This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mike Pettigrew, the CEO of ASCO, a global leader in materials management and logistics for the energy sector. Mike’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. From reshaping undervalued organizations to leading transitions in one of the world’s most dynamic industries, he shares his candid insights on what it takes to lead with vision, bravery, and a people-first mindset in uncertain times.In this episode, we dive into: How bravery and confidence...

Ever wondered what it takes to build a truly inclusive global organisation? In our latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Loraine Martins, the inspiring Global Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Director at Arup. Loraine has a fascinating journey, from working on the London Olympic Park to leading Arup’s mission of “shaping a better world.”   In our conversation, Loraine opened up about what “shaping a better world” means in practical terms. For Arup, it’s more than...

There’s an epidemic of executive loneliness is the corporate world today.   On this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Nick Jonsson, author of Executive Loneliness, where he shares his personal experiences of striving for success whilst struggling with the negative consequences of a winning mindset.   He shares how self-doubt, anxiety and a colluding organisational culture that simply wanted to him to smile and be successful led him to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, including...

Our latest podcast episode dives deep into how to transform your Senior Leadership Community into a dynamic force that drives your strategy forward! In this episode, we’ll explore:How to structure your Senior Leadership Community to function as a cohesive, high-performing teamThe secret to unlocking the full potential of your senior leaders beyond their day-to-day rolesWhy poor team dynamics and weak accountability might be holding your business backWhat makes a senior leadership group more...

Is your life an endless rush from one thing to the next?   That was certainly the case for Carl Honoré, my guest on today’s podcast. He is the author of the phenomenally successful book In Praise of Slow.     Carl explains his journey to the slow movement, triggered by an epiphany of recognising the need to slow down and reconnect with the art of living in the moment when he found himself trying to rush the bedtime stories to his son.   He discusses how our fast-paced culture permeates all...

How do we balance AI integration with a human-centred organisational culture?   In this episode I’m joined by Bertie Tonks, Chief People Officer at Collinson and a 2023 HR Industry Influencer to explore this pivotal question.   We dive into the impact of AI on leadership, performance management, and workplace culture.   And Bertie shares how his lifelong passion for skateboarding shapes his leadership approach and offers insights into fostering high-performance teams in the digital age....

What does it mean to be authentic as a leader? Are there ways of being that are authentic, or is it just an excuse for some pretty bad behaviour under the guise of 'that's just me, I say it like I see it?" Welcome to the new season of the Advanced Executive Leadership podcast. We're back to a fortnightly cadence with guests, and solo episodes.  Here is access to the Chip Souba article I reference, "The Being of Leadership". https://peh-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1747-5341-6-5

We’re interrupting our podcast season break because this week I’ll be speaking at the Global Offshore Wind conference in Manchester.   I’ll be inviting those in attendance to consider that as we transition away from extractive technologies and the associated ways of thinking and operating, so must we move to a more generative model of leadership. One that enables people and organisations to thrive in our new world.   To mark the conference, I had the opportunity to speak with David Currie,...

Sarah joined TalkTalk in 2019 and has over 20 years experience in HR leadership, having previously worked for companies such as Centrica and Wheelabrator. Currently supporting TalkTalk through a demerger and period of significant change, Sarah is passionate about culture, belonging and employee experience. Sarah is married and a mum to two boys and counteracts her busy role with a variety of exercise such as running, personal training sessions, boxing & yoga. She also enjoys spending...

On today’s episode we explore the role of the executive team in ensuring a strong company culture whilst leading through a period of significant change. I’m joined by Sarah Blake who is the Chief People Officer at TalkTalk Consumer, which has just gone through a demerger. Sarah joined TalkTalk in 2019 and has over 20 years experience in HR leadership, having previously worked for companies such as Centrica and Wheelabrator. Currently supporting TalkTalk through a demerger and period of...

Innovation in app the development the space is vital as consumers crave new and useful technologies. So, the ability to deliver differentiated and flexible customer experiences is a highly competitive market.  On today’s podcast I’ve delighted to be joined by Natalie Sheils who shares her story of Mosaic Group who build and acquire best-in-class app brands. To do this, they are dedicated to creating the conditions for innovation to occur day in, day out. We recorded this episode earlier...

