Peter Fisk

Business today is not about incremental improvements in familiar markets. The leaders shaping the future are those who see opportunity in connections that others overlook. They combine ideas, technologies, and human insights across disciplines to solve problems in novel ways, reframe markets, and unlock growth.

The new nexus of business is where these intersections happen — where AI meets climate, wellness meets finance, or Gen Z meets venture innovation. Here are 10 key nexus points that are redefining strategy, and creating new opportunities for business to think, lead and succeed in new ways:

From linear to systemic thinking

Traditional strategy was linear: analyze a market, define a position, build scale, defend it. But the world has become too fast, complex, and interconnected for such approaches. Technology accelerates change, global crises ripple across borders, and consumers navigate multiple identities and expectations.

The new paradigm is systems thinking. This means understanding business not as a closed entity but as part of a wider ecosystem. Success comes from mapping interdependencies, recognizing that an innovation in one domain (say, healthcare) can be accelerated by insights from another (AI, finance, or mobility). The companies that thrive in this environment are those that design strategies not in silos but as dynamic, adaptive networks of ideas.

AI as the superconnector

Artificial intelligence is the most powerful connector of all. At one level, AI is a tool for efficiency — automating processes, predicting outcomes, personalizing interactions. But at a deeper level, AI is a cognitive amplifier: it allows businesses to connect data and insights across domains in ways previously impossible.

• In healthcare, AI links diagnostics with genomics, wearable devices, and behavioral data, enabling predictive medicine.

• In finance, AI connects macroeconomic signals with personal spending patterns to create adaptive credit and investment models.

• In mobility, AI combines traffic flows, weather data, and consumer preferences to optimize entire transport systems.

The most exciting potential lies not in single applications but in AI’s ability to create bridges. When healthcare meets finance through AI, new models of preventative insurance emerge. When AI is applied to climate data and agriculture, new approaches to food security take shape.

Yet AI also raises urgent human questions — about bias, ethics, inequality, and what it means to be human. Here again lies the nexus: technology and humanity must be thought together, not apart.

Being human, purpose and identity

Amid technological acceleration and systemic crises, people seek meaning and wellbeing. Wellness has expanded from gyms and spas into a $5 trillion global economy encompassing mental health, nutrition, mindfulness, and work-life integration.

The new nexus sees wellness not as an isolated sector but as an ingredient across industries:

• In workplaces, companies integrate wellness to attract and retain talent, especially younger generations.

• In finance, investors channel funds toward companies that protect mental health and foster inclusivity.

• In consumer goods, nutrition and wellbeing are embedded in product design.

Crucially, wellness connects with being human in the age of AI. As machines take over tasks, the competitive advantage of people lies in empathy, creativity, and purpose. Businesses must design models that elevate human strengths rather than reduce them.

Asia, the home of nexus thinking

Asia is more than a geography; it is the world’s fastest-moving laboratory of nexus innovation.

• China leads in AI, electric vehicles, and fintech.

• India drives digital inclusion, renewable energy, and entrepreneurial dynamism.

• Southeast Asia is experimenting with super-apps that combine mobility, finance, and healthcare in a single ecosystem.

Asia illustrates how diverse forces intersect. A young population in India drives mobile-first entrepreneurship, while an aging population in Japan spurs robotics and eldercare innovation. Cities like Shenzhen or Bangalore demonstrate how entrepreneurship, technology, and demographics can combine into entirely new business models.

Western businesses cannot ignore Asia’s role: it is both a market and a source of ideas. The future of strategy is as much about learning from Asia as it is about competing there.

Entrepreneurship as the Nexus mindset

Large corporations often struggle with silos and legacy systems. Entrepreneurs, by contrast, thrive in the nexus. They are natural connectors, spotting gaps, combining resources, and reimagining possibilities.

Consider Grab in Southeast Asia: it started as a ride-hailing company but evolved into a super-app connecting mobility, payments, food, and healthcare. Or Illumina in the US, which connects genomics with AI, pharmaceuticals, and population health.

Entrepreneurship is not just about startups — it is a mindset that larger companies can adopt. Nexus thinkers inside corporations are those who can connect unusual dots, break down barriers, and design experiments across functions and markets.

Reinvention and transformation

Ultimately, the new nexus of business is about reinvention. Companies must constantly reimagine their role, not as isolated players but as nodes in dynamic networks.

Disney, for instance, reinvented itself from a film studio to an ecosystem connecting storytelling, streaming, theme parks, merchandise, and now AI-driven personalization. Unilever reimagines itself as a nexus of brands, sustainability, and social impact. DBS Bank in Singapore transformed from a bureaucratic bank into a digital-first ecosystem connecting finance with wellness, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.

Transformation is no longer a one-off project but a permanent state — an ability to connect, adapt, and evolve.

So here are 7 examples of nexus in action:

Nexus 1:  AI + Climate … smarter sustainability

The Nexus:Using artificial intelligence to tackle climate change in innovative ways, from predicting extreme weather to optimizing energy systems.

Examples:

• DeepMind & Google Energy: AI reduced Google’s data center energy use by 40%, proving predictive optimization can dramatically lower carbon footprints.

• Climeworks: Combines AI and engineering to scale carbon capture, connecting technology, climate finance, and ecosystem impact.

Impact: Companies leveraging AI in climate innovation not only reduce environmental risk but also cut costs and attract ESG-focused investors.

Nexus 2. Brands + Audiences … collaborative reach

The Nexus: Creative partnerships that connect brands with new audiences and cultural narratives.

Examples:

• Adidas x Parley for the Oceans: Sportswear made from recycled ocean plastics connects sustainability with fashion-conscious consumers.

• Hermès x Apple Watch bands: Luxury meets tech, attracting a younger, digitally native demographic.

Impact: Collaborations like these expand market reach, enhance brand storytelling, and create shared value across sectors.

Nexus 3. Ecosystems + Expansion … breaking boundaries

The Nexus: Building business ecosystems that combine capabilities from multiple players to accelerate innovation and speed to market, for example to connect services which are traditionally from different sectors.

Examples:

• Waymo & Stellantis: Autonomous mobility solutions are co-created through partnerships linking software, vehicles, and urban infrastructure.

• Shopify App Ecosystem: Thousands of developers connect apps and services to merchants, enabling rapid experimentation and scale.

Impact: Ecosystems allow companies to move faster than single-player models, co-create value, and adapt in dynamic markets.

Nexus 4: Ventures + Gen Z … creating a start-up culture

The Nexus: Corporate venture arms and startup initiatives designed to capture the creativity, values, and purchasing power of Gen Z.

Examples:

• PepsiCo’s Greenhouse Innovation Program: Invests in startups that resonate with younger, socially conscious consumers.

• LVMH’s ‘La Maison des Startups’: Mentors and scales ventures that align with luxury trends and Gen Z interests.

Impact: Engaging Gen Z through venture initiatives accelerates brand relevance, fuels innovation pipelines, and attracts future talent.

Nexus 5. Wellness + Workplace … happy productivity

The Nexus: Integrating wellness into business strategy to enhance productivity, retention, and creativity. It may sound soft and superficial, but it repeatedly shown to deliver improved results.

Examples:

• Salesforce: Combines mindfulness programs, flexible work policies, and mental health resources to increase employee engagement.

• On Running: Positions wellness at the center of product design, marketing, and community-building.

Impact: Businesses that embed wellness see stronger retention, higher innovation output, and better brand perception.

Nexus 6. Finance + Social Impact … good for the world

The Nexus: Linking capital flows with social and environmental objectives, making finance a tool for systemic change. Impact investment, specifically, can be a source of new capital, and also new customers and talent.

Examples:

• DBS Bank: Uses sustainable finance to fund green projects while offering impact investment products to clients.

• BlackRock: Incorporates ESG considerations into core investment strategies, influencing corporate behavior worldwide.

Impact: Financial institutions that embrace this nexus attract capital, mitigate risk, and differentiate in a crowded market.

Nexus 7. Inclusion + Innovation … better problem solving

The Nexus: Leveraging diversity — gender, age, and cultural perspectives — to fuel creativity and market insight. Seeing things others can’t, catalysing new ideas and innovations, building stronger and bolder teams.

Examples:

• Patagonia: Inclusive practices drive both environmental campaigns and internal innovation.

• Stripe: Gender-diverse leadership and global hiring policies have accelerated product innovation and market expansion.

Impact: Inclusion is both a social imperative and a competitive advantage, leading to better problem-solving and access to untapped markets.

Why the Nexus approach matters

These ten nexus points illustrate a fundamental shift in business strategy. Success is no longer about optimizing internal operations in isolation — it is about connecting unusual ideas, sectors, and human insights to create exponential value.

• AI is not just technology; it is a bridge between efficiency, climate action, and personalized services.

• Brand collaborations are not just marketing; they are pathways to new cultural relevance and audience expansion.

• Ecosystems are not just networks; they are accelerators of innovation and adaptability.

The most forward-looking leaders understand that these nexus connections are multiplicative. Combining AI + climate + finance, for example, produces outcomes far beyond what any single intervention could achieve.

• Think Systemically: Map the interconnections in your industry and adjacent sectors. Identify points where innovation can cascade across multiple areas.

• Experiment Across Boundaries: Encourage teams to collaborate outside their functional silos. Corporate venture programs are particularly effective for testing nexus innovations.

• Measure Impact Beyond Profit: Evaluate environmental, social, and human outcomes alongside financial results. Nexus thinking requires metrics that capture the full ecosystem.

• Balance Speed and Reflection: Rapid experimentation is vital, but so is ensuring that connections are ethical, inclusive, and sustainable.

The new nexus of business is not a theory — it is a practical framework for the real world. AI, climate, finance, mobility, wellness, and human-centered design are not separate tracks; they intersect in ways that define tomorrow’s markets. Companies that succeed will be those who connect the dots others cannot see, orchestrating ideas, technologies, and human insight into ecosystems of value.

From startups engaging Gen Z to corporations reshaping sustainability, the future belongs to nexus thinkers — those who make the unusual possible, the improbable actionable, and the interconnected inevitable.

Business strategy is no longer linear. It is a web. And the nodes you choose to connect today will determine the markets of tomorrow.

As we stand at the edge of a rapidly accelerating future, the leaders who will thrive are not those who rely solely on data or those who dream without direction. The true game-changers will be those who master both: the analytical brilliance of Einstein and the creative genius of Picasso.

Business success in the next decade will demand a “whole brain” approach, where left-brain logic meets right-brain imagination, where scientific rigour partners with human empathy, and where leaders think like inventors, artists, and systems designers all at once.

In an age of complexity, volatility, and opportunity, siloed thinking no longer works. Business challenges — from climate change to AI transformation, from health innovation to space exploration — require integrated solutions that span disciplines and mental models.

The World of 2030: New skills for a new world

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, the most in-demand skill for the next five years is analytical thinking. But not far behind are creative thinking, critical thinking, and technological literacy. In fact, while AI and automation will reshape work, they will not eliminate the need for human intelligence. Instead, they will elevate the value of uniquely human capabilities: curiosity, insight, synthesis, imagination.

By 2030, we will see:

• Work dominated by collaboration between human and machine, requiring people to interpret, guide, and augment what AI can do.
• The premium placed on problem-solving in unstructured environments, where data alone cannot dictate answers.
• A growing need for innovation at speed and scale, as businesses must continuously adapt to market shifts, climate pressures, and technological disruptions.
• A demand for empathy, ethics, and human-centred design in everything from customer experience to organizational leadership.

These are not tasks that machines can do alone. They require the human brain — fully activated.

To understand the skills that will shape the future, consider two icons of the 20th century: Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso. Though from different worlds — one of science and the other of art — both men changed how we see reality.

• Einstein represents the power of analytical thinking, with his theories unlocking the fabric of the universe.
• Picasso embodies creative thinking, exploding traditional forms and reshaping how we perceive the world.

In today’s business environment, their combined mindset offers a metaphor for the superpowers we need: whole-brain thinking that unites logic and imagination, precision and play, insight and intuition.

Companies like Tesla, Unilever, and Apple have already demonstrated how combining engineering logic with creative design and purpose-led strategy can reshape industries. But the need now is deeper and broader: leaders must cultivate the full spectrum of human cognition to imagine new futures, model them rigorously, test them rapidly, and scale them with purpose.

The neuroscience of thinking

Emerging neuroscience reveals that the brain contains two powerful cognitive networks:

• The Executive Control Network (ECN), centred in the prefrontal cortex, governs analytical, goal-directed tasks— associated with Einstein-like thinking: logical, structured, reductionist.

• The Default Mode Network (DMN), active during daydreaming and introspection, fuels creative, associative thinking — the domain of Picasso-like thinking: intuitive, imaginative, abstract.

Whole brain thinkers toggle between these networks, balancing divergent thinking (generating ideas) and convergent thinking (narrowing them into solutions).

Left Brain: The Einstein Mindset

Analytical thinking, associated with the left hemisphere of the brain in popular psychology (though more complex in practice), is driven by:

• Prefrontal Cortex Activation: This region manages logic, planning, and decision-making. Strong activation here supports systematic problem-solving and data-based reasoning.

• Executive Control Network (ECN): Neuroscientific research shows this network is key to focused attention, evaluation of options, and rule-based processing. It’s essential in risk assessment, financial modelling, and optimizing supply chains.

• Working Memory and Dopamine: Analytical tasks rely on working memory, enhanced by dopamine regulation— important for maintaining focus and solving structured problems.

In business, leaders with a strong Einstein mindset excel at:

• Designing complex algorithms (eg at DeepMind,  or Goldman Sachs)

• Engineering new processes (like Toyota’s lean production)

• Risk quantification in insurance and finance (like Swiss Re or BlackRock)

A 2014 Harvard Business School study confirmed that analytical leaders excel in stable, rule-based environments — but may struggle to adapt quickly unless they integrate more intuitive or creative elements into their leadership.

Right Brain: The Picasso Mindset

Creative thinking — often associated with the right hemisphere and the default mode network (DMN) — involves imagination, abstraction, and synthesis. Key factors that support creative cognition include:

• Default Mode Network (DMN): Activated during introspection, daydreaming, and mind-wandering. It enables metaphorical thinking and novel idea generation.

• Neuroplasticity and Divergent Thinking: Research shows highly creative individuals demonstrate greater neuroplasticity, allowing them to connect distant ideas and explore “what if” scenarios.

• Serotonin and Alpha Brainwaves: Creative states are associated withalpha wave activity, particularly in the right temporal lobe, and neurotransmitters like serotonin and oxytocin, which encourage open-mindedness and empathy.

In business, the Picasso mindset thrives in:

• Brand storytelling and experience design (like Apple, Nike, or Glossier)

• Product innovation and prototyping (seen at IDEO, LEGO, or BYD)

• Market visioning and cultural insight (exemplified by L’Oréal, Danone, or Unilever)

A Stanford study (2012) found that walking, especially in natural environments, boosts creativity by 60% — a practice used by leaders like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos, who scheduled walk meetings to spark ideas.

Whole-brain leadership

So how do we bring Einstein and Picasso together? The answer is whole-brain thinking.

Or in other words, analytical thinking + creative thinking = critical thinking.

This triad approach — analytical, creative, and critical — is how innovation moves from chaos to clarity.

Where Einstein sees a machine, Picasso sees a story. The future belongs to those who see both — and build systems that are technically sound, emotionally resonant, and culturally relevant.

Emerging cognitive neuroscience shows that whole-brain leaders actively switch between the executive and default mode networks, a process called neuroflexibility. Studies by MIT and McKinsey suggest that the best-performing leaders are those who can integrate:

• Convergent thinking (Einstein) for narrowing down options and optimizing processes

• Divergent thinking (Picasso) for expanding ideas and imagining new futures

This interplay is essential in:

• Hypothesis-driven experimentation (as in biotech companies like Insilico Medicine or Eli Lilly, which blend scientific research with AI and design)

• Strategic foresight and future-scenario modeling (practiced by companies like Shell or World Economic Forum)

• Designing platforms and ecosystems that require both structure and creativity (eg Amazon, Airbnb, Xiaomi)

Neuroleadership pioneer David Rock emphasizes that psychological safety, diverse team composition, and frequent context-switching can enhance both modes of thinking, helping leaders cultivate what he calls a “whole-brain organization.”

This is evident in:

• BYD, which applies rigorous engineering to reinvent green mobility, but also reimagines its brand as part of a sustainable urban future.

• Xiaomi, which fuses affordable technology with elegant user-centric design.

• Insilico Medicine, which integrates AI-driven hypothesis generation with biology, speeding up drug discovery by combining human creativity and machine learning.

