Introduction Hybrid and remote work have permanently reshaped the workplace, redefining what employees expect from their employers. In this new era, companies must design people-first operating models that balance flexibility with performance, sustain culture across distributed teams, and reinforce accountability without leading to burnout. Flexibility as a Standard, Not a Perk Before the pandemic, remote work was a limited offering. Today, flexibility is foundational. Employees seek autonomy over when and where they work, and businesses that embrace this shift are better positioned to attract and retain top talent. That doesn’t mean every employee or team thrives in the same environment. Early career professionals may benefit from more structured, in-person guidance, while experienced team members may prefer more autonomy. Successful companies design hybrid models intentionally, balancing team needs, business objectives, and role specific requirements. The key is tailoring flexibility to support high performance without sacrificing clarity or cohesion. In one organizational transition, a company moving offices recognized that a traditional five-day office schedule no longer fit its evolving workforce. Rather than defaulting to rigid expectations, they provided teams with coworking memberships and rotating in-office anchor days, allowing each function to define what worked best. Intentional flexibility created alignment without chaos. Maintaining […]

Navigating Uncertainty: Building Resilience for 2026! As we look toward 2026, business leaders are facing a dual challenge: economic pessimism has doubled, and geopolitical and trade risks have surged to the top of the agenda. In conversations with executives, one theme stands out—getting back to the foundations. What does that mean in practice? ✅ Scenario Planning: Best, good, and worst-case revenue and risk models. ✅ Liquidity Focus: Ensuring cash reserves and credit facilities are ready for rapid execution. ✅ People Transformation: 42% of leaders say people transformation is in the top 2 of their agenda for 2026. Workforce isn't just about headcount analytics—it’s about unlocking hidden potential. Upskilling existing talent for data, AI, and operations initiatives is becoming a strategic imperative. The companies that thrive will be those that combine financial resilience with human adaptability. It’s not just about weathering uncertainty—it’s about building agility into the DNA of your organization. How is your team preparing for 2026? Let’s start the conversation. #Leadership #EconomicOutlook #BusinessStrategy #PeopleTransformation #FutureOfWork #AI #Upskilling #Resilience #ScenarioPlanning #AltumStrategyGroup #TidalShiftThursday

As organizations increasingly rely on data to power operations, customer experiences, and strategic planning, choosing the right data architecture has never been more critical. Two modern models dominate the conversation: data fabric and data mesh. Each has unique implications for scalability, governance, and enterprise agility. Understanding the key differences, and how they align with business structure and goals, is essential for long-term success. What Is the Difference Between Data Fabric and Data Mesh? At their core, the difference comes down to centralization versus decentralization. Data Fabric is an integrated architecture designed to unify data management through a centralized platform. It leverages automation and metadata to help technology discover, manage, and connect data across sources. In this model, a centralized corporate data team typically governs and maintains the system.  This model also typically leverages a technology driven approach to hide complexity. Data Mesh, on the other hand, is decentralized by design. It is built around the concept of domain-oriented ownership, where individual business units manage their own data pipelines, systems, and outputs. In this model, data is treated as a product, with each team responsible for its lifecycle, accessibility, and quality. Scalability and Structure Scalability is a primary driver behind architecture […]

Altum Strategy Group has been aiding a restaurant and retail client in transforming its financial and supply chain systems as part of a continuing two-year partnership. Starting with a requirements-based software selection, Altum thoroughly examined the client’s needs and culture, identifying the business’s critical issues and challenges. The software selection process included over three hundred requirements, incorporating process flows across 19 business process areas. This selection process involved three distinct ERP solutions, with more than 40 stakeholders contributing to the final decision. Following the selection, Altum continued as the Solution Architect, overseeing the data transformation. The Altum Team adeptly directed the chosen implementation partner, leveraging their experience in business operations and requirements. As Solution Architect, Altum facilitated the deployment of Financials, Supply Chain Management, and Warehouse and Inventory Management. Under Altum’s leadership, the client opted for a location-based deployment strategy, which allowed for effective implementations built upon previous successes. Financial Operations Transformation With Altum’s assistance, the client’s initial deployment focused on their financial operations. As part of this rollout, Altum implemented the following functionalities within the new system: Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Fixed Assets From a data perspective, Altum enabled the client’s processes through: Extraction, Transformation, and Load of over […]

In this year’s NextWave Survey by Altum Strategy Group, 73% of U.S. C-Suite business leaders told us that external economic conditions will have the biggest impact on their revenue in 2026. The second most influential factor? Regulatory changes, cited by 68% of executives. These insights highlight the critical need for strategic agility as we head into 2026. Want to know what else the C-Suite is telling us about the year ahead? 📩 Contact us today to dive deeper into the full findings. #NextWaveSurvey #NextWave2026 #AltumStrategyGroup #CLevelInsights #BusinessStrategy #EconomicTrends #RegulatoryImpact #FutureOfBusiness #LeadershipInsights #2026Forecast #CorporateStrategy #ExecutiveLeadership #MarketTrends #BusinessGrowth #StrategicPlanning #EconomicOutlook #RegulatoryCompliance

NEW YORK, October 30, 2025--Today, Altum Strategy Group, in partnership with YouGov, launched its annual NextWave Survey results, which captures sentiment from over 500 senior executives across industries. For 2026, business leaders are entering with sharply divided expectations for the economy, and for the first time since 2020, optimism and pessimism are nearly even — with 41 percent of leaders optimistic about the year ahead and 42 percent pessimistic — signaling a dramatic cooling from last