In today’s episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Pete Hamill, consultant and author of Embodied Leadership: The somatic approach to developing your leadership. We explore how we can develop a sense of embodiment and how it can help you as a leader become more effective.     Pete Hamill is a consultant, facilitator, and coach with an international background in leadership, organisational development, and personal development, including the role that conflict plays in organisations and...

In today's episode we explore the importance of Allying in Inclusion and how one professional has made it work in a large retail group. Chami Dhillon has pursued her lifelong passion for unlocking potential through better opportunities for marginalised groups across roles in Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Financial Servies and Retail industries. Working on diversity and inclusion initiatives for over a decade across various HR roles, she has designed award winning outreach programmes,...

Three things are true in diversity and inclusion. The first is that it makes both good business sense – diverse teams are more effective. Second, it's the right thing to do – people should have a place in organisations based on their capabilities. And thirdly, and perhaps more controversially, that working with more diverse groups of people is harder. There is a cognitive cost in working with people who are less like us. That’s what my guest, Stephen Frost and I explore in today’s episode...

Andrew Curry is Director of Futures at SOIF, where he leads SOIF’s Advisory practice, advises on futures methods and techniques, and contributes as faculty to SOIF’s learning and training. He has been a futurist for more than 20 years, working with clients on a wide range of projects across the public sector, the non-profit sector, and the private sector, and he continues to do this for SOIF. He has also published widely on futures. He was the lead author of the Henley Centre’s 2001 report...

We know complexity is a big topic in leadership right now. Today’s podcast explores what it means to effectively develop leaders for this, and in particular the role of business schools. I’m joined by Robert MacIntosh, who is a Professor of Strategic Management and Pro Vice Chancellor for Business and Law at Northumbria University. His research focuses on strategy and change with senior leadership teams and has involved strategy development and execution with over 100 organisations. He also...

I’m joined by Rick Lee, Chief People Officer at Willmott Dixon to talk about the case for decency in the leadership. Rick and his team are focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the best people and ensuring that they enjoy the career of a lifetime at Willmott Dixon. He is passionate about diversity and is a member of the Government’s Women’s Business Council. He was awarded an OBE in 2021 for services to business and equality. Willmott Dixon is a privately-owned...

In this episode of the podcast I speak with Uzair Qadeer, the Chief People Officer of the BBC about Enterprise Leadership and how this works in an organisation that not only makes the news, but often is the news. We talk about the work he has been doing with the BBC Executive Committee to develop and enhance their Enterprise Leadership and how he is driving the BBC’s people strategy, cultural transformation and organisational change. If you’d like to find out more about how to develop...

This episode explores Ethical Leadership and what it is to run a commerically successful busienss that has social value at its heart. Aidan McQuade is a writer and independent human rights consultant. He was director of Anti-Slavery International from 2006 to 2017. Prior to that he worked extensively in development and humanitarian operations, including from 1996 to 2001 leading Oxfam GB’s emergency responses to the brutal civil war in Angola. He holds a PhD from the University of...

“The Post Office scandal has exposed Britain as a hotbed of cronyism and corruption”. In this episode, I explore the Post Office scandal in the UK and the lessons that leaders can learn from this abysmal example of executive leadership.

Welcome to Season #2 of the Advanced Executive Leadership podcast. Connect with the host, Dr Jacqueline Conway, on LinkedIn for updates, and reminders… and a sneak preview of what’s to come this season. You can find Jacqueline here. Or if you're interested in the work that Jacqueline and the team at Waldencroft does, you can can find out more at waldencroft.com

It’s widely accepted that in a successful executive team, the members must feel comfortable being vulnerable enough to admit mistakes, ask for help, share tasks and work together effectively. And when this trust is absent, it leads to negative team politics, protectionism, and friction. These issues not only make the work environment unpleasant — they can also prevent productive work from getting done. If you’ve ever been in a team with low levels of trust - and who hasn’t - then you...

Imagine being a CEO or senior leader and having the opportunity to step out of the business for 4 months to travel and recuperate. That's exactly what Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables is currently doing. But just before he left, Matthieu took the time to sit down with me to talk to me for the latest edition of the podcast. In it, Matthieu explains what it's been like creating an exceptional executive team that are up for the challenge of rapidly growing the business in a world that has...