Author: admin
We asked Brian Olson, former CFO and CEO of both private and public companies and executive coach of CEOs, how CFOs are effective to lead companies throughout the turbulent era of economic and financial markets.This situation may seem sudden and dramatic, but the signs have been there forever. Tariffs were a consistent topic in President Trump's speech, making its impact on businesses foreseeable. This serves as a clear reminder that companies actively identify, classify and evaluate both expected and unexpected risks.The CFO is at its heart, the risk manager. Their responsibility goes beyond recognizing current threats. They must analyse the…
Since taking the helm at the CJ Foodville USA in 2017, Tony Hunsoo Ahn has tuned one of the most impressive and unconventional growth stories in the US food retail space. Under his leadership, Tous Les Jours, a French Asian bakery brand with Korean roots, has changed from a niche concept to a rapid powerhouse, listing a combined annual growth rate of 40%, expanding to over 150 locations nationwide. And Ann has not slowed down strategic investments in supply chains, digital transformation and franchise support. He further positions the brand for a wider national reach. In the following interview, Ahn…
Whether you agree to it or not, President Donald Trump's massive new tariff regime could promise to restructure the entire world trade, and in the process, plunging the economy into a recession. Stock markets around the world fell over the details of his plans on Wednesday, and CEOs of all industries tried to assess how changes will affect them.For many, the news was shocking, even if the president had telegraphed his intentions for years. Since Trump took office earlier this year, when I spoke to CEOs and board members, I found a common thread of expectations. “He's a deal maker.…
If CFOs think they can stay around cyber threat protection, they should think again. CFOs and their teams are often the first to detect many types of cyberattacks, so they need to surpass the potential red flag.However, cybersecurity is just one area outside the financial domain that modern CFOs need to understand in depth. If your CFO wants to be a business strategist, that is, if you want to meet the expectations of the CEO and the board, you need to know more.In the following interview, Teruel builds on his years of financial experience in the cybersecurity market and his…
Whether you agree to it or not, President Donald Trump's massive new tariff regime could promise to restructure the entire world trade, and in the process, plunging the economy into a recession. Stock markets around the world fell over the details of his plans on Wednesday, and CEOs of all industries tried to assess how changes will affect them.For many, the news was shocking, even if the president had telegraphed his intentions for years. Since Trump took office earlier this year, when I spoke to CEOs and board members, I found a common thread of expectations. “He's a deal maker.…
Sure it’s cliché to say that boards and CEOs are living through an unprecedented era of challenge and change— economic, technological, political, social. But that doesn’t make it any less true. Or difficult. Ask anyone serving on a board these days.From generative AI and cybersecurity threats to rising CEO turnover and activist investing (and an activist White House) and on and on and on, there’s literally no end to the critical issues competing for board time and attention.So what should directors do? Bill George has ideas. The legendary former chair and CEO of Medtronic (where he grew the market cap…
Is it time for corporate board members to consider placing restrictions on external business and political activities for CEOs? This may be a topic that the meeting room will discuss, given the negative impact Tesla CEO Elon Musk's political activities have had on the company's stock price.Musk was appointed as a special government employee in the Trump administration, and he drew anger from millions of Americans because of his activities related to government efficiency (DOGE). People around the world have identified Musk as the head of how the Trump administration eliminated jobs, eliminated aid programs, protests against Musk at Tesla…
APQC surveyed over 600 financial leaders in the industry and region to see how organizations use AI and support recruitment in the financial process. Our research conducted later last year revealed that AI and generator AI are transforming financial functions. The degree of recruitment varies, with some companies fully optimizing AI, while others remain in the exploratory stage. The challenges regarding lack of labor skills and integration with systems and processes are obstacles that organizations must overcome before fully realising the possibilities of AI. Important areas of AI APQC research shows that AI has made significant advances in these key…
Leading finance at a publicly held company is more than just numbers—it is about vision, leadership and building strong teams. Jack McCullough welcomes Lauren StClair, former CFO of NerdWallet, to the Secrets of Rockstar CFOs podcast to discuss how she led the personal finance technology company through its IPO while maintaining its core values of transparency and innovation. Lauren will be one of the keynote speakers at our Spring CFO Leadership Conference in Boston on June 2-4.On this podcast, recorded before Lauren left NerdWallet for another career opportunity, Lauren shares her unique journey from Stanford athlete to finance leader, highlighting…
While the West and Southwest remain prime locations for manufacturing and tech companies, the semiconductor industry is growing rapidly in several states. Chip manufacturers are investing billions in Arizona, Texas and Oregon. Meanwhile, Samsung’s growing project in Austin now ranks as one of the largest economic development deals in U.S. history.1. Texas* Samsung Doubles Down in Austin Everything is big in Texas, and Samsung is going all-in on Austin to develop one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturing campuses. In April 2024, the Korean company announced it is making a $45 billion investment in the region for a second fabrication plant,…