Fortune is expanding in Europe. Here’s what’s next for the CEOs of today and tomorrow
Good morning. Alex Wood Morton in our London bureau here, standing in for Peter.
I’m delighted to be joining Fortune today as executive editor, marking the start of a significant new expansion across Europe. Throughout its 94-year history, Fortune has guided the leaders of today and tomorrow through an unpredictable world, and I am honored to lead the brand’s next chapter.
Having covered the fast-paced intersection of global technology and business for the past 20 years, I’ve found one constant—Europe does business differently.
There’s no way to sugarcoat it; after all, data doesn’t lie. When it comes to economic growth over the past decade, Europe has consistently lagged behind the United States and emerging markets.
But, putting growth to one side, there are two trends that stand out to me—first, love it or loathe it, where Europe leads in regulation, the world follows. However unpopular they may be, moves like the catchily-named General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European AI Act, which finally took shape last week, influence the global CEO conversation far beyond Europe’s borders.
The second is reinvention. As a spectator to global trends, I love nothing more than watching Europe’s oldest brands adapt and reimagine themselves for the 21st century.
Take Polestar, the EV spinout of Swedish carmaker Volvo, which delivers one of the most convincing rivals to Tesla, and (most importantly as a reluctant Tesla owner myself) a way to ‘go green’ without lining Elon Musk’s pocket.
Then there’s Ray-Ban’s Smart Glasses partnership with Meta, which blends cutting-edge technology with Italian style—creating a fashion piece you’d be proud to wear, unlike Google’s clunky and short-lived Google Glass or Apple’s awkward-looking and eye-wateringly expensive Vision Pro headset.
Unusually for a journalist, I’m also a former entrepreneur, an experience that has greatly influenced my view as an editor. In 2015, I started my own digital trends magazine, which years later Forbes acquired, transforming my life and propelling me into the fast lane of global business.
From that personal experience, I know the grit, determination, and emotional toll it can take to lead a company—and that is why I have such profound respect for you, the Fortune reader, who takes on these challenges to build a better future for us all.
Fortune really does favor the brave—I’m honored to serve you and welcome your feedback.
More news below.
Alex Wood Morton
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
