Management Today's Leadership Lessons

On today's episode, we discuss whether businesses are backtracking on their environmental commitments and Boston Consulting Group's tips for cutting supply chain costs. Despite media reports of corporate backtracking on sustainability, the news on the ground is more complex. We discuss a piece by Paul Simpson, who argues that many companies are quietly advancing their environmental goals – not just because it's the right thing for the planet, but because it's good for business too.Chief operating officers (COOs) are under increasing pressure to proactively manage supply chain costs amid global disruptions, but reactive strategies won't deliver lasting value. We discuss a piece written by consultants from Boston Consulting Group, who put forward five ways in which COOs should approach cost-cutting initiatives to deliver sustainable efficiency. Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/whats-next-corporate-environmental-agenda/indepth/article/1915218https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/five-ways-coos-reduce-supply-chain-costs/opinion-and-analysis/article/1915092Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“We as humans can remember three things,” says Sheila Rohra, CEO of Hitachi Vantara. It is this rule of three, then, that is central to her formula for “staying focused”, as well as her approach to devising a strategy the whole company can “rally around”.Rohra was appointed to her role in November 2023 after joining the data storage systems firm earlier in the year as chief strategy officer. As this week's guest on Leadership Lessons, Rohra talks about how Hitachi Vantara is transforming its business, and the three-pronged strategy that is driving the company forward.Maintaining focus is also a key imperative in the age of rapid AI adoption.It's crucial to keep a keen eye on the problem you were trying to solve with AI, says Rohra - and on whether you're getting the ROI you were seeking. Otherwise, at a time when research suggests many organisations' adoption of the tech is still being driven by short-term experimentation rather than long-term strategic planning, you risk overinvesting in the technology and causing “massive confusion, not to mention massive power consumption”.From her first foothold in the high-tech industry, working on a production line assembling computers, Rohra has diversified her CV with roles spanning strategy, business operations and transformation.Her first “significant” job focused on the latter was as chief transformation officer at data infrastructure company NetApp. This role taught her how much spearheading major organisational change initiatives is about “working with people, influencing”. With only five people on her direct team, the need to get wider employee buy-in and bring staff “along the journey” was immediately clear. “So that means listening, learning, providing a safe zone for conversations.” This recognition of the integral role others play in achieving your objectives is also central to Rohra's belief in the importance of staying “humble”. “It's not because of my accomplishments alone [that I'm CEO],” she says. “It took support from my team, friends and family for me to get here. I did not accomplish this alone.”Credits:Producer: Inga MarsdenPresenter: Antonia Garrett PeelArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses Unilever's recent CEO change and how to keep driving your business forward even in unfavourable market conditions.The ousting of Hein Schumacher after little more than a year and a half in Unilever's top job seemed to many to come as a bolt from the blue. “We are gobsmacked,” was how one analyst at RBC Capital summed up the reaction among colleagues. But even in the announcement the company put out about the change there were clues as to the frustrations that had precipitated such a move. We explore the board's rationale, what the company's new chief Fernando Fernandez brings to the table, and his priorities in the short and long term.Companies that thrive, even when times are tough, “build resilience within their own internal economy”. That's the contention at the heart of business scaling strategist John Mackin's new piece for MT. We explain what this means and, against a backdrop of heightened economic uncertainty, bring you three tips on how to nonetheless continuously grow your business.Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David RobinsonLinks: https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/unilever-brought-new-boss-fast-track-its-turnaround-strategy-deliver-goods/indepth/article/1914508https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/sluggish-economy-doesnt-mean-cant-continuously-grow-business-heres-how/opinion-and-analysis/article/1912440 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Business wins and losses are part of life for a media agency, but sometimes the losses can start to outpace the wins and – for whatever reason – negative momentum takes hold.This was the difficult backdrop against which Kelly Parker and Katie Lee were appointed as Wavemaker UK CEO and COO respectively in 2022. In Parker's words, the agency had had a “really bad year” in 2021, losing a “large number” of its top 10 clients. “I think it just lost its way as a business,” she says.Three years on and Parker and Lee have steered the business back to double-digit growth, a turnaround they credit in part to their unconventional working relationship, which they conceptualise as ‘dual leadership'. Recalling the challenging early days of that effort, Lee says: “I think because there were the two of us, it meant we could be making difficult decisions while at the same time building momentum and energy in the agency. I think if there had been one person, it would have had to feel negative…whereas having the two of us, we could both build and break at the same time.”This week's guests on Leadership Lessons, Parker and Lee explain why their ‘dual leadership' approach continues to pay dividends, helping them to get the best out of their teams, make the most of their respective talents and elevate the work they produce for clients.This episode was recorded in January 2025.