How leaders and organizations are navigating a new reality
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How leaders and organizations are navigating a new reality
Some say a crisis brings out the best in leaders. They set aside trivial grievances, band together for a shared purpose, and focus on helping others. But beneath the strategic choices and genuine care is fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion. Leaders must redistribute disrupted supply chains, enable a remote workforce, safeguard essential employees, and break bad news to employees, as well as maintain their own energy so that they can continue to inspire and motivate.
Over the past two months, using virtual video meetings, Egon Zehnder has convened CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, Corporate Communications and Affairs Officers, and Board members to share their lessons learned, their pain points and their triumphs. We have collected them here in hopes that they may provide fresh ideas or inspiration for others.
This page will be continually updated as the crisis continues.
Leadership Advisory
Leaders currently face what is likely to be the largest challenge and opportunity of their professional lives. They are being asked to shape the… Read more
Leadership Advisory
What should top executives take into consideration when leading their organizations during the pandemic? Egon Zehnder takes a look at five levers to lead,… Read more
Human Resources
Egon Zehnder held six webinars with a total of 52 Corporate Heads of HR across Portugal to put a finger on the pulse as… Read more
Leadership Advisory
Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader shares three behavioral shifts for leaders navigating COVID-19. Read more
Leadership Advisory
In a video message, Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader shares how to address paradoxes rather than shying away from them. Read more
Leadership Advisory
Who is leading for a better world amid the COVID-19 crisis? Read more
Leadership Advisory
A video message from Chairwoman Jill Ader on why and how leaders need to dig deeper than ever into the core of who we… Read more
Leadership Advisory
Leaders currently face what is likely to be the largest challenge and opportunity of their professional lives. They are being asked to shape the… Read more
Leadership Advisory
What should top executives take into consideration when leading their organizations during the pandemic? Egon Zehnder takes a look at five levers to lead,… Read more
Human Resources
Egon Zehnder held six webinars with a total of 52 Corporate Heads of HR across Portugal to put a finger on the pulse as… Read more
Chief Executive Officers
Highlights from a recent digital gathering with new external successor Chief Executive Officers, hosted by Egon Zehnder. Read more
Human Resources
FTSE 125 HR Directors discuss the complexities of returning to work. Read more
Sustainability
In a time of pandemic and unrest, ESG is more important than ever. Egon Zehnder’s Akiba Smith-Francis interviewed several top ESG executives to find… Read more
Technology Officers
In March, Egon Zehnder's Lindsay Trout co-moderated an online discussion with 12 CTOs in the high-tech space & learned how the crisis is driving… Read more
Leadership Advisory
How leadership has changed from the crisis—and how it hasn't. Read more
Digital
Even when the COVID-19 outbreak is contained, it is unlikely things will return to pre-virus normal. Financial Services is one industry that may well… Read more
Consumer
Insights for western brands looking for global eCommerce growth in a post-COVID world from Chris Tung, Chief Marketing Officer of Alibaba. Read more
Leadership Advisory
Hong Kong leaders have always had to adapt. Their experience with crisis will serve them well in the months and years to come. Read more
CFO & Audit Chair
CFOs of the world’s largest companies tackle reopening, fair compensation, and how to forecast following a black swan event. Read more
Board Advisory
15 Audit Committee Chairs share what they deem most important going forward, and how the audit process may change forever. Read more
Technology & Communications
The role of Chief Data and Analytics Officers has expanded dramatically in recent months. Learn more about what they think has changed. Read more
Health
Healthcare CEOs in Asia have embraced that duality and in a teleconference organized by Egon Zehnder, they gathered to discuss the fallout from COVID-19. Read more
Human Resources
In a world that keeps changing, there is no longer an instruction guide showing you how to act. Instead a company’s vision needs to… Read more
Sustainability
COVID-19 is changing the world we live in, including for sustainability leaders. Egon Zehnder’s recent virtual meeting with a group of sustainability leaders shared… Read more
Technology Officers
Egon Zehnder gathered CIOs for a series of three video conferences to hear how they were embracing this new reality and what they see… Read more
Consumer
It’s easy to forget, but not too long ago, large fast moving consumer goods companies such as Procter & Gamble, Mars, Nestle and Unilever… Read more
Leadership Advisory
Highlights from a recent digital gathering with new internal successor Chief Executives, hosted by Egon Zehnder. Read more
Digital
