Henry D. Wolfe’s Post

“What’s needed is a new management theory that avoids both the deceptive certainties of neoliberalism and the equally deceptive vagaries of stakeholder capitalism. But where can we find the material for such a rethinking? Not in the great US business schools, which are either stuck on hold in stakeholder land or determined to replace the vague rhetoric of stakeholder capitalism with the even vaguer rhetoric of “corporate purpose.” Not in management consultancies such as McKinsey, which is engaged in a vast exercise in woke-washing over its role in corporate scandals. And not in the great US IT companies, which operate according to the idiosyncratic rules of the information economy (give away services to your users while selling user information to advertisers). Instead, I am increasingly persuaded that the answer lies in talking to hard-headed CEOs who run first-class companies in unglamorous bits of the real economy.”

Six weeks. That’s how long the investment was, but the returns? They keep coming every day. Earlier this year, I completed Harvard’s online course -Leading with Finance, focusing on Capital Markets, Value Creation, and Valuation. I’ve always been commercially tuned in, but now, with the backdrop of the course and all the real-life case studies—seeing how other companies are navigating ongoing economic volatility—my understanding of a broader range of value creation strategies has deepened. This insight has made a real difference, allowing me to connect the dots more rapidly and rely on a much broader solution repertoire. What I love most is how practical this knowledge has become. Every day, I find myself drawing from what I learned—especially as I’m learning the ropes in a new company that spans multiple industries, contributing to meaningful change and technological advancement. This course didn’t just sharpen my financial acumen —it’s empowered me to learn faster, think bigger, and contribute at a deeper, more impactful level. #curiosity #alwayslearning #leadingwithfinance #commerciallysavvyhr #hbsonline #valuecreation #growthmindset

Our Hanlon Financial Center at Stevens Institute of Technology has redefined what it means to provide an industry-ready curriculum. These game-changing, state-of-the-art financial labs are designed to replicate a Wall Street financial firm, empowering students to: ➡️apply leading-edge technologies and theories ➡️uncover new opportunities ➡️challenge the status-quo Learn how these facilities are forging the next generation of business leaders who can lead in the digital era: https://lnkd.in/e4vssEAc #FinancialSystems #FinancialTools #IndustryReadyEducation #Fintech #FinancialTechnologies #FinancialAnalytics #FinancialLabs GJ de Vreede

EMBA Reflection Series: "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts" - William Bruce Cameron. Any seasoned business person will tell you that any and all business world theory goes out of the door when you're first trying to establish a partnership, because you default to building on a simple concept - trust. And by the nature of it, trust cannot be counted, yet it is the most important factor you look at in the beginning, when things get tough, or when things go wrong. This is one of the first debates I had with an East African Fintech founder who always said "What gets measured gets done" which was likely picked up in business school. As the world moves towards data-driven decision making, the one big takeaway I have from conversations at our EMBA and through multiple professors is that you have to work on your reputation and soft power as you grow in rankings. While data is key, and shouldn't be downplayed, you should be switched on enough to know when to take this statement with a grain of salt. I would love to hear and collect personal business stories where gut won over data. What did you learn? For those who missed my last post, I am beginning a series of my own reflections from conversations I have had in business school that may seem like common sense but often get brushed under the rug in real-time decision-making. #mbajourney #decisionmaking #ceomindset #trust #business #partnerships

Want to add value to your organisation by collaborating with us at Alliance Manchester Business School? Reach out to me to discuss options. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Phil Galvin to give a quick overview of some of these in the vidpod. If you have an idea or project in mind and think you could help your organization but want a bit of help with it, please reach out and we can explore ways to collaborate through Business Engagement.

A fascinating and wide ranging chat with Chris M. Smith about how Businesses can engage with the research power of Alliance Manchester Business School

It was such a pleasure last week to be invited to join Michael G. Jacobides and Stelios Fragkos at London Business School to discuss where and how AI can help turn around organisation performance. We covered practical examples of how AI (in all its forms) can quickly help cash strapped business; how to approach AI to give greatest confidence in results; how to avoid being distracted by the hype; and the importance of recognising where AI can help vs. where it should be avoided. Wonderfully engaged audience, who asked some of the smartest questions. Thank you, and very best of luck for the rest of your studies!

The UTS Anchor Fund and UTS Business School extend their sincere appreciation to Alistair Galloway, Vice President at Vista Equity Partners, for delivering a compelling and thought-provoking presentation to the student team and faculty. Alistair provided valuable insights into the intricacies of #private #equity, covering key areas such as #venture #capital, #growth #equity, and #buyout strategies. His ability to distill complex topics—including the J-curve, illiquidity risks, portfolio construction, and investment life cycles—offered students practical knowledge critical to navigating the evolving landscape of private markets. Beyond technical expertise, Alistair’s personal career journey—from biochemistry to the military and, ultimately, into finance leadership—underscored the importance of resilience, leadership, and cognitive diversity. His reflections on the transformative role of #AI, #cloud #computing, and advanced technologies in portfolio companies provided a timely perspective on how innovation shapes modern investment practices. Alistair’s active engagement with students and his candid sharing of career insights left a lasting impression, providing both inspiration and actionable guidance to empower the next generation of finance professionals. #PrivateEquity #VentureCapital #InvestmentStrategies #Leadership #FinanceEducation #ProfessionalDevelopment #AI #UTSAnchorFund #CognitiveDiversity #VistaEquityPartners #UTS #Mentorship

𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘁 & 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 Some of the most successful individuals of our time have—whether implicitly or explicitly—achieved greatness by applying principles of systems theory. In the world of investing, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger exemplify this, their remarkable careers revealing them as masterful systems thinkers. I've recently dug deeper into both value investing and systems thinking and found remarkable overlaps. It turns out that the four core principles of value investing are also foundational principles in systems theory. This discovery has sparked my curiosity, and I'm eager to explore these connections further. In my upcoming posts, I'll dive into each principle, examining how they bridge value investing and systems thinking. I invite you to join me on this journey. We will uncover insights that enhance our understanding of investing, strategy, and the complex systems around us. #StrategicSystemsThinking #FeedbackDrivenGrowth #LongTermValueCreation

It is always a pleasure to celebrate #CornellMBA alumni success stories. Michael E. Holden, MBA is a graduate of #CornellExecutiveMBA Metro program. Michael is based in Chicago; he flew into NYC every other weekend to complete this in-person Executive MBA program. Working in a major financial institution, Michael has had the opportunity to observe and study around 600 wealth management advisors during his career. Distilling the insights from his extensive experience in the wealth management industry, Michael has now published a book titled “Authenticity Deficit: What Financial Advisors Need to Do to be Relevant.” Going beyond the traditional concepts of IQ and EQ, he proposes the notion of AQ – authenticity quotient. He uses the concept of authenticity to address some tricky question facing wealth management advisors. What should advisors do to be relevant? Should financial advisors push the firm’s view or their personal opinions? How to be truthful to oneself and yet be an effective advisor? Congratulations, Michael! Wishing you many more such career milestones! Cornell University Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Cornell Executive MBA Programs https://a.co/d/4BHwrDc