Doing business in China increasingly requires an entirely different approach to supply chain, IT, government relations, and innovation. How can multinational companies operating in China evaluate the risks and opportunities—including gray swans and even black swans? Join Steve Odland and guest David Hoffman, China Center Leader and senior advisor for Asia at The Conference Board, to explore the difference between “complicated” and “complex,” how to win in down market operating conditions, and wh...
Aug 21, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 288
The average credit decision at Synchrony relies on 9,000 pieces of data. How does the company use all this information to expand credit access while giving consumers the right amount of credit at the right time? Join Steve Odland and guest Brian Wenzel, chief financial officer at Synchrony, to find out how the company is improving financial literacy, how Synchrony uses machine learning, AI, and other technologies to improve its offerings, and how it reset its culture through active listening and...
Aug 18, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 287
Find out how FIS is staying on the cutting edge of technology while serving clients and communities. FIS processes more than 10% of the global economy and handles $16 trillion in assets annually. How does the company simultaneously safeguard data, pursue innovation, and serve its communities? Join David Young and guest Stephanie Ferris, CEO and president of FIS, to learn about Ferris' journey to the corner office, three ways Ferris and FIS are exploring generative AI, and how the company support...
Aug 11, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 286
More C-Suite leaders view their boards as effective in 2025, but numerous challenges remain, including keeping up with AI. More than one-third (35%) of C-Suite executives surveyed by PwC and The Conference Board say their board’s effectiveness is “excellent” or “good.” What are these boards doing well, and where do they need to improve? Join Steve Odland and guest Arielle Berlin, director of the Governance Insights Center at PwC, to find out how boards are grappling with uncertainty, why compani...
Aug 04, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 285
In this episode, we break down the latest data from The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, released today. The numbers show a modest but notable improvement in consumer sentiment as we move through summer 2025. We explore: Overall Confidence Ticks Up: The Consumer Confidence Index rose by 2.0 points to 97.2, rebounding from a revised June figure of 95.2. This marks the second month of stabilization following a sharp decline in April. Mixed Views on the Present: The Present Situation In...
Jul 29, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 284
Learn how Clorox invested in technological innovation so it could continue delivering superior consumer experiences. Almost 90% of US households use Clorox products, giving the company a unique window into consumer behavior during this uncertain time. How has The Clorox Company used innovation and technology to reinvent itself and respond to shifting consumer needs? Join David Young and guest Linda Rendle, CEO and chair of Clorox, to find out about her family background in CPG, the company's ong...
Jul 28, 2025•17 min•Season 1Ep. 283
2025 is half over. What issues should human capital leaders focus onduring the restof the year? In this time of rapid change, chief HR officers (CHROs) shouldfocus on issues such as AI transformation, leadership resilience, and strategic workforce planning. Whatelse made The Conference Board’s top 10 CHRO priorities for the restof 2025? Join Steve Odland and guest Diana Scott, center leader of the US Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, to find out why succession and workforce planning ...
Jul 21, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 282
Learn why culture and constant innovation are essential to developing life-changing biopharma treatments. Vertex Pharmaceuticals focuses on “serial innovation” because this year’s billion-dollar blockbuster drug could become next year’s failure. How does this biopharmaceutical company recruit and onboard employees, and how does it create a culture where the best ideas thrive? Join David Young and guest Reshma Kewalramani, president and CEO at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and a recipient of the 2025 CE...
Jul 14, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 281
We've just passed the midway point of 2025 -- what are the top 10 priorities for chief marketing officers (CMOs) for the rest of the year? CMOs have been tasked with driving growth even while they grapple with external uncertainty, widespread burnout, and the rise of AI. What else made The Conference Board’s top 10 CMO priorities for the rest of 2025? Join Steve Odland and guest Ivan Pollard, the Marketing & Communications Center Leader at The Conference Board, to find out what we can learn ...
Jul 07, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 280
Learn how General Mills takes strategy from concept into reality—all while standing for good. General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening had the company pick 10 areas where it would “stand for good” and deliver meaningful impact, including regenerative agriculture and packaging reductions. What can other businesses learn about executing a strategy that delivers sustainable results for shareholders, customers, and the planet? Join David Young and guest Jeff Harmening, CEO of General Mills, to find out why ...
