Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers

Confronted with a dramatic decrease in traditional mail due to the advent of digital communications, French postal service company, La Poste Groupe, was faced with the reality of disrupting or getting disrupted. By embracing the new digital frontier via startup partnerships, portfolio diversification, and digital education for employees, France's oldest company has managed to not just survive but thrive in this new era. On episode 29 of Chambers Talks, La Poste Groupe CEO Philippe Wahl talks with John about France's digital revolution and how La Poste Groupe's greatest asset – trust – enabled its transformation.

Tech has the power to solve market problems – but CEOs need to ensure they identify the appropriate and realistic product market fits and not get distracted by hype cycles. For episode 28 of Chambers Talks, John speaks with someone who has done this incredibly well in the world of augmented reality: Peggy Johnson, CEO of Magic Leap. Through her unique expertise in engineering and passion for explaining technical topics to non-technical business leaders, Peggy and her team successfully shifted business models and are leading the future of AR for the enterprise. Peggy shares predictions for what comes next, actionable insights, leadership lessons, and more with John and his listeners.

If you're looking for a prime example of the American Dream, look no further than President & CEO of Broadcom, Hock Tan. 50 years ago, Hock arrived in America with a plan to get a great education and never stopped pursuing his own American Dream. From working at General Motors and PepsiCo, to leading several semiconductor companies, Hock knows the value of staying open to new, exciting opportunities. Today, he is taking that mentality and applying it to Broadcom, where, as Hock shares on episode 27 of Chambers Talks, innovative ideas and “moonshots” abound.

Over the past five years, big changes have taken place at IBM. Under the leadership of Chairman & CEO, Arvind Krishna, IBM has renewed its approach to innovation with acquisitions, investments in emerging tech, and ultimately ignited an exciting new energy throughout the organization. IBM is no stranger to reinvention and in the next episode of Chambers Talks, Arvind talks with John about his advice for navigating current disruptions, the remarkable potential of new technologies, and more.  

John is joined by friend and fellow tech disruptor Raj Subramaniam to discuss stepping into the role of President and CEO of the iconic FedEx. The greatest companies can often be the most difficult to change, yet over the past 50 years FedEx has continuously evolved to meet the needs of the world around us. From the company's legacy of innovation and its commitment to finding significant points of differentiation for its customers, Raj shares how FedEx will leverage its vast physical network and emerging technologies to continue leading market transitions for years to come.

Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, joins John on the podcast to discuss what “tech for good” truly means in practice. With a solid internal innovation engine, a knack for executing strategic acquisitions, and a plan for engaging in more public-private partnerships, Dr. Su and her team are hyper-focused on finding opportunities to use emerging technologies, like AI, to tackle the world's toughest challenges. Dr. Su highlights the importance of communication, describes how she really feels about feedback, and outlines exactly how organizations can do their part to address the issues of diversity and inclusion in all industries, including the tech industry. 

John is joined by three of his JC2 Ventures mentees – Vijay Balasubramaniyan of Pindrop, Mike Fong of Privoro, and Bipul Sinha of Rubrik – to talk about one of today's hottest topics in tech and business: Cybersecurity. As technology becomes more advanced, organizations and their leaders find themselves under increased pressure to fortify their cyber infrastructure. On episode 23 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”, John, Vijay, Mike, and Bipul discuss the importance of addressing the full cybersecurity life cycle, the biggest issues and trends facing the industry today, and the technologies that are driving the future of cybersecurity. 

John invites Börje Ekholm, CEO of Ericsson, on the podcast for a discussion about the future of connectivity and how 5G will change the world. By staying close to customers, employees, and stakeholders, Börje and his team are executing a long-term vision to develop digital infrastructure that will “make the unimaginable possible”. Börje emphasizes the importance of remaining flexible and pivoting in the short-term, along with other valuable leadership lessons, like reinventing a company again and again, and how to work with startups and other external partners to drive innovation. 

