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What does the ongoing conflict in the Middle East mean for European markets? Join Sara Murray and Alejandro Fiorito as they unpack the latest developments and economic implications.

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Diana Scott, leader of the Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, is joined by Robin Erickson, head of human capital research, and Matt Maloof, human capital researcher, to discuss insights from The Reimagined Workplace 2026: Adopting AI Today, Poised for Tomorrow.    They explore how organizations are assessing and accelerating AI maturity, why most remain in early stages of adoption, and what it takes to build AI fluency across the workforce. The conversation also examines the evolving balance between hybrid and onsite work; the growing importance of flexibility in total rewards; and how leaders can address talent, retention, and well-being challenges while reimagining the workplace.    More from The Conference Board:   The Reimagined Workplace 2026: Adopting AI Today, Poised for Tomorrow  CHROs Navigating Uncertainty to Drive Growth  Enhancing Employee Engagement: 5 Often-Forgotten Fundamentals  Off-Site, Out of Mind? Overcoming the Downsides of Hybrid Work 

Join Bárbara Mendes-Jorge and guest Radhika Ralhan, an ESG and sustainability global impact leader and a guest lecturer at the Maastricht School of Management, to find out how the EU compares with India and the US, why she's excited about the  Circular Economy Act, and why younger generations are unafraid to question a company's commitment to sustainability.    For more from The Conference Board:  Guardrails to Prevent Greenwashing  Top 5 Corporate Governance Priorities for 2026  The Sustainability Reset 

What if water -- not energy or labor -- becomes your biggest business constraint?    In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, president and CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Alex Heil, senior economist at The Conference Board, to examine the rising business risks tied to water scarcity.    They discuss how limited freshwater supply, aging infrastructure, and inefficient use are creating new pressures on industries, and why leaders need to factor water risk into strategy and operations.    More from The Conference Board:   A Global Water Crisis—Mitigation and Adaption in a World of Water Shortages  Till the Well Runs Dry: How Companies Can Shore Up Against Global Water Scarcity  Running Dry: The US Southwest Water Crisis  At the Climate Crossroads: US Corporate Commitments 10 Years After Paris Accord  Rising Stakes: Climate Impacts Worsen as World Set to Miss Paris Agreement Goals 

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Sara Murray, managing director, international at The Conference Board, speaks with Robin Maillard, researcher in the Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, Europe, about where multinationals should hire in today's shifting European labor market. They explore how the Where to Hire Index helps leaders balance skills, cost, productivity, and long-term competitiveness when making strategic workforce decisions. More from The Conference Board: ·         Where to Hire: Europe 2026 ·         Reimagine 2025: Human Capital Leadership in an Era of Disruption ·         Five EU Directives CHROs Must Prepare for in 2025 ·         Navigating Europe's Tight Labor Market ·         Steady Hands in Stormy Seas: Human Capital as the Anchor of Business Resilience

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, president and CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Jennifer Eggers, founder and president of LeaderShift Insights, to explore what it truly takes to succeed at the highest levels of leadership.    They discuss why transitioning to the C-Suite is more challenging than many expect, the mindset shifts required to lead at an enterprise level, and the most common mistakes new executives make. Jennifer shares practical insights on stakeholder management, building influence, and preparing for the complexities of senior leadership.    More from The Conference Board:   What Drives CEO Succession—And Are Boards Ready?  CEO Succession Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2025 Edition  The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence  From Talent Democratization to Differentiation: The CHRO's Next Balancing Act 

Consumer confidence has ticked up slightly but remains low in the face of tariffs, spiking prices and war.    The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® edged up in March to 91.8 (1985=100), from 91.0 in February. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions—increased by 4.6 points to 123.3. The Expectations Index—based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—declined by 1.7 points to 70.9.    While not obvious in the headline or its component indexes, the weight of rising costs due to tariff passthrough and spiking oil prices was evident among other measures in the survey like inflation expectations.    Join Yelena Shulyatyeva and guest Allen Li, Associate Economist, The Conference Board, to find out what's behind consumers' current and future expectations.    For more from The Conference Board:  US Consumer Confidence  Forecast for the US Economy  Global Economic Outlook 

In this episode, Dana Peterson, leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance (ESF) Center at The Conference Board, speaks with Malala Lin, economic research associate at the ESF Center, about new research on shifting consumer habits. They explore the widespread move toward value seeking, how strategies differ across income groups, and what these changes signal for businesses planning in an uncertain environment.    More from The Conference Board:   Cutting Back and Making Trade-offs: How Consumers Are Managing Food Costs  How Are Consumers Paying for Health Care?  Will E-Wallets and Deferred Payments Overtake Cash and Credit Cards?  Fur Babies: How Are US Consumers Financing Veterinary Care? 

