Succession and control battles reshaped corporate leadership

Aug 31 - Sep 27across 3 weeksImpact

Apple Moves From Succession to Execution

John Ternus moved from replacing Tim Cook to leading Apple in public, while Cook remained closely involved as executive chair. The transition now depends on Ternus establishing authority and sustaining product-driven growth amid concerns about AI progress and margins.

34 storiesAug 31 Sep 7 Sep 14 Sep 21

Sep 16 - Sep 25across 2 weeksImpact

Tata Succession Becomes Control Battle

Tata's succession question widened into an open dispute between Tata Sons and Tata Trusts, then became a sustained challenge to N. Chandrasekaran's reappointment. The conflict now reaches governance, strategy, and the group's possible IPO, making control of the conglomerate the central issue.

16 storiesSep 14 Sep 21

Sep 18 - Sep 27across 2 weeksImpact

Berkshire Tests Its Post-Buffett Model

Berkshire completed its generational handoff by separating Greg Abel's operating authority from Howard Buffett's chairmanship and cultural stewardship. The structure preserves continuity, but coordination and capital discipline now replace Warren Buffett's formal authority as the key tests.

17 storiesSep 14 Sep 21

Sep 9 - Sep 11Impact

Automattic Tests Board Authority

Automattic placed its CEO on leave and restored him two days later. The reversal turned an internal dispute into a direct test of board authority, governance controls, and leadership stability.

2 storiesSep 7

Sep 7Impact

JLR Chooses Defensive Restructuring

JLR responded to Chinese competition, a cyberattack, and U.S. tariffs with 4,000 job cuts and a £1.7 billion savings program. The plan prioritizes near-term stability, but its cost is the risk of weakening capabilities needed for future competition.

1 storySep 7

Sep 7 - Sep 24across 3 weeksImpact

AI Becomes a CEO Accountability Issue

AI moved from a specialist technology concern toward an enterprise responsibility as companies assigned it greater strategic and financial weight. Boards and executives are now confronting ownership, controls, productivity measures, and the possibility of linking leadership accountability to AI results.

12 storiesSep 7 Sep 14 Sep 21

Sep 8 - Sep 21across 3 weeksImpact

Better’s Governance Fight Escalates

Better's dispute advanced from a shareholder vote over founder Vishal Garg's return into a broader fight involving executive departures and a challenge to the interim CEO. The conflict now threatens leadership stability, investor confidence, and the company's strategic direction.

5 storiesSep 7 Sep 14 Sep 21

Sep 12 - Sep 21across 3 weeksImpact

HDFC Narrows Its Succession Choice

HDFC Bank moved its CEO search from an insider-versus-outsider contest to formal regulatory review of two candidates. The decision is becoming a test of whether the bank will favor post-merger continuity or pursue a strategic reset under performance pressure.

8 storiesSep 7 Sep 14 Sep 21

Month’s Recap

Stories that ran through the month.