The Next ANA CEO Will Have to Face Down The Threat of AI

But when asked about what an ideal CEO would look like, Liodice was clear: It will need to be someone with a broader range of experience than he had when he arrived three decades ago.

Having spent 15 years at Kraft General Foods, Liodice came to the ANA as a quintessential brand guy. But to lead the ANA now, he said, “I don’t think you can just be a brand guy.”

“If my successor is going to be able to navigate this extraordinarily complex terrain, brand [experience] is limiting unto itself,” he said. “What about media expertise? What about technology? This person needs to have exposure to these things.”

Fortunately for the incoming CEO, whomever they are, licking stamps and envelopes are skills no longer required.