The career ladder is broken for aspiring women CEOs. Here’s what we can do to fix it
I don’t meet many sexists these days, thankfully. Most CEOs and chairs are fully committed to equal career opportunities. They recognise that their companies will be stronger as a result. Unfortunately, this widespread belief in equality doesn’t always square with the outcomes. Statistically, the odds are stacked against women with ambitions to lead. A typical […]
Do co-CEOs really work?
In a corporate setting it’s rare for there not to be a single chief executive running the show, but not unheard of. Increasingly, we’re seeing prominent examples of co-CEOs, including Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters at Netflix, co-MDs Jane Eskriett and Richard Grainger at River Island, and M&S CEO Stuart Machin and co-CEO Katie Bickerstaffe. […]
Why we’re seeing more bounceback CEOs
If you went off the grid in 2010 and re-emerged to survey the cast of characters in today’s business pages, you might be forgiven for thinking that things hadn’t changed. Bob Iger is still the CEO of Disney. Julian Dunkerton runs Superdry, and Richard Bradbury is in charge of River Island. There’s Nittin Passi at […]
4 more people predictions for 2024
Two weeks ago we talked about people trends we expect to see this year, and their unintended consequences: the shift back towards office based rather than hybrid working, the use of AI to automate roles, and the increased use of equity as part of compensation packages. This week, we’re exploring four further developments we’re seeing […]
CEOs need reinvention, but do they know how?
The headline reading of PwC’s Global Annual CEO Survey 2024 is that leaders are leaning into radical change, in part because of the transformative effects of generative AI. No fewer than 45% said their business would no longer be viable in 10 years, if they didn’t change course. Reading between the lines, it’s hard to […]
‘Tis the season for reflection
What does Christmas mean to you? For Stevie Wonder, it had something to do with carol singers and mistletoe. Perhaps yours more closely resembles a maelstrom of wrapping, relatives and bad jokes. Perhaps it’s something you don’t get involved in. In any case, the holiday season (or, for retailers, the quieter period after the January […]
Why underrepresented entrepreneurs offer high-growth potential
Just 0.24% of venture capital money goes to Black founders and 0.02% goes to Black women founders. Eric Collins is on a mission to change this. Collins runs Impact X Capital Partners, a venture capital firm that believes in financial returns as well as social change and backs entrepreneurs looking to improve society and the […]
Improving diversity and equity in the fashion industry
DE&I has become a buzzword for many companies, but fashion still has a long way to go when it comes to improving diversity, equity and inclusion. A recent report from the British Fashion Council found just 5% of the most senior roles in the industry are held by people from an ethnic minority background. Chanda […]
Re-booting the CBI’s purpose, fast
Rain Newton-Smith surely thought long and hard about whether to accept the role of Director-General of the CBI. The invitation has ‘glass cliff’ written all over it. Chief among the items in her unenviable in-tray are restoring trust in the scandal-ridden business lobby and stopping the exodus of big employers that threatens to kill its […]
BT’s Bridget Lea for International Women’s Day
Bridget Lea is the Managing Director of Commercial at BT / EE. She has held senior roles at Sainsbury’s, O2, Oasis and more, and is also a non-exec at Marston’s and governor at Manchester Metropolitan University. She sat down with ORESA for International Women’s Day, telling us about her storied career, gender equality and what […]
