Who Will Face the Biggest Challenges Among Business Leaders in 2025
As 2025 approaches, key business leaders are gearing up for significant challenges and opportunities that could reshape their industries
Daniel Křetínský, ITV, Vodafone, Boeing, Volkswagen, Christine Lagarde, Allan Leighton, London, UK
London: A year can change everything in business. It’s enough time for a company to hit a rough patch or bounce back stronger. As we look ahead to 2025, several leaders are under pressure to prove themselves.
Take Daniel Křetínský, known as the “Czech sphinx.” He’s on the verge of a big win with the takeover of Royal Mail’s parent company. The government has given the green light, and now it’s up to shareholders to seal the deal.
His plans for the postal service are a bit unclear. Most of the past months were spent charming the government and unions, but we’re still waiting to see his vision for growth.
This year will be crucial for Křetínský. He’s promised to keep delivering letters nationwide six days a week, but so far, the only new idea is to set up 20,000 parcel lockers.
The Communication Workers Union is cautiously optimistic about the takeover, but Křetínský needs to win over the staff to show he has a solid plan.
Meanwhile, ITV had a great year with the success of *Mr Bates vs the Post Office*, which highlighted the struggles of wrongfully accused branch owners. It was a hit, but that doesn’t always translate to a better stock price.
Carolyn McCall, who’s been at the helm for nearly eight years, is now tasked with boosting the share price. She’s invested heavily in the ITVX platform, which is doing well, but the outlook for traditional TV advertising isn’t looking good.
There were some rumors about a potential buyout of ITV, but as we know, those don’t always lead to action. McCall’s job isn’t in immediate danger, but she needs to find a way to lift the share price.
Over at the Financial Conduct Authority, the boss is gearing up for some tough challenges, especially with the car finance commission scandal looming. This could lead to massive payouts for consumers, costing banks billions.
Rathi, the FCA chief, is also under pressure to attract new listings to the London Stock Exchange, which has been losing out to the US. But he has to be careful about which companies to bring in, especially after facing backlash for allowing Shein to list.
Vodafone’s new leader, Margherita Della Valle, has a tough road ahead. She’s already acknowledged that the company’s performance hasn’t been great, with stock prices halving over the past five years.
She’s made some moves, like selling off parts of the business, but shareholders are still waiting for a turnaround, especially in Germany, which is crucial for Vodafone.
Then there’s Murray Auchincloss at BP, who’s got a big strategy review coming up. He’s trying to shift the company towards renewable energy, but investors are skeptical about whether that can deliver the same returns as oil and gas.
In the water sector, David Black is facing a challenge with rising bills to fund new infrastructure. He needs to restore trust in Ofwat while dealing with potential pushback from water companies.
Volkswagen’s Oliver Blume is also in a tight spot. After considering factory closures, he reached a deal with unions, but there are still massive job cuts ahead as the company shifts to electric vehicles.
Boeing is another giant trying to recover from a crisis. Robert Ortberg is now in charge, and he’s got a tough job ahead, especially after announcing significant job cuts.
Finally, Christine Lagarde has to navigate a tricky eurozone economy with political challenges in Germany and France. She’s looking at ways to stabilize the situation while facing potential tariffs from the US.
All in all, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for these leaders, and it’ll be interesting to see how they tackle their challenges.
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