MIT research into “cognitive flexibility” suggests that top-performing CEOs are those who can switch between focus and abstraction, strategy and empathy. They can zoom in and out — solving equations one moment, painting visions the next.

Skills for 2030 and beyond

As industries converge and technologies accelerate, business demands hybrid skills:

• Data and Design: Being able to read the numbers, but also make them sing.

• Hypothesis and Imagination: Running structured experiments, while dreaming up new markets.

• Strategy and Storytelling: Modelling complex futures and communicating them in ways that mobilize people.

In practice, this means nurturing leaders who are:

• Scientist-entrepreneurs (like Demis Hassabis at DeepMind)

• Creative technologists (like Jony Ive at Apple)

• Humanistic strategists (like Emmanuel Faber at Danone, or Indra Nooyi at PepsiCo)

And it means designing organizations that encourage cognitive diversity, where engineers collaborate with poets, data scientists with anthropologists, and AI tools amplify both insight and intuition.

Developing your whole-brain

Combining left-brain and right-brain gives us whole-brain thinking. Analytical thinking plus creative thinking gives us critical thinking. To cultivate whole-brain leadership:

1. Design for duality: Create space for both logic and intuition in decision-making.

2. Encourage diverse thinking styles: Cross-functional teams, design sprints, and role-rotation foster integration.

3. Rewire learning: Move from siloed specialisations to interdisciplinary fluency — from STEM to STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, Math).

4. Promote neuro-flexibility: Through practices like meditation, journaling, or divergent ideation exercises.

5. Adopt tools for balance: Use visual strategy canvases, systems maps, or narrative design frameworks alongside financial models and decision trees.

Brainskills: How will you be Einstein and Picasso?

Einstein and Picasso were not opposites. They were pioneers of different ways of thinking that, when combined, offer a blueprint for thriving in an unpredictable world.

Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Picasso added, “Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” Together, they offer a manifesto for the future: one where we question old assumptions, challenge orthodoxies, and combine the best of human logic and wonder.

As we move towards 2030 and beyond, the most important business skill is not coding or accounting or even leadership in the traditional sense. It is the ability to think — to think analytically like Einstein, creatively like Picasso, and critically like a philosopher of the future.

In fact Einstein was a great dreamer and terrible mathematician – he could imagine new patterns, new concepts – like connecting energy and mass – but needed the help of others to prove them, to create the E=mc². Similarly, Picasso, initially a fan of geometry as taught by his mathematician father, then went beyond logic to leap forwards and create a new genre of art, cubism.

The next generation of leaders will not be either scientists or artists, strategists or storytellers — they will be all of these. They will think deeply, dream boldly, and build futures that are not only profitable, but possible.

So what will you do?

I’ve just launched a new portfolio of Einstein and Picasso Brainskills workshops for business leaders and managers, developing and stretching your whole-brain thinking, and applied to practical challenges and opportunities in your business at the same time. This is not just training, it is transformational thinking that can directly drive new strategies and innovations, to reimagine your future, and accelerate your present.

In an era where machines think faster, we must think deeper. This is the decade of whole-brain thinking.

Train your brain. Harness the power of AI. And unleash your imagination. To build a better future.

 

 

Last weekend saw thousands of Adidas-sponsored athletes converged on the German sportswear company’s HQ in Herzogenaurach, Germany for a festival of running – only the best runners, only from Adidas. Established in 2021, the “Adizero: Road to Records” event aims to push the boundaries of human performance by providing a platform for world-class athletes to break records across various distances, including the 5K, 10K, half marathon, mile, and 800m races. It is broadcast live by brand partner RedBull TV.

The primary focus of the event is on elite athletes. Each year, Adidas invites top-tier runners from around the globe to compete on a specially designed course around their World of Sports campus. The event serves as a platform for these athletes to challenge themselves and set new records, contributing to the advancement of the sport of running.​

It’s a celebration of speed, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Held on the meticulously designed tarmac course around Adidas’ Herzogenaurach campus, the event provides a visually stunning backdrop for both athletes and spectators. The races are broadcast live, allowing fans worldwide to witness the high-stakes competition and the breaking of records in real-time . Participants compete in the latest Adizero footwear, designed for optimal performance. The event not only highlights athletic prowess but also underscores Adidas’ commitment to pushing the boundaries of sports technology and performance​.

It’s also a great example of an ecosystem in action. Not just a brand that manufactures shoes – but a community of athletes, coaches, sports experts, brand partners – as well as everything from material developers to biotech scientists, sports retailers and technology companies, event organisers and running communities like Adidas Runners, employees and consumers.

Across the world, businesses are embracing ecosystem thinking to drive innovation, unlock new revenue streams, and enhance customer experiences. From Amazaon’s integrated digital economy to BYD’s renewable energy solutions, these companies exemplify the power of collaboration, interdependence, and interconnectedness. By expanding beyond linear, transactional models and recognizing the value of building comprehensive ecosystems, companies can position themselves for long-term, sustainable growth in an increasingly complex global market.

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, companies are increasingly realising that the traditional linear thinking about supply chains, customer relationships, and market competition is no longer sufficient to drive sustainable, profitable growth. The world is shifting toward a more interconnected, collaborative approach — the ecosystem model. This new way of thinking revolves around networks of partners, suppliers, customers, and even competitors, all working together to create value. By embracing ecosystem thinking, companies can unlock new sources of growth, reduce risks, and achieve far more than what traditional models could ever deliver.

What Is a Business Ecosystem?

At its core, a business ecosystem is a network of organizations, people, and resources that work together to deliver a product or service. Unlike traditional business models where companies operate independently along a supply chain, business ecosystems thrive on interdependence and collaboration. These ecosystems are dynamic, often blurring the lines between competitors and collaborators, and extend beyond the firm’s traditional value chain. The key to ecosystem success is creating shared value that benefits all members, from raw material suppliers to customers and beyond.

The shift to ecosystem thinking is not just a philosophical one; it is driven by tangible business pressures and opportunities. Technology has made it easier for companies to connect with one another, data flows more freely, and customer demands are increasingly complex, requiring companies to collaborate more extensively. In turn, businesses are realizing that the future of growth lies not in isolated activities but in understanding the complex interconnections that drive success.

The Shift from Linear Thinking to Ecosystem Thinking

Traditional linear thinking about business operates on the assumption that companies are independent entities that control their value chains. Each player in a supply chain performs a specific function, and businesses operate in silos with little need for collaboration or interaction beyond transactional exchanges. A manufacturer might source materials from a supplier, sell to a distributor, and then distribute products to retailers or customers. This straightforward, one-directional process is often referred to as “linear thinking.”

In contrast, ecosystem thinking is characterized by relationships that are circular, interdependent, and collaborative. Rather than simply pushing products through a value chain, companies in an ecosystem work together to create a shared pool of value, often through the exchange of resources, knowledge, and technology. Ecosystem thinking recognizes that growth can emerge not only from within a company’s operations but also from the external relationships it cultivates and nurtures.

Key Differences Between Linear and Ecosystem Thinking:

• Value Creation: In linear models, value is created primarily within a single company’s operations. In ecosystems, value is created through collaboration and the interdependence of various stakeholders.

• Relationships: Linear models focus on independent, one-way transactions, whereas ecosystems thrive on two-way, symbiotic relationships.

• Risk Mitigation: Traditional models may expose a company to risks from supply chain disruptions or market shifts. Ecosystem models spread risks across partners, making companies more resilient.

• Innovation: In linear thinking, innovation is often isolated and happens in the R&D departments of individual companies. In ecosystems, innovation can happen collaboratively across the network, driving faster, more diverse breakthroughs.

By recognizing these differences, companies can better understand why ecosystem thinking has become a powerful tool for achieving sustainable growth in today’s interconnected world.

Successful Examples of Ecosystem Thinking

Several companies have successfully adopted ecosystem thinking to fuel their growth, often redefining entire industries in the process. Their ability to forge partnerships, create value for multiple stakeholders, and embrace complexity has been instrumental in their success.

1. Amazon: Building a Platform Ecosystem

Amazon’s rise to dominance is a perfect example of how ecosystem thinking can revolutionize a business. The company initially began as an online retailer but soon evolved into an ecosystem of businesses that collaborate with Amazon, rely on its platform, and benefit from its vast customer base.

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): One of the most significant moves that Amazon made was the launch of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which has turned into one of the largest and most profitable cloud computing ecosystems in the world. By offering infrastructure as a service (IaaS), Amazon has transformed the way businesses approach technology, moving away from on-premise IT infrastructure and toward cloud solutions. AWS does not just offer a service; it creates an ecosystem that connects developers, businesses, and cloud customers, creating a thriving network of users, app developers, and service providers.
• Amazon Marketplace: Beyond AWS, Amazon’s marketplace ecosystem has also been a game-changer. Third-party sellers use Amazon’s platform to reach customers, while Amazon itself provides the infrastructure and services needed for those sellers to thrive. This business ecosystem has turned Amazon into a global marketplace, where millions of products are sold by third-party sellers, and millions of customers benefit from the vast selection.

In both cases, Amazon has created an ecosystem in which it does not solely control the value chain but plays a central role, benefiting from the network effects that arise when more players participate. Amazon’s ecosystem is thriving because it enables others to build and innovate on top of its platform, making it a key player in the broader tech and retail ecosystem.

2. Apple: From Product Ecosystem to Service Ecosystem

Apple has long been known for its ability to build highly integrated hardware and software products, creating a seamless user experience across devices. However, in recent years, Apple has expanded its ecosystem to include services that further bind customers into its ecosystem.

• Apple’s Hardware Ecosystem: The synergy between the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch is a fundamental component of Apple’s ecosystem. The company’s success in building a loyal customer base relies on how well its products work together. The integration of hardware and software makes the Apple experience unique — users can seamlessly transfer data across devices, use Apple services, and maintain a cohesive experience. Apple’s ecosystem encourages users to purchase multiple products, deepening their relationship with the brand.
• Apple Services Ecosystem: In addition to its hardware, Apple has successfully expanded into services such as iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and the App Store. These services provide recurring revenue streams and deepen the engagement of Apple’s customers. The services ecosystem locks customers into using Apple’s platform for entertainment, storage, communication, and more. Apple’s strategy of moving from a product-based model to a service-based model is a prime example of ecosystem thinking — the company has turned its hardware base into an entry point for a much broader ecosystem of services.

3. Tesla: Reinventing the Auto Ecosystem

Tesla has redefined the automotive industry through its innovative approach to electric vehicles (EVs) and its broader vision of sustainable energy. By positioning itself as part of an ecosystem that includes renewable energy generation, electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and battery storage, Tesla has created a business model that goes beyond simply selling cars.

• Supercharger Network: One key element of Tesla’s ecosystem is its proprietary Supercharger network. Unlike traditional car manufacturers, which are focused on selling cars alone, Tesla has built an infrastructure that supports its vehicles and enhances the customer experience. The Supercharger network allows Tesla owners to charge their vehicles quickly and conveniently, which is crucial for widespread EV adoption. This charging network is part of Tesla’s broader ecosystem that includes not only the car but also the energy storage (Powerwall) and solar solutions.
• Autonomous Driving and AI: Another part of Tesla’s ecosystem is its focus on autonomous driving. The company’s AI-driven software allows for over-the-air updates and continuously improves the vehicle’s capabilities, which makes it a dynamic part of the overall transportation ecosystem. Tesla’s strategy is to integrate artificial intelligence, data analytics, and machine learning to enhance the driving experience and contribute to the broader movement toward smart, connected vehicles.

4. Microsoft: A Cloud Ecosystem of Products and Partners

Microsoft has transitioned from a traditional software company to a leader in cloud computing, using ecosystem thinking to dominate the cloud space. Microsoft Azure, its cloud platform, has become the backbone for businesses worldwide, helping companies build and deploy applications, store data, and manage their infrastructure.

• Azure Ecosystem: Microsoft Azure isn’t just a cloud service; it’s an entire ecosystem that supports a wide range of third-party integrations, partnerships, and developer tools. This ecosystem allows companies to build on Azure, creating a thriving marketplace of apps, services, and solutions. By opening up its platform to partners, Microsoft enables others to innovate on top of Azure, while still maintaining control over its core infrastructure.
• Microsoft 365: The Microsoft 365 ecosystem integrates tools like Word, Excel, and Teams with cloud services, creating a cohesive environment where businesses can work, collaborate, and communicate efficiently. The seamless integration between cloud storage, productivity tools, and collaboration software keeps users within the Microsoft ecosystem, creating long-term customer loyalty.

5. Alibaba: Creating a Digital Economy Ecosystem

Alibaba is one of the most powerful examples of a company that has transformed from a simple online marketplace into a global digital economy ecosystem. The company has built an interconnected network that combines e-commerce, cloud computing, digital payments, logistics, and entertainment, all feeding into one another to drive customer engagement and long-term growth.

• E-commerce: Alibaba’s core platform, Taobao, is a massive online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers across China and internationally. The company also owns Tmall, a business-to-consumer platform catering to more high-end brands.

• Cloud Computing (Alibaba Cloud): Alibaba Cloud is one of the largest cloud computing providers in China and the third-largest globally. The company’s cloud services are integrated with its e-commerce and logistics operations, offering businesses robust tools to build and scale their online presence.

• Digital Payments (Alipay): Alipay, part of the Ant Group (an affiliate of Alibaba), is a dominant digital wallet in China and has expanded internationally. Alipay enables seamless payments across Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms, but it also integrates with a host of other merchants and service providers, creating a closed-loop ecosystem for digital financial transactions.

• Logistics (Cainiao Network): Alibaba has built its own logistics network, Cainiao, to enhance delivery efficiency for e-commerce sellers. Cainiao leverages big data and AI to optimize supply chain and delivery management, helping sellers reduce shipping times and costs while improving customer satisfaction.

By combining e-commerce, cloud computing, logistics, payments, and entertainment (through Youku, its video streaming platform), Alibaba has created a highly integrated ecosystem where each part feeds into the others. This cross-pollination of services ensures that customers and businesses are deeply embedded within Alibaba’s platform, generating a continuous cycle of growth.

6. Huawei: Building an ICT and Consumer Electronics Ecosystem

Huawei, primarily known for its telecommunications and smartphone products, has successfully leveraged ecosystem thinking by developing a wide range of interconnected products and services spanning the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) sector.

• Telecom Equipment: Huawei is the world’s leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure, including 5G technology. Its telecom equipment is used by many mobile network operators around the world, and the company’s proprietary technology allows for more advanced network connections, such as 5G and AI-powered automation.

• Smartphones: Huawei’s Honor and Mate series smartphones operate within an integrated ecosystem of applications, services, and hardware. The company has developed its own Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) to replace Google services and create a self-sustaining ecosystem for mobile users.

• Cloud Computing & AI: Through Huawei Cloud, the company provides cloud computing solutions to businesses, as well as AI-powered solutions for industries ranging from finance to healthcare. Huawei is actively working on building an open, collaborative ecosystem that supports a wide range of enterprise applications and uses.

• Consumer Electronics: Huawei has expanded its product offerings beyond phones to include smartwatches, laptops, and smart home devices that integrate with its smartphone ecosystem, creating a connected experience for users.

Huawei’s ecosystem extends beyond consumer electronics into the telecom infrastructure that powers global communication networks. The company’s deep integration of AI, telecom, and cloud services within its product ecosystem allows it to offer a broad set of solutions for both businesses and consumers, making Huawei an integral player in the global ICT ecosystem.

7. Grab: The Superapp Ecosystem

Grab, originally a ride-hailing service, has evolved into a superapp that offers a wide array of services, from food delivery to financial services. The company’s success has been driven by its ability to build an interconnected ecosystem of services that address a wide range of consumer needs in Southeast Asia.

• Ride-hailing: Grab started as a competitor to Uber in Southeast Asia and remains one of the region’s leading ride-hailing platforms. However, Grab quickly expanded beyond transportation to become a comprehensive platform.

• Food Delivery (GrabFood): Grab launched GrabFood, a food delivery service that became immensely popular in Southeast Asia, particularly in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. GrabFood is integrated with the rest of the Grab platform, allowing users to pay with GrabPay and earn rewards across services.

• Digital Payments (GrabPay): GrabPay is a digital wallet that allows users to make payments across Grab’s services. It also allows users to pay for external services, such as utility bills and online shopping, making GrabPay a crucial part of Grab’s ecosystem.

• Financial Services (Grab Financial Group): Grab has expanded into digital banking, insurance, and lending, making financial services an integral part of its ecosystem. Grab has partnered with various banks and financial institutions to offer digital wallets, lending products, and insurance options.

