C-Suite Perspectives

Businesses face multiple challenges during a crisis. What if your headquarters were the point of impact, and you were responsible for critical infrastructure in the region? This was the situation Mary Lee Hannell, Chief of Human Capital for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, found herself in during and after the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. In this bonus episode of CEO Perspectives, Hannell joins Rebecca Ray, Leader of the Human Capital Center of The Conference Board, to discuss how Hannell provided leadership in the wake of the crisis—and why a human-centric approach helped keep the organization moving forward. 

Tune in to find out how to: 

·       Keep an organization and business moving through a crisis  

·       Support employee mental health in the wake of a tragedy 

·       Move beyond a crisis to become more resilient    

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:    

·       Visit: Our Well-Being at Work hub 

·       Read: Managerial Support for Well-Being and Mental Health 

The latest research from The Conference Board shows US consumer confidence declined again in September—a trend C-Suite executives will want to watch. Other global economic trends on the horizon include a possible redux in the US banking crisis due to commercial real estate, a slowdown in China, and increased trade tensions between the US and China. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist at The Conference Board, and Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board, sit down to discuss what this means for the wider economy in the US and abroad.  

Tune in to find out:  

• What caused the movement in the overall confidence index?
• Are consumers pulling back from spending because they see a recession ahead? 
• What is the outlook for interest rates for this year and next year? 
• What are the global trends the C-Suite should watch for?

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead®: 

• Read the September Consumer Confidence Index
• Read the latest edition of StraightTalk®, Five Risks and Trends to Watch
• Access the latest insights on Navigating the Economic Storm 

Companies have significant opportunities to transform and generate more value with AI. But many don’t know where to begin. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Brian Evergreen, founder and CEO of The Profitable Good Company, joins Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, to discuss the next the evolution of AI and how leaders should be thinking about their AI strategy.  

Tune in to find out:  

·       What is autonomous transformation, and how is it different from digital transformation?  

·       Should you revolve an AI strategy around a single service, like ChatGPT? 

·       What are the three prongs that every AI strategy needs? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:   

·       Visit our AI Hub: The Next Transformation, Your guide to real-world application 

·       Read: A Simplified Guide to How AI Works 

The BRICS bloc recently doubled its membership and expanded its global reach—especially in the Middle East. Will it succeed as a counterweight to the West—and the US dollar? What are the possible impacts on the global economy and corporations? In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board, and Dana Peterson, our Chief Economist, join Steve Odland, President and CEO, to discuss the impact of BRICS—and what it may mean for business and the global economy. 

• Could BRICS become independent from the West? Is this a new cold war?
• What does this bloc mean for the primacy of the US dollar for trade? For business operations? How much food and global energy will the expanded bloc control?
• How might access to critical materials—such as rare earth minerals or advanced chips—be impacted?
• What challenges might global corporations face? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™: 

• Read: CED Policy Backgrounder: BRICS Summit—Deepening the Divide
• Read: CED Policy Backgrounder: Putin-Erdoğan Meeting on Grain Exports
• Read: Economy Watch | China 

Forty-three percent of executives surveyed by The Conference Board expect ESG backlash to increase. Despite bumpy waters ahead, ESG backlash can be a clarifying moment for companies, prompting them to reevaluate their ESG strategy, priorities, and commitments. 

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Paul Washington, Executive Director, Environmental, Social & Governance Center, joins Steve Odland, President and CEO, both of The Conference Board, to discuss ESG backlash—and what organizations should do about it.  

Tune in to find out: 

• The main sources of ESG backlash, according to our latest research 

• How you can avoid pendulum swings in your organization’s approach to ESG 

• Why a two-fold approach of a fact-based business case and broad communications offers the best solution 

• What to focus on to engage the board and senior management in a candid discussion without polarization  

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™: 

• Read: How Companies Can Address ESG Backlash 

• Read: Four Ways Directors Can Steer a Steady Course Amid ESG Backlash

• Watch: Values to Value: How to Win with ESG Strategy, Communication, and Reporting for Investors

In companies around the world, there’s a massive shift taking place: the mandated return of workers to the workplace. But employees are hesitant after experiencing a “taste of freedom” with remote work during the pandemic. What are the pros and cons of returning to the office? In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Diana Scott, US Human Capital Center Leader, joins Steve Odland, President and CEO, both of The Conference Board, to discuss the dynamics of the move back to the office and what CHROs and CEOs need to consider to maintain culture and productivity.  