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team dissects the Spring Statement and takes a look at some of the AI-driven innovations that are disrupting industries. It's the economy, stupid. James Carville's immortal (and loosely quoted) words must echo in the ears of every Chancellor, charged with the most knotty and important brief of them all. Last week, we asked leaders how well Labour was doing on the economy; this week, Rachel Reeves got the chance to update us on her plans for achieving Labour's much-vaunted, but so far elusive, growth objectives. We bring you some of the key announcements from the Spring Statement and reactions from business leaders. If that all feels a bit heavy, we're here to bring you some light relief with a look at some of the more unusual AI applications that nonetheless hold the potential to revolutionise parts of everyday life. You may not have heard of low-adhesion railway track conditions, but you've almost certainly been impacted by them – while the crisis in UK care will sadly be a familiar topic to us all. We explain how AI can help.Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David RobinsonLinks:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/business-leaders-labours-first-spring-statement/opinion-and-analysis/article/1911810https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/little-known-ai-innovations-transforming-live/indepth/article/1910875 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK businesses are failing to adapt the skillsets of their teams in response to the rapid advancements in the technology sector, contributing to a nationwide digital skills gap.This is the view of Sarah Walker, UK & Ireland CEO of the digital communications conglomerate Cisco, who believes that it is crucial to engage individuals at the outset of their careers, as well as normalise reskilling throughout all stages of career development.In this week's episode, she discusses Cisco's strategies for addressing this gap, and provides insights into its approach to integrating AI technologies.Credits:Presenters: Éilis CroninProducers: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, the team discusses whether British businesses are becoming too reliant on the US, the link between more women on boards and higher returns, and the elephant in the room during conversations around AI adoption.A key concern that is often left out of conversations around AI is its impact on the environment, particularly its energy and water consumption. Claire Warren and Éilis Cronin discuss a piece from Antonia Garrett Peel which explains that, while awareness of the sustainability issues remains low, some companies, such as Salesforce, are pushing for greater transparency around AI's energy use. The UK and US have cultivated a ‘special relationship' for the past 80 years, but concerns have arisen that British businesses have become increasingly reliant on the US for investment, technology, and talent. Éilis Cronin posed this topic to the wider business community and the team considers their opinions, including how the UK struggles with a domestic investment gap, while US venture capital offers more risk-tolerant funding encouraging British companies to seek American backing.New research from MSCI has found a correlation between the number of female board directors and higher returns. The team discusses the findings of the finance company's Women on Boards and Beyond 2024 Progress Report, which additionally brought to light the challenge of retaining female directors.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/when-comes-adoption-ai-theres-huge-elephant-room/long-reads/article/1908559https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/british-business-become-reliant-us/indepth/article/1909287https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/companies-female-directors-higher-returns-report-finds/indepth/article/1908694Credits:Presenters: Claire Warren and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timing, as the saying goes, is everything – and for Kimberly-Clark UK&I MD Dan Howell this principle is central to the art of business transformation.In Howell's view, the companies that exceed the standards of good performance to make it into the ranks of the great, and stay there, are those that “have this knack of knowing when to transform”. A so far two decade-long career working at CGP behemoths including AB InBev and Müller has also taught Howell a lot about the challenges that can stifle growth and innovation in large companies. “As organisations, we tend to still typically operate to annual targets and quarterly shareholder reports, and quite often that can limit your appetite to take risks…And so in my experience, the thing that tends to really hold businesses back…is that appetite for risk and the willingness to really push boundaries when innovating.”Getting ahead of the curve on transformation, and overcoming this kind of risk aversion, are two of the ways in which Howell is seeking to drive Kimberly-Clark's business forward this year. The third, on the face of it, might seem counterintuitive: “We're starting to put some real tangible actions into place to get us to sort of operate below our maximum capacity.”But for Howell, it's precisely this that will be key to maintaining a competitive advantage. “We think the way we're going to win and solve the problems our consumers have and innovate…is by being more creative than our competition. And I think the only way we're going to be more creative is if we give ourselves more space to think.”This episode was recorded in January 2025.