• Grocery Delivery (GrabMart): With GrabMart, users can shop for groceries and have them delivered straight to their doorsteps. This service is another example of how Grab integrates multiple aspects of daily life into its ecosystem.

Grab’s ecosystem approach has allowed the company to increase engagement with customers by offering an array of services that address various consumer needs in one app. By becoming the go-to platform for transport, food delivery, digital payments, and financial services, Grab is building strong customer loyalty and increasing the frequency of interactions within its ecosystem.

8. Spotify: Building a Music and Audio Ecosystem

Spotify has transformed from a simple music streaming service into a multifaceted audio ecosystem, offering podcasts, audiobooks, and personalized music experiences. This expansion has helped Spotify fend off competitors and create a sustainable, profitable business model.

• Music Streaming: At the core of Spotify’s ecosystem is its music streaming platform, which offers users personalized playlists, curated recommendations, and a vast catalog of music. The platform leverages AI to create music recommendations based on listening habits and preferences.

• Podcasts and Audiobooks: Spotify has made significant investments in podcasts, acquiring companies like Anchor and Parcast to create a thriving podcast ecosystem. This has allowed Spotify to diversify its content and attract new audiences. The platform has also integrated audiobooks into its offering, making it a more comprehensive audio platform.

• Spotify for Artists: Spotify has developed a robust ecosystem for artists, allowing them to upload music, engage with listeners, and monetize their content through ads and subscriptions. By providing artists with tools to promote and distribute their music, Spotify strengthens its position as the dominant player in the digital music ecosystem.

• Partnerships with Hardware Providers: Spotify has also expanded its ecosystem by partnering with various hardware providers, including smart speakers, wearables, and car systems, to ensure that Spotify is accessible to users across all devices.

 Spotify’s ability to expand from music streaming into podcasts, audiobooks, and a platform for artists has made it a central hub in the broader audio ecosystem. The company’s focus on personalization and user engagement, along with its growing content library, has allowed Spotify to differentiate itself from competitors and maintain its leadership position in the global audio ecosystem.

9. BYD: The Electric Vehicle and Renewable Energy Ecosystem

BYD (Build Your Dreams) has become one of the leading players in the electric vehicle (EV) market. The company’s approach to ecosystem thinking is centered on combining EV production with energy storage and solar technology, creating a closed-loop ecosystem for sustainable transportation and energy.

• Electric Vehicles: BYD produces electric cars, buses, and trucks, with a focus on sustainable and eco-friendly transportation solutions. The company has become a major global player in the EV market, particularly in China and Europe.

• Energy Storage (BYD Energy): BYD has integrated energy storage solutions into its ecosystem through BYD Energy, which produces lithium-ion batteries for both EVs and stationary storage systems. This allows customers to power homes and businesses with renewable energy, reducing reliance on traditional grid power.

• Solar Energy (BYD Solar): BYD has expanded into solar energy production, offering solar panels and energy solutions to complement its EVs and energy storage systems. By integrating these elements into a single ecosystem, BYD provides customers with a holistic approach to renewable energy and sustainable living.

BYD’s ability to link electric vehicles, energy storage, and solar power into a single ecosystem has allowed the company to establish itself as a leader in the green energy space. This ecosystem thinking positions BYD as a key player in the transition to sustainable energy and transportation, making it a powerful example of how ecosystem thinking can drive profitable growth in the green economy.

The Future of Ecosystem Thinking

The shift to ecosystem thinking represents a fundamental change in how companies view value creation, partnerships, and growth. By building interconnected networks of customers, partners, suppliers, and even competitors, businesses can unlock new avenues of revenue, increase innovation, and become more resilient to disruptions.

Companies like Amazon, Apple, Tesla, and Microsoft have already demonstrated how ecosystem thinking can drive significant growth. Their ability to recognize and capitalize on the interconnectedness of the modern business world has allowed them to not only maintain relevance but also expand their market positions. The future of business growth will likely be defined by how well companies can integrate into and leverage these ecosystems, creating value not just for themselves but for the entire network they belong to.

As businesses continue to embrace this new mindset, it is clear that success will depend on a company’s ability to build, maintain, and expand its ecosystem. The companies that succeed will be those that think beyond linear, independent models and embrace the complexity and interconnectedness of the global economy. The time for ecosystem thinking is now — and those who fail to adapt risk being left behind.

I was recently described as one of the world’s leading thinker on business reinvention – quite an accolade, I thought – particularly when you look around at some of my peers and their great ideas, books and real-life examples of transforming organisations.

In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, standing still is equivalent to falling behind. Digital disruption, shifting consumer expectations, global crises, and the accelerating pace of technological change demand that organizations continually reinvent themselves.

So which leading thinkers, and recent books about business transformation, turnaround and regeneration, have inspired me?

• The Ride of a Lifetime:  Bob Iger’s memoir of his time as Disney’s CEO, highlighting leadership, strategic acquisitions, and transformational decisions that positioned Disney for long-term success.
• Brick by Brick: David Robertson and Bill Breen chronicle Lego’s turnaround from near bankruptcy, focusing on innovation, customer engagement, and aligning culture with core purpose.
• Innovation Out of Crisis : Shigetaka Komori, former CEO, details Fujifilm’s transformation from a film company to a diversified conglomerate, demonstrating how crises can catalyse innovation and reinvention.
• See Sooner, Act Faster:  George Day and Paul Schoemaker emphasise vigilant leadership, anticipating threats and opportunities, and developing organizational capabilities to respond proactively to disruption.
• Resurgent: Julian Birkinshaw and John Fallon explore how incumbent companies navigate disruption, with strategies like fighting back, doubling down, retrenching, or migrating into new markets, using real-world case studies.
• The New Nature of Business: André Hoffmann and Peter Vanham advocate purpose-driven, sustainable business strategies, integrating social, environmental, and human capital to create long-term value.
• No Rules Rules – Reed Hastings with Erin Meyer explore Netflix’s culture of freedom and responsibility, demonstrating how culture can drive agility, experimentation, and repeated reinvention.
• Humanocracy: Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini advocate flattening bureaucracy and empowering employees, arguing that human-centered organizational design unlocks creativity, innovation, and large-scale transformation.
• Dual Transformation: Scott Anthony and Mark Johnson provide a framework for simultaneously optimising the core business (Transformation A) and building a new disruptive business (Transformation B) to navigate change successfully.

Across these diverse examples, from Disney’s blockbuster acquisitions to Lego’s turnaround, Fujifilm’s pivot and Netflix’s culture-driven innovation, emerge ten powerful ideas for business reinvention:

1. Develop business models as dynamic portfolios

Manage multiple business models concurrently to balance core exploitation with the exploration of new opportunities.

Alexander Osterwalder argues that sustainable reinvention demands managing a portfolio of business models rather than relying on a single core.  This approach allows companies to maintain revenue from established operations while experimenting with new ventures.

For example, Amazon continues to rely on its retail platform as a foundation, while building new businesses such as AWS, Prime Video, and logistics innovations.

2. Pursue dual transformation: Strengthen core while building new ventures

Successful reinvention requires parallel attention to the present and future, leveraging existing capabilities while exploring new models.

Scott Anthony presents a framework for balancing short-term performance and long-term disruption. Transformation A focuses on optimizing and defending the core business, while Transformation B builds a new growth engine, often in adjacent or entirely new markets.

Adobe, for instance, maintained and optimized its Creative Suite products (Transformation A) while launching Creative Cloud (Transformation B), creating a recurring revenue model that redefined its industry. Similarly, Fujifilm leveraged existing imaging technologies to diversify into healthcare and cosmetics, applying core capabilities to new markets.

3. Embrace purpose-driven strategy and sustainable value

Integrate purpose into strategy to align employees, inspire customers, and sustain long-term value creation.

André Hoffmann argues that reinvention is increasingly purpose-driven. Purpose is no longer a marketing slogan; it shapes strategic priorities, informs decision-making, and aligns the organization around social, environmental, and human goals. Companies like Roche, LEGO, and others have embedded purpose into their core strategies, fostering long-term resilience and stakeholder trust.

A purpose-led approach encourages organizations to make decisions that benefit all stakeholders, not just shareholders, while positioning them to seize opportunities emerging from societal and environmental shifts.

4. Cultivate vigilant, adaptive leadership

Reinvention depends on leaders who anticipate change, inspire confidence, and enable rapid, informed action across the organization.

George Day emphasizes vigilant leadership, the ability to anticipate emerging trends, identify threats, and act proactively.

Disney’s Bob Iger exemplifies this principle. His strategic foresight in acquiring Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, and positioning Disney for the streaming era, illustrates how leaders can steer organizations through complex transformations.

Vigilant leaders also empower teams to act quickly, providing frameworks that balance autonomy with accountability, enabling the organization to respond to change before competitors do.

5. Reinvent culture as a strategic asset

Shape culture to foster creativity, risk-taking, and alignment with organizational purpose and strategy.

Culture is central to transformation. No Rules Rules explores how Netflix’s freedom-and-responsibility culture drives agility and innovation, showing that removing bureaucracy, rewarding candor, and promoting accountability allows employees to experiment and innovate fearlessly.

Lego’s turnaround, detailed in Brick by Brick, similarly emphasizes aligning culture with purpose and product, nurturing creativity, and instilling operational discipline.

Culture is not incidental—it must be designed deliberately to enable strategic reinvention.

6. Innovate out of crisis: Leverage constraints as catalysts

View crises as opportunities to reimagine the business and apply existing strengths in innovative ways.

Shigetaka Komori’s Innovation Out of Crisis demonstrates that disruption can catalyze creativity and reinvention. Fujifilm’s film business collapse forced the company to pivot into healthcare, cosmetics, and digital imaging, leveraging existing technologies in new markets.

Similarly, economic downturns or competitive pressure often reveal latent capabilities that can be repurposed for growth.

7. Human-centered organisations unlock employee potential

Empower employees through flatter, more adaptive organizational structures to unleash innovation at scale.

Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini argue that bureaucracy stifles innovation and slows reinvention. By dismantling rigid hierarchies, reducing unnecessary rules, and empowering employees to make decisions, organizations can tap into collective intelligence and creativity. Companies that embrace human-centric structures—where individuals are trusted to solve problems and contribute ideas—can accelerate transformation far faster than rigidly managed firms.

This principle complements Netflix’s culture (freedom and responsibility) and Lego’s creativity-focused environment, highlighting that organizational design is as important as strategy and technology in enabling reinvention.

8. Customer-centric reinvention: Ground innovation in real needs

Effective reinvention starts with deep insights into customer behavior, enabling solutions that truly resonate.

Marc Randolph, through Netflix’s story, and Lego’s fan engagement, emphasize the power of listening to customers. Innovations should address real pain points rather than be technology- or internally-driven. Netflix iterated its DVD-by-mail and streaming models by testing hypotheses and responding to customer preferences, while LEGO co-created products with fan communities.

9. Strategic risk-taking with disciplined experimentation

Reinvention requires courage tempered with structured experimentation and disciplined execution.

Julian Birkinshaw highlights the need to balance bold experimentation with discipline. Companies like Lego, Disney, Fujifilm, and Netflix pursued calculated risks: exploring new markets, products, or content while maintaining operational and financial control.

Innovation portfolios, pilot programs, and scenario planning enable organizations to fail fast, learn, and scale successful initiatives safely.

10. Reinvention is continuous: Build organisational resilience

Treat reinvention as an ongoing capability, embedding learning, adaptation, and experimentation into organizational DNA.

Across all these examples, the unifying principle is that reinvention is not a one-time event. Lego continually innovates its products and engagement models; Disney regularly integrates new franchises; Netflix evolves its culture and content strategies; Fujifilm continues diversifying into healthcare and beyond.

The Invincible Company underscores the importance of institutionalizing innovation infrastructure, portfolio management, and adaptive leadership, making transformation a repeatable capability rather than a single project.

What can we take away?

10 powerful ideas emerge from these authors and their recent books, about what drives business reinvention, and the broader process of transforming an organisation and its performance:

• Treat business models dynamically and manage them as portfolios.

• Pursue dual transformation: optimize core operations while exploring new growth engines.

• Embed purpose and sustainability into strategy.

• Cultivate vigilant and adaptive leadership.

• Design culture to enable creativity, alignment, and agility.

• Leverage crises as catalysts for innovation.

• Empower employees through human-centric organizational design

• Ground reinvention in deep customer insights.

• Balance bold experimentation with disciplined risk management.

• Institutionalize continuous reinvention as an organizational capability.

Whether it’s Netflix redefining entertainment, Lego reinventing play, Disney integrating content and technology, Fujifilm pivoting industries, or human-centric organizations flattening bureaucracy to unlock creativity, these lessons converge on one point: successful reinvention is holistic, deliberate, and enduring. It aligns strategy, business models, culture, leadership, and purpose to respond to disruption proactively and continuously.

By integrating these insights, companies can chart a practical roadmap for transformation—balancing the exploitation of existing strengths with the exploration of new opportunities, fostering a culture of empowerment, embedding purpose, and building resilience into the very fabric of the organization.

For most of its history, insurance has been defined by a reactive model: customers pay premiums, disasters strike, claims are filed, and compensation is provided. This contract of risk transfer has been the backbone of the industry for centuries. Yet in a world of escalating climate extremes — floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and heatwaves — the reactive model is no longer sufficient. As losses mount into the hundreds of billions annually, and communities face repeated devastation, the very sustainability of insurance is under threat.

The future of insurance depends on reinvention — shifting from being a passive payer of claims to becoming an active partner in prevention. At the heart of this reinvention is artificial intelligence (AI). By combining predictive models, satellite imagery, sensor networks, and parametric triggers, insurers are discovering how to transform risk knowledge into actionable foresight. The promise is profound: instead of writing cheques after disasters, insurers can help clients avoid them in the first place.

From Claims to Prevention

The traditional insurance cycle was simple: underwrite, collect premium, pay claims. Yet the climate era has exposed its fragility. In regions from California to Queensland, insurers have pulled out of entire markets due to wildfire or flood losses, leaving households and businesses without cover. Governments and regulators, meanwhile, are demanding that insurers step up not only as financiers of recovery but as partners in resilience.

AI offers a path forward. By sifting through oceans of weather data, remote sensing imagery, and historical loss records, machine learning models can detect subtle patterns that human underwriters might miss. More importantly, they can provide real-time insights — enabling proactive measures that reduce exposure before disaster strikes. This is the essence of “smart avoidance”: combining risk intelligence with behavioural nudges, alerts, and incentives so that clients take action to prevent losses.

Example: Flood Foresight with Allianz

When heavy rains loom over Europe, Allianz’s AI-driven platform merges weather forecasts with river-gauge readings and vulnerability maps. Customers receive hyper-local alerts: move inventory upstairs, place sandbags, evacuate early.

Impact: Thousands of euros saved in avoided damages, stronger customer trust, and a new role for the insurer — from cheque-writer to proactive risk advisor.

Wildfire Prediction: Munich Re, AXA and AI-Powered Models

Wildfires, once seasonal, are now year-round risks in parts of North America, Europe, and Australia. Munich Re and AXA XL are leveraging satellite data, topographic information, and vegetation indices to build machine-learning models that assess wildfire spread in real time.

Clients receive risk scores and practical recommendations — from vegetation management around properties to evacuation timing. In some regions, insurers are even experimenting with offering lower premiums to households that implement defensible space or install fire-resistant materials, guided by AI risk assessments.

This is insurance as a catalyst for behavioural change: aligning financial incentives with proactive resilience.

Example: AI in the Fire Zone

AXA XL’s wildfire tool blends weather forecasts, historic fire data, and vegetation maps to predict fire paths. Businesses receive tailored advice on how to protect facilities, while homeowners are coached on defensible spaces.

The benefit: lower claims and, more importantly, safer communities.

Homes That Protect Themselves: Hippo and Smart Sensors

Not all extreme events are vast in scale. Everyday disasters like burst pipes or electrical fires also contribute to major losses. Insurtechs such as Hippo have taken prevention into the home itself, integrating IoT sensors with AI analytics. Leak detectors can signal a broken pipe before it floods a house; smart thermostats can shut down overheating systems before they ignite.

The data from these sensors is fed into AI systems that detect anomalies and send instant alerts to homeowners — often before the homeowner notices anything is wrong. For the insurer, it means fewer large claims; for the customer, it means peace of mind.

Example: Hippo’s “Prevent First” Model

Hippo offers free smart-home kits to policyholders, including leak detectors and fire sensors. Its AI platform analyses real-time data, alerting clients before small issues become catastrophes.

