C-Suite Perspectives

Europe's workers may be more prepared for AI-driven change than their employers. While 78% say their organization helped them adapt to recent major change, only 54% are confident it can effectively manage future change—a 24-percentage point gap showing that individual adaptability does not necessarily translate into organizational readiness.  In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Sara Murray, Managing Director, International at The Conference Board, speaks with Robin Maillard, Researcher in the Human Capital Center Europe at The Conference Board and author of The Reimagined Workplace 2026: Europe. They examine findings from the first European edition of the study, based on surveys of 475 workers across France, Germany, Italy, and the UK; and 83 senior human capital executives.  Together, they discuss why AI adoption is moving faster than organizational training and support; how direct managers can turn enterprise strategy into credible everyday change; and why hiring constraints make upskilling, internal mobility, and work redesign essential. They also explore the risk of a two-speed AI workforce and why meaningful choice over workplace attendance appears to matter more than the number of days employees work remotely.  More from The Conference Board:  The Reimagined Workplace 2026: Europe  Reimagined Workplace Hub  Leadership Disrupted: Preparing for an AI-Enabled Workplace  Europe's AI Productivity Paradox: Rising Uptake, Shallow Diffusion

Consumer confidence rebounded in October, while CEO confidence moved back into negative territory in the fourth quarter. What do these contrasting readings reveal about the US economic outlook?    In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, The Conference Board's Senior Economist Alex Heil speaks with Associate Economist Allen Li about what consumers and business leaders are seeing beneath the confidence headlines. They discuss persistent concerns about prices and the job market; why consumers are continuing to spend while economizing; the outlook for hiring, wages, and capital investment; and how AI investment, cybersecurity, geopolitical uncertainty, and energy prices are shaping business decision-making.    Their central takeaway: the economy continues to show resilience, but leaders should look beyond the headline measures to understand the more nuanced risks and opportunities ahead.    For more from The Conference Board:  US Consumer Confidence  Forecast for the US Economy  Global Economic Outlook 

Americans are living longer, transforming retirement security from a question of how much people can save into a more complicated challenge: how to turn those savings into dependable income that will last for the rest of their lives. Even successful savers can find themselves reluctant to spend, uncertain whether their assets must support 10 years of retirement—or 40. In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, is joined by Phil Waldeck, Head of US Businesses at Prudential Financial, to examine how longevity, economic uncertainty, and the decline of traditional pensions are reshaping retirement planning. Together, they discuss why workers need to think beyond account balances and develop retirement-income strategies, how automatic enrollment and contribution escalation can improve outcomes, and why employers remain one of the most trusted and effective channels for supporting financial security. They also explore the fear of running out of money during retirement; the growing need for accessible financial advice; the potential for AI to complement human guidance; and what longer lives mean for individuals, employers, and the US economy. More from The Conference Board: ·         How the National Debt Affects All Generations of Americans ·         Alternative Investments in Retirement Plans ·         Explainer: Social Security ·         Responding to US Labor Shortages

Focusing on what's certain can help business leaders make timely decisions. But beneath this ambiguity are five certainties that offer a basis for action: China's rise, the fracturing global economy, protectionism and tariffs, technological transformation, and the end of Pax Americana. In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, speaks with Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, global affairs consultant and former President of the Committee for Economic Development—now the CEO Center—about her article The New World Order: Five Certainties Amid Uncertainty, featured in the Foreign Policy Association's book Navigating an Age of Uncertainty. Together, they examine how China is challenging Western economic and geopolitical leadership, why sanctions and competing payment systems are accelerating global fragmentation, and why tariffs are likely to remain a prominent policy tool beyond the next election. They also discuss the shift toward regional military powers as Pax Americana ends, the risks of declining transparency and international cooperation, and why business and government leaders must work together to shape global rules and standards for emerging technologies. More from The Conference Board: ·       How the National Debt Affects All Generations of Americans ·       AI Policy and Regulation in the US: What Companies Need to Know ·       Charting Pathways for US-China Economic Cooperation Amid Strategic Competition ·       Tariff Tracker

AI is advancing so quickly that companies may need to rethink their strategies every nine to 12 months. But keeping pace is not simply a matter of adopting more technology: lasting gains will require companies to redesign business processes, establish clear metrics, build secure common architectures, and treat AI as a CEO-led transformation. In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, speaks with John Chambers, former Executive Chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems, about what business leaders can learn from the internet revolution as they navigate the faster and potentially more consequential AI era. Together, they discuss why CEOs must own AI strategy, how companies can move from experimentation to measurable pilots, and why productivity gains should fund growth and new revenue opportunities—not simply reduce headcount. They also explore the cybersecurity risks posed by agentic AI; the need to combine speed with repeatable processes and governance; and the culture, workflows, and leadership practices that will separate the next decade's winners from the companies left behind. More from The Conference Board: ·         A Framework for Agentic AI and Work Redesign ·         From Principles for Practice: Governing AI in the Corporation ·         AI and the C-Suite: Implications for CEO Strategy in 2026 ·         Transforming Organizations for AI: Critical Factors for AI Success