This Week's Top Five Leadership Stories

Why Has Verizon Chosen PayPal's Dan Schulman As New CEO?

The former CEO of PayPal Holdings, Dan Schulman, has been appointed the new CEO of Verizon Communications, replacing Hans Vestberg.

This leadership transition aims to steer the telecom giant towards increased growth in the wireless market.

Discussing Dan’s appointment, Verizon’s Chair of the Board Mark Bertolini says: “The Board is thrilled to have Dan as Verizon’s next CEO, and embark on a new chapter of growth and sector leadership.

“Dan is a seasoned and decisive leader with a unique set of experiences, and a proven record of transformative leadership and operational excellence.

He is the right leader to chart Verizon's next phase of increased focus and financial growth.”

Why is OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Eyeing a Career in Farming?

Even CEOs need a fallback plan or two. Especially if today’s market is anything to go by. 

Leadership tenure is always short at the top. But the last few years have seen the dreaded ‘churn’ increase in the face of complexity, new challenges and a perennially uncertain world. 

According to PwC’s 2025 Global CEO Survey, a majority of leaders expect to stay in the role for no more than five years. 

In 2023 alone, over 1,400 US CEOs resigned, while a Harvard Law School study found that the median CEO Tenure among S&P 500 companies has decreased 205 in less than a decade, from six years in 2013 to 4.8 years in 2022. 

It’s why succession planning constantly tops strategy lists. Handled well, it sets up the company for a smooth transition and lets leaders firm up effective post-CEO plans. 

And those plans don’t always have to involve the boardroom. Not least if you’re OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who plans to step back from CEO-ing and take up farming. 

KPMG’s Global CEO Outlook: The Key To Resilience And Growth

While CEOs are continuing to face the volatile business environment, confidence in the global economy has fallen to pandemic levels according to the KPMG 2025 Global CEO Outlook.

Despite this, the report shows that 79% of CEOs are optimistic about their own firm’s prospects and 71% are using a combination of investment in AI and maintaining high-potential talent to support future growth.

KPMG’s CEO Outlook collects the views of 1,350 CEOs between 5 August and 10 September 2025, providing insight into the “mindset, strategies and planning tactics” of C-suite leaders.

Almost three-quarters of those in the study have adjusted their growth strategies to tackle these ongoing challenges and uncertainties.

The majority anticipate rising revenues and an increased workforce within the next three years, alongside expecting to see a return on investments made in AI adoption, says KPMG.

How McDonald’s Is Strengthening Its C-Suite To Unlock Growth

McDonald’s has announced two new C-Suite appointments that will contribute to the company’s commitment to fuelling growth and enhancing its market advantage.

The fast-food chain's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, announced in a post on LinkedIn on 26 September that Emily Reasor will join the brand in October as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO).

Chris said: “This hire signals our intent to make strategy a dynamic capability - one that drives execution, unlocks growth and strengthens our competitive edge.”

McDonald’s has also created the role of Chief Data, Analytics and AI Officer, which will be occupied by Das Dasgupta.

Discussing Das' appointment, McDonald’s President of Global Business Services Skye Anderson said in a LinkedIn post: “As we continue our transformative journey here at McDonald’s, data, analytics and AI play a vital role in our success.

“It’s essential we have a bold vision and a world-class team leading the way.”

How Is Tesla CEO Elon Musk The First Person Worth US$500bn?

The richest person on the planet, Elon Musk, is now worth half-a-trillion dollars, as the value of Tesla and his other businesses have risen this year.

According to Forbes, Elon achieved the milestone at 3:30pm New York time on 1 October 2025 when the EV maker’s shares climbed by nearly 4%.

Musk became the first person to be worth US$400bn in December 2024, but his value now puts him ahead of Larry Ellison, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Oracle, by US$150bn.

Larry is the world’s second richest person, according to Forbes’ billionaire index, with a net worth of just over US$350bn.