The Penta Podcast Channel

In this edition of What's at Stake, Stacy Kerr and Stratton Kirton host Tara Carraro, senior vice president and chief communications officer at U. S. Steel, for a conversation on Tara's impressive career in corporate communications strategy and her work at U. S. Steel. Tara explains how she must navigate a unique challenge: How can her team change perceptions of a company that is more than 120 years old? As chief communications officer, Tara is the voice of an iconic company, responsible for repositioning the brand of U. S. Steel for the future. Tara defines corporate communications as the marketing arm for the corporate brand and explains the important role that data plays in maximizing her team's impact. What are the biggest changes Tara has seen throughout her career? What's next for U. S. Steel? And what is the next disruption in corporate communications? Tune in to glean invaluable insights from a leader in the field.

On this edition of What's At Stake, Bryan DeAngelis is joined by Fabian Astic, Global Head of DeFi and Digital Assets at Moody's Investors Service, to explore how traditional finance experts are thinking about crypto and blockchain technology today. As the industry continues to innovate, Moody's is tracking global regulatory developments that can bridge the gap between the digital and traditional finance worlds. Bryan and Fabian discuss the exciting transformations in digital finance expected in the next few years – including the EU's DLT Pilot Regime for digital securities and Hong Kong's new licensing regime for crypto exchanges – and grapple with key questions facing policymakers and business leaders in the space. Will Congress push through long-awaited stablecoin legislation, or will the U.S. fall behind the global pace of progress? And what can investors seeking new ways to diversify their portfolios expect from the coming years?  Tune in to hear about the crypto and blockchain developments shaking up the world of finance, whether companies are ready, and what work still needs to be done. 

On today's Macrocast, Stratton Kirton, partner at Penta, joins John and Brendan of Markets Policy Partners to discuss the latest GDP report, this week's earning's numbers, and some of the factors currently impacting the labor market, including immigration and the recent uptick in layoffs. How will these layoffs impact next week's Jobs Day numbers? The group talks about some of the reasons the impact might not be as drastic as some expect.  Changes to some key positions in the Biden Administration are coming, and Stratton, Brendan, and John talk about their implications, especially given the current climate on Capitol Hill. This week was also a notable one for the war in Ukraine. The group talked about the potential economic and geopolitical ramifications of the Biden administration sending Abrams tanks, Russian food shortages, and potential Russian escalation of the war. Read Penta's GDP analysis here. Check back next week for Penta's Jobs Day report.

On today's special episode of What's at Stake, John Fagan and Brendan Walshfrom Markets Policy Partners offer their take  on what investors should expect from financial markets over the coming year.. Looking beyond today's relatively calm market environment, the group sees  risks of a recession  and policy uncertainty that could intensify by the summer.  In addition, the group offers predictions surrounding the future of Fed policy, China's impact on global markets, oil prices , and cryptocurrency. All of these factors are set against an increasingly uncertain fiscal and political situation here in the US. Tune in as MPP explains all this and more and shares key insights for the year to come.  Watch the video version of MPP's conversation here.

On today's jam-packed Macrocast, guest host Meghan Pennington is joined by John and Brendan from Markets Policy Partners, former senior Treasury official Bob Dohner, John Dick of Civic Science, and Penta Senior Associate Matthew Robbins. The group discusses the latest Economic Sentiment Index, the Chinese economy, and the potential for a debt limit crisis. Read Penta's latest ESI here. 

On today's episode of What's at Stake, Greg Bertelsen, CEO of the Climate Leadership Council (CLC), and Catrina Rorke, CLC's senior vice president of policy and Research, join Stratton Kirton, partner at Penta. The group discusses today's climate policy landscape, specifically the intersection between climate and trade and the increasing appetite for climate solutions that leverage America's carbon advantage for better trade and climate outcomes. Greg and Catrina explain why the current political environment presents a unique opportunity for these policies. The group breaks down a recent report CLC released on the carbon loophole, which refers to emissions associated with producing goods in one country that are consumed in another. The report finds that nearly a quarter of global emissions occur in the carbon loophole. Catrina and Greg explain how policymakers can close this loophole in order to incentivize more efficient production of globally traded goods. Read more about the Climate Leadership Council here. Read CLC's carbon loophole report here.

On this week's Macrocast, Brendan and Bryan are joined by Matt Dell Orfano from Telamonius Ventures to talk about the latest CPI trends, China's sudden reopening, and implications for the world economy. The group begins by diving into the latest CPI numbers and what they mean for ongoing housing market disruption and supply chain issues in other sectors. Matt also discusses the shortcomings of traditional econometric models and the need for real-world examples to back up economic outlooks.  The group also touches on what China's recent and rapid reopening means for global manufacturing, deglobalization, and foreign investment. They discuss how manufacturing pushes like the CHIPS Act are reflective of a broader effort towards more domestic production, and share their optimism on America's private sector coordination to achieve that goal.  Additional information: January 2023 Consumer Price Index Markets Policy Partners: Five Minute Macro

This week, Penta acquired Hume Brophy, a global public affairs, communications, and strategy firm, expanding Penta's global footprint as the world's first comprehensive stakeholder solutions firm. Conall McDevitt, Managing Partner of Penta Europe and Asia and former Hume Brophy CEO, and Jill Craig, Managing Director in Penta's Brussels office, join Parter Kevin Madden to discuss this news, as well as discuss how the strategy solutions field is shifting, geo-political influences, and what can be expected from Penta in the coming months. The group first explores how the acquisition will enhance Penta's global reach and strategic expertise, adding offices in Brussels, Dublin, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Conall and Jill then discuss some of the biggest issues facing our clients in Europe and Asia in the next few months and years. Finally, Kevin weighs in on what business leaders should expect from  the new Congress and the remaining years of President Biden's first term.   Read more about Penta's acquisition of Hume Brophy here.

Today on the Macrocast, season five begins with Penta President Matt McDonald joining John, Brendan, and Bryan to talk about the latest Jobs Day numbers. The group notes that markets have reacted favorably to this month's numbers and discusses why the labor force participation rate has remained low since the COVID-19 pandemic. They also offer predictions as to how the Federal Reserve might handle interest rates in 2023. Finally, the group covers the latest news in the vote for speaker of the House of Representatives, breaking down its implications for important issues including the debt ceiling debate and government funding.  Read December's Jobs Day fact sheet here.

In this episode of What's at Stake, Penta President Matt McDonald joins partner Andrea Christianson to share his reading recommendations for those interested in business, including young professionals, aspiring leaders, and experienced executives.The two not only discuss their favorite books, but also explain why business professionals and leaders should take the time to engage with business literature at various stages of their careers. Plus, Matt shares what he's reading for fun these days. It's the perfect episode for anyone crafting their 2023 reading list! You can find the full list of Matt's reading recommendations here or at the link below:bit.ly/Twitter-3CqefXQ