In episode 21 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”, Chairman and CEO of Revolution, Steve Case, joins John to talk about their shared passion of building startup communities across the entire country, beyond traditional hubs like Silicon Valley, New York, and Boston. As an entrepreneur himself – Steve co-founded AOL – Steve understands the importance of venture capital in propelling ideas forward and causing disruption. That's why he's now on a mission to level the playing field by getting more capital to more people in more places. On Chambers Talks, Steve shares how we can all join together to support and celebrate entrepreneurs and drive innovation in a more inclusive way. 

In episode 20 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, Tim Höttges, joins John to chat about the always leading mentality that helped position Deutsche Telekom as the leading telecommunications company in Europe. Tim and John share the belief that agility in today's business environment is key to survival. That willingness to adapt and undergo significant transformation has allowed Deutsche Telekom to become one of the top German brands worldwide and achieve a market capitalization of $95 billion. By eliminating ambiguity from decision-making and acting as the “Chief Ambiguity Officer” – something other CEOs should try – to prioritizing digitization and focusing on what Tim calls the “four pillars of transformation”, Deutsche Telekom is not only optimizing value for its customers but engineering success for the future. A tech visionary, Tim reveals his recipe for success on Chambers Talks. 

In episode 19 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”, John is joined by Idalene “Idie” Kesner – Dean of Indiana University's Kelley School of Business – to discuss the importance of cultivating an entrepreneur mindset, especially in universities, amidst the current business environment. As someone who has spent her career researching and analyzing business strategy, Idie and other educators at the Kelley School of Business are hyper-focused on teaching the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs how to creatively innovate, solve problems, and fill gaps. Idie's insights on entrepreneurship and the ways in which we can better serve constituents – whether they be students or stakeholders – will leave even the most seasoned business leaders with new tips and insights.

John and Hans Vestberg talk about the unique challenge Hans faced when he first took the helm as Chairman and CEO of Verizon in 2018 on the 18th episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”. Hans describes lessons learned from taking over an already successful company – he did not have to fix the ship, but he also recognized the importance of disruption. He developed a three-pronged plan to focus resource and investment allocations on the current business, future business, and emerging business. What's more, he sat down with hundreds of employees 1:1 to understand how this vision aligned with theirs. Hans' insights about the importance of continuous buy-in and communication with stakeholders will leave listeners taking notes for their next leadership meeting.

John and Brian Moynihan – Chairman and CEO of Bank of America – reflect on what the year ahead will bring for businesses on episode 17 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”. Brian has helped Bank of America evolve since becoming CEO in 2010 – and, as a result, the company's stock has more than tripled and analysts are now referring to them as a technology company, rather than a financial services company. With lessons about how to align innovation and technology investments to stakeholder capitalism, this episode is a must listen for business leaders who are navigating the rollercoaster market we will continue to see throughout the rest of 2022. 

John hosts a discussion with another West Virginian native on Episode 16 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers.” Senator Joe Manchin has long been known for his bipartisanship approach to politics. The American people and government have never been more divided and having the courage to lead “down the middle” is what will lead to stability and long-term success. Senator Manchin shares his advice with listeners on leadership, how to anticipate change, and why West Virginia is a model for other States looking to bring government, business, and citizens together for the greater good.

John and Arianna Huffington have a candid discussion about the importance of health and wellness, gender diversity, and more on episode 15 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”. Arianna has disrupted the wellness industry as the founder and CEO of Thrive Global. Her takeaways in this episode of the podcast about how to take the end customer from awareness to action will leave listeners with ideas for how to grow and scale companies and ideas .

For the first time since the launch of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” John talks with a handful of CEOs he is mentoring through JC2 Ventures. Gustavo Sapoznik (founder and CEO of ASAPP), Zac Bookman (co-founder and CEO of OpenGov), and Ragy Thomas (founder and CEO of Sprinklr) are three entrepreneurs who are no strangers to risk-taking, both in business and professionally. However, they have all learned that risk-taking is only possible when the entire team is aligned to the same objectives and goals. Give the episode a listen for more leadership lessons learned on the importance of culture and communication – and how both enable and reinforce vision and strategy. 