China remains one of the most essential -- and complex -- markets for global companies. In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, host Steve Odland sits down with David Hoffman, Senior Advisor and China Center Leader at The Conference Board, to unpack what's really happening on the ground.  Fresh from a three-week visit to Beijing and Shanghai, David shares a nuanced view of a market in transition: slower growth, ongoing real estate challenges, and a policy environment that is becoming less market driven. Yet, despite these headwinds, China continues to offer unmatched scale, a deeply capable supply chain, and increasingly rapid innovation cycles that make it indispensable for companies competing globally.  The conversation also explores the rising strength of Chinese competitors, whose gains in design, quality, and cost are reshaping industries worldwide. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and trade frictions, companies are adapting through "China for China" strategies: localizing operations to build resilience while navigating a more fragmented global landscape.  For more from The Conference Board:  All China Center Research  China Economy Watch  China Consumption Quarterly Roundup 

In this episode, Brian Campbell, leader of the Governance & Sustainability Center at The Conference Board, is joined by Blair Jones and Greg Arnold, managing directors at Semler Brossy, to examine the evolving role of the board in CEO selection and transition. Drawing on recent research, they discuss internal versus external hires, the signaling challenges boards face, and how disciplined succession planning can protect long-term value and organizational resilience.  More from The Conference Board:   CEO Succession Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2025 Edition  CEO Insight Minute: How Are CEO Succession Trends Shifting in 2025?  CEO Succession and Representation of Women in European Companies  CEO Succession Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2024 Edition 

As climate extremes intensify, resilient infrastructure is no longer a future consideration; it is a present-day imperative.  Alex Heil, senior economist at The Conference Board, speaks with Greg Stonehouse, chief strategy officer at HDR, about how infrastructure design is evolving in response to rising climate risk. From transportation and water systems to health care and energy facilities, they explore how resilience is becoming a core design parameter rather than an add-on.  The conversation examines the economics of resilient investment, the growing role of nature-based solutions, advances in data and real-time system controls, and how cross-sector collaboration is reshaping the future of infrastructure.  For more from The Conference Board:  At the Climate Crossroads: US Corporate Commitments 10 Years After Paris Accord  Extreme Impacts: Severe Weather Events Create Growing Risks for US Businesses  Rising Stakes: Climate Impacts Worsen as World Set to Miss Paris Agreement Goals  Window On: The Business Impact of Intensifying Natural Disasters  Flooding Is Getting Worse. What Should Businesses Do? 

New global data reveals strong employee support for diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI)—but also a widening gap between how leaders view progress and how workers experience it.    Allan Schweyer, principal researcher in the Human Capital Center, speaks with Marion Devine, principal researcher, Human Capital Europe, and Matthew Maloof, researcher, Human Capital Center, about findings from a survey of more than 1,300 employees across the US, Europe, and Asia.    They explore why managers are the make-or-break factor in DEI success, how regional attitudes differ, and what senior leaders can do to strengthen credibility in a climate of political and cultural pushback.    For more from The Conference Board:   Bridging International Perspectives: Exploring DEI  Evidence Over Optics: Proving the Impact of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion  Advancing Opportunity and Access: Linking DEI to Business Outcomes  A Tale of Two Continents: The Impact of US DEI Policy on European Businesses   

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased by 2.2 points in February to 91.2 (1985=100), from an upwardly revised 89.0 in January. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions—decreased by 1.8 points to 120.0 in February. The Expectations Index—based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—rose by 4.8 points to 72.0.    Join Dana M. Peterson and guest Malala Lin, Economic Research Associate, to find out what's behind consumers' expectations for the future, and where CEOs are focusing their growth efforts this year.    For more from The Conference Board:  US Consumer Confidence  C-Suite Outlook 2026  Forecast for the US Economy  Global Economic Outlook 

Three years into the conflict, the Ukraine war has evolved into a brutal war of attrition—with implications far beyond the battlefield.    The Conference Board CEO Steve Odland and Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, a global affairs consultant most recently with the Council on Foreign Relations and the Committee for Economic Development, discuss the history underpinning the conflict, the realities on the ground, and the economic and political pressures facing both Kyiv and Moscow.     From sanctions and shifting alliances to the possibility of a frozen conflict or negotiated settlement, they explore how the war is reshaping geopolitics—and what may come next.    For more from The Conference Board:   The US Critical Minerals Ministerial and Industrial Policy  Three Years of War in Ukraine – And an Extraordinary Week  US–Ukraine Negotiations and Possible Ceasefire  Global Grey Swans Tool 

Learn why companies need to understand AI's promise and potential drawbacks for environmental sustainability.     More than 60% of companies are using AI to support or advance environmental sustainability. What are the use cases they're exploring, and how can businesses also guard against the environmental risks of AI?     Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, PhD, principal researcher at the Governance & Sustainability Center of The Conference Board, to learn about the environmental impact of AI-focused data centers, how companies are capitalizing on AI for sustainability, and how sustainability leaders can demonstrate the ROI of AI applications.     For more from The Conference Board:  AI and Environmental Sustainability: Risks, Opportunities, and What Comes Next  Exiting International Climate Pacts Will Leave The US Isolated  AI Risk Disclosures in the S&P 500: Reputation, Cybersecurity, and Regulation