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, MT's editorial team discusses some common traps in M&A deals and whether consultancies should be held accountable for the actions of their clients.This week a mega-deal was unveiled in the food delivery market when we heard that tech investor Prosus had agreed to acquire Just Eat Takeaway. While at €20.30 per share the offer represents a 22% premium to the company's recent three-month stock price high, it still comes in at less than a fifth of the share's peak in 2020, after a tumultuous few years for the company. The deal comes as Warwick Business School professor John Colley reflects on a previous M&A involving Just Eat Takeaway – its acquisition of Grubhub in 2021 – which he considers as an example of when acquisitions go wrong. We discuss some of the common M&A traps Colley outlines.Consulting firm McKinsey has become the latest target of the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion. Last Monday, the firm's London HQ was occupied by activists who vandalised its exterior, scaled the entrance, and hung a banner condemning the firm's continued work with the fossil fuel industry. Éilis asked industry experts whether consultancies should be held accountable for the actions of their clients (where their advice was not a factor). We consider their responses.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/six-traps-look-mergers-acquisitions/opinion-and-analysis/article/1907107https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/consultancies-held-accountable-actions-clients/opinion-and-analysis/article/1907520Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The entrepreneurial journey is famously a bumpy one and Planet Organic founder Renée Elliott's story is testament to that.For her, seeing the vision for the business she founded interpreted (she prefers “eroded”) through other people's priorities over the years has been “excruciating, infuriating…and exhausting”. But in 2023, Elliott returned to Planet, more than a decade after she and her husband stepped away from the company.This unlikely “business fairytale” had an inauspicious start: a phone call informing her that Planet would be giving notice of administration in 30 minutes' time.In this week's episode of Leadership Lessons, Elliott revisits that moment, the scramble to rescue the company, and the collective effort since to pull Planet “out of the mud back into the light”.“There's no magic bullet in retail, as any retailer will tell you,” she says. Instead there are “50 or 100 things” you need to do to achieve a given goal (for Planet this is returning to profit this year).It's lucky, then, that the 30 years since the company's first store opened in Westbourne Grove, London, have taught Elliott a lot about resilience, which in her view starts with “care of self”.Just as important is to “trust yourself”. If you're having a tough time, Elliott says, there are many different ways in which you can respond. “But if you go into fear, panic about the future, or any kind of what I call contracted state, you go into stress and then you're not thinking your best; you're not accessing the knowledge, answers and intuition that you have inside of you.”If, on the other hand, you can trust yourself, “that stress falls away and you're in a much better place to manage through difficult situations”.*This interview with Renée Elliott was recorded in December 2024.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses whether Elon Musk is jeopardising the Tesla brand and what's in store for the M&A market in 2025.It's official: the richest man on the planet is now the United States' – and possibly the world's – most powerful unelected bureaucrat. Twenty twenty-four was a key year in the ongoing metamorphosis of Elon Musk, as he threw his support behind Donald Trump and embraced populist politicians around the globe, while courting controversy at (nearly) every turn. But what does this all mean for the businesses he controls? We put Tesla sales under the spotlight and bring you some expert views on what the future holds for the EV maker.Is the M&A market poised for an upturn? Bain & Company certainly thinks so. Its latest Global M&A Report explains why it has hopes for a rebound, and how businesses can set themselves up to harness positive momentum in the market. What's for certain is that any good news couldn't come soon enough, after last year saw deal value reach a historically low level as a percentage of global GDP, according to Bain. We bring you its reasons to be optimistic. Links: https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/elon-musk-jeopardising-tesla-brand/leadership-lessons/article/1905320https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/m-a-market-poised-comeback-2025-headwinds-ease/indepth/article/1905223Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negative feedback is a gift; it provides the “gems that make sure you improve what you're doing and take it to the next level”, says Zurich Insurance's Conny Kalcher. The chief customer officer of the more than 150-year-old company should know, having spent the last few years focusing on driving customer-centric business transformation at Zurich and, before that, at Lego, where she was instrumental in helping the brand to redefine its purpose, transforming it from a toy factory into a company that ‘tells stories'. “It's important to embrace what customers are telling us, not try to explain it away or rationalise it, but really look it in the eye,” she says.Customer expectations of the insurance industry have changed dramatically in recent years, partly because of the disruptive impact of insurtechs but also because of the impact of