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Cedar’s podcast channel delivers expert insights on global business strategy, transformation, and innovation. Join us as we explore trends, challenges, and actionable solutions shaping industries worldwide. We make Strategy, Technology & Capital work.
148 Episodes
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In this episode, we explore how geopolitical tensions in West Asia are reshaping the operating environment for banks across the region. Energy shocks, trade disruptions, and rising logistics costs are already affecting liquidity, funding, and credit flows, while sectors such as shipping, aviation, retail, and real estate face immediate pressure - creating ripple effects across bank balance sheets. We unpack how stress is emerging on both sides of banking operations: asset quality is impacted ...
Two pillars consistently determine the success of change initiatives: Impact Assessment and Communication Strategy. Clarity begins with impact. Through structured workshops with departments and process owners, we define what will change, how responsibilities will evolve, and which personas will be affected. This results in a formal Impact Assessment Report outlining key changes and training priorities. Communication must then be intentional, not reactive. Messages should be crafted with preci...
Training strategy and data-driven reporting must operate as an integrated system in effective change management. Training cannot be generic — it needs clear ownership, structure and alignment to impact. We define accountability carefully, with Learning & Development leading process training and software suppliers delivering technical capability. The approach is tailored based on impact assessments, user personas and rollout timelines, ensuring clarity and execution discipline. However, tr...
Reporting is what converts change from intention into measurable outcomes. Training alone does not ensure adoption — it must be tracked, validated and analysed. We focus on two essential reporting streams. Training Surveys measure understanding, attendance and pain points, helping determine whether learning has genuinely landed. The Solution Adoption Report goes further, tracking behavioural data such as system usage hours, transaction volumes and engagement levels. These insights give leader...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International In this episode, I describe corporate restructuring as the equivalent of open-heart surgery for a business — high stakes, precise and unforgiving. The first principle I stress is simple: structure must always follow strategy, never individual egos or internal politics. I explain why restructuring must be decisive and swift. Once the strategic direction is clear, design should be tightly held, execution rapid, and new roles assi...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International In this episode, I speak about how organisational structure can quietly become an obstacle to performance. I often describe it as “structure and musical chairs” — where roles are designed around personalities and egos rather than business strategy. Structure must always reflect strategy, never accommodate individuals. I also discuss span of control. In my experience, a CEO should ideally have 8 to 10 direct reports. Beyond that...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International In this episode, I share five critical pillars that I believe every CEO must personally lead when shaping their organisation’s people strategy. First, I discuss why organisational structure must be designed around business strategy, not individual personalities. Second, I explain how compensation frameworks should reward strategic performance through meaningful variable pay. Third, I introduce what I call the “hit by the bus li...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International In this episode, I speak candidly about the challenge of work–life balance for senior executives. Over the years, I have seen many leaders express regret about not spending enough time with their families. Success at work should not come at the cost of personal fulfilment. I share practical disciplines I believe in — working smart by prioritising what truly matters, delegating effectively, and limiting distractions such as unne...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International In this episode, I outline the critical HR priorities that I believe every CEO must personally lead. First, organisational structure must be aligned to strategy — it cannot be delegated blindly to HR. Structure is a strategic decision. On compensation, I emphasise the growing importance of performance-linked variable pay to meet market realities. I also discuss succession planning through what I call the “hit-by-the-bus list,” ...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International In this episode, I speak about the evolving role of Boards of Directors in human capital management. In my view, boards can no longer remain distant from people strategy. Their most critical decision is the selection of the CEO — and that choice must reflect the organisation’s immediate need, whether transformation, stabilisation or growth. I also caution against allowing incoming CEOs to bring an entire “mafia” of loyalists, a...
Communication in change management must be treated as a strategic lever, not a one-time announcement. The goal is to move people from awareness to adoption — and that demands sustained, deliberate messaging. We work across two layers. General communication keeps the entire organisation aligned on objectives, milestones and progress through town halls, leadership updates and formal channels. Targeted communication, often led by Change Agents, focuses on specific user groups directly affected —...
Measuring readiness throughout the change journey is essential. We use what we call ADKAR Temperature Checks — a practical mechanism to assess emotional and behavioural progress at defined milestones, rather than waiting until go-live to uncover issues. At each phase, the focus evolves. In the early stages, we assess Awareness and Desire. During testing, we evaluate Knowledge and Ability. After go-live, attention shifts to Reinforcement. These temperature checks create a continuous feedback l...
Effective change requires disciplined stakeholder engagement. Not all stakeholders demand the same intensity of focus — engagement must be deliberate and prioritised. We categorise stakeholders into four groups. Q1 stakeholders are both highly influential and significantly impacted; they require early and sustained engagement. Q2 stakeholders are impacted but less influential, calling for proactive communication and reassurance. Q3 stakeholders have minimal influence and impact, where broad u...
Training is what ultimately converts change into capability. Creating awareness is only the first step; people must feel confident operating in the new environment if transformation is to succeed. We distinguish between two critical forms of training. Functional training focuses on how to use the system and is often delivered by the software provider. Process training, led by Learning & Development, clarifies how workflows, responsibilities and controls will evolve. Both dimensions are es...
Impact assessment is, in our view, one of the most critical disciplines in effective change management. It is the point where strategy meets operational reality. Before any rollout, we must clearly understand how a new system or process will affect specific users and business units. We evaluate impact across three dimensions: the type of change, the training required, and the level of impact — high, medium or low. High-impact areas require structured training and frequent communication, while...
At Cedar Management Consulting International, we approach Change Management as a coordinated, multi-stakeholder discipline — never the responsibility of a single department. At the centre is the CM team, accountable for planning, sequencing and tracking the entire change journey. But structure alone does not drive adoption. We place strong emphasis on Change Agents embedded within the organisation, bridging strategy and frontline reality. Marketing plays a vital role in delivering clear, cons...
At Cedar Management Consulting International, we see change management as fundamentally a leadership responsibility — not a technical task. New systems can be implemented efficiently, but real success depends on whether people truly adopt them. We draw on the ADKAR framework — Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement — as a practical lens to understand how individuals experience change. If people do not understand why change is necessary, feel motivated to support it, and are e...
Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting International Despite being perceived as over-banked, the Middle East banking market offers significant growth opportunities across segments. Corporate banking remains commoditized in trade and contracting finance, but untapped areas such as manufacturing, treasury, and cross-border structured finance can drive higher income. Commercial banking is a hidden gem, with thousands of mid-sized businesses underserved due to weak segmentation, rigi...
Islamic banking’s next growth phase will be driven by differentiation and innovation, not just Shariah compliance. Over the past five years, global Islamic banking assets grew 11% versus 7% for conventional banks, with expansion extending beyond the Middle East to Africa and Asia. Growth has been supported by rising customer demand, regulatory openings, and the success of Islamic “windows” within conventional banks. As the sector matures, innovation must focus on three areas: customer segment...
Omnichannel banking is a cross-channel strategy that delivers a seamless, consistent customer experience across physical and digital touchpoints, improving service quality while reducing costs and boosting profitability. Unlike multichannel models, omnichannel integrates channels and customer data, allowing customers to start and complete journeys such as loan applications—across branches, mobile, online and emerging devices. Adoption accelerated in the 2010s and was fast-tracked by COVID-19,...
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