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Boston Globe
21-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
New HBR editor in chief Amy Bernstein looks to grow the publication in AI age
Now, as editor in chief, she'll oversee all of the content that the HBR staff produces, digital and in print. Ignatius is staying on board, as editor at large, in part to help launch a new premium product offering additional insights, videos, and classes to C-suite types. Advertisement Bernstein's goals will include growing HBR's paid circulation of 343,000 while developing new ways to present and integrate all its various channels, including books, newsletters, podcasts, and social media posts. Despite HBR's access to top experts in the fields of business management, she said HBR faces competition on a number of fronts including the low- or no-cost 'just good enough' advice that's widely available online in part because of AI. Advertisement 'What I want to try to do differently is update the playbook for an audience that is 100 percent digital,' Bernstein said. 'I want to make sure we are not just staying abreast of [trends] but anticipating how our audience behavior is going to evolve. . . . I don't think any media brand covers management and leadership the way we do.' Chamber members head back to school From left to right: Jason Gallagher, head of school at Boston Latin School, Katherine Craven, chief administrative and financial officer at Babson College, her daughter Fianna, and James E. Rooney. president and CEO at Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, talk with teacher Noah Finegan during his Spanish class at Boston Latin School on April 17. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Mary Skipper now owes Jim Rooney a dinner. The two civic leaders — Boston's schools superintendent and the chief executive of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce — made a lighthearted bet in advance of the Principal Partners event on Thursday that brought business leaders together to shadow school superintendents. Rooney told Skipper: You line up the school principals, and I'll find the businesspeople. Skipper said she thought she would end up with more principals than chamber members. Rooney bet her a dinner that he would win. Time to pay up? The final count, per a chamber spokesperson: 93 business leaders were matched with 87 principals across 86 schools. (One school has two principals.) Rooney wound up at his alma mater, Boston Latin School, shadowing Babson College executive vice president Katherine Craven , another BLS alum. Ever since Rooney became the chamber's chief executive a decade ago, he has tried to better integrate the business community and Boston Public Schools. Some companies, such as Advertisement Then came Skipper, who was tapped by Mayor Michelle Wu in 2022 to lead BPS. Skipper and Rooney already knew each other; they live on the same street in Dorchester. So they hit it off quite easily. Among the fruits of those discussions: an agreement to help On Thursday, the business leaders shadowed principals throughout the morning, then came together at Bank of America 's offices on Federal Street to debrief. Rooney, Skipper, and Wu all spoke, as did B of A executive Miceal Chamberlain . 'Historically, the School Department has been hard to help,' Rooney said. 'In the past, they defined 'partnership' as 'write me a check.' [Businesses] will do that as a matter of goodwill. But I wanted to do something deeper than that.' Kraft Group gets high-tech upgrade NWN has been hired by the Kraft Group to bring artificial intelligence throughout the Krafts' holdings. Photo courtesy of NWN There's a new corporate name beaming from the Gillette Stadium jumbotron: NWN . The Boston IT provider last week announced a five-year partnership with The Kraft Group that involves overhauling the tech systems throughout the Krafts' businesses, including its packaging manufacturing and sports operations. Terms of the deal aren't being disclosed, but it comes with signage rights at Gillette in Foxborough. The work started earlier this year, with a replacement of the Krafts' communications systems. With NWN's artificial intelligence expertise, the potential for this deal goes well beyond making phone calls. Among other things, Kraft Group chief information officer Mike Israel sees efficiency savings at a Rand-Whitney factory in Montville, by tracking how long trucks sit in loading docks, and a more fun experience at Gillette, by giving fans the opportunity to use facial recognition to access their digital wallets and 'unlock' their game tickets or buy concessions. The AI tech can also be used to spot when someone climbs a fence, or when a stadium bathroom needs to be restocked. Advertisement Israel said Robert Kraft and son Jonathan Kraft , the company's top two executives, are pushing the Kraft Group to be more creative and entrepreneurial. 'There's that drive to move fast and be adaptive,' Israel added. 'That comes right now from the top. That pushes us forward at lightning speed in terms of innovation.' The Kraft Group represents a high-profile customer for NWN, which cleared about $1 billion in sales last year. The Kraft Group, NWN chief executive Jim Sullivan noted, is one of the largest private companies in the country. 'It's a great fit,' Sullivan said. 