🌐 The Next Era of Leadership: Why Purpose, Talent & Global Vision Matter More Than Ever

The world of work is changing — fast. And the leaders who will thrive aren’t just the ones who can scale teams or adopt new technologies. They’re the ones who can do both while staying deeply human.

That intersection — between global leadership, ethics, innovation, and humanity — is where Jay Rosenzweig has spent more than two decades operating.

Jay is known for many things: executive search and leadership strategy, human rights advocacy, global board work, and his annual Rosenzweig Report on women in leadership. But the through-line is simple:

He pays attention to people — and he pays attention early.

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In our conversation for Canada Now, Jay shared candid insights on where leadership is going next, what founders and executives must understand about talent in 2026, how geopolitical forces shape business, and why values-driven leadership is no longer “nice to have” — it’s the advantage.

Below are the themes that stood out most. 👇

One of the strongest threads that emerged from this conversation:
Humanity is a competitive advantage.

Jay sees this every day in his work advising global CEOs and founders — the ability to align values, communicate purpose, and cultivate psychological safety has become a core leadership skill.

In a world shaped by uncertainty — AI transformation, global tensions, talent mobility, demographic shifts — the leaders who stay steady are those who stay human.

This isn’t soft.
This is strategy.

Jay spends his life inside leadership conversations: searches, succession planning, board planning, executive hiring, and cross-border team building.
His vantage point is clear:

Top talent can go anywhere — and they’re choosing leaders, not logos.

Values, mission, and culture aren’t secondary.
They are the deciding factors.

This matters deeply for Canada.

As Jay notes, we are entering an era where Canadian founders, innovators, and scale-ups must compete not just for capital, but for people — especially globally mobile, highly specialized talent.

ESG has become a lightning rod term — politicized, misused, misunderstood.

Jay cuts through the noise:

“ESG isn’t a political thing. It’s a risk framework. It’s long-term thinking. It’s doing the right thing while building resilient organizations.”

For readers who want clarity (since the podcast episode references ESG often), here’s the clean definition we didn’t include in the audio:

The point isn’t perfection.
It’s accountability.

As Jay frames it — ESG done well is simply smart, responsible, risk-aware leadership.

In this conversation, he breaks it down:

“Boards are moving from ceremonial to strategic — and they’re being asked deeper questions about AI, cyber, geopolitics, climate, and human capital…

They need to understand: is it purely financial oversight? Human capital is now a board-level subject. So is ethics. So is technology. The bar has gone up, and it’s important to keep up with that.”

Jay believes Canada is well-positioned — but must act intentionally.

We have:

But we also face:

His perspective is clear:
Canada must think globally, not domestically.

Jay’s background in human rights isn’t separate from his work in leadership strategy.
It informs it.

Whether through the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, his long-standing advocacy work, or his global speaking and writing, Jay has always argued that:

Purpose attracts talent.
Purpose shapes culture.
Purpose builds resilient organizations.

This isn’t philosophy — it’s practical.
Founders and executives who ignore this do so at their own risk.

The Future of Work, Leadership & Humanity: A Conversation with Jay Rosenzweig

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The next era of leadership isn’t defined by technology alone — it’s defined by the people who shape it.

And as Jay reminds us:
The leaders who succeed are the ones who stay grounded in purpose, values, and humanity — even as the world accelerates around them.

Jay Rosenzweig is a successful investor, internationally renowned social impact entrepreneur, humanitarian, and CEO of Rosenzweig & Company. He advises global corporations, high-growth founders, and purpose-driven organizations on building world-class leadership teams.

Jay chairs the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and is the creator of the Rosenzweig Report on women in leadership. His work has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Fast Company, The Guardian, BBC, BNN Bloomberg, and more.

Jay Rosenzweig | jayrosenzweig.com | Jay on LinkedIn | Rosenzweig & Company

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We’re writing the next chapter in Canada — and it starts now. 🍁

If you’re a fan of Canadian innovation and curated Canadian content, check out some of my other favourite newsletters on Beehiiv! 🐝👇

— Ashley Smith (@ashleysmithnow)