Result: reduced water damage claims by up to 20% in pilot markets, and happier customers who see their insurer as a partner, not just a bill.

Startups Rewriting the Risk Map

A new generation of AI-driven insurtechs is emerging to tackle risks once considered “uninsurable.” Companies such as Zesty.ai and Kettle use aerial imagery, building footprints, and climate data to generate highly granular wildfire and hurricane risk models.

These models not only improve underwriting accuracy but also create pathways for coverage in regions where legacy actuarial methods had failed. Properties once abandoned by insurers can be priced more fairly, often with incentives for retrofits that further reduce risk. Here, AI does more than improve actuarial precision — it democratizes access to insurance by making the uninsurable insurable again.

Example: Zesty.ai’s Risk Lens

Zesty.ai analyses over 200 billion data points — from roof shape to tree cover — to score wildfire risk at the individual property level.

Why it matters: homeowners previously denied coverage in high-risk regions can now access policies, often at fairer prices, if they commit to fire-resilient upgrades.

Parametric Innovation: Triggering Rapid Recovery

Another frontier of AI-driven prevention lies in parametric insurance. Unlike traditional policies, which rely on damage assessment, parametric covers pay out automatically when pre-defined triggers are met — such as wind speeds above a threshold, or rainfall exceeding a certain level.

Insurers like Swiss Re, FloodFlash, and Descartes Underwriting are using AI to refine these triggers, employing satellites, IoT sensors, and predictive models to ensure accuracy and minimize “basis risk.” The speed of payouts allows businesses and communities to recover before secondary impacts (like mould after floods or supply-chain collapse after storms) create larger damages. While parametrics do not prevent disasters, they mitigate their economic fallout and build resilience.

Beyond Technology: A New Social Contract

While the technology is advancing rapidly, the reinvention of insurance requires more than algorithms. It demands a new social contract between insurers, clients, and regulators. Transparency is critical: AI models must be explainable, so customers understand how their risk scores are derived and regulators can ensure fairness. Privacy must be safeguarded as insurers collect increasing volumes of personal and sensor data.

There is also the question of responsibility. Should insurers merely provide insights, or actively intervene in client behaviour? Already, insurers are nudging customers through lower premiums for risk-reducing actions. In the future, partnerships may extend further — insurers co-investing with municipalities in flood defences, or bundling climate-resilient retrofits with coverage.

Turning Crisis into Reinvention

The climate crisis is reshaping insurance in fundamental ways. Extreme events are not “black swans” but recurring certainties. Traditional underwriting cannot keep pace with their frequency or intensity. Without reinvention, the industry risks shrinking coverage, escalating premiums, and eroding trust.

AI offers a way out of this trap. By transforming disaster data into foresight, and foresight into prevention, insurers can shift their value proposition from “writing cheques when things go wrong” to “helping ensure things go right.”

The winners in this reinvention will be those insurers that harness AI not just as a back-office efficiency tool, but as the engine of a new business model. A model where risk is reduced, resilience is built, and customers see their insurer as a partner in safeguarding lives and livelihoods.

Reinventing Insurance: From Payers to Protectors

Reinventing insurance is not optional — it is an existential necessity. The convergence of climate change, digital technology, and shifting customer expectations is rewriting the rules of the sector. Insurers that cling to reactive claims models will find themselves overwhelmed by losses and abandoned by clients.

Those that embrace AI to drive prevention, however, can reinvent their role entirely. They can become protectors rather than payers, helping society anticipate and avoid disaster. In doing so, they will not only preserve their relevance but also contribute to building resilience in an era where extreme events are the new normal.

The message is clear: the future of insurance is not about disaster claims — it is about smart avoidance. And AI is the tool that makes that future possible.

In today’s world, customers no longer just buy products—they buy solutions, experiences, and outcomes. The most successful brands are realizing that to stay relevant and grow, they must think beyond the narrow scope of their products or services. Instead, they need to focus on the broader problems their customers face and leverage partnerships to deliver end-to-end solutions. Mercedes-Benz offers a compelling example of how a brand can make this shift, moving from a traditional product manufacturer to an ecosystem orchestrator, providing value far beyond the car itself.

Understanding the Customer Problem

The first step is to see the world through the customer’s eyes. For Mercedes-Benz, the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) revealed a fundamental insight: owning an EV is not just about having a luxury car—it’s about access to reliable, sustainable energy. Customers want to charge their vehicles efficiently, reduce energy costs, and ideally do so using renewable sources. The problem is no longer only about driving; it’s about mobility and energy management at home, on the road, and within the larger environment of the city.

Brands that excel at solving customer problems start by identifying unmet needs in the broader context of their product. Apple didn’t just sell an iPhone; it addressed how people communicate, work, entertain themselves, and stay healthy in an increasingly connected life. Peloton didn’t just sell a stationary bike; it addressed how people find time-efficient, social, and motivating ways to exercise at home. The lesson is clear: products are entry points, but problems are opportunities.

Building an Ecosystem of Partners

Once a brand understands the broader problem, it often cannot solve it alone. Here is where ecosystems come into play. An ecosystem is a network of partners, technologies, and services that collectively deliver value to the customer. Mercedes-Benz exemplifies this approach through its partnerships with companies like Bosch, a global leader in energy and IoT solutions.

Together, Mercedes and Bosch provide home energy solutions linked directly to EV ownership. Through this partnership:

• Customers can install solar panels and home energy storage systems, allowing them to charge vehicles using renewable energy.

• Bosch’s expertise in smart-home technology ensures that energy consumption is optimized, balancing household needs with vehicle charging schedules.

• Mercedes integrates these services into its digital platform, Mercedes me, which enables customers to manage cars, energy, and mobility services from a single interface.

The key insight here is that Mercedes didn’t limit itself to cars. By orchestrating a network of partners, the company can deliver a complete mobility and energy experience, turning a one-dimensional product into a multi-dimensional solution.

Shifting From Products to Services

Ecosystems unlock new business models by transforming products into services and experiences. Mercedes-Benz is experimenting with subscription models that combine vehicles, charging infrastructure, and home energy solutions. This approach creates recurring revenue streams while deepening customer engagement.

Consider how this approach can be applied in other industries:

• A fitness brand could partner with nutrition, wellness, and technology companies to provide personalized health ecosystems.

• A financial services company could collaborate with utilities, mobility providers, and tech platforms to offer integrated life planning solutions, beyond insurance or banking products.

• A consumer electronics company could partner with home automation, content, and service providers to deliver a seamless smart-living ecosystem.

The principle is the same: focus on the customer’s broader journey and orchestrate a network to meet those needs holistically.

Digital Platforms as the Glue

Ecosystems thrive when there is a central hub that connects partners, collects insights, and delivers a seamless customer experience. Mercedes me acts as this hub for Mercedes-Benz, linking cars, energy solutions, and mobility services. Through the platform, Mercedes can:

• Track energy usage patterns and recommend optimal charging times.

• Offer predictive maintenance and vehicle updates, enhancing reliability.

• Provide personalized offers and services based on user behavior and preferences.

Digital platforms turn ecosystems from a loose network into a coordinated, intelligent system, enabling brands to act on data insights while keeping the customer experience smooth and integrated.

Benefits for Brands

Brands that adopt ecosystem thinking gain multiple advantages:

• Customer loyalty and engagement: Customers become embedded in a broader network of solutions that are hard to replicate.

• New revenue streams: Ecosystems open doors to services, subscriptions, and value-added offerings beyond the original product.

• Innovation acceleration: Partnering with other experts allows brands to innovate faster and address complex problems they could not solve alone.

• Sustainability and purpose alignment: Solutions that integrate energy, mobility, and technology enhance social and environmental impact, which increasingly matters to consumers.

Lessons for Any Brand

Mercedes-Benz demonstrates a few universal lessons for brands seeking to move beyond products:

• Start with the problem, not the product: Understand what customers truly need in the context of their lives.

• Collaborate strategically: Partner with companies that have complementary strengths to expand the value proposition.

• Invest in platforms: Use digital systems to orchestrate partners, manage services, and personalize experiences.

• Think in terms of services, not products: Explore subscriptions, bundled offerings, and integrated experiences to deepen engagement.

• Measure broader impact: Evaluate success not only in sales but also in the outcomes delivered for customers, such as convenience, cost savings, or sustainability.

The future of business lies in moving beyond products to solving broader customer problems through ecosystems. Mercedes-Benz exemplifies this shift by combining cars, home energy, digital platforms, and strategic partnerships into a unified mobility experience. Brands that adopt this mindset can unlock new growth, stronger customer relationships, and meaningful impact, while transforming themselves from product sellers into problem-solvers and ecosystem orchestrators.

In a world where products are increasingly commoditized, the real competitive advantage belongs to those who see the bigger picture, collaborate effectively, and deliver holistic solutions. The Mercedes-Benz model is not just a blueprint for the automotive industry—it is a lesson for any brand seeking relevance and growth in the 21st century.

Who are the most inspiring business leaders today?

• Request the free e-book “A-Z of Inspiring Business Leaders 2025” at peterfisk@peterfisk.com

How do they lead in a world of uncertainty, complexity and relentless change, to deliver today and also create tomorrow?  How do they engage stakeholders, see a bigger picture, have a focus on the future, drive innovation and transformation? And how do they succeed as people, in their relationships with their colleagues, and in their personal drive and resilience?

I’ve had the privilege to meet some of the world’s great business leaders. I remember sitting down with Virgin founder Richard Branson, telling me about is love of big crazy ideas and taking personal risks like hot-air ballooning and more recently space travel, but after 50 years a lingering fear of meeting with his finance team and deciphering a balance sheet.

Last year I interviewed Spanish business leader Pablo Isla, ranked by HBR as the world’s best CEO, who said he is only human, and can only be expected what most humans can do. But in the smartest way possible. Equally humble was Jim Snabe, chairman of Siemens, who talked about how he is always curious, always learning, constantly inspired by other leaders and their companies around the world.

Satya Nadella was truly inspiring. Watching him talk to his Microsoft leadership team, he was a body of passion, entrancing with his vision of the possibilities of technology, and the confidence to transform their business. Melanie Perkins, the young Australian founder of Canva, was equally compelling, but in a far more practical and down to earth way.

One of my most thought-provoking (and complex) conversations was with Haier’s chairman Zhang Ruimin. Once I told him that I also had a scientific background, he wanted to talk quantum physics, as an analogy for organisation design. He was fascinating, talking about how his “rendanheyi” approach to living organisations, was about freedom and innovation, but also how different operating models could create more potential, and then kinetic, energy.

So, who are the most inspiring business leaders today – and what can we learn from them?

Who are the most inspiring business leaders today?

How do they lead in a world of uncertainty, complexity and relentless change, to deliver today and also create tomorrow?  How do they engage stakeholders, see a bigger picture, have a focus on the future, drive innovation and transformation? And how do they succeed as people, in their relationships with their colleagues, and in their personal drive and resilience?

I’ve had the privilege to meet some of the world’s great business leaders. I remember sitting down with Virgin founder Richard Branson, telling me about is love of big crazy ideas and taking personal risks like hot-air ballooning and more recently space travel, but after 50 years a lingering fear of meeting with his finance team and deciphering a balance sheet.

Last year I interviewed Spanish business leader Pablo Isla, ranked by HBR as the world’s best CEO, who said he is only human, and can only be expected what most humans can do. But in the smartest way possible. Equally humble was Jim Snabe, chairman of Siemens, who talked about how he is always curious, always learning, constantly inspired by other leaders and their companies around the world.

Satya Nadella was truly inspiring. Watching him talk to his Microsoft leadership team, he was a body of passion, entrancing with his vision of the possibilities of technology, and the confidence to transform their business. Melanie Perkins, the young Australian founder of Canva, was equally compelling, but in a far more practical and down to earth way.

One of my most thought-provoking (and complex) conversations was with Haier’s chairman Zhang Ruimin. Once I told him that I also had a scientific background, he wanted to talk quantum physics, as an analogy for organisation design. He was fascinating, talking about how his “rendanheyi” approach to living organisations, was about freedom and innovation, but also how different operating models could create more potential, and then kinetic, energy.

As I travel around the world – working with diverse companies, meeting incredible business leaders, and sharing the best ideas from across sectors and geographies in keynotes and workshops – I mused on who are the most inspiring business leaders today – how do they succeed into today’s very different world – and what can we learn from them?

The best leaders aren’t just good at managing. They explore, envision and elevate their personal possibilities and business potential. They connect, transform, and enable their organisations to achieve more. They are future makers.

Here are some of the attributes which, for me, make them inspiring. Collectively these attributes create a New Leadership DNA:

• They lead with vision and purpose. They see the big picture and help others see it too. They’re not just reacting to the present — they’re creating the future. Their vision is rooted in a strong sense of purpose that goes beyond profit: social impact, sustainability, human empowerment, or systemic change. Nadella’s growth mindset has been transformational.

• They embrace complexity and uncertainty. Instead of fearing change, they lean into ambiguity. They use it as a catalyst for innovation. They build organisations that are agile, resilient, and adaptive — capable of pivoting quickly without losing direction. Jensen Huang has been at Nvidia’s helm since its founding in 1995, a constant source of direction and stability.

• They drive innovation and reinvention. They foster a culture of experimentation, learning, and continuous reinvention. They don’t cling to legacy models — they challenge assumptions, embrace bold thinking, and ask: What’s next? Jim Hagemann Snabe, chairman of Siemens, is a passionate advocate of continuous reinvention.

• They connect deeply with stakeholders. They actively listen, collaborate, and co-create with customers, employees, partners, and communities. They build trust through transparency and consistent values — which is essential in a noisy, polarised world. Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia is one of my business heroes.

• They are human-centered and emotionally intelligent. They lead with empathy, humility, and authenticity. They show vulnerability, care for their teams, and encourage psychological safety. They’re focused not just on what gets done but how — creating healthy, high-performing cultures.  Perkins loves to say, “we’re a family, and we’re here to do good”.

• They invest in their own growth and resilience. They cultivate mental clarity, self-awareness, and inner strength — practices like reflection, coaching, mindfulness, and lifelong learning. They’re passionate, driven — but also grounded and emotionally regulated, even under pressure. Jacinda Ardern, former PM now leadership coach, is a great example.

• They build teams, not empires. They create leadership ecosystems, not command-and-control hierarchies. They empower others, distribute decision-making, and build collective intelligence. They know that innovation and impact come from collaboration, not heroism. Erin Meyer told me this one, learnt from Reed Hastings, while writing No Rules Rules together.

Collectively these attributes create a New Leadership DNA.

Sam Altman, Open AI

Sam Altman is a visionary entrepreneur and investor who has become one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence. Born in 1985, Altman studied computer science at Stanford University before dropping out to launch the location-based app Loopt. Though Loopt was not a major commercial success, it marked Altman as a rising star in tech. He went on to lead Y Combinator, one of Silicon Valley’s top startup accelerators, where he helped launch and support companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe.

In 2015, Altman co-founded OpenAI alongside Elon Musk and others with the mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. Under his leadership, OpenAI has developed some of the most advanced AI systems in the world, including ChatGPT. Altman has championed a unique capped-profit model to align AI development with broad societal benefit. His tenure has seen OpenAI grow from a nonprofit research lab into a global force, forging major partnerships—including a multibillion-dollar collaboration with Microsoft.

He has been at the forefront of AI safety debates and calls for global AI governance. Altman’s impact lies not only in advancing cutting-edge AI, but in reframing how tech companies balance innovation, ethics, and profit.

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Mary Barra, GM

Mary Barra made history in 2014 when she became the first female CEO of a major global automaker, General Motors. Born in Michigan in 1961, Barra holds a degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from Stanford. Her career at GM spans over four decades, beginning as a co-op student inspecting fender panels. She steadily rose through the ranks with roles in engineering, HR, and manufacturing.

As CEO, Barra has spearheaded GM’s transformation from a traditional automaker to a forward-looking mobility company. She led the company through a massive cultural and operational shift, emphasizing transparency and accountability after the ignition switch crisis. Barra’s vision has centered on an all-electric future: she committed GM to producing only zero-emissions vehicles by 2035, and has significantly invested in EVs and autonomous technology, including the development of the Chevrolet Bolt and the Cruise AV platform.

Barra has also been a leading advocate for diversity and inclusion, setting ambitious DEI goals and increasing female representation across leadership. Under her guidance, GM returned to profitability after bankruptcy, streamlined its global operations, and began to redefine American automotive innovation. She is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and transformative leaders in the global auto industry.