'We're incredibly appreciative of the opportunity.' P&G Gillette looks sharp in Andover Dignitaries gather for a groundbreaking to kick-start an expansion at the Andover campus of P&G Gillette. Photo courtesy of P&G Gillette After unveiling P&G Gillette on Thursday turned their focus to their other local campus. The company gathered a crowd under a tent at its Andover site, where it currently makes shaving gels and foams, for a groundbreaking to celebrate the start of a 200,000-square-foot building where much of the blade manufacturing work in South Boston will end up. About 200 people work in Andover now, at a roughly 600,000-square-foot complex on the 150-acre property; the Andover workforce will more than double once Gillette moves its manufacturing out of Boston. The corporate, design, and engineering functions will remain in South Boston. The transition is expected to begin in the next year or two, though it will take a decade or more to redevelop the South Boston campus. Advertisement Gary Coombe , chief executive of P&G's grooming division, said the Andover project proves that the company is investing not just in its blades and razor business but also in the future of US manufacturing and in the future of Greater Boston. For Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll , the Andover expansion shows the importance of ensuring Massachusetts remains competitive for advanced manufacturing. With the 250th anniversary of the battles against the British troops in Lexington and Concord being celebrated in both towns last week, Driscoll made sure to drop a few Revolution references in her speech, along with a joking apology to Coombe, for going to war against his home country. (Coombe is a UK native.) 'We want to make sure that revolutionary spirit that guided us 250 years ago continues,' Driscoll said. 'Guess what? It will, on this site.' Senator Barry Finegold of Andover also joked with Coombe, thanking him for making his favorite razor. 'I've got to take a point of personal privilege, as we say: I want to personally thank you,' the clean-shaven Finegold said. 'I'm a Fusion5 guy. Every morning, I get the blades, and also the shaving cream. So thank you for keeping me clean for all these years. I appreciate that.' Jon Chesto can be reached at
Boston Globe
19-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Boston Chamber teams up with BPS to allow business leaders to shadow school principals
Advertisement Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce passes the alma mater statue while touring Boston Latin School, his alma mater. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff From left to right: Jason Gallagher, head of school at Boston Latin School, Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and Katherine Craven, chief administrative and financial officer at Babson College, talk in the auditorium at Boston Latin School. Rooney and Craven were shadowing Gallagher as part of the Principal Partners program; all three are Boston Latin alum. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Ever since Rooney started in his role as chamber chief executive a decade ago, he's been trying to better integrate the business community and Boston Public Schools. Some companies, such as Natixis and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, already had specific school partnerships established. But Rooney found it hard to make much traction for a broader chamber effort with previous school superintendents. Then came Skipper, a well regarded Somerville school administrator who was tapped by Mayor Michelle Wu in 2022 to lead BPS. Skipper and Rooney already knew each other; they actually live on the same street in Dorchester. So they hit it off quite easily. Among the fruits of those discussions: an agreement to help develop a financial literacy curriculum, to be rolled out this fall, and the Principal Partners shadowing event, reviving a concept similar to the 'Principal for a Day' program last tried in 2018. Advertisement Boston Public Schools superintendent Mary Skipper, right, talks with seventh-grader Iker Monrroy, during his earth/space science class at Boston Latin School. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff On Thursday, the business leaders shadowed principals throughout the morning, then came together at Bank of America's offices on Federal Street to debrief. Rooney, Skipper, and Wu all spoke, as did B of A executive Miceal Chamberlain. Rooney said the shadowing program will build a stronger connection between the business community and the city's schools. That in turn can help teachers keep pace with the city's ever-changing workforce needs, Rooney said, and send a good message to the kids when 'big branded Boston companies' are volunteering on their behalf. Plus, some of his members can provide expertise in developing the school system's new financial literacy program. 'Historically, the school department has been hard to help,' Rooney said. 'In the past, they defined 'partnership' as 'write me a check.' [Businesses] will do that as a matter of goodwill. But I wanted to do something deeper than that.' Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, talks with seventh-grader Amani Sabir while touring Boston Latin School, his alma mater. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston's business scene. Jon Chesto can be reached at
