Corporate Strategy Insights

What if the future of restaurants isn't a single great brand, but a portfolio of great brands operating on a common platform? That's the question at the heart of Inspire Brands. Since 2018, the company has acquired Dunkin', Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John's, and other iconic chains while building one of the world's largest franchise restaurant systems. As Inspire moves toward a potential IPO, the company is about to discover whether public investors believe in the same vision.

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora says roughly $1 trillion of cybersecurity infrastructure was built for a pre-AI world. While that claim may sound like a vendor promoting a new spending cycle, similar warnings are coming from CrowdStrike, Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and others. For boards, the more important question is not whether the number is correct, but whether the organization's governance, security, and risk frameworks are keeping pace with its AI ambitions.

When a company replaces the head of an underperforming business unit, its stock can surge even before sales or profits improve. Gap's recent leadership shake-up at Old Navy shows why investors often reward accountability, governance, and the promise of change long before a turnaround becomes reality.

Board directors expect employees to talk about pay and benefits. When employees start talking like investors, directors pay attention.

Businesses spent $300 million on quantum computing in 2025 as they prepare for a future where quantum technology could supercharge artificial intelligence. Rather than buying quantum computers, most companies are investing in Quantum-as-a-Service, cloud-based platforms, and AI-focused applications. As enterprise adoption grows, quantum computing is increasingly viewed as a strategic technology that could accelerate innovation across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and sci

GameStop's reported decision to reconsider its $56 billion eBay acquisition may be the most important governance development in the story so far. As Ryan Cohen explores alternatives to a full takeover, the debate has shifted from financing a massive acquisition to a more fundamental question: Does GameStop need to own eBay to create value? The answer could become a case study in disciplined capital allocation.

3M spun out Solventum to create a more focused healthcare company. Now Solventum is preparing to spin out or sell a major business of its own. Here's how shareholder expectations, corporate governance, and activist investor Trian Fund Management helped drive the company's latest strategic move.

China has become the world’s most important test case for the future of cars. Tesla, Porsche, Volkswagen, GM, Honda, Nissan, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are all facing pressure as Chinese automakers gain share with faster product cycles, lower prices, stronger software, and more locally tailored electric vehicles.

Genesco’s proxy fight with the Radoff–Jumana Group tested whether an activist playbook—stake-building, governance pressure, capital allocation criticism, and board nominees—could beat a turnaround story. Shareholders chose Genesco’s Footwear First strategy, but now the company must prove the vote of confidence was deserved.

Texas Stack = Headquarters, corporate charters, and capital markets in Texas When Tesla moved its headquarters from California to Texas, many observers viewed it as a Silicon Valley story. When Oracle followed, it looked like a technology-sector trend. When Chevron left California, Caterpillar left Illinois, and Samsung recently announced it would move its U.S. headquarters from New Jersey to Plano, Texas, it became clear that something much larger was happening. Texas is no

In 2010, Stripe was founded to solve a problem that PayPal hadn't solved well for developers. By 2026, Stripe had reportedly become valuable enough to help finance a $53 billion bid for PayPal itself. This is the story of how the challenger became the acquirer—and why the deal is really about owning both the merchant and consumer sides of internet commerce.