From Brexit and an election landslide for the Conservative party to the fall of Thomas Cook and global trade spats, 2019 was a tumultuous 12 months.
It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that Director readers turned to insights from leading thinkers such as Simon Sinek, wise words from business stalwarts such as Andy Palmer, or stories of success from up and coming businesses such as Darktrace last year. Here’s our round-up of the most popular articles published on Director.co.uk in 2019.
Simon Sinek exclusive: ‘Choosing to become an infinite-minded leader will shake your world’
Simon Sinek encouraged us all to adopt an “infinite mindset” as he applied elements of game theory to the boardroom in his latest book The Infinite Game. In this extract from his exclusive cover interview for the October/November issue of Director, the best-selling author explained why business should be seen as a no-win game and why it shouldn’t just be about profit.
Nationalisation: the pros, the cons and the alternatives
As the Labour Party outlined its plans for widespread nationalisation during the build-up to the December election, many Director readers found themselves re-visiting this January article on the pros and cons of public ownership. Although the piece covered the nationalisation of water, energy and the railways, it missed the surprise inclusion of broadband on Labour’s long list of projects in its manifesto.
Mary Portas: ‘alpha culture’ is holding back enterprise
Off the back of her book Work Like a Woman, retail guru Mary Portas explained why an “alpha” business culture deters women – and many men – from aspiring to senior roles. In this extract from the cover feature of the February/March issue of Director, the auburn-haired business consultant discusses how to affect change as part of a leadership team and the importance of kindness.
Inside Darktrace, the £1.25bn cyber security unicorn
It was a big year for Cambridge-based cyber security firm Darktrace, which continued to build upon its £1 billion valuation. With cyber security high on the corporate agenda, Darktrace is at the forefront of tackling the challenge through artificial intelligence. In this extract from their interview in the April/May issue of Director, founders Poppy Gustafsson and Dave Palmer explain why data security represents an opportunity as well as an obligation.
The leadership lessons of Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer
During what was a turbulent year for the British automobile manufacturing market, Aston Martin Lagonda was one of the few to commit to the UK. Group CEO Andy Palmer laid out his leadership lessons for the April/May issue of Director, which included providing more children with a technical education and the influence Japanese culture has had on his decision making.
IoD Director of the Year Awards 2019 finalists announced
The announcement of the shortlisted finalists for the 2019 IoD Director of the Year Awards was well received ahead of the ceremony at The Brewery in London in October. The event, hosted by renowned news broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, saw some of the UK’s most outstanding leaders take the deserved plaudits for their achievements over the previous 12 months.
Read interviews with all the winners here.
Dambisa Moyo on six barriers to global growth – and how leaders can shatter them
Influential economist Dambisa Moyo broke down the six biggest barriers to global growth facing business leaders today for the August/September issue of Director. Specialising in macro-economics, the Zambian discussed wide-ranging global issues from international trade wars, to the impact of technological advances and population growth. Navigating these obstacles can be tricky, but Moyo believes that each challenge also represents an opportunity for organisations that are willing to embrace transparency.
The rise of the purpose-driven business
Climate change was never far from the headlines during 2019 and many businesses took note of the environmental impact of their operations. In May, we shone a light on the rise of the purpose-driven businesses which have put sustainability at the core of everything they do. As consumer and investor attitudes become increasingly environmentally conscious, the importance of the purpose-driven business will likely continue to rise in 2020.
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