Author: admin
Manufacturing stands at a pivotal point. Despite the groundswell of public awareness around AI, many manufacturers—who represent a substantial portion of global GDP—have been slow to transition from analog to digital operations, even though the overwhelming majority have long known they need to do so. This hesitancy now threatens their very existence. As innovators and disruptors leverage AI to optimize every aspect of manufacturing, from suppliers to end consumers, those who fail to transform risk becoming obsolete, potentially at a pace far faster than they anticipate. The opportunity is immense. Manufacturing collectively represents three-quarters of the global GDP, or $75…
How often do organizations go through the formal step of defining a corporate values statement and then let it remain just another item to check off a list? When organizational values like integrity, respect, collaboration, and trust don't actually reflect what people experience at work every day, organizational culture suffers. Leaders lose credibility when they only pay lip service to the values. A deteriorated culture can have disastrous consequences, and there have been major tragic events over the years that have been rightly attributed to organizational culture, such as the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion, the…
Recent EY and Oxford University research suggests that 85 percent of senior leaders have been involved in two or more significant transformations in the last five years alone. Approximately two-thirds said they had experienced at least one turbulent transformation during this time. That’s a remarkable number. And it takes on an entirely new meaning in today’s incredibly fast-paced market. The EY 2021 Global Board Risk Survey shows that 82 percent of board members and CEO’s say market disruptions have become more frequent and impactful, and companies have begun to transform more frequently to keep pace. Organizations are failing to deliver successful transformations…
The hottest job in 2024 is undoubtedly Chief AI Officer (CAIO). From technology companies to healthcare providers to universities, organizations are hiring CAIOs in droves. In March, the White House spurred a wave of government hiring by announcing that federal agencies must appoint Chief AI Officers “to ensure accountability, leadership, and oversight” of the technology. Given the rapid rise of AI, this trend is not surprising. Indeed, it reflects a widespread instinct and reaction across organizations of all kinds, despite the potential limitations that AI can have on efficiency and competitiveness. When faced with a promising emerging field like AI,…
While joining a startup in an industry undergoing transformation is exciting, which is one of the reasons why long-time CFOs from larger companies are attracted to such companies, the chance to build a finance organization from the ground up is also a strong draw. Auto industry veteran Todd Pepmeyer is one of the chief financial officers making the leap in the current business cycle. In March 2023, Pepmeyer joined Indianapolis-based Alive AI, which automates last-mile delivery of consumer and business packages. The company calls part of its service “Mailbox-as-a-Service.” Pepmeyer, who worked in finance at Ford Motor Company and then…
“Strategic pivots” are all the rage—and a necessity for more CEOs. But how you get to the point of launching a major change in strategy, and how you execute it, can be just as important as the pivot you make. Think about transformation decisions CEOs are making all over the place these days. They’re reacting to technology disruptions, drastic market shifts, restive customers, the accelerating swirls of domestic politics and global events—and more. These things can produce highly consequential new challenges or breathtaking new opportunities, and leaders must lean into both. “Thirty percent of any given sector is in transformation…
Just months after persuading shareholders and Tesla's board of directors to reinstate an unprecedented $44.9 billion compensation package that had been rejected by a Delaware court, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is defying conventional wisdom again by persuading the company's shareholders to ask Tesla's board to invest $5 billion in his AI startup, xAI. If he succeeds in persuading Tesla's board to invest in his startup, will it encourage other CEOs and directors to “invest” in their own private ventures? Such transactions have generally been viewed as conflicts of interest. Musk reportedly asked users on his social media platform X whether…
Gina Mastantuono didn’t foresee herself becoming the CFO of a major technology company. Early on in her career, she was laser-focused on job security. “As time went on, I pushed myself and I took risks in my career because I never saw CFOs who looked like me,” she says. “It’s the hard road and those twists and turns are where the magic happens and where growth happens.” Now the CFO of ServiceNow, an enterprise software company that brought in over $10 billion in revenue last year, Mastantuono is paving the way for other women who are aspiring finance leaders. In…
Negotiation is a way of life. essence In all aspects of life, from the personal to the professional, whether you're trying to get promoted at work or become a CEO, knowing your voice or how to assert yourself is crucial. Ana Dutra knows the art of negotiation. She has served as a global CEO, agent and P&L leader at companies such as IBM, CSC, Marsh & McLennan, Accenture and Korn Ferry International. Over the past 20 years, Dutra has served on the boards of directors of seven global public companies, eleven private companies and several non-profit organizations. She currently serves…
Waste Management (WM), North America's largest waste disposal service provider, does much more than just pick up trash: the company has undergone a transformation in recent years by fully embracing sustainability, breaking new ground in areas like renewable energy and converting landfill gas into fuel for natural gas-powered trucks. Devina Rankin, a company veteran who has served as Waste Management's CFO since 2020, has played a pivotal role. “We are a financially strong organization, and we are also working on exciting things that give us great growth potential,” Rankin said. Rankin will share his journey at WM and highlight the…