- In today’s CEO Daily: Diane Brady on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit.
- The big story: Bessent bashes China.
- The markets: Global selloff.
- Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.
Good morning from Washington. Today is Day 2 of
Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit. From the speed of AI to the shifting policy environment, the theme of
Leading in a Dynamic World resonates. There’s cause for concern: Angela Williams, the CEO of United Way Worldwide, the world’s largest privately-funded philanthropy, told me that global uncertainty is prompting a “wait-and-see” approach among donors at a time of growing need. But I’m also struck by the optimism of women leaders here. At a dinner hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne P. Clark last night, there was talk about the entrepreneurial energy being channeled into small business and the opportunities right now to disrupt policy for the better.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who joined us fresh from the first day of the annual World Bank-IMF meetings, talked about how “the private sector is more agile, more adaptable” in this environment, comparing global trade to water:
“You put [up an] obstacle, it goes around it.” SAIC chief Toni Townes-Whitley talked about the need to keep up with U.S. adversaries that are operating in
“multiple modes” and can “use their entire industrial base.”
And bestselling author Brené Brown talked about the need to develop new skills and
reimagine leadership essentials for this new era, in a conversation that we recorded for the
Leadership Next podcast. In her latest book,
Strong Ground, Brown makes a compelling case that we’re not wired for this level of uncertainty, and risk losing focus on the core values of courageous and sustainable leadership. It’s a deeply human perspective that emphasizes the kinds of connections we create at events like this.
Be sure to check out our latest Leadership Next podcast that drops today on
Apple and
Spotify: Ramp CEO Eric Glyman talks to
Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell about how the fintech upstart has scaled to more than $1 billion in annualized revenue by encouraging companies to spend less and creating a culture of urgency and speed at Ramp. The goal of business, in his view, is “companies working to make their customers better off, and customers genuinely choosing the provider that’s helping them grow.”
For more inspiration from the front lines of business,
join us at MPW via livestream. Among many others, we will hear from
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry,
Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford, Dame Emma Walmsley of
GSK,
Nubank Brazil chief Livia Chanes,
Ulta Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman, NYSE Group President Lynn Martin,
DBS Group CEO Tan Su Shan,
Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz, Dina Powell
McCormick of BDT & MSD Partners,
GoodRX CEO Wendy Barnes,
Nordstrom’s Alexis DePree,
Palantir’s Shannon Clark,
Procter & Gamble’s Monica Turner, Lisa Caputo of
Travelers,
Prudential Financial’s Yanela Frias, Gina Mastantuono of
ServiceNow,
Airbnb’s Ellie Mertz, and Jamie Dimon of
JPMorgan Chase—along with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Michigan), Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and Selena Gomez.
Contact CEO Daily via Diane Brady at diane.brady@fortune.com
