C-Suite Perspectives

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased by 2.2 points in February to 91.2 (1985=100), from an upwardly revised 89.0 in January. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions—decreased by 1.8 points to 120.0 in February. The Expectations Index—based on consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—rose by 4.8 points to 72.0. 

 

Join Dana M. Peterson and guest Malala Lin, Economic Research Associate, to find out what's behind consumers' expectations for the future, and where CEOs are focusing their growth efforts this year. 

 

For more from The Conference Board: 

US Consumer Confidence 


C-Suite Outlook 2026 


Forecast for the US Economy 


Global Economic Outlook

Three years into the conflict, the Ukraine war has evolved into a brutal war of attrition—with implications far beyond the battlefield. 

 

The Conference Board CEO Steve Odland and Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, a global affairs consultant most recently with the Council on Foreign Relations and the Committee for Economic Development, discuss the history underpinning the conflict, the realities on the ground, and the economic and political pressures facing both Kyiv and Moscow.  

 

From sanctions and shifting alliances to the possibility of a frozen conflict or negotiated settlement, they explore how the war is reshaping geopolitics—and what may come next. 

 

For more from The Conference Board:  

The US Critical Minerals Ministerial and Industrial Policy 


Three Years of War in Ukraine – And an Extraordinary Week 


US–Ukraine Negotiations and Possible Ceasefire 


Global Grey Swans Tool

Learn why companies need to understand AI's promise and potential drawbacks for environmental sustainability. 

  

More than 60% of companies are using AI to support or advance environmental sustainability. What are the use cases they're exploring, and how can businesses also guard against the environmental risks of AI? 

  

Join Steve Odland and guest Andrew Jones, PhD, principal researcher at the Governance & Sustainability Center of The Conference Board, to learn about the environmental impact of AI-focused data centers, how companies are capitalizing on AI for sustainability, and how sustainability leaders can demonstrate the ROI of AI applications. 

  

For more from The Conference Board: 

AI and Environmental Sustainability: Risks, Opportunities, and What Comes Next 


Exiting International Climate Pacts Will Leave The US Isolated 


AI Risk Disclosures in the S&P 500: Reputation, Cybersecurity, and Regulation

Find out what's new in CEO and executive compensation, including say-on-pay practices and SEC regulations.  

  

CEO pay in the S&P 500 increased 7% year-over-year in 2025, with stock awards as the largest driver. What are the latest trends in CEO and executive compensation for governance teams and boards to consider? 

  

Join Steve Odland and guest Dana Etra, managing director and head of the Boston office at FW Cook, to find out why some perquisites are being viewed through a risk and duty-of-care lens, how say-on-pay approaches have evolved, and why companies should watch for SEC changes to disclosure requirements. 

  

For more from The Conference Board: 

CEO and Executive Compensation Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2025 


Pay Ratios: CEO and C-Suite Compensation in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500 


Executive Compensation Benchmarking Tool

Find out what Kevin Warsh's nomination for Fed chair means for interest rates—and the potential Senate battle ahead. 

  

Kevin Warsh has been known as an inflation hawk. Will that change if he is confirmed as Federal Reserve chair, and what could that mean for the economy? 

  

Join Yelena Shulyatyeva and guest John Gardner, head of public policy and research at the Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of The Conference Board, to find out Warsh's background, the potential roadblocks in the Senate, and what Warsh has said about the 1951 Federal Reserve-Treasury Accord. 

  

For more from The Conference Board: 

Trump v. Cook: Is the Fed Special? 


Can Fed Governors be Fired? 


How Does the Fed Work?