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Tim Cook, Apple

Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple in 2011, following the death of Steve Jobs. Born in Alabama in 1960, Cook holds a degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke University. He joined Apple in 1998 after roles at IBM, Compaq, and Intelligent Electronics. Initially brought in to streamline Apple’s supply chain, Cook’s operational brilliance helped turn Apple into a global logistics powerhouse.

As CEO, Cook has overseen Apple’s transformation into the world’s most valuable company, pushing its market cap past $3 trillion. Under his leadership, Apple has expanded its product line with innovations like the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Silicon chips. He has also pivoted Apple toward services—such as Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple TV+—which now form a major growth engine. While Jobs was known for visionary product design, Cook is recognized for his steady hand, global scaling, and quiet but firm leadership style.

Cook has brought a values-based approach to Apple’s leadership, championing privacy as a human right, committing to carbon neutrality, and supporting social justice causes. Openly gay and a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Cook has modernized Apple’s culture while maintaining its core design ethos. His legacy is one of sustainable, disciplined innovation and values-driven business leadership.

Axel Dumas, Hermès

Axel Dumas is the CEO of Hermès International and a sixth-generation member of the founding Hermès family. Born in 1970, Dumas studied philosophy and political science before training at Sciences Po and the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA), a prestigious French school for civil servants. Before joining Hermès in 2003, he worked in banking at Paribas.

Dumas became CEO in 2013 and has since guided the French luxury house through a period of exceptional growth and resilience. Unlike many luxury conglomerates, Hermès has stayed independent and family-controlled, maintaining its artisanal heritage and commitment to craftsmanship. Dumas has upheld this legacy while subtly modernizing the brand—expanding into new markets, accelerating digital capabilities, and opening flagship stores in key global cities.

Under his leadership, Hermès has remained one of the most exclusive and admired luxury brands in the world. Its iconic Birkin and Kelly bags continue to be symbols of prestige, and the brand has enjoyed soaring demand in Asia and among younger luxury consumers. Dumas has been praised for balancing tradition with innovation, preserving Hermès’ scarcity-driven model while building a highly profitable and sustainable global business.

Daniel Ek, Spotify

Daniel Ek is the co-founder and CEO of Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming platform. Born in Sweden in 1983, Ek showed early entrepreneurial instincts, starting tech ventures in his teens and becoming a millionaire by age 23. In 2006, he co-founded Spotify with Martin Lorentzon, aiming to combat music piracy and offer a better way to access music legally.

Launched in 2008, Spotify revolutionized how people consume music, introducing freemium streaming supported by ads or subscriptions. Ek’s data-driven, user-focused approach turned Spotify into a global platform with over 500 million users and 200+ million paying subscribers. Under his leadership, Spotify has continually innovated—through algorithmic playlists, podcast acquisitions (like Joe Rogan and Gimlet Media), and tools for creators.

Ek has championed the idea that tech can democratize the music industry, giving artists more direct access to fans. He’s also had to navigate complex relationships with record labels, creators, and regulators, while fending off growing competition from Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. His vision and persistence have made Spotify one of the most transformative companies in digital media, reshaping the business model of an entire industry.

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Jane Fraser, Citigroup

Jane Fraser made history in 2021 as the first woman to lead a major U.S. bank when she became CEO of Citigroup. Born in Scotland in 1967, Fraser earned degrees from Cambridge University and Harvard Business School. She began her career at Goldman Sachs and McKinsey & Company, where she became a partner, before joining Citi in 2004.

Over nearly two decades at Citigroup, Fraser held multiple leadership roles, including CEO of Citi’s Latin America operations and head of its global consumer bank. Her appointment as CEO marked a turning point for the institution, which has long trailed rivals JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America in profitability and efficiency. As CEO, she quickly launched a major strategic overhaul—streamlining global operations by exiting consumer banking in multiple markets, refocusing on wealth management, and investing in technology and compliance.

Fraser has also prioritized culture change and operational transparency. She is leading Citi through a long-needed transformation of its risk management infrastructure, driven by regulatory demands and a goal of making the bank leaner, safer, and more client-focused. In a traditionally male-dominated field, Fraser has emerged as a symbol of inclusive leadership and a thoughtful, steady hand in an era of financial transformation.

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Marcos Galperin, Mercado Libre

Marcos Galperin is the founder and CEO of Mercado Libre, Latin America’s largest e-commerce and fintech company. Born in Argentina in 1971, he studied economics at Wharton and earned his MBA at Stanford, where the idea for Mercado Libre was born. Launched in 1999, the company is often referred to as the “Amazon of Latin America,” though its model also blends features of eBay, PayPal, and Shopify.

Galperin has been instrumental in shaping Latin America’s digital economy, bringing e-commerce and digital payments to markets historically underserved by traditional infrastructure. Under his leadership, Mercado Libre built its own logistics network and digital wallet system (Mercado Pago), which has become a critical tool for financial inclusion in the region. The company weathered multiple economic and political crises by remaining agile and relentlessly user-focused.

Galperin’s vision was not only technological but also social—empowering millions of small businesses and consumers across Latin America to access digital commerce, payments, and credit. Today, Mercado Libre is one of the most valuable companies in the region, a rare tech success story from the Global South. Galperin is seen as a pioneer in emerging market innovation, combining entrepreneurial resilience with scalable impact.

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Jensen Huang, Nvidia

Jensen Huang is the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, the company that pioneered graphics processing units (GPUs) and transformed them into essential tools for AI, gaming, and data science. Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang moved to the USA as a child and studied electrical engineering at Oregon State and Stanford. In 1993, he co-founded Nvidia with a focus on high-performance graphics cards for gaming—a niche that would evolve into one of the most powerful computing platforms in the world.

Under Huang’s visionary leadership, Nvidia expanded beyond gaming to become a leader in AI and high-performance computing. The company’s CUDA platform and GPU architecture are now central to deep learning, powering everything from self-driving cars to large language models. Huang has masterfully steered Nvidia into new verticals—healthcare, automotive, data centres—while maintaining its edge in graphics.

In recent years, Nvidia has become one of the most valuable chipmakers globally, particularly due to the AI boom. Huang is known for his charismatic public speaking, black leather jacket, and long-term thinking. He’s often described as one of the most influential figures in the future of computing. His greatest achievement may be transforming a gaming company into the engine room of the AI revolution.

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Hisayuki Idekoba, Recruit

Hisayuki “Deko” Idekoba is the CEO of Recruit Holdings, the Japanese conglomerate behind major global platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor. Born in 1974, Idekoba studied at the University of Texas at Austin and joined Recruit in 1999. He quickly became known for his entrepreneurial mindset and global outlook within a traditionally domestic-focused company.

Idekoba rose through the ranks by spearheading Recruit’s digital transformation. He was instrumental in the 2012 acquisition of Indeed, a bold move that positioned Recruit as a global leader in online job search. Under his guidance, Indeed grew exponentially, dominating the recruitment market in the U.S. and expanding into dozens of countries. When he became CEO of Recruit Holdings in 2021, Idekoba brought a vision of decentralized, innovation-driven management, shifting the culture toward agility and international expansion.

He has led the company’s charge into AI-powered job matching and remote work solutions, pushing Recruit beyond its roots in print media and domestic staffing. His approach—described as collaborative and product-centric—has made the company one of the few Japanese firms to build a dominant presence in global tech. Idekoba represents a new breed of Japanese executive blending Silicon Valley-style innovation with Japan’s attention to quality and long-term thinking.

Jessica Jackley, Kiva

Jessica Jackley is an entrepreneur and social innovator best known as the co-founder of Kiva, the first person-to-person micro-lending platform. Born in 1977, Jackley studied philosophy and political science at Bucknell University and earned an MBA from Stanford. Her early work at Village Enterprise and the Stanford Center for Social Innovation inspired her belief in the power of entrepreneurship to fight poverty.

In 2005, Jackley co-founded Kiva alongside Matt Flannery. The platform allowed individuals to lend small amounts of money to entrepreneurs in developing countries, giving rise to a global microfinance movement. By enabling direct connections between lenders and borrowers, Kiva revolutionized philanthropy and demonstrated that ordinary people could play an active role in global development. To date, Kiva has facilitated over $1.8 billion in loans across more than 80 countries.

Jackley’s work emphasized dignity, trust, and the human story behind business. She has since founded other ventures focused on mission-driven entrepreneurship and taught at universities including USC and Stanford. A frequent speaker and author, her impact lies not only in financial innovation but in changing the narrative around aid—from one of charity to one of empowerment. Jackley remains a pioneer in socially conscious technology and inclusive finance.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber

Dara Khosrowshahi became CEO of Uber in 2017, brought in to stabilize the embattled ride-hailing company after a series of scandals and leadership turmoil under co-founder Travis Kalanick. Born in Iran in 1969, Khosrowshahi fled the country with his family during the Iranian Revolution and eventually settled in the U.S. He earned a degree in engineering from Brown University and began his career in finance.

Before Uber, he served for 12 years as CEO of Expedia, transforming it into one of the world’s largest online travel companies through smart acquisitions and global expansion. At Uber, he was tasked with restoring the company’s reputation, improving regulatory relations, and achieving financial sustainability. He prioritized cultural reform, launched safety features, and emphasized compliance and transparency.

Under Khosrowshahi’s leadership, Uber expanded beyond ride-hailing into delivery (Uber Eats), freight logistics, and autonomous vehicle partnerships. He led the company through its 2019 IPO and into profitability. While managing backlash from gig worker policies and navigating pandemic challenges, Khosrowshahi has helped reshape Uber into a multi-modal platform, broadening its services and geographical footprint.

His style – calm, thoughtful, and values-driven – contrasts sharply with Uber’s previous leadership. Khosrowshahi’s steady hand has been key in turning the company from a volatile startup into a more mature, globally integrated business.

Lei Jun, Xiaomi

Lei Jun is the founder and CEO of Xiaomi, one of the world’s leading smartphone and consumer electronics brands. Born in China in 1969, Lei studied computer science at Wuhan University and became a successful tech executive early in his career, notably serving as CEO of software company Kingsoft and founding the e-commerce platform Joyo.com, which was later acquired by Amazon.

In 2010, Lei founded Xiaomi with the vision of delivering high-quality, affordable smartphones and smart devices. His approach, inspired by Apple but tailored for the Chinese market, emphasized sleek design, community-driven product development, and lean operations. Xiaomi quickly gained market share by offering premium features at competitive prices and bypassing traditional retail channels with a direct-to-consumer model.

Lei is known for his charismatic leadership and close engagement with users through social media. Under his guidance, Xiaomi grew into a global powerhouse—not just in smartphones, but in a broad range of IoT and lifestyle products. The company’s ecosystem now includes everything from smart TVs to electric scooters, and its MIUI operating system has created a sticky user base.

Lei’s impact lies in democratizing access to smart technology and proving that a Chinese company could compete on design, brand, and innovation globally. He has been compared to both Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos for his hybrid of product obsession and platform thinking.

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Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa, Naspers

Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa is a trailblazing South African business leader and the CEO of Naspers South Africa. She became the first black woman to hold this role in 2019. With degrees from Rutgers University and De Montfort University, and executive training from Harvard, Mahanyele has built a career at the intersection of finance, development, and digital innovation.

Before joining Naspers, she served as CEO of Shanduka Group, a leading investment firm founded by Cyril Ramaphosa, and later founded Sigma Capital, a private investment group focused on infrastructure and growth-stage businesses. At Naspers, one of Africa’s largest tech investors and parent company of Prosus, Mahanyele is leading efforts to grow South Africa’s digital economy and support homegrown startups in sectors like education, fintech, and e-commerce.

She has championed inclusive innovation and worked to close the gap between global capital and African entrepreneurship. Her leadership at Naspers includes managing major investments in companies like Takealot and Mr D Food, while also building programs to empower small businesses and create jobs.

Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s influence extends beyond boardrooms—she’s a vocal advocate for women in leadership and economic transformation in South Africa. Her career reflects a commitment to using capital for social change and technological empowerment across the continent.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft

Satya Nadella is the CEO and Chairman of Microsoft, widely credited with reviving the company’s innovation culture and positioning it at the forefront of cloud computing and AI. Born in India in 1967, Nadella studied electrical engineering before moving to the U.S. to earn degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Chicago. He joined Microsoft in 1992, initially working on Windows NT.

Nadella rose through the ranks by leading transformative projects, including the successful development of Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure. Appointed CEO in 2014, he replaced Steve Ballmer at a time when Microsoft was perceived as stagnating. Nadella reoriented the company’s strategy around cloud computing, AI, and cross-platform openness, shedding the insular approach of earlier years.

Under his leadership, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn, GitHub, and Activision Blizzard (pending final regulatory approvals), and launched transformative products like Microsoft Teams and Copilot AI. He has driven record-breaking financial performance and pushed Microsoft’s valuation beyond $3 trillion.

Equally important has been Nadella’s cultural reset—fostering empathy, learning, and collaboration. His leadership style is deeply humanistic, shaped by personal experiences and a belief in technology as a tool for empowerment. He’s often hailed as one of the most effective and values-driven CEOs of the 21st century.

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Makiko Ono, Suntory

Makiko Ono made headlines in 2023 when she became the first female CEO of Suntory Beverage & Food, a major Japanese drinks company known for brands like Orangina, Ribena, and Boss Coffee. A trailblazer in Japan’s male-dominated corporate landscape, Ono joined Suntory in 1982 and built a career across marketing, global operations, and corporate planning.

With over four decades at the company, Ono’s ascent to CEO reflects both her deep institutional knowledge and her forward-looking leadership. She previously led international business units in Europe and Asia, bringing a global mindset and a focus on local innovation. Her appointment signaled Suntory’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and breaking traditional hierarchies.

As CEO, Ono is focused on expanding global market share, increasing health-conscious product lines, and embedding sustainability across operations. She has championed initiatives to reduce plastic waste, promote ethical sourcing, and adapt to changing consumer trends. She’s also emphasized internal reform—encouraging flexible work styles and nurturing the next generation of leaders, particularly women.

Makiko Ono’s leadership is symbolic of a larger cultural shift in Japanese business. She combines deep tradition with an appetite for reinvention, bringing a unique voice to both corporate Japan and the global beverage industry.

Melanie Perkins, Canva

Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva, a graphic design platform that has revolutionized the way people create visual content. Born in Perth, Australia, in 1987, Perkins studied communications and commerce at the University of Western Australia. She came up with the idea for Canva while teaching students how to use complex design software. Frustrated by the steep learning curve, she envisioned a tool that made design simple and accessible to everyone.

In 2013, Perkins launched Canva with co-founders Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams. The platform offered a drag-and-drop interface and templates that allowed anyone—from students to small businesses—to design professional-looking graphics, presentations, and social media posts. Canva quickly gained traction, growing into one of the world’s fastest-growing software companies. As of 2024, it boasts over 135 million users and a valuation of $40 billion.

Perkins’ leadership is marked by purpose-driven values. She built Canva with a commitment to inclusivity, simplicity, and social impact, offering free access to nonprofits, educators, and students. She also made headlines by pledging to give away most of her wealth through the Canva Foundation.

As one of the youngest female tech CEOs globally, Perkins has not only disrupted the design industry but has also become a role model for women in tech and entrepreneurship. Her achievements represent the power of mission-led innovation on a global scale.

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James Quincey, Coca-Cola

James Quincey is the Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, where he has led a sweeping transformation of the 137-year-old beverage giant. Born in London in 1965, Quincey studied engineering at the University of Liverpool before joining Coca-Cola in 1996. He worked his way up through leadership roles across Latin America and Europe, eventually becoming COO in 2015 and CEO in 2017.

Quincey’s tenure as CEO has been defined by bold change. He moved Coca-Cola beyond its core soda business, accelerating its shift toward a “total beverage company” with a portfolio that now includes coffee, water, tea, plant-based drinks, and alcohol. He has overseen acquisitions like Costa Coffee and Topo Chico, while also divesting underperforming brands to streamline the company’s focus.

Crucially, Quincey has pushed Coca-Cola toward more sustainable and digitally enabled operations. He’s introduced ambitious goals for reducing sugar content, improving packaging sustainability, and increasing transparency. Internally, he has fostered a more agile, data-driven culture, embracing e-commerce and global innovation.

Quincey’s leadership has revitalized one of the world’s most iconic brands, making it more relevant in a changing world. His strategic clarity and appetite for reinvention have ensured Coca-Cola’s continued dominance while future-proofing it for a new generation of consumers.

