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Virpy Richter has had a career spanning four different countries and two different seats in the C-Suite, but it wasn’t until her most recent role as the CFO of Awin Global that things really clicked. “Although I always lived and worked in different countries, all the other companies were more like set up classical headquarters based in Germany,” she says. “This is the first company where we truly think globally and where we also come from a global mindset, which is very enriching.” But with a global mindset comes a new host of challenges. Richter joins Jack McCullough for the…
Looking ahead to 2025, CEOs of PE-backed portfolio companies face unique challenges that highlight the need for disciplined, forward-looking strategies. Interest rates have fluctuated but are still higher than they were five years ago, and ongoing economic shifts and political transitions continue to shape strategic choices. At the same time, sponsor expectations are rising, increasing the demand for consistent and tangible returns. Against this backdrop, CEOs must prioritize sustainable value creation, operational optimization, and well-constructed exit strategies to effectively navigate these challenges. The following approach, based on operational improvement best practices, provides PE-backed companies with a blueprint for driving growth,…
As businesses navigate continued times of disruption, employee resilience has emerged as a key success and, in some cases, survival factor. From pandemic-induced 'mass resignations' to the rise of hybrid work and generative AI, organizations are facing unprecedented changes in the way people work. Boards are now tasked with not only overseeing strategy and financial performance, but also ensuring that companies adapt to new workforce realities. Employee expectations for pay, flexibility, culture, and career growth are changing dramatically, requiring boards to recalibrate their approach to talent governance.In a recent panel discussion at the Board of Directors Summit, industry leaders discussed…
The CEO of United Health Group's insurance division was shot to death on a Manhattan street Wednesday morning in what police believe was a targeted assassination, but the victim is sounding the alarm in boardrooms across the country. It rang – even if it hadn't already rang.Brian Thompson, 50, was shot in the chest and leg outside the Sixth Avenue Hilton Hotel before a scheduled appearance and UHC's annual investor conference, and died shortly after. According to police, the suspect fled the scene on a bicycle. Investigations are ongoing throughout the New York metropolitan area.The motive for the killing remains…
Until the economic value of employees' skills, experience, and knowledge is reflected on the balance sheet, management's incentives to hire dissatisfied employees and instill a sense of purpose are highly unstable. may remain.That's in line with research published earlier this year by Indeed and the University of Oxford Center for Wellbeing Research, which found that job satisfaction and employee happiness are associated with higher company valuations, return on assets and profitability. Despite this.Fortunately, some companies are making the connection. Two years ago, ITech AG, an Arlington, Virginia-based technology consulting firm for federal, state, and local governments, undertook an 18-month culture…
It is impossible not to witness a once-in-a-generation barrage of global disruption impacting businesses, markets, societies, and the ecosystems that support them. The US presidential election, Brexit, Covid-19, climate-related events, conflict and war, generative AI, spatial and ambient computing – these are some of the notable disruptions that have occurred over the past eight years. These are just some of the happenings. Yet, event after event, life returns to business as usual in a flexible manner. As disruption and technology accelerate, leadership frameworks and mental models must also adapt. Great CEOs of the future will not only lead their companies…
If you haven't already received pressure from your board, sponsor, or CEO to invest in AI or GenAI, you will soon. Additionally, you're probably drowning in sales pitches from vendors promising AI-driven transformation. How do you cut through the noise to understand the best real-world applications that create meaningful value? We've outlined five facts that CFOs need to know about the opportunity to use AI and GenAI to disrupt outdated financial workstreams.1. This isn't just about AI. Finding the right technology to solve a problem or seize an opportunity is key. AI and GenAI have transformative potential. Even in its…
AI and technology are not just on the agenda of audit and risk committees. Most strategic compensation committees evaluate how employee development and change management efforts support (or don't support) business transformation strategies. There is a complex intersection between AI (and other technology) initiatives, business priorities, and talent management. And as more and more companies pour resources into AI to gain a competitive edge, the demand for talent with AI-related skills increases, as does the anxiety posed by traditional employees who don't have those skills. Additionally, executives estimate that 40% of their workforce will need to be reskilled over the…
Rowan Wilkie serves as CFO for a company on the cutting edge: Nutromics is a med-tech startup developing wearable devices, enabling continuous diagnostic monitoring for a wide variety of conditions. Being at the helm of an operation with the potential to shake up healthcare, and save lives, is no small task. Wilkie joins Jack McCullough to reflect on his wide-ranging career journey, the most valuable lessons he learned from his mentors, fundraising and financial strategies and why purpose and people were at the top of his list when it came to finding a dream leadership position. Listen by clicking below.…
Every company is constantly responding to change and working to develop appropriate strategies, as if responding to the call of the motto: “Disrupt or be disrupted.” Leaders come up with strategies that provide innovative solutions that beat the competition (until new competition emerges) or lead to creative breakthroughs that have the power to transform humanity and even save lives. I dream of coming up with strategies. And if you can get there, the reward is gold nuggets, the income and profits that help you survive in the hard times and thrive in the good times, year after year. But amid…