Accelerated digitalization is one of the main results from the global pandemic. But at the same time, tech leaders are learning how to show… Read more
CEO Search & Succession
Highlights from the eighth digital gathering of CEOs from the banking world, hosted by Egon Zehnder. Read more
Retail, E-commerce, Apparel and Luxury
Highlights from a digital gathering of CEOs from the global lifestyle and luxury goods’ sector, hosted by Egon Zehnder. Read more
Insurance
How Insurance leaders have moved on from the initial operational trials of Covid-19, to the larger strategic issues facing the industry. Read more
Human Resources
Global CHROs in Asia and elsewhere on what’s working and what isn’t. Read more
CEO Search & Succession
China is slowly reopening. We asked a group of CEOs what that means and what happens next. Read more
Human Resources
You need to be strict and disciplined with procedures when returning your employees to work. Read more
Culture of Innovation
How COVID-19 should – and shouldn’t – impact the innovation agenda. Read more
Consumer
Egon Zehnder gathered Chinese executives and US public board members on May 14th to exchange their experiences and share their outlook for the future. Read more
Financial Services
As COVID-19 continues to massively impact banks worldwide, leaders’ thoughts are turning to what will happen after the crisis and how banks can already… Read more
NGOs, Charities & Foundations
Boards have played an invaluable role in looking beyond the disruptions to maintain a focus on the bigger picture. Read more
Leadership Advisory
Tips to manage the anxiety of a fresh start in times of uncertainty and social distancing. Read more
Financial Services
Banks are endeavoring to return to a new normal, looking at reopening branches while adapting to a changing world, as Egon Zehnder found out… Read more
Board Advisory
Egon Zehnder’s board consultants interviewed global directors to see how governance has changed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Read more
NGOs, Charities & Foundations
Leaders of philanthropic foundations from Europe and the U.S. discuss the challenges and the major themes they see rising out of the global health… Read more
Asset Management
16 asset management CEOs in Asia discuss leading the way – into and out of the crisis. Read more
Private Equity
A gathering with top Country Heads of Private Equity in Mexico and Latin America to discuss how consumer behavior is changing, its impact in… Read more
Health
Senior Biotech R&D execs brainstorm on saving clinical trials, modifying procedures, and getting people back to work. Read more
Leadership Advisory
How much time together is healthy as we negotiate the framework of the new normal? Read more
Digital
Highlights from the third round of digital gatherings with European Biotech CEOs, hosted by Egon Zehnder. Read more
Chief Executive Officers
Highlights from recent digital gatherings with CEOs from various industry sectors in the Middle East, hosted by Egon Zehnder’s Dubai office. Read more
Insurance
As the crisis drags on, industries must make the transition from coping with the initial emergency to crafting the changes that will shape the… Read more
Supply Chain & Operations
Egon Zehnder interviewed a dozen supply chain leaders and executives in Asia in recent days to see what they’ve learned about managing the crisis. Read more
Board Advisory
How Boards are handling emergency succession planning, communicating with management and investors, and planning for the future. Read more
Board Advisory
Egon Zehnder's Benito Cachinero speaks with Wharton Business School on what it takes for a leader to succeed in times of crisis, particularly a… Read more
Human Resources
Egon Zehnder's Gizem Weggemans spoke with Prof Carl Zangerl at Northeastern University, on how the global pandemic is transforming the human resources function. Read more
CEO Search & Succession
First-time CEOs talk about the importance of focus and authenticity as they take the reins in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Consumer
We’re in a new era. Our leaders must think beyond customer experience and focus on total Human Experience, which takes into account both employees… Read more
Marketing and Sales
Purpose and optimism are important messages to communicate especially in a crisis. Twelve Chief Marketers discuss how to adjust plans to keep their brands… Read more
Technology & Communications
30 Telecom industry CEOs from Italy and other regions around the world share how they are responding to COVID-19. Read more
Human Resources
50 HR Directors across Spain and Portugal share the lessons learned, challenges, and personal stories as they navigate the pandemic. Read more
Health
Egon Zehnder’s Singapore and China offices convened a virtual round table on March 12, 2020, with HR leaders to share learnings. Read more
CEO Search & Succession
On March 27, Egon Zehnder hosted a virtual CEO meeting between 20 Chief Executives of some of the world’s largest companies. Their message: Solidarity… Read more
Technology & Communications
How corporate affairs and communications leaders are steering organizations through a pandemic. Read more
Financial Services
In these extreme times, it’s vital to keep the lines of communication open. Egon Zehnder continued to speak with CEO and CHROs of financial… Read more
