⚡ Power Moves #2
For over 5 years, HolonIQ has been tracking leaders, academics, experts and influencers across the global impact economy.
Now we're kicking off 2024 with a new weekly newsletter for data-driven, global leaders who want to understand trends in strategic industries.
This Week's Topics
- 🗺️ People Map. Women Heads of States 2024
- 🧑💼 CEO Moves. LVMH, Australia Rail, Finnair + More
- 🧑💻 Technology Moves. CXO/Board changes in IFS, Canon, ChromaCode, ADN
- 🧑🎓 Academic Moves. Leadership changes by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Northern Michigan University
- 🏛️ Government Moves. Taiwan, France, Bangladesh + More
- 📰 Leadership Notes. Power of Reading and Siloed Organizations
- ☑️ Election Watchlist.
Have feedback or ideas for us? Email hello@holoniq.com — we'd love to hear from you!
🗺️ People Map - Women Heads of States 2024
This week's People Map delves into the global representation of 👩 women serving as Heads of State. Among the 195 countries considered (including 193 UN member countries, and Taiwan and Hong Kong), 29 currently have women serving as Heads of State.
Our map consists of 18 Presidents and 11 Prime Ministers, with nearly half of these leaders hailing from the Europe & Central Asia region (48.3%), followed by the Latin America & Caribbean region (20.7%). The Sub-Saharan region accounts for 13.8% of the represented leaders, while the East Asia & Pacific region comprises 10.3%. The South Asian region exhibits the lowest representation (6.9%) of female leaders on our map. The European and Central Asian region exhibits the largest female representation, with 14 out of 49 (29%) countries having women in leadership positions. Conversely, South Asia records the lowest share of female leaders, with 2 out of 8 countries (25%) having women heads of states.
🧑💼 CEO Moves
🇫🇷 Frédéric Arnault, who joined TAG Heuer in 2017 and took on the role of CEO in 2020, has been named the CEO of LVMH Watches, overseeing Hublot, TAG Heuer, and Zenith. Julien Tornare, who has served as CEO of Zenith since 2017, will now assume the position of CEO at TAG Heuer. Additionally, Benoit de Clerck is set to succeed Julien Tornare as the CEO of Zenith. These LVMH Watches & Jewelry Division appointments took effect on January 1st, 2024.
🇦🇺 The Australian government has made significant senior appointments at the chief executive level within the rail sector this week. Mr. Nick Miller has assumed the role of CEO at Inland Rail, the company responsible for overseeing the construction of a new freight route connecting Brisbane and Melbourne. Meanwhile, Mr. Wayne Johnson, who has been serving as the acting chief executive and managing director of infrastructure manager ARTC since August 2023, has now been officially confirmed in this position. Additionally, Mr. Timothy Parker has been appointed as the inaugural chief executive of HSRA, an entity entrusted with the development of a high-speed network along Australia's east coast.
🇫🇮 Finnair has announced the appointment of Turkka Kuusisto as the new CEO, effective no later than July 11, 2024. Kuusisto, currently the CEO of Posti Group Corporation since 2020, will succeed the current CEO, Topi Manner, who is set to depart from Finnair on January 15, 2024, to assume the role of CEO at Elisa Corporation. During the interim period between January 15 and the commencement of the new CEO, Jaakko Schildt, Finnair's Chief Operating Officer, will serve as the interim CEO.
🇬🇧 Ithaca Energy, the North Sea oil and gas operator, has confirmed the departure of its Chief Executive Officer, Alan Bruce, who played a pivotal role in the company's successful IPO in November 2022. With immediate effect, the board has designated Iain Lewis, the Chief Financial Officer, as the interim CEO while actively engaging in the search for a fitting successor.
🇺🇸 Joanne Geraghty has been designated as the Chief Executive Officer of budget airline JetBlue, marking her as the first woman to helm a major carrier in the United States. Currently serving as the President and COO of the company, Geraghty will assume the CEO position, succeeding Robin Hayes, who is stepping down due to health reasons. Her tenure in this role is set to commence on February 12, 2024, and she will also become a member of the airline's Board of Directors.
🇫🇷 On January 11, Havas announced key promotions for two senior leaders. Rana Barua, based in Mumbai, will now oversee South East & North Asia in addition to his current role. With almost three decades of experience, Barua has led Havas' India operations for the past five years, managing over 2,000 individuals across Havas Creative Network and Havas Media Network. His expanded role as group CEO covers nine additional markets, comprising India, South East Asia, and North Asia. Simultaneously, Alberto Canteli, located in Dubai, will retain his position as Chairman and CEO of Havas Nordics, Benelux, Central & Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
🇰🇷 Baek Bok-in, KT&G's most enduring CEO, has chosen not to seek a fourth term, following the precedent set by leaders of other formerly state-run entities such as KT and Posco. The KT&G board has recently completed the open recruitment process for external candidates for the CEO position, finalizing a longlist of 24 potential candidates on Thursday.