Hana Al Rostamani, First Abu Dhabi Bank

Hana Al Rostamani is the Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE’s largest bank and one of the most influential financial institutions in the Middle East. Appointed CEO in 2021, she became the first woman to lead a major bank in the UAE, breaking new ground in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Al Rostamani holds a degree in business from George Washington University and an MBA from the American University in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining FAB, she held leadership positions at Emirates NBD and in the telecom sector. At FAB, she previously served as Deputy CEO and Group Head of Personal Banking, where she drove innovation in digital banking and customer experience.

As CEO, Al Rostamani has led a major digital and strategic transformation. She’s focused on expanding FAB’s regional and international presence, enhancing sustainability practices, and investing in fintech partnerships. Under her leadership, the bank has grown its global footprint while supporting the UAE’s economic diversification agenda and sustainability goals.

Her style blends visionary strategy with inclusive leadership, and she’s widely recognized as a trailblazer for women in finance. Al Rostamani represents a new generation of Middle Eastern leaders—globally minded, tech-savvy, and values-driven—who are redefining the region’s role in the global financial system.

Nik Storonsky, Revolut

Nik Storonsky is the co-founder and CEO of Revolut, the UK-based fintech company that has disrupted traditional banking with its digital-first, app-based model. Born in Russia in 1984, Storonsky moved to the UK and began his career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse. With a background in physics and economics, he combined technical acumen with financial insight to launch a new kind of bank.

Frustrated by the inefficiencies and high fees in traditional finance, Storonsky co-founded Revolut in 2015 with developer Vlad Yatsenko. What began as a low-fee currency exchange card evolved into a global financial super app offering banking, stock trading, crypto, budgeting, and more—all through a sleek mobile interface.

Storonsky’s leadership has been aggressive, fast-paced, and results-driven. He scaled Revolut from a London startup to one of Europe’s most valuable fintechs, with over 30 million users across more than 35 countries. His focus on lean operations and rapid product development has made Revolut a case study in fintech disruption.

However, his style has also drawn scrutiny for its intensity and workplace culture. Despite controversies, Storonsky remains one of the most influential figures in modern finance, pushing the boundaries of digital banking and challenging legacy institutions to innovate or fall behind.

Jessica Tan, Ping An

Jessica Tan is Co-CEO and Executive Director of Ping An Group, one of China’s largest financial and healthcare conglomerates. With degrees from MIT in electrical engineering, economics, and computer science, Tan worked at McKinsey & Company before joining Ping An in 2013. Her mandate: lead digital transformation across the sprawling insurance and banking empire.

Tan has been instrumental in reinventing Ping An from a traditional insurer into a tech-powered ecosystem. Under her guidance, the company has launched innovative platforms in healthcare (Good Doctor), smart city services, wealth management, and AI-driven underwriting. She helped establish Ping An as a pioneer in the integration of finance, health, and technology—often described as “tech-fin” rather than “fintech.”

Her leadership has led to Ping An being consistently ranked among the world’s most innovative companies. Tan is known for her systems thinking and cross-disciplinary leadership—fusing data, design, and digital strategy in one of the world’s most complex markets. She has also been a strong advocate for female leadership in tech and finance.

Tan’s role at Ping An shows how legacy institutions can leapfrog into the future with the right strategic vision and tech capabilities. Her work offers a roadmap for large-scale innovation in highly regulated industries.

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Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani

Hamdi Ulukaya is the founder and CEO of Chobani, the brand that brought Greek yogurt into the American mainstream. Born in Turkey in 1972 into a Kurdish dairy farming family, Ulukaya immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s and started a feta cheese business before acquiring a defunct yogurt plant in upstate New York in 2005. With no outside investment, he launched Chobani in 2007.

Ulukaya’s approach was simple: better ingredients, better taste, and better values. He built Chobani into the top-selling yogurt brand in the U.S. within five years, disrupting a category long dominated by legacy players. His strategy combined product innovation, bold branding, and tight control of manufacturing and distribution.

But Ulukaya is known as much for his values as his business acumen. He implemented generous employee benefits, including profit sharing and paid parental leave, and hired hundreds of refugees to work in Chobani factories. In 2016, he signed the Giving Pledge and has spoken globally about the need for CEOs to put humanity before profit.

Through Chobani, Ulukaya has shown that food entrepreneurship can be both scalable and socially responsible. His leadership blends immigrant grit, product excellence, and a deep belief in business as a force for good.

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David Vélez, Nubank

David Vélez is the founder and CEO of Nubank, Latin America’s largest digital bank and one of the most disruptive fintech companies globally. Born in Medellín, Colombia, in 1981, Vélez earned degrees in engineering and management science from Stanford University. His early career included roles at Morgan Stanley, General Atlantic, and Sequoia Capital, where he was tasked with expanding the firm’s presence in Brazil.

The idea for Nubank emerged from Vélez’s personal frustration with Brazil’s traditional banking system, characterized by high fees and poor customer service. In 2013, alongside co-founders Cristina Junqueira and Edward Wible, he launched Nubank with the goal of leveraging technology to offer a more customer-centric banking experience. Starting with a no-fee credit card managed entirely through a mobile app, Nubank rapidly expanded its product offerings to include digital accounts, personal loans, and investment services.​

Under Vélez’s leadership, Nubank has experienced exponential growth. By 2024, the company surpassed 100 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, making it one of the world’s largest digital banks Nu International. This growth has been driven by a commitment to simplifying banking and reducing costs for consumers. Nubank’s impact is evident in the reduction of banking concentration in Brazil, with the market share of the top five banks decreasing from 70% in 2014 to 58% by the end of 2022 Nu International.​

Vélez’s vision extends beyond Latin America. In 2025, he announced plans to consider relocating Nubank’s legal domicile to the UK as part of a broader global expansion strategy, including potential entry into the U.S. market Reuters. His leadership has been recognized internationally; in 2023, he was named one of the top five CEOs in the world by The Economist and received numerous accolades for innovation and influence Nu International.​

David Vélez’s journey from a frustrated banking customer to the helm of a fintech giant underscores his commitment to financial inclusion and innovation. By challenging traditional banking norms, he has not only transformed the financial landscape in Latin America but also set a precedent for digital banking worldwide.

Emily Weiss, Glossier

Emily Weiss is an American entrepreneur renowned for founding Glossier, a beauty brand that redefined the industry with its digital-first approach and emphasis on community engagement. Born in 1985, Weiss studied studio art at New York University and began her career with internships at Teen Vogue and positions at W magazine and Vogue. In 2010, she launched the beauty blog “Into the Gloss,” which featured interviews and insights into beauty routines, quickly amassing a dedicated following.​

Recognizing a gap in the market for beauty products that resonated with the modern consumer, Weiss founded Glossier in 2014. Starting with just four products, the brand emphasized a “skin first, makeup second” philosophy, promoting natural beauty and simplicity. Glossier’s success was fueled by its direct-to-consumer model, leveraging social media and customer feedback to drive product development. By 2019, the company had achieved a valuation of $1.2 billion, solidifying its status as a major player in the beauty industry.​

Weiss’s leadership style was characterized by a deep understanding of her audience and a commitment to authenticity.However, the company faced challenges, including critiques about workplace inclusivity and the need for broader representation. In May 2022, Weiss stepped down as CEO, transitioning to the role of executive chairwoman to focus on strategic initiatives and motherhood. Her journey from blogger to beauty mogul underscores the power of community-driven branding and the evolving landscape of consumer engagement.​

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Zhang Xin, SOHO China​

Zhang Xin is a renowned Chinese entrepreneur and co-founder of SOHO China, one of the country’s leading real estate developers. Born in Beijing in 1965, she moved to Hong Kong at the age of 14, where she worked in factories for five years to save money for her education. Her determination led her to the UK, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Sussex (where she studied at the same time as me!) and a Master’s in Development Economics from Cambridge University. ​

After a stint in investment banking with Goldman Sachs, Zhang returned to Beijing and, alongside her husband Pan Shiyi, founded SOHO China in 1995. Under her leadership, the company became a major force in China’s urban development, completing over 5.5 million square meters (approximately 60 million square feet) of projects in Beijing and Shanghai.Zhang’s vision brought innovative architectural designs to China’s skylines through collaborations with world-renowned architects. ​In 2014, recognizing the shift in real estate dynamics, Zhang spearheaded the launch of SOHO 3Q, pioneering the coworking space concept in China. This move reflected her adaptability and foresight in addressing the evolving needs of urban professionals. ​

Beyond her business ventures, Zhang is deeply committed to philanthropy. In 2005, she and her husband established the SOHO China Foundation, focusing on education initiatives to alleviate poverty. The foundation’s notable SOHO China Scholarships have supported approximately 50 Chinese students pursuing undergraduate degrees at prestigious institutions like Harvard, Yale, and the University of Chicago. ​

Zhang’s contributions have earned her international recognition. In 2014, Forbes listed her among the world’s most powerful women, and she has been acknowledged for her influence in both business and philanthropy. ​ In  2022, she stepped down as CEO of SOHO China to focus on supporting the arts and philanthropic pursuits. She has since taken on the role of Founder of Closer Media, a New York City-based film production company and financier. ​

Zhang Xin’s journey from factory worker to influential entrepreneur exemplifies resilience, innovation, and a commitment to societal betterment.​

Tadashi Yanai, Uniqlo

Tadashi Yanai is a prominent Japanese businessman, best known as the founder and CEO of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., the parent company of Uniqlo. Born in 1949 in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Yanai graduated from Waseda University with a degree in economics and political science. He began his career in his father’s tailoring business, which he transformed into a global retail empire.​

Under Yanai’s leadership, Uniqlo evolved from a single store in Hiroshima to an international brand known for its high-quality, affordable, and functional clothing. His innovative approach to retail, emphasizing simplicity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, set Uniqlo apart in the competitive fashion industry. Yanai’s commitment to continuous improvement and adaptability has been instrumental in Fast Retailing’s global expansion, including significant markets in Asia, Europe, and North America.​

Beyond business, Yanai is recognized for his philanthropic efforts and contributions to education. He has donated substantial sums to various causes, including disaster relief and academic institutions. His leadership philosophy, centered on ambition, innovation, and social responsibility, has earned him accolades and positioned him as one of Japan’s most influential business figures.​

Zhang Yiming, ByteDance

Zhang Yiming is a Chinese entrepreneur who founded ByteDance, the technology company behind the globally popular app TikTok. Born in 1983 in Longyan, Fujian Province, China, Zhang graduated from Nankai University with a degree in software engineering. He began his career at various tech companies, including Microsoft, before venturing into entrepreneurship.​

In 2012, Zhang established ByteDance with the vision of leveraging artificial intelligence to deliver personalized content.The company’s first product, Toutiao, became a leading news aggregation platform in China. However, it was the launch of TikTok (known as Douyin in China) in 2016 that catapulted ByteDance to international prominence. TikTok’s innovative algorithm and user-friendly interface attracted a massive global user base, particularly among younger demographics.​

Zhang’s emphasis on a flat organizational structure and data-driven decision-making fostered a culture of rapid innovation at ByteDance. Despite facing regulatory challenges and scrutiny over data privacy, Zhang maintained a focus on global expansion and technological advancement. In 2021, he stepped down as CEO, citing a desire to focus on long-term strategy and innovation. Zhang’s impact on the digital media landscape is profound, having reshaped content consumption and social media engagement worldwide.​

 

Accelerating profitable business growth has become not just a challenge of execution, but one of vision, agility, and strategic leadership. Today’s business environment is shaped by rapid technological change, shifting consumer expectations, geopolitical instability, climate imperatives, and economic volatility. Against this backdrop, leaders are under immense pressure to deliver sustained growth while navigating a landscape that is uncertain, complex, and frequently unpredictable.

At the heart of the challenge is the tension between speed and sustainability. Growing quickly often requires aggressive investments—in marketing, talent, product development, or global expansion. These investments can erode short-term profits and introduce strategic risk. Conversely, focusing too heavily on cost control and profit margins can lead to stagnation, missed opportunities, and underinvestment in innovation. Striking the right balance is especially difficult in rapidly changing markets, where customer needs, technologies, and business models evolve constantly.

Leaders need to become adept at making the right growth bets in an increasingly fragmented world. Traditional markets are saturated, while emerging ones are volatile. New technologies emerge faster than many companies can adapt. In this environment, identifying which opportunities to pursue—and which to avoid—requires leaders to rethink conventional strategy. Long-term planning cycles are being replaced by more adaptive, scenario-based approaches. Yet even as they move quickly, leaders must ensure that every growth initiative is aligned with core capabilities, customer needs, and long-term brand equity. Overextension, or chasing growth at any cost, can undermine profitability and erode strategic focus.

Leaders also face the challenge of balancing innovation with operational discipline. Profitable growth depends not only on breakthrough ideas but on executional excellence—scaling efficiently, managing costs, and maintaining quality. This tension is particularly acute in periods of uncertainty, where resource allocation decisions must be made with incomplete information. The best leaders create organizations that can innovate at the edges while staying grounded in strong business fundamentals.

At the same time, the leadership challenge is increasingly about building cultures that can thrive in ambiguity. Organizational agility, speed, and resilience have become competitive differentiators. This requires more than adopting agile methods or digital tools; it demands a fundamental shift in mindset. Leaders must empower teams to take initiative, embrace experimentation, and learn quickly from failure. Hierarchical, risk-averse cultures that once protected profits may now inhibit growth. Shaping a more entrepreneurial, adaptive culture is one of the most difficult—and essential—tasks for today’s executives.

The people dimension of leadership is equally critical. Amid a generational shift in workforce expectations, businesses must align growth ambitions with purpose, inclusivity, and sustainability. Employees want to work for companies that stand for more than just shareholder value. Customers expect brands to take a stand. Growth strategies that fail to address these shifts risk backlash, disengagement, or irrelevance. Strategic growth in today’s world must be both profitable and responsible.

Moreover, the external environment adds layers of complexity. Trade tensions, inflation, regulatory changes, and geopolitical risks can rapidly reshape market dynamics. Leaders must be fluent in macroeconomics and geopolitics, not just balance sheets. They must also develop organizations that are capable of sensing change early and responding decisively. This requires robust data systems, scenario thinking, and a strong leadership bench that can navigate through turbulence.

In this context, accelerating profitable growth is not just about scaling up—it’s about building organizations that are bold, resilient, and adaptable. Strategic clarity, cultural alignment, and visionary leadership have become the new cornerstones of sustainable success in an age of relentless change.

Growth champions

Here are real-world examples of larger companies (not just startups) from around the world that have achieved exponential, supercharged, and profitable growth—along with what they did and the results they achieved.

AWS … the power of cloud

Growth strategy:

• Transformed Amazon’s internal infrastructure into a cloud services platform for the world.

• Scaled a highly profitable, usage-based SaaS business while others still sold physical servers.

• Offered APIs and tools that enabled startups and enterprises to build rapidly.

Growth impact:

• Became the profit engine for Amazon: ~$90B revenue (2023), ~30% operating margin.

• Powers a massive portion of the global internet economy.

• Enabled Amazon to subsidize retail operations and expand into healthcare, devices, and AI.

Apple … ecosystem growth engines

Growth strategy:

• Shifted from being a hardware innovator to building a services ecosystem (App Store, iCloud, Music, Pay).

• Designed a closed ecosystem with high customer lock-in and premium branding.

• Invested heavily in proprietary chips and vertical integration.

Growth impact:

• Gross margins regularly exceed 42%.

• Apple Services segment alone generates $80B+ annually, with higher margins than devices.

• Became the world’s first $3 trillion company (2022).

BYD … from batteries to automobiles

Growth strategy:

• Transitioned from battery maker to EV and hybrid vehicle giant.

• Developed a closed-loop model with internal batteries, chips, and semiconductors.

• Benefited from Chinese government incentives and global demand for affordable EVs.

Growth impact:

• Surpassed Tesla in EV sales (2023) in certain quarters.

• Revenue grew to $75B+, with strong profitability.

• Expanded to global markets (Europe, Asia, LATAM), becoming a key global EV player.

Shopify … enabling every store to be global

Growth strategy:

• Democratized e-commerce with an intuitive platform for SMBs and creators.

• Avoided competing with Amazon directly; instead built tools and an app marketplace.

• Integrated payments, logistics, and marketing into its platform.

Growth impact:

• Revenue grew from $205M (2015) to over $7B (2023).

• Reached profitability in key quarters while maintaining strong reinvestment.

• Became one of Canada’s most valuable companies, with a global merchant base.

Netflix … making and streaming movies

Growth strategy:

• Moved from DVD rentals to a streaming-first, content-producing tech platform.

• Leveraged data analytics and AI to drive content investments and personalization.

• Scaled globally fast with local content in multiple markets.

Growth impact:

• From 22M subscribers (2011) to 260M+ globally (2024).

• High user retention and average revenue per user (ARPU).