Tune in to discover: 

·       What are the benefits and drawbacks of hybrid work? 

·       Are some jobs better suited to hybrid and remote work than others? 

·       How can CHROs lead hybrid teams effectively? 

·       How is productivity defined, and how do we measure it in remote and hybrid environments? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

·       Read The Reimagined Workplace 2023: Striking a Delicate Balance 

·       Access the latest insights on the Future of Work 

The Conference Board announced that the Consumer Confidence Index® fell this month, erasing back-to-back increases in June and July. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Steve Odland, The Conference Board President and CEO, and Dana Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board, sit down to discuss what this means for the labor market, inflation and wider US economy. 

Tune in to find out:  

·       How are consumers feeling about inflation and the job market in August? 

·       What is consumer sentiment around the stock market? 

·       How are consumers’ balance sheets doing, specifically their savings? 

·       To what extent are CEOs currently expecting a recession? 

·       What can we expect for global growth later this year and into next year? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

·       Read the August Consumer Confidence Index 

·       Access the latest insights on Navigating the Economic Storm 

How did Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York state, lead his team through the COVID-19 pandemic? Perpetual optimism. In this CEO Perspectives episode, Dowling sits down with Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of the Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of The Conference Board, to discuss his core principles and how they are helping Northwell Health meet the challenges of government regulation, a tight labor market, a toxic political environment, and more.  

Tune in to discover:  

·       What is the value of perpetual optimism in a crisis? 

·       How important is leadership visibility and “walking the floor”? 

·       Why do you have to "fix the roof while the sun is shining”? 

·       How does one lead innovation despite regulations and politics? 

·       How does a constant focus on the customer give valuable perspective? 

This episode of CEO Perspectives is part of the Leadership in Challenging Times series from CED. The series features discussions with the outstanding business leaders who are recipients of CED’s Distinguished Leadership Awards. In this series, business leaders discuss the unprecedented challenges facing the nation and how they are helping chart a path forward for both their companies and communities in which they operate. 

How will Dow, a chemical materials company with over $57 billion in sales, reach net-zero by 2050? This is just one of the future goals taken up by Jim Fitterling, Chair and CEO of Dow, Inc. In this CEO Perspectives episode, Fitterling sits down with Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of the Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of The Conference Board, to discuss his core principles for leadership and Dow's transformative journey toward sustainability and innovation, including a net-zero future. 

Tune in to find out: 

• What are the core principles Fitterling uses for transformation and leading through disruption? 

• How is Dow innovatively managing an energy transition away from fossil fuels? 

• What are the “guardrails” for using generative AI at Dow? 

• Why is creating the right culture and environment for diverse perspectives critical to innovation? 

This episode of CEO Perspectives is part of the Leadership in Challenging Times series from CED. The series features discussions with the outstanding business leaders who are recipients of CED’s Distinguished Leadership Awards. In this series, business leaders discuss the unprecedented challenges facing the nation and how they are helping chart a path forward for both their companies and communities in which they operate.

Marketing and communications teams are harnessing the new opportunities presented by AI. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Denise Dahlhoff, Senior Researcher in Marketing and Communications, and Steve Odland, President and CEO, both of The Conference Board, sit down to discuss widespread use and experimentation with AI in marketing and communications as well as the concerns that are arising. Tune in to discover:

• The future impact of AI in the eyes of marketing and communications professionals, based on our latest research
• What are the greatest concerns about AI’s use?
• Why marketers appear to be making greater use of AI than communications executives
• How AI helps productivity and creativity
• How can AI help with development of strategy
• Why are midlevel/junior marketers at the forefront of adopting AI in their work, ahead of senior marketers?

To learn more, access the research report, AI in Marketing & Communications: Boosting Productivity—and Creativity, Too? here.