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The CEO's AI toolkit: The essential guide to Claude.
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What the board really thinks
A free weekly briefing for 2,000+ CEOs. Opinion, frameworks, research and events from Dan Ilett.
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- Frameworks you can use with your team on Monday morning
- Research & intelligence from original TES studies and partners
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The CEO’s job is more “Have you done it yet?” than anyone admits. Boardrooms today are committees paralysed by risk and slowed by Covid hangovers.
Growth is tougher: customers are anonymous and teams operate like stray cats. AI - no one knows why yet, but Big Tech says ‘buy it’. Challenger mindset is weak and cultural rejection reigns.
Yet the story must not fold. So here is The Executive Summary: the important few words that tell you what you need to know.
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What leaders are saying
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"In a world which is going faster than ever, it has never been tougher to be a leader but that is where opportunity lies. Dan gets the lonely seat of leadership and bringing peers together to share ideas is such a good way to crystallize your thoughts."
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"Dan's newsletter is the only one I actually let hit my inbox, and I've never once failed to read it. It's sharp, funny and refreshingly honest, with genuinely insightful takes that make even a non-tech founder like me look forward to every issue."
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"Every week Dan reminds me that leadership is less about having all the answers and more about asking better questions. Thought provoking and nicely crafted, a decent read."
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"Dan has built a community that genuinely helps senior leaders navigate the noise. The frameworks are practical, the analysis is sharp, and the network you gain access to is world-class."
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"A rare newsletter that respects your time while expanding your perspective. Dan cuts through the noise with precision and a refreshingly human voice. Essential reading for any CEO who wants to stay sharp."
About
Dan Ilett
Dan Ilett is a specialist in CEO storytelling and growth advisory. His work has shaped $1bn in closed deals. He has advised IBM, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, Cognizant, Equinix, UK Government, SEB and many more. He has coached Fortune and FTSE CEOs on the commercial narrative, the speech and the media handling that surround the highest-stakes moments: crisis, change, product launches, growth milestones, fundraises and exits. He chairs the City CIO Club, a private network for technology leaders.
He came up through journalism, writing for the Financial Times, Economist Group, Daily Telegraph, New York Times and a string of tech publications. He went on to launch his own, founding Greenbang (cited by the UN and European Commission) and CoinDesk, where he was founding editor. He has also held commercial director roles at Virgin Money and Thomas Cook, and worked in FTSE transformation, commercial delivery and startup digital media companies.
With AI such a hot topic, he edits and publishes The Executive Summary, an enterprise AI weekly briefing for 2,000+ CEOs.
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amazon
Amazon and Anthropic's accounting bromance
Amazon just wrote Anthropic a $25 billion cheque. Anthropic promptly wrote one back for $100 billion. Here is what the deal means for you...
Downtime
The Third Half...
A substack you can lose yourself in...
AI
The cost of a mile
Hedging your overhead certainty according to oil price
Wellbeing
The long weekend you need
Well hello there. I'm just back from Newquay having shown the world that even fat labradors like me can mount a surfboard - in the water too. I love Easter weekend at home. I try to do as little as possible as London is always quiet and I can potter away - if my family lets me... (Storm
AI
Quantum for CEOs
Just as you have your head around AI, quantum computing wants to have a pop at you as well. Our resident expert in quantum computing, Jonathan Loretto, schools us in what we need to know as CEOs… You know that feeling when someone explains something so genuinely world-altering that you
Wellbeing
The longest minute of my life
Ten years ago today, I had just returned from China on an assignment for the UK government, attracting investors to British technology companies. It was an intense, sprawling job and I arrived home on Saturday afternoon exhausted only to start a new job on Monday at Virgin Money. I knew if
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Three times a week, Dan sends the opinion, frameworks and research that help leaders make better decisions. Sharp, conversational.
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Frameworks
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Framework
1
The 8 skills to nuke your competitors
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a piece called "How many people can I fire?". For some reason, it upset a number of folks who don't agree there will be job cuts and massive shifts from AI. I had quite a few emails - and believe it or not, I really like it when people write in with what they
Growth
Framework
2
The 4 Things You Need to Get Right When Selling to the C-Suite
I surveyed our 66 webinar delegates on how to sell to the C-suite and asked them: What is the single biggest challenge you face when selling to the C-suite? The number one challenge, cited by 35% of respondents, was access and attention. There are good reasons for this. Channels
Growth
Framework
3
The Safety Advantage: How to Reduce Decision Risk and Accelerate Sales
The Problem The buyer has begged you to send your proposal to them as fast as possible, hinting they can make the decision and walk you through all the sales hurdles in their company. They've got the power, they say. They're desperate, they say. This is a strategic priority, they add. You
GrowthCohorts
Beyond the newsletter, The Executive Summary runs exclusive peer networks and events for senior leaders. Each cohort is invitation-only and run under Chatham House rules.
The Board Table
Private dinners for 12–15 CEOs. Four times a year in Central London. Structured debate on growth, leadership and strategy under Chatham House rules.
- Quarterly dinners, 7–11pm
- Curated, application only
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City CIO Club
Invitation-only peer network for CIOs and CTOs in London's financial district. Monthly dinners, webinars and research. Capped at 100 members. No vendors.
- Monthly dinners in the City
- 100 member cap
- Research and briefings
TES Live
Quarterly networking events for 50–100 A-players. Live interviews with exceptional leaders, collaborative exercises, and the kind of room you want to be in.
- Quarterly in Central London
- CEOs, founders, investors
- Drinks, interview, workshop
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