• Operating margins grew from single digits to over 20% in recent years.

Nvidia … chips to power the future

Growth strategy:

• Pivoted from graphics chips to powering AI, data centers, and deep learning.

• Developed CUDA, a platform that made GPUs essential for modern AI work.

• Benefited massively from the generative AI and LLM boom.

Growth impact:

• Stock price rose over 20x between 2016 and 2024.

• Became a $2 trillion company and one of the most profitable chipmakers globally.

• Gross margins regularly exceed 65%, with exponential revenue growth.

Reliance Jio … from petrochemicals to super apps

Growth strategy:

• Launched ultra-low-cost mobile data and telecom services to underserved masses.

• Bundled services like streaming, messaging, and payments.

• Funded through Reliance Industries’ oil & gas business, and then spun into a digital platform.

Growth impact:

• Gained 400M+ subscribers in under 5 years.

• Drove India’s digital transformation and increased data consumption 10x.

• Raised billions from global investors (Facebook, Google), valuing Jio at over $65B.

LVMH … unlocking the brand portfolio

Growth strategy:

• Consolidated luxury brands across fashion, jewelry, wines, and cosmetics.

• Preserved brand exclusivity while digitally modernizing marketing and direct-to-consumer.

• Expanded aggressively into Asia, especially China.

Growth impact:

• Became the world’s most valuable luxury company ($500B+ market cap).

• Operating margin over 25%, with strong pricing power and global brand dominance.

• Acquisitions like Tiffany & Co. strengthened portfolio and cross-brand synergy.

MercadoLibre … the digital backbone of Latin America

Growth strategy:

• Built the “Amazon + PayPal of Latin America” with e-commerce, logistics, and fintech.

• Created MercadoPago to solve payments for the unbanked.

• Scaled across 18+ countries, solving local infrastructure challenges.

Growth impact:

• Market cap surged from ~$5B (2015) to $80B+ (2024).

• Maintained profitability with strong user growth and low CAC.

• MercadoPago is now a major fintech player across LATAM.

Tesla … not just cars, but an energy business

Growth strategy:

• Redefined the electric vehicle market with a vertically integrated, software-first business model.

• Built its own battery tech, charging infrastructure, and AI-based self-driving system.

• Positioned itself not just as a carmaker but as an energy + tech company.

Growth impact:

• Market cap surged from ~$50B in 2017 to over $750B by 2024.

• Delivered profitability across multiple years, despite high capital investment.

• Created one of the most profitable vehicle businesses globally (per unit gross margin).

Growth leaders

Accelerating business growth is a top priority for leaders across industries and geographies. Yet, their approaches often reflect a combination of bold vision, customer obsession, innovation, and adaptability.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, emphasizes the power of continuous transformation:

“Our industry does not respect tradition—it only respects innovation. You have to be willing to be in a constant state of renewal to drive growth.”

Nadella’s strategy has centered on reinventing Microsoft’s core business through cloud computing, AI, and enterprise services—leading to a dramatic turnaround and more than tripling of its market value since 2014.

Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva, focuses on simplicity and scale:

“We set out to solve a real problem for people. If you truly democratize access to a tool, growth becomes exponential.”

Canva’s easy-to-use design platform now serves over 150 million users, largely driven by word-of-mouth and product-led growth.

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, stresses customer-centric agility:

“Growth is not just about more—it’s about better. We grow when we serve more people more effectively, not just when we expand our footprint.”

Under his leadership, Uber has diversified into delivery, freight, and new mobility formats, driving both expansion and efficiency.

Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, ties growth to culture and speed:

“Don’t tolerate brilliant jerks. The cost to teamwork is too high. And don’t wait—speed is the number one thing we focus on.”

Netflix’s willingness to pivot—from DVDs to streaming, then to content production—has powered global subscriber growth and brand dominance.

From digital disruptors to legacy turnarounds, today’s most effective leaders understand that growth is less about scale for its own sake—and more about evolving with purpose, speed, and clarity.

Growth frameworks

Here are some of the most powerful concepts, models, and frameworks for accelerating business growth today.

1. The Flywheel Model

Popularized by Jim Collins and adopted by companies like Amazon and HubSpot, the flywheel model redefines how businesses think about growth. Unlike the traditional sales funnel, which ends after conversion, the flywheel emphasizes momentum and continuous customer engagement.

The flywheel has three key phases:

• Attract: Draw in prospects through valuable content, branding, and thought leadership.
• Engage: Nurture leads through meaningful interactions, personalized experiences, and exceptional service.
• Delight: Turn customers into promoters through consistent value and support, creating referrals and repeat business.

What makes the flywheel powerful is its self-reinforcing nature—each delighted customer adds energy to the system, generating exponential growth through loyalty and word-of-mouth.

2. The Growth Loops Framework

Growth loops are another evolution beyond funnels. Instead of a linear model where leads go in and customers come out, growth loops are systems where the output of one cycle becomes the input of the next. For example:

• Content Loop: Users create content → more content attracts users → those users create more content (e.g., YouTube, Reddit).
• Referral Loop: A user refers a friend → the friend signs up and refers others → loop continues (e.g., Dropbox, Uber).
• Product Loop: Usage of the product drives value that attracts new users (e.g., Figma’s collaboration features).

Unlike one-off marketing tactics, growth loops embed growth into the product experience itself, enabling compounding returns over time.

3. The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) Theory

Developed by Clayton Christensen, JTBD helps businesses understand the true motivations behind customer decisions. Instead of focusing on demographics or product features, JTBD asks: “What job is the customer hiring this product to do?”

For example, a person buying a drill doesn’t really want a drill—they want a hole in the wall. Or deeper still, they want to hang a family photo, which may be about creating a feeling of home. Understanding these emotional and functional jobs unlocks innovation, differentiation, and more targeted growth strategies.

JTBD encourages:

• Customer-centric product development
• Better marketing messages
• Disruption of entrenched competitors by meeting overlooked needs

4. Blue Ocean Strategy

Developed by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, this framework helps companies escape the bloody waters of “red ocean” competition by creating entirely new markets or “blue oceans.”

Key tools within the strategy include:

• The Strategy Canvas: Visualize how competitors compete and where to differentiate.
• The Four Actions Framework: Ask what to Eliminate, Reduce, Raise, and Create to deliver a unique offering.

Companies like Cirque du Soleil and Tesla used blue ocean thinking to create entirely new customer value propositions, achieving rapid and defensible growth. It’s a powerful framework for innovation-led growth rather than price-led battles.

5. The Ansoff Matrix

A classic model still relevant today, the Ansoff Matrix outlines four main strategies for growth:

• Market Penetration: Sell more of the same product in the same market (e.g., promotions, loyalty programs).
• Market Development: Enter new markets with existing products (e.g., international expansion).
• Product Development: Develop new products for the current market (e.g., upsells, feature enhancements).
• Diversification: Enter new markets with new products (e.g., launching a new business unit).

Each strategy comes with its own risks and rewards. The matrix helps leaders weigh those tradeoffs and decide where to place their bets.

6. The Lean Startup Methodology

Ideal for both startups and established businesses launching new initiatives, Lean Startup encourages fast, iterative growth based on customer feedback.

Key principles include:

• Build-Measure-Learn loop: Quickly build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), measure user response, and learn what works.
• Validated learning: Use experiments and real-world data to guide decisions rather than assumptions.
• Pivot or persevere: Adjust course quickly based on what you learn.

Companies like Dropbox and Airbnb used lean principles to accelerate early growth by reducing time to market and adapting rapidly to customer needs.

7. Moonshot Thinking 

Coined by Google and championed by Moonshot thinkers, 10x Thinking is the idea of aiming for 10 times improvement rather than incremental gains.

This forces radical creativity: Instead of asking “How can we increase revenue by 10%?” ask “How can we grow it 10x?” This approach unlocks:

• Bold innovation
• Systems redesign
• Disruption of legacy models

Companies like SpaceX, Google X, and OpenAI thrive on 10x thinking. It reframes limitations as creative constraints and can spark revolutionary growth strategies.

8. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)

OKRs, popularized by Intel and adopted by Google, are a goal-setting framework that aligns teams around ambitious objectives with measurable results.

Each OKR consists of:

• Objective: A clear, qualitative goal (e.g., “Become the market leader in AI-enabled design tools”)
• Key Results: Quantifiable outcomes that measure progress (e.g., “Acquire 1M users by Q4,” “Increase NPS to 75+”)

OKRs keep teams focused, aligned, and accountable, while encouraging stretch goals. Growth-driven companies use them to track what truly matters.

9. The Business Model Canvas

Developed by Alexander Osterwalder, the Business Model Canvas offers a one-page visual representation of how a business creates, delivers, and captures value.

It breaks a business down into nine essential building blocks, including:

• Value Propositions
• Customer Segments
• Channels
• Revenue Streams
• Key Partnerships

The canvas helps leaders identify growth levers, spot weaknesses, and quickly prototype new business models—especially helpful when adapting to market shifts or launching new offerings.

10. Pirate Metrics (AARRR Framework)

Developed by Dave McClure, the AARRR framework breaks down the customer lifecycle into five key stages:

1. Acquisition – How do users find you?
2. Activation – Do they have a great first experience?
3. Retention – Do they come back?
4. Referral – Do they tell others?
5. Revenue – Do they generate income?

This metric-driven framework helps businesses optimize each stage of the funnel with data, enabling sustainable growth. It’s especially popular in SaaS and digital startups, but adaptable to most industries.

What’s the best tool for you?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to growth. The best businesses combine these frameworks based on their industry, maturity, goals, and culture. Some will focus on product-led growth, others on ecosystem expansion. But all successful growth strategies share a few things in common: a deep understanding of customer needs, the ability to adapt fast, and the discipline to measure what matters.

To accelerate business growth, don’t just chase tactics. Build a system. Use models like the Flywheel, JTBD, Lean Startup, and OKRs not just as tools—but as ways of thinking. In an era where change is constant, the ability to reinvent, test, and scale is the ultimate growth engine.

Growth Accelerators

The best growth accelerators are strategies, tactics, and capabilities that businesses use to supercharge their growth trajectory—not just by increasing revenue, but by doing so profitably, efficiently, and sustainably. These accelerators span technology, strategy, innovation, marketing, operations, and leadership—and the most successful companies often combine multiple levers simultaneously.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most powerful and widely adopted growth accelerators, with real-world examples from companies around the world.

1. Platform & Ecosystem Models

Turn your business into a platform where others create value with you.

• What it does: Creates network effects, reduces cost of growth, expands customer reach.

• Examples:

  • Apple (App Store): Developers build apps → more users → more device sales.

  • Shopify: Built an e-commerce platform enabling millions of merchants; ecosystem partners do the selling, development, and services.

• Impact: High-margin, scalable growth with minimal cost per new transaction.

2. Digital Transformation & Automation

Use data, AI, and automation to scale faster and smarter.

• What it does: Increases efficiency, improves decision-making, enables hyper-personalization, lowers customer acquisition and retention costs.

• Examples:

  • Unilever: Uses AI to optimize marketing ROI and demand forecasting.

  • Schneider Electric: Built smart energy platforms using IoT and AI.

• Impact: Boosts profit margins while accelerating innovation cycles.

3. Customer-Centric Innovation

Design around what customers truly need—not what you want to sell.

• What it does: Drives product-market fit, reduces churn, increases CLV.

• Examples:

  • Netflix: Shifted from DVD rental to streaming, then to original content based on viewing behavior.

  • L’Oréal: Uses AI and AR to personalize beauty products and recommendations.

• Impact: Faster uptake, stronger brand loyalty, more repeat business.

4. Subscription & Recurring Revenue Models

Switch from one-time transactions to ongoing relationships.

• What it does: Provides predictable, scalable, and higher-margin revenue.

• Examples:

  • Adobe: Moved from boxed software to Creative Cloud subscription—tripled revenue and boosted margins.

  • BMW & Porsche: Testing subscription-based access to car fleets (mobility-as-a-service).

• Impact: Higher customer lifetime value and stable cash flow to reinvest in growth.

5. Brand-Led Growth & Community Building

Build brand equity and emotional connection to fuel organic expansion.

• What it does: Reduces CAC, increases retention and referrals, builds pricing power.

• Examples:

  • Nike: Fuses community, lifestyle content, and digital experiences (Nike Run Club, SNKRS app).

  • Patagonia: Purpose-driven branding created a loyal, activist customer base.

• Impact: Stronger differentiation and long-term customer value.

6. Data Monetization & AI-Driven Insights

Turn data into new products, services, and predictive capabilities.

• What it does: Opens new revenue streams and drives smarter decisions.

• Examples:

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS): Built tools for companies to monetize their own data.

  • Uber: Uses ride data to optimize pricing, routes, and driver incentives.

• Impact: Data becomes an asset that multiplies value creation.

7. Aggressive Global or Adjacent Market Expansion

Enter new geographies or verticals with tailored offerings.

• What it does: Unlocks scale quickly, diversifies risk, leverages brand and IP.

• Examples:

  • Starbucks: Used hyper-local store design and product menus to expand globally.

  • Tesla: Expanded from luxury EVs to energy storage and grid solutions.

• Impact: Large revenue boosts with relatively low R&D cost if done strategically.

8. Strategic M&A and Venture Investments

Buy, invest in, or partner with innovative companies to accelerate capabilities.

• What it does: Provides instant access to new tech, markets, or teams.

• Examples:

  • Facebook (Meta): Acquired Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus to dominate social and VR.

  • Google (Alphabet): Acquired YouTube and DeepMind to become AI-first.

• Impact: Rapid acceleration beyond organic growth capacity.

9. Agile Operating Models

Adopt lean, cross-functional teams that can adapt fast and iterate quickly.

• What it does: Shortens innovation cycles, improves responsiveness to market shifts.

• Examples:

  • Spotify: Scaled its engineering culture through “squads” and “tribes.”

  • Amazon: “Two-pizza teams” enable autonomy and innovation across the company.

• Impact: Speed becomes a competitive advantage.

10. Sustainability as a Growth Driver

Turn climate action and ESG into strategic growth opportunities.

• What it does: Attracts talent, opens new markets, aligns with regulatory trends.

• Examples:

  • Ørsted: Pivoted from fossil fuels to renewable energy and became a global leader.

  • IKEA: Committed to climate-positive operations and circular product design.

• Impact: Growth aligned with future-proof, planet-positive business models.

• Megatrends 2035: the 6 dramatic forces shaking up every market
• Accelerating Growth: leading in a world of uncertainty, change, and opportunity
• Next Generation Business Models: redefining value, reinvented with AI
• Vodafone CEO Accelerator: preparing today’s business leaders to shape tomorrow’s opportunities

The global telecommunications industry is undergoing a profound transformation. As connectivity becomes ubiquitous and commoditized, telcos face an existential choice: evolve beyond the traditional “dumb pipe” model or risk irrelevance. The telco of the future must become an intelligent, human-centric platform that embeds itself into everyday life and business operations. By embracing AI, edge computing, digital services, and platform thinking, telcos can move from infrastructure providers to orchestrators of integrated, personalized, and predictive services.

The end of the dumb pipe 

For decades, telcos have focused on infrastructure: building networks, acquiring spectrum, and competing on coverage and pricing. But this model is collapsing under the weight of commoditization. Over-the-top (OTT) services capture most of the value, while telcos bear the cost of bandwidth. The result is shrinking margins, rising churn, and diminished customer relevance.

To remain competitive, telcos must transition from connectivity providers to value creators. This means offering services that are intelligent, anticipatory, and integrated into the user’s life. The pipe is a utility, the connectivity is a commodity. The goal is not just to connect people, but to enhance how they live, work, and interact with the world.

Reinventing telcos for consumers: platforms to enable life

The future telco will be a personal operating system for life. Services will expand far beyond voice and data to include:

• Digital Identity: Secure and portable ID across platforms
• Financial Services: Wallets, insurance, credit, advice, and savings
• Entertainment & Content: Streaming, gaming, news, books, communities
• Health & Wellness: Telemedicine, mental health, wearables, diagnostics
• Smart Living: Home automation, energy management, family life
• Work: Work and life integration, home working, productivity, education

These services will be delivered via seamless, AI-powered interfaces that personalize experiences based on behavior, context, and need. Telcos must transition from passive service providers to active experience curators.