Episode 13 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers” features John's lifelong friend and fellow West Virginian, Senator Shelley Moore Capito. Economic development, encouraging entrepreneurship, and driving innovation in the Mountain State are top of mind for both leaders, who agree the State is “Almost Heaven.” Senator Capito candidly offers listeners a glimpse into the life of a senator, including lessons learned about achieving balance personally, professionally, and across the aisle. 

On Episode 12 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” John welcomes Padmasree Warrior, Founder and CEO of Fable, for a discussion about how to identify consumer trends and shifts in the way people live and work to find business success. Innovation happens at the speed of the Internet and Padma offers actionable insights for how to stay at the forefront, highlighting experiences from her time working side-by-side with John, to her time taking a Chinese startup public in three short years, to her new chapter now starting her own business. 

Video communication is here to stay. John has been saying this for a long time, but the COVID-19 pandemic thrust video as the main form of business continuity into the forefront of every CEO's mind. In episode 11 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” listeners will hear from Eric Yuan, the Founder & CEO of Zoom Video Communications. With a culture focused entirely on customer and employee happiness, Eric and his team are at the forefront of innovation as many companies plan a hybrid workplace model in the future.

Digitization has the power to change companies – even 174-year-old companies. John talks with long-time friend and colleague Cedrik Neike, CEO of Digital Industries at Siemens, for the tenth episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers.” By combining the power of data, cloud to edge, AI, and 5G, Siemens is helping its customers across industries create digital twins, so they can pivot overnight and stay ahead of the next market transition. Tune in for more. 

The ninth episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers” features an engaging conversation about the similarities between business and collegiate athletics. As the Head Coach of West Virginia University's successful D1 Football Program, Coach Neal Brown is an expert at developing talent on and off the field with a track record for winning. Listen to the full episode for more leadership lessons. 

India is the most strategic partner in the world to the U.S. – and our friends in India urgently need our help fighting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As experts have said, this pandemic is not over for anyone until it is over for everyone. In this episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” Mukesh Aghi, CEO and President of USISPF, shares what large companies are doing around the world to ensure supplies are delivered to India on a daily basis, as well as what you can do to give back. Listen for more, and consider donating anything you can at: https://usindiaalliance.org/. 

How do companies adapt when change is thrust upon them? On the next episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” John turns to John Chen, CEO of BlackBerry, to answer that very question. Listen for lessons learned about pivoting, changing direction, and how you get employees, stakeholders, and the market to buy-in to a complete business model shift. 

John catches up with Bill McDermott, CEO of Service Now, for the sixth episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers.” Check it out for insights about the future of work – which is a moving target for all CEOs leading through the COVID-19 pandemic – as well as for tips for how to lead with empathy and rich stories about how to find strength during setbacks and challenging times. 

In this “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers” episode, John and Jim Whitehurst, President of IBM, discuss the importance of co-creating innovation. Listen for more on how companies can capture the next market transitions by creating cultures that encourage risk taking and debating, while also being structured around common strategy.

For fourth episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” John talks with Tony Werner, President of the Technology, Product, Xperience organization within Comcast Cable. Tune in for their discussion about how cultures are truly the operating systems of companies – and what enterprises need to do as they expand their ecosystems to include startups.

The Cloud Will Forever Change Businesses. For this episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” John talks with guest Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, about how cloud is a critical enabler of digital transformation for companies across every industry, and how a customer centric-mindset can help companies succeed in the long run. 

Next Generation Transportation is Here. John sits down with Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop, for the next episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”. Tune in to hear John and Jay talk about the future of transportation, which Virgin Hyperloop is enabling with the first technology disruption in the industry in almost a century.

Leaders are Born During Times of Crisis. In the first episode of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers,” John talks with Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HPE. The two discuss leadership during times of crisis, with a specific focus on the COVID-19 global pandemic and how CEOs can prepare now for the “new normal.”