Managing Talent

Cheri Alexander is a Professor of Practice at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, where she teaches Leadership and Managing Human Capital across various programs, including the Bachelors and Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Management. Additionally, she supports Engineering students and delivers leadership and human capital management topics for Executive Education. Before her academic career, Cheri enjoyed a distinguished 33-year tenure at General Motors, where she served as President of General Motors University and Executive Director of Global HR. In her role as Chief Learning Officer, she oversaw Global Learning & Performance and was instrumental in the company's Global Integration Team, focusing on HR implementation in emerging markets. With extensive expertise in International Human Resource Management and Labor Relations, she has managed various aspects of HR, including mergers and acquisitions, talent management, and crisis management, and has worked in 51 countries across three continents. Cheri holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's in Industrial Health Engineering from the University of Michigan, along with a second Master's of Science in Management from MIT as an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow. As a Certified Executive Leadership Coach, she specializes in coaching aspiring CEOs. Cheri's scholarly contributions include published work on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and a thesis on the Relocation of Dislocated Automobile Workers, with citations in multiple influential books. Passionate about global education, she frequently speaks on topics such as "Being International" and "Global Superficial Homogenization."

Maxim Sytch is the Jack D. Sparks - Whirlpool Corporation Research Professor of Business Administration and a Professor of Management and Organizations at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. Previously, he was a lecturer at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Recognized as one of the "40 Best Business Professors under 40" by Poets & Quants in 2014, Sytch specializes in leadership and organizational dynamics, particularly focusing on how networks of collaboration and conflict within and between firms impact individual and organizational outcomes.His research has been published in prestigious journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, and Harvard Business Review. Notably, his work has examined the influence of social networks on innovation and firm performance, winning several accolades including the Best Paper Award from the Academy of Management. In addition to his academic contributions, Sytch teaches courses like "Influencing People" and "Managing Talent," and has developed an online specialization on leading people and teams that has reached over 600,000 students worldwide. He holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and has consulted for various organizations, advising on leadership strategies and organizational effectiveness.