CEO Perspectives

Science and technology will bring more change to health care over the next decade than we saw in the past century, says Joaquin Duato, Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson, and a 2025 Distinguished Leadership Award honoree. What drives his confidence, and how is the company creating this future? 

Join David K. Young and Duato to discover what he has learned in 36 years at J&J, how the company innovates in science and technology, and how the company supports employees and communities. 

This Leadership in Challenging Times discussion is featured as a C-Suite Perspectives podcast and a special CED Policy Watch Webcast. Leadership in Challenging Times features timely and insightful discussions with the outstanding CEOs who are recipients of CED’s Distinguished Leadership Awards. Business leader honorees discuss the unprecedented challenges facing the nation and how they are helping chart a path forward for both their companies and communities in which they operate.   

(04:08) Leadership Philosophy and Company Culture
(06:48) Secrets to Johnson & Johnson's Longevity
(09:11) Transforming Health Care with Science and Technology
(12:09) Investment Strategies in Health Care Innovation
(15:53) Advancing Technology and AI at Johnson & Johnson
(18:38) Addressing the Global Health Care Workforce Shortfall
(19:41) Ensuring Access to Health Care for Underserved Communities

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If you work in sustainability or ESG, you’re already grappling with a rapidly evolving regulatory and policy landscape, all while proving the ROI of your sustainability strategy. What other crucial issues should sustainability executives prioritize for the remainder of 2025? 

Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, PhD, principal researcher at The Conference Board Governance & Sustainability Center, to find out how AI is affecting sustainability work, the importance of supply chain sustainability and water stewardship, and why policy changes shouldn't affect your underlying goals. 

At the midway point of 2025, The Conference Board is profiling the top 10 priorities for crucial job functions and business units. In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, we look at the top priorities for sustainability executives.   

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Cybersecurity has become top of mind for Fortune 500 companies, and yet attacks, breaches, and other incidents keep happening. Can companies really prevent cyber risks, and what approach should they be taking? 

Join David Young and guest Jay Chaudhry, CEO, chairman, and founder of Zscaler, to find out the three lessons his parents taught him, why Zscaler has a customer obsession, and why zero trust architecture is critical for today's cyber approach. 

This Leadership in Challenging Times discussion is featured as a C-Suite Perspectives podcast and a special CED Policy Watch Webcast. Leadership in Challenging Times features timely and insightful discussions with the outstanding CEOs who are recipients of CED’s Distinguished Leadership Awards. Business leader honorees discuss the unprecedented challenges facing the nation and how they are helping chart a path forward for both their companies and communities in which they operate.    

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Tariffs and stock market movements remained top of mind for consumers in May. The Expectations Index—based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—showed modest improvement overall. Expectations for business conditions and the labor market inched up but stayed in pessimistic territory. The key bright spot was income expectations, which moved into positive territory, supported by a stronger stock market and early signs of progress on a trade deal with China. 

Dana Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, sits down with Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist, Global Indicators, and Erik Lundh, Senior Global Economist, to discuss the outlook for the US GDP, whether consumers are worried about a recession, and how the Fed might handle the current uncertainty. 

00:38 Consumer Confidence in May  

01:34 Impact of Tariffs and Financial Markets  

04:08 Consumer Expectations and Spending  

08:21 Inflation and Financial Concerns  

13:03 Changes in US and Global Economic Forecasts  

21:10 Factors Influencing Future Economic Outlook  

22:46 Conclusion and Farewell  

Get insights on the President’s polling 100 days in and how Americans view crucial domestic issues. 

The Administration’s approval rating has declined from 51% to 45% since Inauguration Day, but that's relatively in line with historical precedent. What does the President’s polling tell us about the American public today—and how they might vote in the 2026 midterms? 

Join Steve Odland and guest Clifford Young, president of polling and societal trends at Ipsos, to explore the President’s polling versus his first term, the nuances of polling on immigration and taxes, and why domestic issues matter more to Americans than foreign affairs. 

(00:55) Themes in Recent Polls: Trepidation and the President
(02:22) The Administration’s Approval Ratings and Public Perception
(07:15) Consumer Confidence and Economic Behavior
(13:46) Geopolitical Issues and Immigration

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Can President Trump get Ukraine and Russia to agree on a peace deal? If so, what happens next? 

The US administration is pushing for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, but progress has been slow, and success remains uncertain. How likely is a long-term cessation of hostilities, and how could that affect Russia’s military ambitions in Europe? 

Join Steve Odland and guest Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, senior fellow for national security and managing director of CEO programs at the Council on Foreign Relations, to find out the major issues prolonging the Russia-Ukraine war, the potential Russian threat to Finland and the Baltics, and the details of the recent US-Ukraine deal on critical minerals. 

(01:36) Occupied Regions and Military Tactics
(03:05) International Efforts and Ceasefire Attempts
(04:48) US and European Support Dynamics
(07:06) Russia's Strategic Moves in Europe
(10:06) Challenges in Peace Negotiations
(11:22) Security Guarantees and Territorial Issues
(23:52) Economic Agreements and Broader Implications

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Consumer confidence plunges to a 13-year low — is a recession next? 

Consumer confidence declined for a fifth consecutive month in April, to levels not seen since May 2020. With Americans’ spending comprising 70% of economic growth, what could their growing concerns mean for the US this year? 

Three specific expectation components – business conditions, employment prospects and future income – all dropped sharply, reflecting deep pessimism about the future. Crucially, the number of consumers expecting fewer jobs in the next six months was nearly as high as in April 2009, the middle of the “Great Recession.” Americans' concerns about the wider economy are bleeding into worries about their own personal situations.  

Dana Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at The Conference Board, sits down with Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist of Global Indicators, and Erik Lundh, Senior Global Economist to unpack how this could shape US and global economic growth this year. 

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