🌊 Tidal Shift Thursday: 2026 outlook is split — optimism cools, and geopolitics surges as a top business risk. Boards are resetting: less bold expansion, more focus on people, productivity & tech. It’s not just inflation anymore. It’s volatility. — Matthew Gantner, CEO, Altum Strategy Group #TidalShiftThursday #NextWave2026 #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Geopolitics #EconomicOutlook 🖇️ Find survey results here: https://altumstrategy.com/portfolio-item/u-s-business-leaders-split-on-2026-outlook-as-economic-pessimism-doubles-and-geopolitics-surges-as-a-top-business-risk/

Altum Strategy Group’s annual NextWave Survey reveals inflation, regulatory instability, and trade conflicts shaping corporate confidence heading into 2026  NEW YORK, NEW YORK — October 30, 2025 – Today, Altum Strategy Group, in partnership with YouGov, launched its annual NextWave Survey results, which captures sentiment from over 500 senior executives across industries. For 2026, business leaders are entering with sharply divided expectations for the economy, and for the first time since 2020, optimism and pessimism are nearly even — with 41 percent of leaders optimistic about the year ahead and 42 percent pessimistic — signaling a dramatic cooling from last year’s confidence rebound. “We’re seeing a boardroom reset,” said Matt Gantner, CEO of Altum Strategy Group. “Leaders aren’t pulling back completely, but they’re planning more cautiously, prioritizing people, operations, and productivity over bold expansion. The macro story is no longer just about rates or inflation; it’s about managing volatility and preparing for what’s next.” For the majority of business leaders, economic conditions are not just a worry; they’re the biggest external challenge to achieving revenue targets, with 73% of leaders identifying them as a key obstacle. This concern has grown significantly, with 68% now viewing it as a risk, up […]

Altum Strategy Group’s and YouGov’s 2025 Next Wave Survey reveals key insights into the factors shaping business leaders’ strategies for the coming year, from global events to internal transformation priorities. Next New Wave 2025 Survey Results Infographic from Altum Strategy Group. (Graphic: Business Wire) December 19, 2024 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Altum Strategy Group, in collaboration with YouGov, has released its 2025 Next Wave Survey, offering a detailed look at the challenges and opportunities that over 500 U.S. C-suite leaders believe will shape their businesses in the year ahead. While optimism about economic conditions prevails, significant concerns around global events, regulation, and operational efficiency highlight a complex landscape for 2025. “As we head into 2025, optimism and uncertainty are two sides of the same coin for the U.S. C-suite” The survey found that half of U.S. business leaders anticipate that the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential electionwill significantly impact their businesses in 2025. Additionally, 40% of leaders are concerned about supply chain disruptions and business disruptions due to geopolitics, while 37% cite trade conflicts as key risks. These uncertainties underscore the need for adaptability and strategic planning in an evolving global context. “As we head into 2025, optimism […]

Situation A U.S.-based advertising and marketing technology company faced significant challenges in remediating audit findings related to their internal control environment. The company received multiple material weaknesses and deficiencies in its prior and current annual audit and needed to address the root causes of these control failures, rationalize existing controls, and implement new controls to close gaps identified by their external audit firm. The control issues affected most business processes, including entity-level controls, and extended across financial and revenue flows. In addition, IT General Controls issues were identified across homegrown and SaaS applications responsible for tracking, accounting, and reporting revenue.  The existing control environment relied heavily on manual processes, which impacted the realization of value for accounting and reporting software solutions. Solution Altum’s practical and flexible approach to addressing the audit findings focused on prioritizing the issues that needed to be remediated first and then planning and executing deep discovery sessions for each related process and control that were found to be insufficient.   In doing so, we were able to uncover the root cause of each issue and develop fixes that were both efficient and achievable. To address the audit findings, Altum led an initiative to rationalize controls and develop […]

This week has been all about closing Q4 and planning for 2026. I reflect on the key discussions with leaders this week. #technology #ai #altumwave #altumstrategygroup #strategy

Introduction In many organizations, cybersecurity and business strategy have historically operated in silos. This disconnect has created friction, delayed innovation, and exposed enterprises to unnecessary risk. At Altum Strategy Group, we believe that closing this gap is not only possible—it is essential. By aligning security with business priorities, we help organizations transform cybersecurity from a perceived barrier into a powerful growth enabler. Core Challenge The traditional model casts security teams as gatekeepers—often labeled the “Department of No.” This perception stems from a lack of shared language and goals between business and security units. Business leaders focus on speed, innovation, and customer outcomes, while security teams prioritize risk mitigation and compliance. Without alignment, these priorities can clash. We work to bridge this divide by reframing cybersecurity as a strategic partner. When integrated early and effectively, cybersecurity becomes a driver of business value, not a roadblock. Strategic Alignment Our approach begins with a mindset shift: security must be embedded into the business, not bolted on. We facilitate collaborative workshops that bring together business, IT, and security stakeholders to define shared objectives and success metrics. These sessions uncover friction points—such as delays in security approvals or vulnerability remediation—and identify opportunities for improvement. One […]

I just returned from a conference on #ai and the business landscape for the upcoming year. Here's my quick take on what's concerning business leaders: the rapid evolution of #technology and its impact. #altumwave #AltumStrategyGroup #business