News & Insights

Know Your Customer. But does your customer know you?

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:46:53 Z

AI efficiencies are eroding trust in Financial Services. How can the C-suite get it right?

AI is increasingly mastering high‑volume, repeatable work. Processes are becoming real‑time and predictive. Customer onboarding and credit decisions. Settling simple insurance claims, performing triage, detecting fraud, or dynamic underwriting. Real‑time retirement modelling, automated portfolio construction and rebalancing. Behavioral nudging.

Correctly applied, insight and co-pilot tools can certainly augment relationship management. Incorrectly applied, they risk eroding it.

But are they wise?

Bridging the Generation Gap – Part 3: Designing the Future

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:49:11 Z

Over 25 years, directive, autocratic leadership has been replaced by democracy – by dialogue and feedback. By showing authenticity and giving autonomy. This is hardly news. What has changed is the extent to which executives will need these qualities if they are to retain and grow their new gen successors.

How are we to attract and retain the next generation of leaders? Bring out the best in them to secure performance today? Establish a leadership pipeline for tomorrow?

Where should the focus be? And as businesses thrive or fail on daily interactions, are leaders doing enough?

Green isn’t just a tech transition. It’s a human one.

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:31:50 Z

Are you open to a different kind of CXO?

Marcus Pokorny | Sweden

Scandinavia is a global leader in green industrial transformation. It has every reason to be. Abundant hydro and wind electricity. Innovative enterprise and a strong climate policy. Close public-private coordination. What’s more, for many of Sweden’s business leaders, climate change is personal.

But it’s also about economics. Like its Nordic neighbours, Sweden’s high operating costs make innovation and efficiency essential (reinforced by automation, AI, and digitization). Manufacturing remains the country’s second largest economic pillar, accounting for 70% of its exports in 2023 – and much of its emissions. World-leading companies such as Volvo, Ericsson, Sandvik, and Electrolux tell an eloquent story.

Converting AI Ambition into Scalable Business Value

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:00:00 Z

The Art of AI in Business: What Actually Works

Most organisations have run AI pilots. Far fewer have scaled them.

Amrop's Global Digital Practice recently brought together four senior practitioners to explore what separates AI experiments from enterprise-wide value. Anthony Belpaire (BNP Paribas Fortis), Łukasz Samborski (ex-Alior Bank), Sofie Perslow (AI advisor, retail and media), and Silvio Giorgio (ex-AusPost, ex-Coles, ex-REA) shared the cases, failures, and practical lessons they have accumulated across industries and geographies.

Two themes ran through every conversation. The first: trust is the real barrier, not technology. The second: the AI that delivers the most value is often the AI nobody sees.

Beyond Expertise: The Rise of AI-Augmented Leadership in Professional Services

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:07:55 Z

“Why would I pay you for work done by AI?”

Gabriela Nguyen-Groza | Luxembourg

As a partner in a professional services firm, you’ll be familiar with the question. And it’s a fair one.

AI is not killing professional services – it is exposing a broken model.

AI now holds more technical knowledge than any individual. As a consultant, the value is no longer in what you know. It lies in how you frame problems, connect disciplines and exercise judgment under uncertainty. The real issue for firms is not AI adoption. It is an outmoded leadership model.

Trust arrives on foot – and leaves on horseback

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:17:13 Z

Storytelling and statistics are no longer enough.

Sandra Schrögenauer | Austria

64% of people say they trust CEOs in general. But 72% trust their own CEO.^* The gap between the two figures is revealing. It tells us that trust in a leader is based more on personal experience than corporate messaging. CEOs have never been more present online.

But when it comes to communication, stakeholders don’t want more. They want better, says Sandra Schrögenauer, Managing Partner of Amrop in Austria, and a member of Amrop’s global Board Services Practice.

Bridging the Generation Gap – Part 2: The New Executive Contract

Mon, 25 May 2026 15:32:49 Z

In our last article, we asked: beyond the hype, which new gen* characteristics deserve special attention? Now we examine new gen career expectations, and hiring strategies to identify the Leaders for What’s Next. This 3-part series is based on in-depth interviews with senior Amrop Partners from Northern and Central Europe, Asia, North and South America.

*Gen Z: 20-26 | Young Millennials: 27-34 | Old Millennials: 35-42 | Gen X: 43-60

Feedback is vital: How can leaders activate a healthy practice?

Fri, 22 May 2026 15:14:39 Z

Paolo Clemente | Italy

Feedback is vital. But it’s often missed - and sometimes misused.

As the old adage goes: it’s lonely at the top. And younger executives are feeling isolated too. As global instability increases, taking the right decisions has never been more difficult.

But it doesn’t need to be this way – thanks to the power of feedback. The counsel of supportive, objective advisors dissolves walls. It nourishes and reinforces strategy design and implementation. Yet this precious resource asks nothing of us – except an open mind, writes Paolo Clemente, a Partner at Amrop Italy.

