By JBizNews Desk — April 29, 2026
Familiar Message, Fresh Urgency in Oslo
Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, used his speech yesterday at the Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) Investment Conference in Oslo to renew his long-running campaign against empty, poorly run meetings that waste time and kill momentum.
Dimon made it clear he wants these unproductive meetings to disappear from corporate life. He described them as sessions without purpose, clear agendas, or real follow-through — the kind that “slow everything down.”
Why He Is Pushing Harder Now
In a time of AI tools, higher costs, and pressure for faster decisions, Dimon stressed that meetings must deliver results or be eliminated. He highlighted common problems: no advance agenda, late starts, multitasking on phones, and vague outcomes that require yet another meeting.
Core parts of his message include:
• No agenda, no meeting — every session needs a clear goal sent ahead of time.
• Keep them short — favor 15–30 minutes over hour-long defaults.
• Full attention required — no phones or distractions.
• Prefer in-person — Dimon continues to push five-day office attendance at JPMorgan because it leads to better, faster outcomes than video calls.
Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, said Dimon’s comments reflect a wider C-suite effort to boost productivity. “Leaders are realizing wasted meeting time is low-hanging fruit for reclaiming hours in the day,” she noted.
Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, added: “When the head of America’s biggest bank publicly says these meetings need to go, it gives managers everywhere permission to start cutting them.”
Impact on Everyday Workers
Many employees spend 30–50% of their week in meetings that produce little value. Cutting empty meetings could reduce burnout, free up time for real work, and improve work-life balance.
Nicole Bachaud, economist at ZipRecruiter, said smaller companies that copy big-firm habits would also benefit from clearer rules around meetings.
Gina Bolvin, president of Bolvin Wealth Management Group, reported that her leadership clients are already reviewing calendars: “Those who follow Dimon’s advice are making faster decisions and building stronger teams.”
Broader Trend
Dimon’s Oslo remarks fit into a growing push by CEOs to fight corporate bureaucracy. Some companies are trying “no-meeting days,” async updates, and AI summaries. The biggest challenge remains changing old habits.
Outlook
As JPMorgan sticks to its five-day in-office policy, Dimon’s call could influence other large companies. For millions of office workers, getting rid of empty meetings could mean more time for meaningful tasks and better overall results in a tough economic environment.
JBizNews Desk
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