🇮🇳 On January 5, the homegrown fresh food brand, iD Fresh Food, announced the appointment of Rajat Diwaker as its India CEO. This strategic move aligns with the company's goal to strengthen both its local and global leadership, accelerating its local-to-global expansion strategy. Diwaker will play a pivotal role in driving sustainable business growth and fostering innovation, guiding iD Fresh towards new milestones in the Indian market. Concurrently, PC Musthafa, who has led iD Fresh for nearly two decades, is transitioning to the role of Global CEO while retaining his position as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
🇧🇪 Richard Zaltzman has assumed the position of CEO at EIT Food, succeeding Andy Zynga. Starting January 15, 2024, Zaltzman will serve as the Chief Executive Officer at EIT Food, a knowledge and innovation community committed to enhancing the food system's sustainability. This appointment follows a unanimous decision by the supervisory board. In his new role, Zaltzman will collaborate closely with the EIT Food leadership team to advance the organization's mission-oriented portfolio approach, while actively engaging with the food system community to facilitate positive change.
🇦🇺 The Grattan Institute has disclosed the appointment of Dr. Aruna Sathanapally as the upcoming CEO of the public policy think tank. Dr. Sathanapally will succeed Danielle Wood, who is transitioning to the role of Chair of the Productivity Commission. Dr. Sathanapally is scheduled to assume her position in late February.
🇦🇺 Anja Nikolic has been designated as the CEO of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH), set to assume the position in March of this year. She will be succeeding interim CEO, Mark Nevin. Her tenure as current CEO of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) will conclude on March 15, marking the commencement of her new role at AIDH on March 25.
🧑💻 Technology Moves
🇺🇸 IFS, the international cloud enterprise software company, has announced the promotion of Mark Moffat to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This elevation follows the appointment of Darren Roos as the company's Chair of the Board. Both transitions took effect on January 9th.
🇺🇸 Canon U.S.A., Inc. has announced the appointment of Isao "Sammy" Kobayashi as the President and CEO, effective from January 1, 2024. Kobayashi, who has been serving as the President and CEO at Canon Canada Inc. for the past year, will succeed Kazuto "Kevin" Ogawa, who is set to return to Japan for a new assignment.
🇺🇸 ChromaCode, Inc., a leading genomics multiplexing platform company specializing in cost-effective laboratory solutions, has declared Mark McDonough as the new Chair of the Board, effective January 1, 2024. This announcement comes concurrently with the retirement of former Chair Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D., and the addition of Michele Park, Ph.D., to the Board. Mark McDonough, who also serves as the CEO of ChromaCode, will now assume the role of Chair of the Board.
🇺🇸 Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADN), a leading innovator in fuel cell and hydrogen technology, has revealed the appointment of Naiem Hussain as the new Chief Financial Officer, subject to the completion of the company's hiring protocols. Formerly holding the position of Chief Investment Officer at Advent, Mr. Hussain brings substantial expertise in corporate finance, particularly in areas such as IPOs, fundraising, and mergers and acquisitions within the energy technology and fuel cell sectors. This appointment follows the resignation of Kevin Brackman from the CFO position on January 5, 2024.
🧑🎓 Academic Moves
🇺🇸 Dr. Brian Kessler, currently serving as the Dean and Chief Academic Officer at the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, Campbell University, has been appointed to the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation. This announcement was made by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine on January 3rd. Simultaneously, Dr. Millicent King Channell, the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Services, as well as a professor of osteopathic manipulative medicine and family medicine at Rowan-VirtuaSOM, Rowan University in New Jersey, was also appointed to the committee on the same day.
🇺🇸 Northern Michigan University (NMU) has made three new leadership appointments aimed at advancing the institution's core values and strategic priorities, specifically focusing on inclusion and belonging, sustainability, and academic excellence. Shawnrece Campbell, formerly associated with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, has been appointed as the Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. Jessica Thompson, an alumna and professor at NMU, will serve as the Assistant Vice President for Sustainability. Anne Dahlman, previously at Minnesota State University Mankato, is set to assume the role of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs starting April 1st.
🏛️ Government Moves
🇹🇼 Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) achieved an unprecedented third consecutive presidential victory on Saturday, despite China's warnings of heightened conflict risk with their re-election. The vote counting has concluded, with Lai Ching-te, the DPP candidate, securing just over 40% of total votes, making him the next president. He defeated opponents Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang Party who received 33.5% of the votes. Alongside Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party, who garnered 26.5% votes. With over 14 million participants, voter turnout exceeded 71%.
