Why Skills-First Leadership Is Replacing the Ivy League Playbook in the C-Suite
05/23/2025
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The old prestige pyramid—where Ivy League degrees and blue-chip consulting backgrounds paved the way to the CEO seat—is cracking.
July 7, 2022: -On Tuesday, Electric vehicle battery maker Northvolt announced a $1.1 billion funding increase, with a scope of investors, including Volkswagen and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, taking part in the capital increase.
In a statement, Sweden-based Northvolt said the $1.1 billion convertible note would be used to finance the company’s “expansion of battery cell and cathode material production in Europe to support the rapidly expanding demand for batteries.”
Other investors in the raise include Baillie Gifford, Swedbank Robur, PCS Holding, and TM Capital.
Recently, Northvolt said its initial gigafactory, Northvolt Ett, had started commercial deliveries to European customers. The company says it has orders amounting to $55 billion from businesses such as Volvo Cars, BMW, and Volkswagen.
Gigafactories are skills that create batteries for electric vehicles on a large scale. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been credited as coining the term.
Northvolt’s most recent funding announcement comes when major European economies plan to move away from road-based vehicles that use diesel and gasoline.
For instance, the U.K. wants to stop selling new diesel and gasoline cars and vans in this decade. All latest cars and vans will require zero-tailpipe emissions by 2035. The European Union, which the U.K. left on Jan. 31, 2020, is pursuing similar targets.
As the number of electric vehicles on roads increases, the competition to develop factories capable of manufacturing EV batteries at scale is intensifying, with companies like Tesla and VW looking to establish a foothold in the sector.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Northvolt’s CEO and co-founder, Peter Carlsson, was bullish about the future.
“The combination of political decision making, customers, engaging even more firmly to the transition to electric vehicles, and a rapid rise in consumer demand for cleaner products has created a perfect storm for electrification,” he said.
According to the International Energy Agency, electric vehicle sales will hit 6.6 million in 2021. In the initial quarter of 2022, EV sales came to 2 million, a 75% increase corresponding to the first three months of 2021.
The old prestige pyramid—where Ivy League degrees and blue-chip consulting backgrounds paved the way to the CEO seat—is cracking.
Loud leaders once ruled the boardroom. Charisma was currency. Big talk drove big valuations.
But the CEOs who make history in downturns aren’t the ones with the deepest cuts
Companies invest millions in leadership development, yet many of their best executives leave within a few years. Why?
The most successful business leaders don’t just identify gaps in the market; they anticipate future needs before anyone else.
With technological advancements, shifting consumer expectations, and global interconnectedness, the role of business leaders
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Jay Wright, CEO and Co-Owner of Virgin Wines infectious energy, enthusiasm, passion and drive has been instrumental in creating an environment that encourages talent to thrive and a culture that puts the customer at the very heart of every decision-making process.
Fabio de Concilio is the visionary CEO & Chairman of the Board at Farmacosmo, a leading organization dedicated to mental health and community support services. With a deep commitment to identifying and meeting customer needs, Fabio ensures that high standards are maintained across the board.
Character Determines Destiny – so said Aristotle. And David CM Carter believes that more than anything else. For David, it has been numerous years of research into codifying Entelechy Academy’s 54 character qualities that underpin everything he stands for as a leader and teacher.
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