digital-first companies more generally. “We could lean back and think we're different, we're insurance, but that's a false truism because today it's companies like Amazon and Netflix that set the standards,” says Kalcher. After all, if Amazon can deliver a parcel overnight why should you, as a customer of a legacy business, struggle to get your address changed or to get through to a human being on the phone?For Kalcher, the solution to increasing customer expectations has been to help move Zurich away from being a transactional company to one that connects with customers on both a functional and emotional level. This isn't an easy ask for an insurance firm, which aren't usually associated by consumers with being warm and fuzzy, but that's part of the point for Kalcher, who claims that in this way the company is able to “surprise and delight, which is really the space we want to be in”.And it's a strategy that seems to be paying dividends. The company is growing faster than the market, product density is up (in other words people buy more products), and, perhaps most importantly, says Kalcher, customers are happier.Credits:Presenter: Claire WarrenProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, MT's editorial team discusses which Big Four firms are on course to miss UK female partner goals, what CIOs want from consultants in 2025, and how a once-powerful name in consulting is making a comeback.We kick off this bumper consultancy episode with discussion of a story originally covered by the FT, which found that of the Big Four accounting firms, both EY and PwC are on track to miss their 2025 UK female partner targets. We also consider how gender imbalances might be impacting consulting firms' progress on pay parity, with an analysis of pay gap data collected as part of the process of compiling MT's inaugural Top 100 Management Consultancies list last year.What do chief information officers want from consultants? That's the question explored by Jon Bance in a recent piece for MT. He argues that CIOs increasingly demand more from external advisors, whom they expect to become fully immersed in their business, becoming a part of its culture and driving teams forward from within, while leveraging soft skills to build meaningful long-term relationships.Anyone who follows the consultancy sector will probably have heard the news by now: Andersen Consulting is making a comeback. The once-powerful name in the business will return to the sector after 25 years of dormancy. We discuss a piece by Paul Simpson that explores how the brand, once part of collapsed accounting firm Arthur Andersen, might navigate the considerable challenges in the market. Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite continuing to saturate the technology sector, AI investments remain a small percentage of overall IT spending, according to CGI's UK president Tara McGeehan, but gen AI adoption is helping businesses achieve faster and smoother transformations. On this week's episode, she speaks to MT how traditional AI, like machine learning, continues to grow alongside generative AI, how gen AI is accelerating transformations by enabling businesses to take greater control of the pace of change, and why leaders must encourage employees to educate themselves on AI's benefits to help alleviate resistance to change.Credits:Presenters: Éilis CroninProducers: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses new research into large language models' creative capabilities and what consultants believe CEOs should be focusing on this year.The new year is advancing at a frankly scary rate. But if like us you're already drowning in a sea of immediate priorities, our first segment might provide the opportunity to step back and remind yourself of your aims for the coming 12 months. Before Christmas, we asked our community of consultants what CEOs should be prioritising this year - and they heeded our call. We bring you the what, the why and the how. Ever since the birth of ChatGPT, there's been a widespread narrative that gen AI will primarily replace routine and repetitive work tasks. But while this might appeal to those of us with a strong creative component to our job, new research suggests we shouldn't get too comfortable. Academics compared the ‘collective creativity' of individual LLMs (as measured by considering multiple responses to one problem) to that of small groups of humans, with some interesting results. We take you through the findings.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/consultants-think-ceos-prioritise-year/down-to-business/article/1901214https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/leaders-plan-transform-business-2025/down-to-business/article/1900994https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/research-llms-compete-humans-creative-tasks/indepth/article/1901578Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indian cuisine aficionados will be no stranger to Cobra Beer, but many may not be familiar with how the brand came to be - or the man behind it. Lord Karan Bilimoria created the brand in response to a lack of appropriate beer to have with spicy Indian food, but his journey to success was paved with challenges. We discuss how he almost lost the business three times and his decision to step down as chairman. He also gives us his views on the state of British business and what leaders can do to thrive despite the many challenges facing the economy today.Credits:Presenters: Éilis CroninProducers: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, MT's editorial team discusses when a brand should make a break with its past identity and what two leading companies can teach us about organic business growth.Jaguar has been having a time of it recently – or has it? Certainly, the company has had to face a barrage of negative headlines, even as