Human Resources
What can Turkey learn from the Italian Covid-19 experience? Egon Zehnder brought together 60 executives to share their experiences. Read more
Retail, E-commerce, Apparel and Luxury
We virtually gathered HR leaders of retail companies to share how they are handling the crisis—from benefits for part-time workers, to emergency succession planning,… Read more
Technology Officers
As businesses rapidly embraced technology to enable remote work and preserve business continuity, technology officers see a new task for the weeks and months… Read more
Human Resources
How leaders rapidly readied their organizations and the function to respond to the crisis and what is to come. Read more
CEO Search & Succession
Leadership skills are in heavy demand in the Middle East amid the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, regional CEOs told Egon Zehnder in… Read more
Human Resources
30 Human Resources leaders discuss how to manage the new and pressing needs of employees not working from their homes, especially the critical mandate… Read more
Human Resources
How HR executives have stepped more firmly into leadership roles during the COVID-19 crisis Read more
Insurance
As the crisis drags on, industries must make the transition from coping with the initial emergency to crafting the changes that will shape the… Read more
Asset Management
On April 7, Egon Zehnder and CFA Institute virtually convened 24 CEOs from asset management firms for a candid discussion of the impact that… Read more
CEO Search & Succession
On 9 April, 20 top Chief Executives from five European markets convened to discuss the COVID-19 crisis, part of a series of weekly calls… Read more
Leadership Advisory
On 6th April, 2020, Egon Zehnder, together with Boston Consulting Group, held a virtual gathering of 20+ CEOs in Indonesia to share their experiences… Read more
Public & Social Sector
CEOs of NGOs share how the pandemic has changed their views on their organizations and their work in the world. Read more
Health
The pharma and healthcare sector faces a serious threat of operational challenges due to COVID-19. Operations leaders gather to discuss how to move forward. Read more
Private Equity
The threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to grow, and Operating Partners are fighting to support their portfolio businesses. Read more
Industrial
Egon Zehnder hosted a virtual meeting with CEOs in the Engineering, Procurement and Construction industry across a wide and diverse range of sectors, to… Read more
Private Equity
A digital gathering with top Country Heads of PE in Mexico. Read more
Health
Egon Zehnder's lessons from how the biopharma industry has responded to Covid-19 with focus, collaboration and resilience. Read more
Communications & Public Affairs Officers
CEOs are turning to Corporate Affairs like never before. Read more
Digital
Highlights from a recent digital gathering with CEOs from various industry sectors in the Middle East, hosted by Egon Zehnder’s Dubai office. Read more
Health
Highlights from the second round of digital gatherings with European Biotech CEOs, hosted by Egon Zehnder. Read more
Industrial
Senior P&L leaders are forced to make difficult choices with regard to their employees, suppliers, customers, and business partners. Here's how they are tackling… Read more
Financial Services
A digital gathering with Jean Pierre Mustier, Group Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit, and 40 CEOs from the banking world, hosted by Egon Zehnder’s… Read more
Leadership Advisory
Top IBM executives in China share lessons from the COVID-19 crisis with Indian counterparts. Read more
Human Resources
How HR leaders can help employees and companies weather the COVID-19 crisis. Read more
Leadership Advisory
Top executives share lessons learned from previous crises in the Asia-Pacific region – and how they may help today. Read more
Health
We convened global health care CEOs on March 21 and 22 to discuss what’s needed now and how best to lead in this crisis. Read more
CEO Search & Succession
Five tips for CEOs while they work to manage the business and create psychological and emotional safety for their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. Read more
CEO Search & Succession
On March 19, former BP CEO Bob Dudley and former Rolls Royce CEO Sir John Rose shared advice on steering a company through a… Read more
CFO & Audit Chair
On March 26, our Global CFO practice convened 35 Chief Financial Officers representing 4.9 million employees and $22.3 trillion in revenues to discuss priorities… Read more
Leadership Advisory
Leaders from six major industrial and manufacturing companies and groups operating in India gathered on a video call on March 13 to share how… Read more
Technology & Communications
The role of Chief Data and Analytics Officers has expanded dramatically in recent months. Learn more about what they think has changed. Read more
Health
On March 28, our global health care practice convened a virtual meeting with 15 CEOs around the world to discuss how to ensure financial… Read more
Human Resources
On Tuesday March 24th, our Houston office hosted 20 senior HR leaders to discuss their insights on managing business continuity and leading their organizations… Read more
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