Although the DPP's victory marks an unprecedented democratic milestone, securing a third consecutive presidential term, the party lost its legislative majority. In the past eight years, the DPP's control of the executive and legislative branches facilitated the passage of bills and significant policy changes. The electorate's endorsement of the DPP signifies support for maintaining Taiwan’s political independence. Both the KMT and TPP (which combined got a 60% total vote) had committed to increased engagement with Beijing.
🇫🇷 Gabriel Attal has been appointed as France's youngest Prime Minister in modern history at the age of 34, marking Emmanuel Macron's bid to rejuvenate his presidency through a new government. His primary responsibility now lies in leading the French government during the pivotal European Parliament elections scheduled for June.
🇰🇼 Kuwait's ruler has designated Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah as the new prime minister, entrusting the 68-year-old, with a doctorate in economics from Harvard University, to chart a new course for the country, potentially focusing on economic development. Sheikh Mohammed, an academic and former foreign minister who has also served as an ambassador to the United States, is responsible for assembling the first new government.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured her fourth consecutive term in office, solidifying her position as the world's longest-serving female head of government. The election's outcome was essentially determined when the main opposition boycotted the poll after its announcement in early November. Independent candidates won 63 seats, second only to Hasina's Awami League (AL), which claimed 222 seats, resulting in a challenge to establish a parliamentary opposition. Voter turnout was low, with only 40% of approximately 120 million eligible voters participating.
🇲🇬 Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina, who was recently re-elected, has re-appointed his former Prime Minister, Christian Ntsay, to the same position as he embarks on a second term following contentious November elections.
🇦🇪 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced a ministerial reshuffle in the UAE Government. The key changes include the appointment of Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid as Deputy Prime Minister for Financial and Economic Affairs. Additionally, Mohammed Bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei has been appointed as Minister of State for Defence Affairs and Cabinet Member.
🇦🇿 Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, has been appointed as the president-in-waiting for COP29, the upcoming UN climate talks in November. Prior to his political career, Babayev spent 26 years working for the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (Socar). This appointment draws parallels with the previous appointment of Sultan Al Jaber, who, while serving as the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, presided over the Cop28 summit in Dubai last year.
📰 Leadership Articles
Nurturing Leadership Through The Power Of Reading
How to Lead Across a Siloed Organization
https://hbr.org/2024/01/how-to-lead-across-a-siloed-organization
☑️ Election Watchlist
Over half of the world's population—4.2 billion people spread over about 65 countries—will cast their votes in 2024. Among them are eight of the ten most populous nations in the world, including the United States, Mexico, India, and Russia. There has never before been a phenomenon like this in a single year.
This is the 🗓️election calendar for 2024 so you can be aware of the major events that could influence global politics and democracy in the future.
January
🇧🇩 Bangladesh, Parliament (7 January)
🇧🇹 Bhutan, National Assembly (2nd round) (9 January)
🇹🇼 Taiwan, President and Parliament (13 January)
🇫🇮 Finland, President (28 January)
February
🇸🇻 El Salvador, President, and Parliament (4 February)
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan, President (7 February)
🇵🇰 Pakistan, National Assembly (8 February)
🇮🇩 Indonesia, President and Parliament (14 February)
🇧🇾 Belarus, Parliament (25 February)
🇸🇳 Senegal, President (25 February)
March
🇮🇷 Iran, Parliament (1 March)
🇮🇪 Ireland, Constitutional Referendums (8 March)
🇵🇹 Portugal, Parliament (10 March)
🇷🇺 Russia, President (15–17 March)
April
🇰🇷 South Korea, Parliament (10 April)
May
🇵🇦 Panama, President and Parliament (5 May)
🇱🇹 Lithuania, President and Constitutional Referendum (12 May)
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic, President, and Parliament (19 May)
June
🇮🇸 Iceland, President (1 June)
🇲🇽 Mexico, President, Senate and Chamber of Deputies (2 June)
🇧🇪 Belgium, Parliament (9 June)
🇲🇷 Mauritania, President (22 June)
🇲🇳 Mongolia, Parliament (28 June)
July
🇷🇼 Rwanda, President and Chamber of Deputies (15–16 July)
October
🇲🇿 Mozambique, President and Parliament (9 October)
🇺🇾 Uruguay, President and Parliament (27 October)
November
🇺🇸 United States, President, Senate, and House of Representatives (5 November)
🇵🇼 Palau, President and Parliament (12 November)