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What does a former Newell Brands CEO have to offer a small private company? If that CEO is Michael Polk, the answer is quite a lot. After decades of navigating the demands of large public corporations, Polk brought his experience to Implus, a smaller private equity-owned business, and found that many of the fundamentals translate […]
Read MoreThe public image of the CEO has long leaned on the idea of a distant, visionary figure issuing directives from a corner office. Michael Polk Newell Brands, who spent more than four decades in executive leadership at companies including Kraft, Unilever, and Newell Brands, thinks that image is increasingly out of step with what the […]
Read MoreJudd Zebersky built Jazwares into a global toy company over nearly 30 years, but from the beginning he treated giving back as part of the company’s identity rather than an afterthought. Jazwares Cares, the organization’s philanthropic arm, was established at the company’s founding and has donated millions of toys over the years. Zebersky stepped down […]
Read MoreKelcy Warren has built one of the most expansive pipeline networks in the world, and if his own words are any indication, he has no intention of walking away. The Energy Transfer executive chairman, honored at the Hart Energy Hall of Fame in December 2023, made his position clear during an exclusive interview: transitioning out […]
Read MoreFor nearly 30 years, the Colcom Foundation has worked to protect and restore natural landscapes across Western Pennsylvania. Founded in 1996 by Cordelia Scaife May, the foundation has channeled more than $500 million in grants into conservation efforts that have permanently altered the region’s ecological landscape for the better. Protecting Land and Water Colcom Foundation’s […]
Read MoreAsk most financial professionals what defines a successful advisory team, and the answers cluster around performance: returns, client satisfaction scores, assets under management. Justin Nelson, who leads a 20-person group at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Connecticut, offers a different framework. His team’s success, as he describes it, is measured in relationship quality and collective […]
Read MoreThe image of the chief executive as a distant, untouchable visionary may be giving way to something more grounded. Michael Polk, former CEO of Newell Brands, believes the role is changing and that leaders who refuse to adapt will be left behind. After more than 40 years leading companies of vastly different sizes, Polk has […]
Read MoreConsumer energy markets have historically been low-engagement categories — products that consumers buy out of necessity rather than interest, interact with minimally, and think about primarily when something goes wrong. German energy company PLAN B NET ZERO is working to change this by building a brand that consumers genuinely engage with and feel positive about. […]
Read MoreRevenue is the most visible measure of a sales organization’s performance. It is important, it is quantifiable, and it provides an objective standard against which progress can be assessed. But Grit Marketing has built its performance management system around a broader set of metrics that capture dimensions of success that revenue alone does not reflect. […]
Read MoreAsk Burak Basel what has been most important to Basel Holding’s growth, and the answer is likely to center on people rather than capital, strategy, or market timing. The firm’s founder has built his approach to leadership development around a clear belief: organizations perform at the level of their leadership capacity, and building that capacity […]
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