Executives in the era of no-holds barred activism

The purview of corporate senior executives is growing ever wider. Beyond incorporating the new technologies, the individualization of consumer preferences, the pressure of competitors, and the fragility of global supply chains, they must now contend with regulators, non-governmental organizations, and social movements that have adopted an “activist” style.

We now live in an era where the mobilization of public opinion—through social media, consumer boycotts or street protests—is a weapon used to pressure corporations, and their leaders, to alter their behavior.

Such behaviour is not new. What’s new is that political parties and even governments are embracing the activist’s rulebook. The current U.S. administration is a case in point, with former activists now occupying official positio