Is your org ready for a new Washington?

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Is your org ready for a new Washington?

November 5, 2026

Tuesday’s midterms shifted the balance of power in Washington, with Democrats winning control of Congress and making deep gains in states across the country. The incoming class also brings a more diverse group of leaders into office at every level, which could put representation back at the center of the conversation in policy debates and in what stakeholders expect from business.

The specific impacts for businesses aren’t yet clear, and the lame-duck session between now and January adds another layer of uncertainty. But oversight priorities and regulatory agendas will shift. In this week’s COMPASS, we look at what communications leaders can do now to prepare their organizations and employees for what comes next.

ICYMI: We explored why credible data alone isn’t enough to earn public trust, how AI and other actors are reshaping the information landscape and why choosing the right messengers matters more than ever. Catch up here.

Three questions communications leaders should ask after the midterms

The election results will shape the operating environment for businesses well into next year. For communications leaders, the priority is to decide now who will speak and on what, rather than reacting to every development.

1. When and how should employees hear from leadership?

A Bentley-Gallup survey finds that 47% of Americans want businesses to take public positions on current events, while 56% of employees say their employer shouldn’t communicate such stances to them.

Corporate America’s license to speak may have narrowed, but staying quiet publicly doesn’t mean being silent internally. Addressing uncertainty and answering employee questions aren’t the same as taking a political stance.

That’s particularly true in sectors that could be in the spotlight early, such as healthcare, energy and tech, including data centers. Even without anything definitive to act on, employees will read the headlines and draw their own conclusions. Don’t leave them to speculate.

The next move: Determine the right level of engagement for your organization.

A modest approach acknowledges the results, lets employees know leadership is paying attention and commits to sharing updates as things become clearer.
A more proactive approach goes further, telling employees how the organization plans to engage with incoming leaders.
Look back at how leadership has handled previous elections. Address the results without taking sides and be upfront about what’s still unknown. Reinforce expectations for respectful workplace dialogue, clarify who speaks for the organization and equip managers with talking points.

Read more: HR Director: What the midterm results mean for HR leaders

2. How can we limit potential fallout?

Political donations, executive endorsements and ties to the administration may look different under a new Congress. As Axios’ midterm risk map highlighted, companies can become political targets even without taking overtly political positions, particularly around affordability, jobs and AI.

The next move: Work with legal and government relations to review political contributions, executive statements and relationships that could attract attention. Consult policy teams on what the results could mean for the business and prepare executives to discuss those implications without speculating.

Before issuing a public statement, weigh employee expectations, potential customer backlash, current advertising campaigns, political donations and consistency with past positions. Establish clear criteria for when speaking is warranted.

3. How do we lay the groundwork for new stakeholder relationships?

Congressional scrutiny is already taking shape. CNBC reports that Democratic lawmakers are calling for AI executives to testify under oath, while the incoming House majority will have the power to launch investigations and issue subpoenas.

The next move: Update your stakeholder map to account for new lawmakers, committee leadership and emerging coalitions. Start outreach to incoming policymakers and their staff before the January transition. Revisit scenarios for that transition, including policy announcements and potential regulatory changes. Decide how your organization will respond to proposals affecting your sector, when to engage directly and when to let industry associations take the lead.

Beyond Washington

Multinational companies should also consider how U.S. political developments may be interpreted by overseas employees, customers and regulators. A message calibrated for Washington may not translate abroad.

The bottom line

Choosing not to comment publicly may be the right call when election results don’t directly affect your business, but keeping employees informed still matters. Use the coming weeks to identify vulnerabilities, clarify your principles and prepare for developments that could unfold well into January.

Go deeper: What could congressional scrutiny look like in 2027? Bloomberg Government outlines six developments companies should watch.

Is your organization prepared for what’s ahead? Connect with Global Gateway Advisors to pressure-test your communications strategy.

Key upcoming events

AI + Tech

Forbes CIO Summit (New York City, Nov. 11) Leading CIOs and technology executives explore how companies can move from AI experimentation to measurable business value, with a focus on workflows, data, infrastructure, security and governance. Speakers include Aaron Levie, CEO of Box; Shweta Gummidipudi, CIO of Twilio; and Nitin Tandon, global CIO of Vanguard.
Semafor Silicon Valley & The World (San Francisco, Nov. 16-17) The inaugural event brings together technology executives, government officials and financial leaders to examine how AI and other emerging technologies are reshaping global economies, national competitiveness and public policy. The event is co-chaired by Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA; and Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google.

Business + Economy

DealBook Summit (New York City, Nov. 18) The New York Times brings together leaders across business, technology, finance and politics for candid interviews on the issues shaping the global economy and society. Interviewees include Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank; and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.
APEC CEO Summit 2026 (Shenzhen, China, Nov. 17-18) Government and business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific gather to discuss regional trade and investment, supply chains, artificial intelligence, the digital economy and sustainable development.
Semafor The Next 3 Billion: The Next Frontier of Financial Inclusion (Johannesburg, Nov. 25) Policymakers, business leaders and innovators explore how digital banking, instant payments and open finance can expand financial access, strengthen economic participation and support inclusive growth across Africa. Speakers include Sim Tshabalala, CEO of Standard Bank.

