The Chief Strategy Officer Podcast

Welcome to another episode of The Chief Strategy Officer Podcast. Today’s discussion centers on one of the most transformative and rapidly evolving topics in business— artificial intelligence. We’re joined by three distinguished strategy leaders --- Joanne Sheppard of Holtzbrinck, Ed Knapp from American Tower, and Prashant Kelker of ISG, who bring unique perspectives about how organizations can think strategically about making investments in AI to minimize risk and maximize ROI.

In this episode, our guests explore the critical considerations for integrating AI into corporate strategy, from navigating the fast-changing AI landscape to evaluating the infrastructure and ethical implications. They share insights on how their organizations are leveraging AI for operational efficiency, data-driven innovation, and enhancing customer experiences.

Things We Will Cover:

• The three areas that you as a CSO should consider applying AI to in your organization.
• How organizations can build strong data infrastructure that supports AI and enables responsible innovation.
• Practical steps for CSOs to stay informed and strategically engaged with AI without needing deep technical expertise.

Join us to learn how other strategists are navigating the complexities of investing in and implementing AI solutions for their organizations.

• Learn more about Outthinker's community of chief strategy officers - https://outthinkernetwork.com/
• Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/outthinker-networks

In this episode, we are joined by three chief strategy officers who are also responsible for sustainability in their organizations. Alpa Sutaria of WestRock, Paula Kovarsky of Raizen, and Maisie Ganzler of Bon Apetit Management Company.

In this episode, we explore why companies might choose to make sustainability a core responsibility of their strategy officers. We'll discuss the benefits of integrating sustainability into the strategic framework and examine the challenges that come with this responsibility. Our expert guests share insights on overcoming these hurdles, offering practical advice and innovative solutions.

Some of the key questions we address include:

• When and why should sustainability be a strategic priority for companies?
• What are the main challenges faced by strategy officers when incorporating sustainability into their plans?
• How can companies effectively balance short-term financial goals with long-term sustainability objectives?
• Where should a Chief Strategy Officer start if their organization is considering making sustainability a part of their role?

Join us as we uncover the strategies and mindsets of organizations where sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a vital component of success.

• Learn more about Outthinker's community of chief strategy officers - https://outthinkernetwork.com/
• Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/outthinker-networks

How Southern Glazer's Office of Strategic Management Built an Enduring Strategic Advantage
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits is the largest wine and spirits distributor in the United States, serving over 240,000 customers across 44 states and the District of Columbia. It is also one of the largest family-owned business in the US. Their strategy office is doing remarkable things that push the boundaries that define most strategy offices. In this podcast episode, we hear first hand from their head of strategy and two of the leaders of their “Office of Strategic Management” or OSM.

Stephen Von Oehsen is the Senior Vice President, of the Office of Strategic Management, as well as a Professor and Member or Dean's Executive Advisory Board at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.

Sascha Rubin is a VP in the OSM.

Kyle Weiss is a Senior Manager in the OSM.

In this episode we cover:

• The surprising roles that their OSM plays including why and how they became a lightening rod for talent and the unexpected benefits of taking on this role
• How Southern Glazer thinks about managing the culture of the OSM and how the culture differs from typical strategy offices and consulting firms
• The phases through which this strategy office evolved, why it evolved, and what it took to adapt and expand its impact
• Why they decided to launch what they call Extended Enterprise Strategic Services, through which they consult not just to the company but to partners, and how they manage this activity
• How to both hold onto the unique consulting toolkit and way of thinking that the company needs the strategy officer to bring while, at the same time, blending with the language and norms and culture of the company
• Learn more about Outthinker's community of chief strategy officers - https://outthinkernetwork.com/
• Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/outthinker-networks

Corporate strategy in growth-stage companies can be very different from strategy in mature organizations. In this episode, we hear from three chief strategy executives who are effectively navigating the strategic journeys for their scaling organizations – Elisabeth Moore from West Monroe Partners, Adam Zalisk from Amplify Education, and Edward Crook from DeepL. Today’s discussion is moderated by Outthinker Networks President, Claudio Garcia.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Practical advice on balancing entrepreneurial freedom with strategic focus
• How to structure a strategy function to support rapid growth and innovation
• Techniques for maintaining alignment and clarity in decision-making processes
• How to turn change from a "chore" into a tactic to drive customer-centricity
• And strategies for fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing within fast-growing teams
• Learn more about Outthinker's community of chief strategy officers - https://outthinkernetwork.com/
• Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/outthinker-networks

As much as companies promise and commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the reality is corporate strategy, especially at the senior level, remains a male-dominated field. Some chief strategy officers have made it their mission to change that reality. In this episode, we hear from two of them. Alok Agrawal, Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Ventures at Celestica, and Nicolas Chapman, former EVP and Chief Strategy Officer of Teradata, have made tremendous strides in shifting the diversity levels of their strategy offices. Today’s discussion is moderated by another diversity-focused strategy leader, Kalina Nikolova, SVP of Business Operations and Strategy at Yahoo. These CSOs will share the real hurdles they overcome to bring more diverse hiring to their strategy function.

From them, you’ll learn:

-Advice from successful CSOs on how to set realistic objectives to support your DEI hiring initiatives

-How to influence and work with HR to fill your hiring pipeline with more diverse candidates

-Actionable steps to fight unconscious bias and make your job descriptions and interview processes more welcoming to diverse hires

• Learn more about Outthinker's community of chief strategy officers - https://outthinkernetwork.com/
• Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/outthinker-networks