In this week’s episode of The Chord, we delve into the theme of resilience and overcoming adversity with Sacha Dekker, an award-winning learning and development leader and motivational speaker. Sacha shares insights from her personal journey, spanning from her formative years in the Netherlands to her career transitions across diverse industries and her move to […]

This week John is joined by Harmonics partner and organisation change consultant Neville Bourke – to explore the challenges facing middle managers in today’s rapidly evolving organisational landscape. Neville discusses the impact of remote and hybrid work models, technological advancements, and socio-economic shifts on the “squeezed middle” layer of management. He addresses pace of change […]

This week we explore early career talent development with Sinéad D’Arcy, leader of the Jameson International Graduate Programme. Established over 30 years ago, the program has become a benchmark in nurturing marketing talent globally. Drawing from her diverse background and career journey to date, Sinead has a profound commitment to shaping the future of work […]

If your New Year’s resolution is hanging by a thread, you’re not alone. But fear not! Dr. Robert Kelly, a renowned Consultant Cardiologist and Lifestyle Medicine Physician at the UCD Beacon Hospital joins John on the podcast today to help us understand why it’s never too late to pick up where we left off. Robert […]

In this episode of The Chord, we converse with Matt Phelan, Co-Founder of The Happiness Index, delving into the profound topic of ‘What Drives Engagement and Happiness at Work?’ As an entrepreneur, author, and happiness expert, Matt Phelan shares his journey, starting from his early years to becoming a pivotal figure in understanding workplace happiness. […]

In this episode, we engage in an insightful conversation with Dr. Sean Gallagher, Director of The Swinburne Centre for the New Workforce (CNeW). Drawing from his pivotal role at CNeW, Dr. Gallagher’s unique insights are rooted in a formative journey shaped by key influences and values. The backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in […]

In this enlightening episode, we chat with Ollie Loomes, CEO of Eir, Ireland’s premier telecommunications company. With a rich background in Sales and Marketing and over two decades at Diageo, Ollie offers invaluable insights into effective leadership and managing change. Ollie shares his experiences from his formative years, leading to his rise through the ranks […]

In this episode, we engage with Emer McGinley, Worldwide Customer Service Director of Global Programs and Global Outsourcing at Amazon. Emer, with her 20 years of experience in leading award-winning customer service operations, shares her thoughts on leadership, the Amazon work culture, and the importance of empathy. We start our conversation by delving into Emer’s […]

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of innovation and design with our distinguished guest, Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo’s first-ever Chief Design Officer. Mauro has been instrumental in infusing design thinking into PepsiCo’s culture, leading a new approach to innovation that significantly impacts the company’s product platforms and brands. He is also the host […]

In this episode, we explore the critical components of effective leadership with Dr. Kerrie Fleming, Associate Dean at Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School. Her expertise has made her a sought-after advisor to Fortune 500 companies, international governments, and both indigenous and international organizations. Born and raised in Kerry, Ireland, Dr. Fleming’s background […]

In this episode, we discuss Mark Cahalane’s experience with redundancy and how he overcame the challenges of rebuilding his career. As someone who has been through the process twice, Mark shares nine insights from his personal experience on how to move forward. He highlights the importance of allowing yourself to grieve and responding rather than […]

Dr Magdalena Bak-Maier is the creator of the Grid method for health, results and success, a neuroscientist, productivity and wellbeing expert, and leading international coach and passionate educator who founded Make Time Count to support people in being and doing well. Her unique heart, mind, body and spirit approach helps people navigate life, lead and heal by tapping into the full […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Dr. Mary Collins, Chartered Psychologist, author and Executive Coach at RCSI Institute of Leadership. Mary is currently involved in a significant study on understanding the drivers and motivations of Generation Z, colloquially known as “zoomers”. Mary’s latest book, ‘Emotional Intelligence & Dentistry’ is due to be […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Aisling Teillard, Global Chief Customer Officer of Beqom, a cloud based solution provider that unifies compensation and rewards processes. Aisling’s career journey was of particular interest progressing from HR Director with both SAP and O2 to become a technology start up founder. She openly discusses […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Nicole Dessain, founder and Chief Employee Experience Designer at Talent Imperative. Nicole helps companies like Apple, Cisco, Comcast, Edelman and McDonald’s create human-centered, inclusive talent programs. In this episode, Nicole discusses how the role of HR is changing and how HR can shape a Future of Work Strategy. […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Ravin Jesuthasan, global leader of Mercer’s Transformation Services business. Ravin is a recognized global thought leader, futurist and author on the future of work and workforce transformation. He is a regular participant and presenter at the World Economic Forum’s annual meetings in Davos. In this […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Joan Hodgins, Global Talent Director at Diageo. Joan is a Business Leader, HR Professional and Chartered Occupational Psychologist with over 20 years commercial experience, both consulting and in-house in a range of HR roles. In the interview we talk about Joan’s career journey to date, […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Siobháin Scanlon, Early Careers Manager at Musgrave. Siobháin provides opportunities to talented graduates in their early careers – by helping them discover exciting careers in the food retail industry and preparing for the future of work. In the interview we talk about what it’s like […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Nick Fahy, Chief Executive Officer of Cynergy Bank. Cynergy Bank is a ‘human digital bank’ serving the needs of ‘scale up’ or medium sized and fast growing SMEs and professionals. In the interview we talk about Nick’s journey in leading the bank through a period […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Kieran Moynihan, Managing Partner of Board Excellence. Kieran helps boards of directors and individual directors excel in the areas of effectiveness and performance. He is an internationally-recognised thought leader in the area of board dynamics, effectiveness, performance and corporate governance. In this podcast episode we […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Dr. Sarah Kieran, Researcher and Lecturer at the Kemmy Business School in the University of Limerick. Sarah is a Lecturer in the Department of Work and Employment Studies. She is founder of the KBS WorkFutures Lab and the recipient of a Horizon 2020 Rise award […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Stephen Barry, Managing Partner at Stepworks about how leaders can ensure their organisation thrives in the future by working on society focused brand activities. Stepworks is an independent branding agency based in Hong Kong. They work with some of Asia’s most respected and ambitious organisations […]

In this episode of The Chord, John Fitzgerald talks to Caroline Cooney-Hurell, Customer Experience Strategist at Explora Journeys about how her leadership skills and ability to motivate and empower those around her helped fast-track her career. Caroline is a senior executive with a proven track record in leading customer service operations for multinational companies. Hope […]

In this episode, John Fitzgerald talks to Clive Hyland of The Happiness Index about his new book The Quantum Way. Clive’s book explores the science behind happiness and workplace engagement. Having actively worked with neuroscience principles in his coaching business over the last 16 years, Clive explains why we should never underestimate the impact of […]