Healthcare

FT Global Pharma and Biotech Summit (London + virtual, Nov. 10-11) Pharma and biotech leaders examine drug pricing, access to medicines, AI, China’s growing influence and the future of the NHS. Speakers include Nathalie Moll, director general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations; Shreeram Aradhye, president of development and chief medical officer at Novartis; and Kim Branson, chief AI officer at GSK.
Milken Institute Future of Health Summit (Nov. 11-13, Washington, D.C.) Healthcare executives, researchers and policymakers examine AI, biomedical innovation, drug affordability, access to care and healthy aging. Speakers include Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna; Francis Collins, former director of the National Institutes of Health; and Jill Biden, former First Lady and chair of the Milken Institute Women’s Health Network.
HLTH (Las Vegas, Nov. 15-18) Healthcare executives, clinicians and policymakers explore how AI and emerging technologies are transforming care delivery, diagnostics, drug development and patient outcomes. Speakers include Arianna Huffington, CEO of Thrive Global; Peter Stern, CEO of Peloton; and Ashley Alexander, VP of Product, Health at OpenAI.

Leadership + Ideas

WSJ Board of Directors Council Summit (Palm Beach, Florida, Nov. 9-10) Directors and business leaders explore how boards can navigate AI-driven change, from governance and enterprise risk to organizational resilience, leadership and the future of the boardroom. Speakers include Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow; Michael Miebach, CEO of Mastercard; and Ellen Kullman, former CEO of DuPont.
Fortune 500 Innovation Forum (Detroit, Nov. 16-17) Business leaders and executives explore how innovation is reshaping industries, from AI and automation to manufacturing and the future of work. Speakers include Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines; Kecia Steelman, CEO of Ulta Beauty; and Mark Reuss, president of General Motors.
WSJ CMO Council Summit (New York City, Nov. 17-18) Marketing leaders explore how brands can build influence through cultural moments, strategic partnerships, live experiences and audience engagement, while navigating AI-driven changes in marketing. Participants include Frank Cooper III, CMO of Visa; Elizabeth Rutledge, CMO of American Express; and Gary Vaynerchuk, chairman of VaynerX and CEO of VaynerMedia.

Bookmark Global Gateway Advisors’ event tracker, updated weekly.

Media news

Axios looks ahead. The publisher laid out its vision for the future of media, predicting that AI will increasingly replace traditional search, with news consumption becoming hyper-personalized, curated “beyond imagination.” The silver lining? Axios predicts that demand for verified journalism and human expertise will grow in response. The publisher is positioning itself for that future with new initiatives, including role-specific news products for C-suite executives and Axios Direct, a service selling real-time feeds of its vetted reporting to businesses and other customers. As Emily Sundberg recently wrote in her Feed Me newsletter, we may be approaching a “B2B media renaissance.”
People Inc. reshuffles. The publisher is cutting 195 jobs, primarily across print and legacy web operations, citing rapid changes in the media industry. The cuts come as the company reduces its reliance on Google traffic and invests in new products, including member-based add-ons like People VIP and a Southern Living club.
Pivot expands into newsletters. Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway have launched Pivot Post, a free weekly newsletter that’s an offshoot of their popular business and tech podcast. The newsletter will feature responses to reader questions from the hosts and experts who appear on the show. Subscribe here.
TechTarget expands newsroom and editorial coverage. The Informa-owned publication has added reporters and editors and expanded its coverage of enterprise technology, AI and cybersecurity as part of a broader site relaunch that includes the rebranding of SearchCIO as TechTarget CIO.
Versant expands free streaming portfolio. The parent company of CNBC and MS NOW launched four new free, ad-supported streaming channels featuring CNBC, E! and Oxygen programming, bringing its portfolio to 13 channels.
Reddit plans to require logins. The platform plans to gradually require users to sign in to view most content in an effort to protect against unauthorized AI scraping and improve ad targeting. It’s also testing ads in search results, which could give brands a new way to reach users searching for products and recommendations. The changes come as Google’s AI-powered search cuts into Reddit’s referral traffic.

Media moves

Pui-Wing Tam has been named Business editor at The New York Times, where she previously served as deputy Business editor, while Evan Halper (formerly The Washington Post) will join the Times’ Climate desk as a Washington-based reporter covering climate policy and politics.
Bill Owens (formerly executive producer of CBS News’ “60 Minutes”) will join creator-led media company Newpress as executive producer in March 2027, following a $12 million investment round.
Sophie Haigney (formerly The Paris Review) has joined The Atlantic as a staff writer on its culture desk.
Maya Goldman (formerly Axios) has been named FDA reporter at Endpoints News.
Spencer King has joined CBS News as a news associate with the News 24/7 team.
Spriha Srivastava was promoted to vice president and executive editor of news and editorial strategy at CNBC.
Allison DeAngelis (formerly STAT) is now covering biotech for Bloomberg News.
Joshua Franklin has moved from U.S. banking editor to U.S. business correspondent at the Financial Times, while Leslie Hook has been named world news editor.
Peter Crush will join HR Dive as Europe editor.

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