How should CEOs deal with change?

A resilient brand, deeply integrated with business strategy and culture, is the most powerful tool for navigating change, says Will Bosanko at Brandpie

 

Mergers and acquisitions. Divestments. A change in leadership, or a bold pivot in strategy. These high-stakes moments can either drive your organisation forward or cause it to falter. They represent times of opportunity and risk—where decisions can multiply value or unravel it entirely.

 

For global CEOs, the challenge isn’t new. But new research from Brandpie reveals that resilience and agility top the list of priorities for the next year. What fewer leaders realise is that brand is their secret weapon—key to navigating disruption and creating competitive advantage.

 

Far more than a logo or tagline, brand is the narrative that aligns stakeholders around your strategy, the trust that strengthens relationships, and the momentum that propels your organisation through uncertainty. In short, brand is your most strategic asset for turning pivotal moments into long-term growth.

 

Here’s how to make brand your strongest ally at defining moments of change.

 

Anchor your strategy in brand

Your brand is not just a reflection of your business—it should guide it. A strong, consistent brand narrative articulates what you stand for and reassures stakeholders that your organisation has the clarity and confidence to adapt and thrive.

 

To do this, CEOs must connect three key components: business vision (where you’re heading), brand positioning (why to choose you), and culture (what drives behaviour inside your organisation). When these align, brand becomes a multiplier, translating strategy into tangible value.

 

Take Microsoft as an example. Its transformation from a product-focused company to a cloud-first powerhouse hinged on a unified brand and business strategy. Under CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft reframed its brand around empowerment and innovation. This wasn’t just about strategic adaptation—it was about creating alignment across business goals, brand narrative, and internal culture. The result? A surge in employee pride, renewed customer trust, and record-breaking stock performance.

 

Clarify change for stakeholders

At times of transformation, clarity is your most powerful asset. Whether it’s a new visual identity, a bold brand repositioning, or a storytelling approach that resonates emotionally, your brand translates business change into something tangible and relatable for your audiences.

 

The key is storytelling over statistics. Customers, investors, and employees alike respond to a clear vision, but only if it’s expressed in human terms. Avoid jargon and overpromises; focus instead on the real-world impact of your strategy on people, customers, and society.

 

Consider Mattel’s recent repositioning of the Barbie brand. By aligning its brand and marketing around the belief in empowering the next generation to reach their full potential, Mattel revitalised Barbie from a dated product to a relevant, globally admired brand. This wasn’t just a change in marketing—it was a brand-led business transformation.

 

Engage your people 

No strategy succeeds without your people. A strong brand is not just an external asset; it’s a cultural driver that mobilises teams and embeds the behaviours needed to deliver on business goals. Yet, research shows that purpose and strategy often don’t make it beyond the boardroom, with middle managers and front-line employees frequently left behind.

 

To change this, involve your teams early. Internal engagement isn’t just about communication—it’s about collaboration. Invite input, foster dialogue, and create opportunities for employees to feel part of the journey. When they see how their actions contribute to success, they’ll become your most passionate brand advocates.

 

Again, Microsoft’s transformation under Nadella offers a masterclass. By embedding empathy and customer-centric innovation into the company’s culture, he aligned teams around a shared purpose and made change a collective effort.

 

Time for momentum

Change isn’t a one-off challenge; it’s a constant. For CEOs, the ability to navigate it is no longer optional—it’s essential.

 

By connecting business strategy, brand narrative, and culture, you create a foundation for resilience and agility. When brand becomes the lens through which change is managed, it drives trust, clarity, and momentum—turning challenges into opportunities for growth.

 

Whether you’re navigating an acquisition, pivoting to a new market, divesting assets, or embracing AI, the action for CEOs is clear: make your brand the multiplier for your next big move.

 

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Will Bosanko is Managing Partner at Brandpie

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and JuSun