Bloomberg News

Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t likely to meet US counterpart Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the near future, the Kremlin said a day after Kyiv and Moscow held another round of inconclusive peace talks.

Finance executives around the world are facing unprecedented challenges – and, it seems, not all of them are mastering them. More in the latest edition of Bloomberg’s CFO Briefing. https://lnkd.in/eNvp3uYN > CFO changes at publicly traded companies around the world hit a record 95 in the first quarter, up from 89 a year-earlier, according to data from Russell Reynolds Associates. While every exit is different, what’s clear is that at a time of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, more companies are asking whether their CFO is the right person for the moment. > This isn’t the time for first-time CFOs, with companies prioritizing experience over industry expertise, recruiters said. Case in point: 80% of CFOs hired from the outside demonstrated prior experience in the role, the highest rate since 2021. > Scrutiny from investors is adding to the burden on CFOs. “We did see a few people not nailing it on the first-quarter earnings call, and there is some succession playing out right now,” said Jim Lawson, co-leader of the financial officers practice at Russell Reynolds. > Companies that decide to swap out their CFO in the current environment often have accelerated timelines, the recruiters said, ranging from between 90 to 120 days from start to finish. For roles below the CFO level though, many businesses are taking their time. https://lnkd.in/eEyZvjR3 Thank you to Jenna Fisher, Jim Lawson, Mia Katsuleres, Josh Crist, Chad Hesters, Cassie Lenski, and, as always, Beth Williams Liou!

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For the last two decades South Africa, with the help of billions of dollars of American aid, has been fighting and, recently, winning the battle against HIV. With the abrupt stop of American assistance earlier this year, which came with no warning, that success is in jeopardy now with the so-called key groups - gay men, transgender people, undocumented migrants and sex workers - losing, or about to lose, access to the clinics, staff and services that were paid for with American money. Together with colleagues Janice Kew, Marc Shoul and Katlego Mtshali I visited a clinic in northern Johannesburg and saw first hand how essential these services are for those on the margins of South African society. It seems a battle that was on the way to being won may have to start all over again,

This is Washington Edition, the newsletter about money, power and politics in the nation’s capital. Every Monday, Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Nathan Dean gives his insights into what’s been happening and what’s coming up in the nooks and crannies of government and markets. Sign up here and follow us at @bpolitics. Email our editors here.

Kasada Capital Management,  a private equity firm backed by Qatar’s $524 billion sovereign wealth fund, is targeting a hotel deal in Morocco next year. Already, the most visited country in Africa, Morocco is gearing up to host the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament and FIFA World Cup. Kasada's portfolio includes 19 hotels across seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ewC9ejhu

Keir Starmer’s revamp of defense policy intended to show both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin that Britain is serious about maintaining its role as a key power in Europe and NATO.

The US won’t allow any uranium enrichment as part of a potential nuclear deal with Iran, President Donald Trump said.

A Chinese business lobby group warned that EU actions to curb access of the country’s medical device makers to government contracts in the bloc will hurt trade ties.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he’s “very optimistic” about prospects for a trade deal between the US and India, adding he thinks trade negotiators have “found a place that really works for both countries.”