Next year is shaping up to be a critical time in the life of six global companies, according to Jeff Sonnenfeld of the Yale University School of Management.

Macy's and Uber rank among Sonnenfeld's list, which also includes the overhaul at General Electric and the malpractice that ran unchecked at Wells Fargo. Sonnenfeld debuted his picks on "Squawk on the Street" on Wednesday.

Separately, Sonnenfield surveyed more than 120 chief executives at the Yale Summit on Dec. 18 to discover how they think President Donald Trump is doing to further the U.S. economy and trade.

"Eighty-one percent of attendees surveyed … are embarrassed by President Trump's representation of the United States' interests and image on the world stage," Sonnenfeld said.

The same poll found two-thirds of CEOs are disappointed in Trump's trade policy.

Here's Sonnenfeld's take on the six CEOs in the hot seat: