Kate Dohaney says AI demands a different type of leadership—“I’m not a CEO sitting back saying cut, cut, cut.”
How company leaders respond to the AI wave–and take their colleagues with them—is one of the most important issues for C-Suite leaders as they contemplate the year ahead.
Kate Dohaney, CEO of Giffgaff, emphasizes that the challenges presented by AI are not about cost-cutting. Instead, she advocates for a leadership approach focused on investing in human capital development. At a recent panel discussion, Standard Chartered's CEO Bill Winters drew criticism for suggesting cost-cutting would involve replacing lower-value human capital with financial capital.
Winters later apologized, stressing that Standard Chartered is investing in retraining programs. At Fortune's CEO Forum, Dohaney's discussion on AI's impact centered on workforce planning and ROI. She underlines that AI is fundamentally altering work dynamics, product development, and market entry opportunities. Dohaney cautions against a "cut, cut, cut" mentality, instead pushing for training people to adapt strategically to the evolving business landscape.
The competitive landscape for mobile providers is intensifying, as seen with new entrants like Octopus and Revolut. Giffgaff, a B-Corp certified mobile network, differentiates itself through low-cost services and sustainability. Dohaney envisions leveraging AI and its strategic potential to foster financial inclusion for young job seekers and entrepreneurs.
As telcos face increased competition from fintech and other sectors, the focus shifts to leveraging human capital and AI to stay ahead.
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