Manufacturing is becoming a technology sector. How could this affect your next career move?

Mon, 18 May 2026 07:18:40 Z

Sandy McKenzie | UK

Industrial leaders are relentlessly deploying AI to improve performance: 92% of leaders in the US alone say smart manufacturing (and AI) will be their main competitiveness driver.ⁱ A true growth engine, AI is embedded in a host of processes. It feeds predictive maintenance, supply‑chain optimization, and pricing. It is wired into customer segmentation and forecasting.

There are exciting implications for executive hiring.

As a board, are you ready for the unthinkable?

Fri, 08 May 2026 12:25:49 Z

Your next black swan is just over the horizon.

Andrew Woodburn | South Africa

It’s natural for a board to switch to conservation mode, especially in the current climate. To focus on governance, ethics, regulatory compliance. Risk management and value protection. But a defensive bias could render your board vulnerable – unequipped to handle the unthinkable. Black swans are never far away.

The past twenty-five years have delivered one unexpected mega-disruptor after another: a global financial crisis, nationalism, COVID, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, tariff wars. Even as I write, blockages in the Straits of Hormuz are impacting the world economy. The gold price is soaring. Factor in regional or localized events, and a black swan looms into view every five years.

Leadership development needs data, tech – and us

Fri, 01 May 2026 15:20:53 Z

Victor Reis | Sweden

But binary thinking remains a real risk. It’s all about the nuance...

Leadership assessment and development specialists are living in interesting times: the burgeoning range of tools and instruments is both promising and disorienting, writes Victor Reis, Partner at Amrop Sweden and member of Amrop's Global Leadership Advisory Practice.

Especially given the dizzying rise of AI, it’s tempting to seek clarity in the black and white: humans versus data and technology. Few deny that we should combine both. But what should that look like? What do we want, and (really) need?

Bridging the Generation Gap – Part 1: Who Are Your Leaders For What's Next?

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:40:26 Z

"They have not yet been humbled by life, nor experienced the force of circumstances... They think they know everything." Aristotle.

Since the dawn of time, mature adults have been scratching their heads about the next generation. Family business owners questioning their desire and drive to keep the shop open. Educators mystified by minds that seemed to function differently. Governments worried about the survival of the social and economic fabric. In the 21st century, the Gen Z and Millennial cohorts have sparked megabytes of academic and business studies - and a host of assumptions.

Amrop's new A 3-part series, based on in-depth interviews with senior Amrop Partners, examines the relationship between the new gen and business leadership. Beyond the hype, which new gen characteristics deserve special attention?

Creating AI Heroes

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:22:41 Z

Could you be an AI hero?

Christian Axberg | Sweden

Good news. AI isn’t rocket science. It’s about controlled leaps - and empowerment.

Three out of four CEOs fear losing their jobs if AI doesn’t deliver.ⁱ But it’s perfectly possible to move from doubt to dynamism. It’s a question of consciously adopting and adapting, not randomly experimenting. Discerning AI’s potential for your business, taking action where it matters, and acknowledging the human factor.

When it comes to AI, the first question leaders used to ask was: “What do we want to change?” Now it’s: “Do we even want to exist?” If the answer’s yes, then consider this: the more deeply AI infuses the relevant parts of your operations, the faster your organization will adopt and adapt.

Fine-tuning Value Chains in Discount Retail

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:35:36 Z

How top players are recruiting and developing top-flight executives in a competitive market

Eelco van Eijck | Netherlands

Low-cost, high-volume models. A rare blend of discipline and agility. As the cost-of-living squeeze drives value-driven consumption, functionality and convenience, discount retail is on the rise. To sustain momentum, Eelco van Eijck asks: how can we find highfliers with an eye for detail and optimization?

Sustainability, Affordability, Security: A Big Ask for a Small Talent Pool

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:24:43 Z

Ranju Shergill | Canada

Whether government, city, or PE-owned, energy providers are having to balance multiple imperatives. Accelerating decarbonization and the transition from fossilbased fuels to renewables. Expanding infrastructure, doubling grid capacity to feed EV adoption, industrial electrification, and hungry AI data centers.

Canada is one of the world’s biggest producers, with energy as its main export. This pioneering country is a prime example of the sector’s challenges – and how to solve them. Its leaders are playing an increasingly important role in global clean energy provision.

Coaching and Mentoring: Vital Avenues for Sustainable CEO Performance

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:14:37 Z

Too many top leaders are missing out.

Unequivocal, discreet and skilled support. Honest input. Self-awareness. This is why coaching and mentoring are so vital for top leaders. Both should provide a safe, neutral, and confidential space for a CEO to open up and gain counsel. Both require non-judgement and empathy. Yet many organizations fail to provide this life support. They’re missing a significant opportunity, say Amrop Partners.