Jun 30, 2025•17 min•Season 1Ep. 279
After a brief rebound in May, consumer confidence slipped again. What changed in June—and what might it mean for the economy this summer? The Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 93.0 from 98.4, wiping out half the gains seen last month. Consumers are feeling less optimistic across the board: both their assessment of current business and labor market conditions and their short-term expectations for income, jobs, and the economy have weakened. Pessimism about job availability and business conditi...
Jun 24, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 278
Employer branding reflects your organization’s public perception—and you can measure its effectiveness. In a world where any job candidate can see your reputation at a glance online, employer branding is essential. How is employer branding different from other branding, and how can companies measure the ROI? Join Steve Odland and guest Erka Amursi, principal researcher in the Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, to find out the history of employer branding, the challenges in measuring R...
Jun 23, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 277
Science and technology will bring more change to health care over the next decade than we saw in the past century, says Joaquin Duato, Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson, and a 2025 Distinguished Leadership Award honoree. What drives his confidence, and how is the company creating this future? Join David K. Young and Duato to discover what he has learned in 36 years at J&J, how the company innovates in science and technology, and how the company supports employees and communities. This ...
Jun 16, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 276
If you work in sustainability or ESG, you’re already grappling with a rapidly evolving regulatory and policy landscape, all while proving the ROI of your sustainability strategy. What other crucial issues should sustainability executives prioritize for the remainder of 2025? Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, PhD, principal researcher at The Conference Board Governance & Sustainability Center, to find out how AI is affecting sustainability work, the importance of supply chain sustaina...
Jun 09, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 275
Cybersecurity has become top of mind for Fortune 500 companies, and yet attacks, breaches, and other incidents keep happening. Can companies really prevent cyber risks, and what approach should they be taking? Join David Young and guest Jay Chaudhry, CEO, chairman, and founder of Zscaler, to find out the three lessons his parents taught him, why Zscaler has a customer obsession, and why zero trust architecture is critical for today's cyber approach. This Leadership in Challenging Times discussio...
Jun 02, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 274
Tariffs and stock market movements remained top of mind for consumers in May. The Expectations Index—based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—showed modest improvement overall. Expectations for business conditions and the labor market inched up but stayed in pessimistic territory. The key bright spot was income expectations, which moved into positive territory, supported by a stronger stock market and early signs of progress on a trade deal with Ch...
May 27, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 273
Get insights on the President’s polling 100 days in and how Americans view crucial domestic issues. The Administration’s approval rating has declined from 51% to 45% since Inauguration Day, but that's relatively in line with historical precedent. What does the President’s polling tell us about the American public today—and how they might vote in the 2026 midterms? Join Steve Odland and guest Clifford Young, president of polling and societal trends at Ipsos, to explore the President’s polling ver...
May 27, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 272
Can President Trump get Ukraine and Russia to agree on a peace deal? If so, what happens next? The US administration is pushing for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, but progress has been slow, and success remains uncertain. How likely is a long-term cessation of hostilities, and how could that affect Russia’s military ambitions in Europe? Join Steve Odland and guest Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, senior fellow for national security and managing director of CEO programs at the Council on Foreig...
May 19, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 271
As the Trump presidency enters its second 100 days, what should we expect next? The Trump administration has had arguably the busiest first 100 days since President Franklin Roosevelt’s first term. How will the White House handle the challenges of the next hundred days, including tax legislation, the next phase of DOGE, and pivotal court cases regarding the executive branch’s autonomy? Join Steve Odland and guest David K. Young, president of the Committee for Economic Development, the public pol...
May 12, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 270
As HR becomes more strategic, CHROs are building their presence inside the boardroom. The latest research from The Conference Board shows that chief human resource officers (CHROs) are engaging much more with corporate boards in recent years. How can CHROs continue being a strategic partner while helping companies navigate the future of work? Join Steve Odland and guests Rita Meyerson, EdD, principal researcher in The Conference Board’s Human Capital Center, and Andrew Jones, PhD, principal rese...
