management, where she will steer enterprise revenue management, strategic analytics, and innovation. Randorf joined the firm in 2017 as an on‑property revenue manager and progressed through area, regional,...
Emina Demiri Talks Surviving Firing Your Biggest Client
Emina Demiri Watson, head of digital at Vixen Digital, revealed that the agency deliberately terminated a client that generated roughly 70% of its revenue after a three‑month toxic relationship deteriorated. The move exposed a severe customer‑concentration risk that the firm...
Sprouts Farmers Market Announces Management Changes
Sprouts Farmers Market announced Don Clark as its new chief merchandising officer and Mandy “Mandy” Rassi as chief customer officer, while current CMO Scott Neal retires. Clark brings over 25 years of CPG and retail merchandising experience, and Rassi adds...
KSPS PBS Appoints Skyler Reep GM
Skyler Reep has been appointed president and general manager of KSPS PBS in Spokane, Washington, effective immediately after serving as interim GM. Reep joined the station in 2017 as membership director and was promoted to director of development in 2023,...
HR Happy Hour Media Network Launches HR Connection to Serve Leaders Building HR in Fast-Growing Companies
The HR Happy Hour Media Network announced the launch of a new podcast, The HR Connection, aimed at HR leaders and business executives in small to mid‑size companies (1‑500 employees). Hosted by Sabrina Baker, founder of Acacia HR Solutions, and...
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...
Democratising Surveillance: Why Culture Is the Real Compliance Challenge
VoxSmart CEO Oliver Blower argues that compliance failures stem more from entrenched cultural norms than from a lack of surveillance technology. He proposes reframing communications monitoring as a product discipline that emphasizes explainable AI, fairness, and shared accountability rather than...