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Earlier this year, the fierce battle proxy contest at Air Products ended with activist investor Mantle Ridge organizing the company's legendary CEO, Seifi Ghasemi. The results were impressive. It wasn't just for the change in leadership, but also for the way it unfolded. The 82-year-old Gasemi himself became CEO 10 years ago after Mantle Ridge founder Paul Hilal supported him in a previous proxy contest. This year, a campaign of thoughtful critique focused on addressing successive concerns resonating with shareholder bases, offering alternative strategic visions, different capital allocation priorities.The three takeaways for the board and management team are as follows:1.…
Does the current board configuration include members with the right level of artificial intelligence expertise? Does your board have members who can accurately assess the increased impact of AI on society, its risks and opportunities for operational efficiency and revenue growth? Heather Redman, director of PPL Corporation and venture capitalist specializing in trading, including AI startups, recently sat down Corporate Board Members Columnist Matthew Scott discusses why companies need to add AI expertise to their boards and how to do that. Below is an edited transcript of their conversation.Why is artificial intelligence becoming such a critical expertise that the Corporate…
After eight years of promotion within the Siemens Smart Infrastructure finance team, Saanchika Weerasinghe has a new challenge. It is the main finances of Brightly Software, a Siemens subsidiary. Bright is an acquisition, but it's not new. It was closed in 2022. However, integration into the infrastructure of corporate giants like Siemens is unfinished. Because Brightly is a smaller, more dynamic organization, the best practices and KPIs used in the Siemens smart infrastructure cannot be overlaid on top. Weerasinghe's work incorporates what he absorbed as Vice President of Financial and Financial Integration Lead in Smart Infrastructure, and applies it to…
I have known Brian Cornell for many years. He has taken big companies to the executive suites of Safeway, Michael's stores, PepsiCo and Sam's Club since we met. Today he is Target's CEO. He knows firsthand the benefits of being dedicated to excellence. Part of his process is learning to be comfortable as a teacher and student.Brian shared this story with me. “Mature leaders realize they are not perfect. I was criticized for wanting to be perfect early in my career. I wanted to make sure I was completely buttoned. One day my old boss sat me down and said,…
Every organization knows who the planet is. But who can't afford to lose? It's often someone else. They may not be the best salary or the most visible, but they will bring you the expertise that will make even more of your MVPs barely inexpensive. In sports, that person was Dennis Rodman. As one former NBA executive reportedly said about Dennis Rodman, he was not always loved in the locker room, whether he was the best scorer or leader. However, his team will not win the championship without him. In business, that person may be on your team now. Rodman's…
In June 2024, after an extensive review, CEO Julie Wood at QBE North America introduced the large commercial insurer’s revised strategy—to focus on core customers and segments where the company has meaningful market position, relevance and scale. “We were finding our way around our appetite and marketplace in the U.S.” Woods says. “Our new strategy shifts away from generalist, commodity-type business toward becoming a niche specialist.”The decision to strategically reposition QBE North America as a provider of niche insurance products to select commercial customers was a bold move. QBE North America, with $7.3 billion in gross written premium in 2024, is part of Australia’s…
Over the years of financial reporting, management and accounting, Adam Drew became CFO at software company Kyriba when his road to the CFO office was not getting much better now. Through his financial roles in technology companies, including Linux OS Company Suse and his early career at Deloitte, Drew has seen the evolution of skills essential to CFO sheets during the rapid changes in automation.”I spend a lot of time learning about all sorts of things that aren't characteristic of CFO roles 20 years ago,” Drew said.As the finance director for the Treasury Platform Provider, Drew discovers how current economic…
Are chargebacks eating into your profits? Jack McCullough sits down with Rebecca Beam, CFO of Chargeback Gurus, to demystify the complex world of chargebacks and reveal how to reclaim lost revenue. Rebecca brings a unique perspective to combating these disputed credit card transactions that lead to fund reversals. She explains how the company uses an award-winning proprietary platform and data science to provide compelling evidence for its clients, helping them win disputes and prevent future chargebacks.In addition, she shares her experience in the Big Four, transitioning to fintech and the advantages of working for a private company.To book a demo…
Recent shareholder lawsuits against health insurance company UnitedHealth Group may indicate that corporate committee decisions are subject to much greater scrutiny than they have seen in the past few years. The lawsuit raises questions about the level of accountability that must convey very important information to investors. and develop and approve business strategies that are ethical and not harmful to the public.The lawsuit accused United Health of making false and misleading statements while it had not disclosed to investors, and ultimately lost its shareholder value of $170 billion in December 4, 2024 following the murder of United Care CEO Brian…
Rapid changes in tariffs by the U.S. and its trading partners worldwide have shaken assumptions with respect to global trade. The resulting uncertainty and fear of a global trade war has frozen business decision making. And it can also result in tariffs assuming a disproportionate role in the evaluation of cross border transactions. In fact, changing tariffs—like any other change in law—creates winners and losers. Some companies are adversely affected, and others are presented with compelling opportunities. We live in a global economy and cross-border transactions will continue in the face of changing tariffs. Yet the fact that cross-border transactions…