May 05, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 269
Consumer confidence plunges to a 13-year low — is a recession next? Consumer confidence declined for a fifth consecutive month in April, to levels not seen since May 2020. With Americans’ spending comprising 70% of economic growth, what could their growing concerns mean for the US this year? Three specific expectation components – business conditions, employment prospects and future income – all dropped sharply, reflecting deep pessimism about the future. Crucially, the number of consumers expec...
Apr 29, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 268
Change is constant, and that’s why your business needsa structured change management strategy. Your business is constantly changing, even if you don’t use the term “change management” to describe it. What does successful change management look like, and how can business leaders do this successfully in a time of uncertainty? Join Steve Odland and guest Diana Scott, Center Leader of The Conference Board'US Human Capital Center, to learn about change management’s history, how to win employee buy-in...
Apr 28, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 267
e.l.f. Beauty —a 2025 recipient of the Corporate Responsibility Awards — is the only cosmetics brand to have grownits market share for 24 consecutive quarters, all while being a leader in innovation, diversity, and Fair Trade certification.What lessons can other businesses learn from e.l.f.’sembrace of diversity, sustainability, and affordable products? Join Steve Odlandand guest Tarang Amin, chairman and CEO of e.l.f. Beauty, to find out how e.l.f.aligns its purpose with customer values, how th...
Apr 21, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 266
China is determined to reincorporate Taiwan—raising the stakes for countries and for businesses. By 2027, China could be militarily capable of taking over Taiwan, backed by the world’s largest navy and a growing air force. What’s next for China-Taiwan relations, and how does their relationship affect Western businesses? Join Steve Odland and guest Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, senior fellow for national security and managing director of CEO programs at the Council on Foreign Relations, to find out h...
Apr 17, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 265
Food, people, and planet—these are the three north stars that help Yum! Brands —a 2025 recipient of the Corporate Responsibility Awards —focus its sustainability efforts across water use, energy, packaging, and more. What lessons can other businesses learn from the sustainability success of this multinational company? Join Steve Odland and guest Jon Hixson, chief sustainability officer at Yum! Brands, to find out why your sustainability strategy requires north stars,how the company wins buy-in f...
Apr 14, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 264
Dive deep into the world of trade balances, the role of the US, and the power of the dollar. The US regularly runs trade deficits with its biggest trade partners, while other blocs such as the EU have trade surpluses. Is this bad for the US, and if so, what can be done about it? Join Steve Odland and guest Maria Demertzis, The Conference Board Economy, Strategy & Finance Center Leader for Europe, to explore trade balances, why the US dollar underpins global trade, and why the WTO rule book d...
Apr 10, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 263
Learn how Prudential Financial continues to serve all stakeholders through clarity of purpose. Prudential Financial has served its local community of Newark, New Jersey, for 150 years, and that's one reason it is a recipient of The Conference Board 2025 Corporate Responsibility Awards. How does the company choose when and where to invest, and how does it scale those efforts globally? Join Steve Odland and guest Lata Reddy, senior vice president, inclusive solutions, at Prudential Financial and c...
Apr 07, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 262
Learn how companies can evolve their philanthropy in a divided political climate while staying true to their values. Most companies in 2025 are focusing their social efforts on economic opportunity and education, according to The Conference Board C-Suite Outlook 2025. How is corporate philanthropy changing, especially with the rise of AI and the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives? Join Steve Odland and guest Jeff Hoffman, Acting ESG Center Leader at The Conf...
Mar 31, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 261
EV sales in the US continue to grow. Learn what needs to happen to spur further adoption. Roughly 20% of US passenger vehicles sold in 2024 were battery electric or hybrid vehicles. What’s next for the EV industry, especially in the face of a changing regulatory environment and tariffson key materials such as lithium? Join Steve Odland and guest Dr. Alex Heil, senior economist in the US Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, to explore the future of EV growth in the US, whether EVs are price co...
Mar 28, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 260
Amid potentially massive job cuts by the federal government, how should leaders manage this disruption? The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seeks to cut hundreds of thousands of federal jobs while shrinking or eliminating many agencies. How can leaders guide the federal workforce through such disruptions, both for those affected and those who remain? Join Steve Odland and guest Diana Scott, Center Leader of the US Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, to find out how DOGE is s...
Mar 27, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 259