Reinventing telcos for business: ecosystems for digital growth

In B2B markets, telcos will shift from connectivity vendors to digital transformation partners. Future-facing services include:

• 5G & Private Networks: Industry-grade latency and reliability
• Edge Computing: Real-time processing for critical applications
• IoT Platforms: Connected devices for agriculture, logistics, health
• AI-as-a-Service: Predictive analytics, automation, decision support
• Cybersecurity: Embedded, adaptive protection, crisis management
• Business services: accounting, legal, consulting, start-ups,

Telcos can also deliver industry-specific platforms for manufacturing, education, healthcare, finance, and smart cities. This evolution unlocks new revenue streams and deeper enterprise relationships.

Global innovators leading the way

Several telcos are already redefining the sector:

• Jio (India): A digital superplatform offering telecom, e-commerce, cloud, payments, and media
• Rakuten (Japan): A cloud-native telco exporting virtualized network platforms globally
• Circles (Singapore): 100% digital experience with white-labeled platforms for other telcos
• STC (Saudi Arabia): Diversifying into fintech, data centers, and enterprise AI
• Safaricom (Kenya): Pioneer in mobile money, health, and agriculture services
• Elisa (Finland): Leader in carbon-neutral networks and AI-driven operations
• Tigo (Latam): Part of Luxembourg’s Millicom, from finance to education

A New Operating Model for the Digital Age

To realize this future, telcos must overhaul their operating models:

• Cloud-Native Infrastructure: Agile, scalable, and software-defined
• Open APIs: Enable innovation and third-party services
• AI Integration: Predictive, personalized, and automated services
• Zero-Touch Operations: Self-service onboarding, billing, and support
• Customer-Centric Design: From product features to entire experiences

This transformation also demands a cultural shift: from engineering-centric to experience-driven, from hierarchical to agile, and from siloed to ecosystem-focused.

The telco of the future must also lead on social and environmental impact, collectively adding more net positive impact:

• Digital inclusion: Affordable access and devices for all
• Sustainable networks: Renewable energy, energy-efficient operations
• Ethical AI: Transparent, secure, and responsible data use
• Social impact: Telcos as enablers of education, health, and community

Becoming Indispensable, Not Invisible

Telcos have a unique opportunity to reinvent their role in society. No longer just connectors, they can become essential companions in daily life and growth engines for business. The telco of the future will be intelligent, adaptive, and deeply embedded in how people and organizations function.

This transformation is not optional. It is strategic, urgent, and full of opportunity for those bold enough to lead. The future belongs to the telcos who choose to be more than pipes — those who choose to power possibility.

 

Appendix: More on the innovators

Jio (India): Digital Ecosystem Disruptor
Jio revolutionized India’s telecom landscape by launching in 2016 with ultra-low pricing, free voice calls, and high-speed 4G data. Its rapid user acquisition strategy—adding over 100 million users in six months—was underpinned by massive investment in pan-India infrastructure. What sets Jio apart is its ambition to be more than a telco: it’s building a digital ecosystem. Through platforms like JioMart, JioCinema, and JioSaavn, it integrates content, commerce, and cloud. Jio Platforms has attracted strategic investments from Google and Facebook, highlighting its tech-centric growth model. Its latest push into 5G and AI-powered services aims to power smart cities, digital healthcare, and education, making it a national digital champion.

Rakuten Mobile (Japan): Cloud-Native Pioneer
Rakuten’s growth strategy stands out for its bold, software-centric approach. It became Japan’s fourth major operator by launching a fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network—eliminating traditional hardware dependencies. This enabled massive cost reductions and unprecedented agility in scaling services. Rakuten uses its telecom arm to complement its broader digital ecosystem—spanning e-commerce, fintech, and digital content. The company is also licensing its network model globally via Rakuten Symphony, aiming to disrupt telecom infrastructure. While network rollout challenges persist, Rakuten’s innovation-led strategy offers a blueprint for cloud-based, data-driven telecoms worldwide.

Circles (Singapore): Digital-Only Challenger
Circles is a born-digital MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) redefining customer experience through technology. Its Circles-X operating system automates everything from onboarding to billing, offering a seamless, app-based user journey. The company focuses on asset-light expansion, partnering with telcos in new markets (e.g., Australia, Taiwan, Japan) to offer branded digital services without building infrastructure. Its user-centric design, agile product updates, and AI-driven customer support allow Circles to scale efficiently and differentiate in crowded markets. It positions itself as a tech company first, telco second—making it one of the most innovative global challengers.

STC (Saudi Arabia): National Digital Transformer
Saudi Telecom Company (STC) plays a central role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Beyond connectivity, STC is investing in digital services, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and IoT through its subsidiary, STC Solutions. It is expanding data centers across the region, aiming to make Saudi Arabia a regional digital hub. STC Pay, its digital wallet, is among the most used fintech services in the Kingdom. The launch of DARE, its innovation and entrepreneurship platform, supports startups and accelerates homegrown tech solutions. STC’s strategy aligns national transformation with global competitiveness.

Safaricom (Kenya): Inclusive Innovation Leader
Safaricom pioneered mobile money with M-PESA, a world-leading financial inclusion platform serving millions without bank accounts. The platform has expanded into credit, insurance, and merchant payments, making Safaricom a fintech powerhouse. Its innovation extends to health (M-Tiba), agriculture (DigiFarm), and education (Shupavu291). Safaricom partners with government and NGOs to scale impact, showing how telcos can drive social as well as economic value. Its recent expansion into Ethiopia opens a vast new market, leveraging its unique model to promote digital inclusion across Africa.

Elisa (Finland): AI-Driven Operational Leader
Elisa is a global leader in network automation and AI-powered efficiency. It was among the first to deploy 5G commercially and leads in self-healing networks—using AI to preempt and fix network issues automatically. Elisa Viihde, its content platform, and Elisa IndustrIQ, which applies AI to manufacturing, show its diversification beyond traditional telco services. By turning internal tools into exportable software, Elisa creates high-margin digital services. Its strategy focuses on sustainability, innovation, and profitable growth through automation and data intelligence.

Tigo (Latam): Connectivity with Purpose
Operating in Central and South America, Tigo (Millicom) focuses on bridging the digital divide through mobile and broadband services. It invests in rural coverage, affordable smartphones, and digital literacy programs. Its Tigo Money platform provides mobile financial services to millions in underserved communities. Tigo Business offers cloud and cybersecurity solutions for SMEs, driving digital transformation across emerging economies. The company aligns profit with purpose, blending infrastructure investment with social impact to build inclusive, resilient digital societies.

In an era of relentless technological change and shifting market dynamics, organizations face a fundamental paradox: the very strategies and processes that enable them to excel today often undermine their ability to succeed tomorrow. Charles O’Reilly and Michael Tushman’s Lead and Disrupt provides a blueprint for resolving this paradox, showing how companies can simultaneously exploit existing capabilities while exploring new opportunities—a challenge famously captured in Clayton Christensen’s innovator’s dilemma.

The book does more than revisit Christensen’s framework; it extends the theory into actionable organizational design, leadership, and cultural practices. Its central thesis is that companies must achieve organizational ambidexterity—the capacity to manage and integrate two complementary yet often conflicting activities: performing the core business efficiently and exploring disruptive innovation for future growth.

The Innovator’s Dilemma Revisited

The “innovator’s dilemma,” as first articulated by Christensen, describes the conundrum that many successful companies face. Market leaders often fail to adopt disruptive innovations not because they lack foresight or intelligence, but because their current success makes it irrational to divert attention, resources, and energy to unproven technologies or business models. Firms are incentivized to serve their most profitable customers and optimize existing processes, which creates structural and cultural barriers to innovation.

O’Reilly and Tushman recognize that this dilemma is not merely a matter of individual decision-making—it is systemic. Existing organizational structures, processes, incentives, and cultures are optimized for exploitation of current competencies. Any attempt to invest in disruptive technologies is often viewed as a distraction, a risk to performance metrics, and a threat to established power structures.

Organizational Ambidexterity: Exploit and Explore

The solution offered by O’Reilly and Tushman is organizational ambidexterity, a concept that balances exploitation—maximizing efficiency and profits in existing operations—with exploration—investing in innovation and experimentation for future growth. The key insight is that these activities require fundamentally different structures, processes, and cultures. Attempting to conduct both within a single unit without differentiation often leads to failure.

Exploitation focuses on:

• Streamlined operations.

• Predictable processes.

• Customer satisfaction in existing markets.

• Incremental innovation that improves current offerings.

Exploration requires:

• Autonomy from existing hierarchies.

• Flexibility and tolerance for failure.

• Experimentation and iteration.

• Strategic foresight for emerging markets and technologies.

Ambidexterity involves structural separation—creating distinct units for performance and innovation—while ensuring strategic integration through shared purpose, leadership oversight, and communication channels. This allows each unit to operate under the conditions that maximize its success, without undermining the other.

The Architecture of Ambidextrous Organizations

O’Reilly and Tushman emphasize that ambidextrous organizations are not simply dual-purpose; they are deliberately designed to balance tension. Core operational units maintain traditional hierarchies, metrics, and processes. Innovation units operate with independence and flexibility.

Yet separation alone is insufficient. Leadership must integrate the two:

• Senior executives articulate a unifying vision to align both units toward overarching strategic goals.

• Resources flow dynamically between exploration and exploitation as opportunities and risks evolve.

• Knowledge, insights, and cultural values traverse the boundary between units, fostering learning and adaptation.

The authors provide numerous case studies illustrating this model. IBM, for instance, successfully maintained its mainframe business while creating new ventures in software and services, carefully separating innovation teams from core operations while preserving executive integration and resource allocation. Similarly, Procter & Gamble fosters exploration through its “Connect + Develop” program, leveraging internal R&D alongside external partnerships, while maintaining rigorous operational discipline in its established product lines.

Leadership in Ambidexterity

One of the book’s key contributions is its focus on leadership as the lynchpin of ambidexterity. Leaders must embrace a paradoxical mindset: they must ensure operational performance while actively cultivating disruptive innovation. This requires:

1. Strategic Visioning: Leaders articulate the long-term purpose and potential of the organization, creating a North Star that guides both core and exploratory activities.

2. Dual Capability: Executives must understand and value both operational excellence and innovation, resisting the tendency to favor short-term metrics.

3. Boundary-Spanning: Leaders facilitate communication, learning, and resource sharing across the structural divide.

4. Cultural Stewardship: Leaders nurture cultures that tolerate risk and failure in innovation units while maintaining high standards in operational units.

The book emphasizes that ambidexterity is a leadership challenge more than a procedural one. Without leaders capable of holding the tension, structural separation can lead to silos, misalignment, or conflict.

Culture as a Driver of Performance and Innovation

Culture is another critical lever for ambidexterity. O’Reilly and Tushman highlight that traditional performance-oriented cultures—emphasizing efficiency, predictability, and risk avoidance—are ill-suited to support disruptive innovation. Conversely, innovation cultures that prioritize experimentation, rapid iteration, and autonomy may struggle to scale or deliver consistent results.

Ambidextrous organizations cultivate dual cultural norms:

• Core Culture: Emphasizes discipline, accountability, and operational rigor.

• Innovation Culture: Promotes experimentation, risk tolerance, and creative problem-solving.

Crucially, leaders actively manage interactions between these cultures. For example, in Intel’s history, core microprocessor teams executed with extreme precision while separate exploratory teams investigated new architectures, such as RISC processors. Executive integration ensured that breakthroughs could be scaled and embedded into the core business at the right moment.

Processes and Metrics for Ambidexterity

O’Reilly and Tushman argue that traditional performance metrics are inadequate for innovation. While operational units are measured by efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction, innovation units require different indicators, such as:

• Number of experiments conducted.

• Learning outcomes from prototypes and pilot programs.

• Adoption of new products or services.

• Strategic options created for future growth.

The authors stress that metrics must align with purpose. Evaluating innovation units by traditional performance metrics often stifles creativity, while neglecting operational performance undermines resources for exploration. Ambidextrous organizations design dual metrics and incentive systems that respect the distinct objectives of each domain.

Processes must also support feedback loops and learning. The book emphasizes iterative experimentation: rapid cycles of testing, measurement, and adaptation. In successful companies, knowledge from innovation units flows into operational units, informing product improvements, customer insights, and strategic decisions. Similarly, insights from core operations can guide innovation priorities, helping new ventures focus on high-impact opportunities.

Innovation Portfolios and Strategic Choices

A central theme in Lead and Disrupt is portfolio management for innovation. Companies must consciously balance investments across the spectrum:

• Core Exploitation Projects: Incremental improvements in existing products or processes.

• Adjacent Opportunities: Extensions of core capabilities into new markets or segments.

• Breakthrough Innovations: Disruptive bets that create entirely new markets or redefine existing ones.

The authors caution against overcommitting to any single type. Too much emphasis on the core can lead to stagnation; overemphasis on breakthrough innovation can jeopardize current performance. Portfolio management enables companies to allocate resources dynamically, hedge risks, and capture growth opportunities across horizons.

Case Studies: Ambidexterity in Action

1. IBM: Maintained mainframe excellence while investing in software and services. Structural separation allowed exploratory teams to innovate without threatening core operations. Executive oversight ensured alignment and knowledge transfer.

2. Procter & Gamble: Through “Connect + Develop,” P&G combines internal R&D with external partnerships. The company maintains operational excellence in consumer products while exploring new technologies and product categories.

3. Intel: Core microprocessor teams executed with precision while separate teams explored emerging architectures. Leadership integration enabled scaling of successful innovations into the core business.

4. Cisco Systems: Through acquisitions and internal innovation programs, Cisco explored new networking technologies while sustaining disciplined core operations. Structural separation and integration mechanisms ensured agility and coherence.

Overcoming Barriers to Ambidexterity

Despite the advantages, achieving ambidexterity is difficult. O’Reilly and Tushman identify common obstacles:

• Cultural Resistance: Core units may resist new initiatives that threaten established hierarchies or routines.

• Resource Contention: Innovation units may struggle to secure funding if short-term performance dominates executive attention.

• Leadership Bias: Leaders often default to operational metrics, undervaluing long-term growth opportunities.

• Integration Challenges: Structural separation can lead to silos if mechanisms for knowledge transfer and coordination are weak.

The solution is deliberate design and active leadership. Ambidexterity is not emergent; it must be purposefully embedded through governance, cultural alignment, talent rotation, and feedback systems.

The Role of Leadership in Continuous Renewal

O’Reilly and Tushman emphasize that organizational design alone is insufficient. Leaders play a central role in sustaining ambidexterity. They must:

• Articulate a clear vision that unites core and innovation efforts.

• Promote psychological safety, allowing employees to experiment without fear of failure.

• Allocate resources strategically, balancing short-term performance and long-term options.

• Maintain communication channels across units, ensuring knowledge transfer and coherence.

• Cultivate learning agility, continually adjusting structures and processes as markets evolve.

Leaders are thus the connective tissue that binds exploration and exploitation into a coherent, high-performing enterprise.

Lessons for Modern Organizations

Lead and Disrupt provides actionable insights for today’s leaders and organizations navigating rapid technological change:

• Embrace duality consciously: Recognize the need for both performance and transformation; separate units if necessary, but integrate purposefully.

• Invest in leadership capability: Leaders must hold paradox, foster learning, and align cultures.

• Design appropriate metrics: Use dual performance systems for core operations and innovation.

• Create feedback-rich processes: Encourage experimentation, capture learning, and transfer insights between units.

• Balance the innovation portfolio: Allocate resources across core, adjacent, and breakthrough opportunities.

• Align culture and incentives: Reinforce exploration where needed, without undermining operational discipline.

These lessons extend beyond the classic innovator’s dilemma. They provide a playbook for continuous renewal, enabling organizations not only to survive disruption but to lead it.

The Strategic Imperative

The central message of Lead and Disrupt is that ambidexterity is no longer optional. In an age where technology cycles are short, customer preferences shift rapidly, and competitive advantage is fleeting, companies must master the dual tasks of leading today and creating tomorrow. Those that succeed develop capabilities, leadership, and culture that sustain performance while enabling transformation. Those that fail often do so not because they are incapable, but because their systems, metrics, and mindsets lock them into the comfort of the present.

In other words, the innovator’s dilemma is not a failure of imagination—it is a failure of organizational design and leadership discipline. By intentionally embedding ambidexterity, companies can thrive in both the present and the future.

Lead and Disrupt

Lead and Disrupt is a roadmap for organizational resilience and strategic renewal. O’Reilly and Tushman provide a compelling synthesis of theory and practice, showing that companies can resolve the paradox of innovation versus performance through structural separation, leadership integration, cultural duality, and portfolio management.

The book’s enduring value lies in its recognition that innovation is not a side project—it is a core strategic capability. By building ambidexterity into their organizations, leaders can ensure that their companies deliver today while inventing tomorrow, transforming the innovator’s dilemma into a competitive advantage.