The Activist Leader

‘A must read for all current and aspiring leaders’ PAUL POLMAN, former CEO Unilever

If you want to be a successful leader in today’s business world, you need to think like an activist.

If you want to be a successful leader in today’s business world, you need to think like an activist.

This urgent and essential book shows how to do just that. The Activist Leader argues that the world needs a new kind of business leader, one that thinks differently about their role in today’s challenges. From climate change to inequality, the major crises facing society have become critical issues for business, and the world expects companies to step up.

This is a pragmatic book. Jon Miller and Lucy Parker show what it takes to do business in these challenging times, taking a close look at companies such as Apple, Mastercard, Nestle, Maersk, JP Morgan Chase and Walmart.

Most people feel powerless when they look at the problems facing the world – but if you’re a leader in a big business, you’re not powerless. Whether you’re a top executive or earlier in your working life, this book shows that thinking like an activist can have a transformative impact – for yourself, for your businesses, and for broader society.

‘There is no doubt that the challenges of inequality of access and climate change are not easy. They need long term solutions, while society tends to want short term results. The call to action for today’s leadership is what this book is all about, with some terrific insights and down to earth advice’
AJAY BANGA, PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD BANK, FORMER PRESIDENT AND CEO MASTERCARD

‘The Activist Leader captures the essence of what the public around us wants and expects: Business as a force for good, while staying true to what it is – a business, creating value for its shareholders and all relevant stakeholders. The roadmap for this delicate balancing act is still under development and this book, which builds on many specific examples, will serve as an important milestone’
MARK SCHNEIDER, CEO NESTLÉ