Read our report: The CEO Struggle - Part 3: Sustaining the Leader.

Cybersecurity doesn’t just protect value - It creates it

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:29:05 Z

Job Voorhoeve | Netherlands

Is your CISO the right player, in the right place?

Enterprise risk. Regulatory compliance. Reputation. Long-term value. Cybersecurity touches all four board imperatives. No longer just a matter of technical protection, it concerns sustainable performance and strategic resilience.

Are you ready for the next era of shipping?

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:30:56 Z

Christian Reich | Denmark

A global ecosystem adds new perspectives – if you know where to look.

Shipping is entering the most complex decade in its modern history. An interplay of digitization, decarbonization and geopolitics is reshaping strategic decisions. Complementary perspectives are needed at board and C-suite levels, says Christian Reich, leader of Amrop’s Global Shipping Practice.

Hyper-personalization in Retail: Strategy vs Morality

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:58:49 Z

Oana Ciornei - Romania

Hyper-personalization is shaping the future of retail - fast. Consider Sephora: through AI-driven skin diagnostics, tailored product recommendations, loyalty data integration, and seamless online-offline journeys, the brand has transformed personalization into a core competitive advantage. Beauty is no longer just about product; it is about curated experience.

And it is not just a technical question – but a strategic and moral one.

AI: The Case for Natural Intelligence

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:33:05 Z

Why People, Not AI, Must Stay at the Center of Our Economy

Benoit Lison - Belgium | Ulrich Beckendorff - Germany

Everywhere you look, AI is hailed as the next great revolution. Yet when we cut through the excitement and look closely at what expert institutions actually report, the picture that emerges is far less glamorous - and far more sobering.

Data harmonization and integrated intelligence: Is your culture up to it?

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:56:16 Z

Hugo Martins - Portugal

One team. Borderless collaboration. Professional services firms are keen on these reassuring declarations. But the way data is shared may tell a different story. One that is more about protectionism than partnership.

In reality, many partnerships still run along multiple side alleys, rather than a single track. The transition from siloed data to unified, intelligence-driven operating models is complex for any business. For professional services firms, it may herald an existential crisis.

The transition doesn’t just rest on technical platforms or operations. It’s a cultural concern.

Stress-testing the CEO: Why a polished CV is no longer enough

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:15:58 Z

Some characteristics remain fundamental to today’s CEO, says Fredy Hausammann, Managing Partner of Amrop in Switzerland. Communication skills. Strategic ability. And cognitive and creative intelligence, "are amongst the most validated success factors.”

Meanwhile, the need for other qualities is evolving. Naohiro “Nakki” Furuta is the Managing Partner of Amrop Jomon in Japan. He places less value today on overt charisma and power. “The current CEO needs more moderation, objectivity, an ability to stay calm.” And empathy is just as important.

Read our report: The CEO Struggle - Part 2: The Quest For Resilience

First Time NEDs: Nervousness is Healthy

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:06:38 Z

Elin Wrammerfors - Sweden

Here’s why, and what to do about it.

Geopolitical shocks, ESG pressure and cyber threats are complicating today’s risk landscape. Shareholder scrutiny and ESG reporting are increasing the visibility of board decisions. NED candidates are worried about personal liability. But the real risks for NEDs come from weak governance, passive boards, and groupthink.

There is good news. As an independent board member, you don’t bear the burden alone. Nor are you judged on clairvoyance. What matters are proper oversight, independent judgment, and robust decisionmaking processes. How you reached a decision is almost more critical than the decision itself - following every step correctly, serving the company’s best interests.

Leadership Lens: Capital re-allocation as a leadership capability

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:56:58 Z

Aiga Arste-Avotina - Baltics

Watchwords will be credibility, systems thinking, and talent at industry intersections.

Despite strong crosswinds, Energy and Infrastructure players are pursuing their quest for clean energy. Certainly, fossil fuels still dominate – for now. But the resources that will shape the future are steadily being diverted. As of early 2026, for every $1 invested in fossil fuels, close to $2 is being funneled into clean power, grids, and storage.

The transition is unfolding under heightened concerns about geopolitical volatility, energy security and affordability. Even if capital is dynamic, its deployment is hampered by grid bottlenecks, permit delays, skilled labor shortages and supply-chain constraints. And investors are more interested in delivery discipline than ambition alone.

Leadership Lens: How a family-owned market leader flexed to hiring realities

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:23:21 Z

Kelly Freeman - Canada | Lucie Shaw - UK

When partnership nourishes adaptability

An 80-year-old family-owned firm with a rich heritage is today a global leader in premium home appliances. Guided by three ‘north stars’ of brand, quality and culture, it is famous for innovation and aesthetics.

Now under the stewardship of a 3rd generation Chair, how can the business continue to secure top leaders? After all, they need deep industry knowledge, preserving the firm’s deeply held values while assuring sustainable growth.