Executive summary Across the Fortune 500, strategy is still governed as if the world moved at the speed of the annual plan. Analysis of 30 companies from the top 100 of the Fortune 500 across financial services, technology, retail, energy, healthcare, automotive and consumer goods shows a striking pattern: around 85% follow the same annual rhythm for strategic announcements — Q4 planning, a January–February "big reveal", and then ten months of commentary against that story.¹ No company in...

The core idea Most large companies say strategy should be “always on.” In practice, they behave as if strategy is something you do once a year, then hope it survives contact with reality. Looking at the public calendars and announcements of leading Fortune 500 firms, a clear pattern emerges: strategy is decided in the last quarter of the year and announced in a short burst around January–February. After that, the story rarely changes unless there is a crisis or a deal. That timing might suit...

Introduction A concerted effort to elevate the strategic role of the Management Accountant is a key feature of the Global Management Accounting Principles (GMAP) [i] report. Published in 2023 by AICPA & CIMA its purpose was to reassess the role, given the disruptions the corporate world had, or is still experiencing. You will be aware of most, they include Covid-19, global supply chain disruption, Generative AI and many more. The elevation in the importance of strategy is both a recognition...