• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii

3

Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii

3

Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
LeadershipCEO Daily

CEO Daily: Friday, May 29

By
John Kell
John Kell
and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 29, 2015, 6:52 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Next week, we publish our 61st Fortune 500 list, which provides an interesting lens on business success in the age of disruption. Fifty-seven percent of the companies on this year’s list weren’t on it twenty years ago.

 

Yet in some ways, the most interesting stories are about the other 43% – the companies that manage to survive and thrive in spite of the rapid change going on around them. In many cases, these are companies that have been willing to disrupt themselves – although usually in response to a competitive threat.

 

Fortune’s Phil Wabha wrote yesterday about Target CEO Brian Cornell’s comment that his company “almost needs to say thank you to Amazon” for teaching consumers to shop online. He now argues Target’s most valuable guests are those who will “shop with us both online and in the store,” and he is scrambling to reshape the company. (Wabha profiled Cornell is the March magazine, which you can read here.) Similarly, Fortune’s Verne Kopytoff spoke earlier this week with Ford CEO Mark Fields, not in Detroit, but at his new Silicon Valley lab, where he was talking about competitive threats, not from GM, but from Google, Uber and possibly even Apple. (Apple’s SVP of Operations this week intriguingly called cars “the ultimate mobile device.”)

 

What’s clear is that running a Fortune 500 company has never been more difficult. Change happens fast, competition comes from left field, and survival requires foresight, nimbleness and creativity.

 

Enjoy the day, and the weekend.

 

 

 

 

Alan Murray
@alansmurray
alan.murray@fortune.com

Top News

• Pressure mounts on FIFA sponsors

In the wake of U.S. Department of Justice charges that alleged wire fraud, money laundering and racketeering at FIFA, there is rising criticism of the corporate sponsors that are still involved with the beleaguered league. Several companies have allowed their contracts to lapse recently while others, like Adidas and Visa, have publicly expressed concern though they remain sponsors of the league.  Fortune

• Lehman Brothers CEO resurfaces

Dick Fuld, the former CEO of Lehman Brothers, ticked off a number of reasons for the banking disaster that led to the Great Recession but didn't mention one widely touted culprit: His own firm. Fuld also said his firm "was not a bankruptcy company." The comments were notable because it was the first time Fuld talked about Lehman since he testified in front of Congress shortly after the financial firm failed.  Fortune

• Amazon's grocery aisle ambitions

Online retailer Amazon.com is reportedly planning to expand its private label lineup to include groceries like milk, cereal and baby food. Amazon's move into private-label grocery comes as food is becoming an even-bigger business for major retailers. And in-house brands are doing well, as customers look for bargains and are more open to buying store brands. Fortune

• U.S. economy likely shrank in first quarter

Last month, the Commerce Department estimated that gross domestic product grew just 0.2% in the first quarter, though a second, revised estimate to be released later this morning is expected to reveal a decline. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal estimated that GDP actually dropped 1% at an annual pace in the first three months of the year. That would result in the third quarterly decline since the recession ended in mid-2009.  WSJ (subscription required)

Around the Water Cooler

• Will a rate hike throw off young traders?

Here's a fascinating stat: about 30% of Wall Street traders started their careers within the past five years. That means they all have never learned what higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve look like first hand. One chief economist points out that for younger traders who have only known zero-percent rates, the risk is that they'll misjudge the speed with which the Fed tightens policy. Bloomberg

• Google tests hands-free payments

Google revealed it has partnered with McDonald's and Papa John's in the San Francisco Bay area to test a new, futuristic way for customers to make their purchases, without having to take out their wallet. Rather than use a physical card or cash, a customer would tell the cashier their name. A blue tooth sensor would then automatically detect if they have the requisite app and then bill them.  Fortune

• Class of 2015 looks lucky

While there are still a lot of worries about the amount of debt college students have incurred on the way to earning their diplomas, this year's grads are lucky in other ways. They benefit from the nation's 5.4% unemployment rate. Why? Labor market research shows that the lower the U.S. jobless rate at graduation, the better the career prospects for new college grads, which also yields a wage advantage over those who finished school amid higher unemployment.  WSJ (subscription required)

• L'Oreal wants to 3-D print human skin

L'Oreal, known for making cosmetics and hair color, could also soon reveal a new look: on 3-D printed human skin. The French cosmetics company has partnered with a San Diego bioprinting company to produce skin more quickly in a technique that would allow for more accurate testing. That could help make L'Oreal's portfolio of sunscreen and age-defying serums even more efficient.  Wired

5 things to know today

GDP and FIFA election — 5 things to know today. Today's story can be found here.

About the Authors
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Alan Murray
By Alan Murray
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

z
AIdisruption
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 3, 2026
36 minutes ago
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 3, 2026
37 minutes ago
Most cancer philanthropy funds research. This winery cofounder is paying for the caregivers and chair lifts families can’t afford
Successphilanthropy
Most cancer philanthropy funds research. This winery cofounder is paying for the caregivers and chair lifts families can’t afford
By Sydney LakeJuly 3, 2026
38 minutes ago
Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa was forced to put together a plan to save the Japanese carmaker in just six weeks: ‘I knew what had to be done’ 
AsiaAsia Agenda
Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa was forced to put together a plan to save the Japanese carmaker in just six weeks: ‘I knew what had to be done’ 
By Andrew StaplesJuly 3, 2026
39 minutes ago
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
EconomyDebt
AI’s $2.2 trillion deficit fix is already half fake, economists say
By Tristan BoveJuly 2, 2026
13 hours ago
Mark Zuckerberg, wearing a white shirt, smiles. He is standing in front of a crowd.
SuccessMark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the ‘highest-quality beef in the world’ on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
15 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
2 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
Success
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
15 hours ago
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
Success
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
1 day ago
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
Success
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
By Emma BurleighJuly 2, 2026
17 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 2, 2026
18 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
8 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.