publicity for the carmaker has swelled to seldom-seen levels. But, as time goes on, opinion on its rebrand appears to be increasingly divided – not least among the leaders that responded to an MT callout for comments. Is Jaguar's seeming departure from its heritage a gamble or a smart strategic pivot in a world where nostalgia is an ever-declining currency? We bring you a flavour of the debate.Organic growth strategies might seem like the slightly drab cousin of headline-grabbing acquisitions – but if the advice in some circles has been to buy not build, Paul Simpson offers an alternative view. In his latest piece for MT, he examines the growth stories of four leading companies. These strategies are not flashy, fast-paced or thrilling, and command little fanfare, but the diligent commitment to incremental wins they embody has paid dividends in the long-run. We consider two of them.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/four-leading-companies-teach-us-organic-business-growth/indepth/article/1899470https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/mt-asks-when-company-break-its-past-identity/food-for-thought/article/1900155https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/35-women-35-open-entries/women-in-business/article/1899109Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducers: Inga Marsden and Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ikea is known by customers for its iconic flat-pack furniture, maze-like stores, and delicious meatballs – but when Ingvar Kamprad founded the company in 1943 he also wanted to implement a strong company culture of inclusivity and openness.Today, that same culture is now in the capable hands of global people and culture manager, Ulrika Biesért, who is tasked with taking Kamprad's progressive ideals into the 21st Century.On this week's episode, we discuss how her career as a social worker and family counselor inspired a career in leadership, why she calls employees 'co-workers' regardless of their position, and how Ikea's culture contributes to its overall growth.Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we discuss what we learned from the CBI conference, MT's new list of its Top 100 Management Consultancies, and why we're not seeing gen AI transform business models.Last week, Antonia Garrett Peel attended the Confederation of British Industry's annual conference to watch two political heavyweights – Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch – present their different visions for the economy. Of course the CBI was also keen to, as chair Rupert Soames put it, “whisper a few…messages into the government's ear”. Antonia outlines the CBI's warning for business and discusses whether Reeves is already backtracking on a commitment made at the conference.MT has unveiled its new list of its Top 100 Management Consultancies, providing a detailed overview of the leading UK firms at a turbulent time for the sector. Many of the factors driving change – such as evolving client expectations and an end to a post-pandemic boom in business – are explored in a piece written by Gavin Hinks for MT. Éilis Cronin outlines what some of these shifting client priorities are and how Covid and gen AI have impacted the client-consultant relationship.ChatGPT is officially two years old, and since its inception we have witnessed the astronomical rise of gen AI technologies. But why have we – for the most part – not yet seen them transform business models? That's the question addressed by Adam Gale in his latest piece for MT, which explores how businesses currently use these technologies and why leaders might need to undergo a mindset change to get the most out of them. We discuss.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/cbi-chair-warns-reeves-government-needs-business-deliver-its-promises/down-to-business/article/1897739https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/state-uk-consulting-sector/indepth/article/1898140https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/why-arent-seeing-generative-ai-transforming-business-models/indepth/article/1897403Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just when you think you've got your head around AI, a new type of technology comes racing around the corner - quantum computingAccording to IBM's UK and Ireland CEO, Nicola Hodson, quantum computing is “the next era of computing”. It allows the possibility of solving problems that either cannot be dealt with, or would take too long to deal with, through “conventional computing”.While it is still in the experimental phase, a 2020 McKinsey report estimates that there will be around 5,000 operational quantum computers by 2030.Therefore on this week's episode, Nicola and I discuss the five things leaders should focus on in order to thrive in this AI pre quantum age.Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses CEOs' supply chain fears, what a new Trump presidency means for global trade, and how M&S bounced back.“There is arguably no change of administration in the world that has more of an impact on global trade than [that] in the US,” says Simon Geale, EVP at supply chain consultancy Proxima. So, with Donald Trump having clinched a decisive victory against Kamala Harris, what can business expect from the incoming president? He's called ‘tariff' the “most beautiful word in the dictionary”, but will he really implement levies on foreign imports at the level and scale he's proposed? We bring you the views of the experts. Marks & Spencer's 2024 Christmas ad sees a drab lethargic scene metamorphose with the help of a magical snow globe into a sparkly festive extravaganza (all set to the sound of the Jackson Sisters' ‘I Believe in Miracles'). As a metaphor for the company's own transformation, it might be overkill – but the retailer has nonetheless undergone an impressive turnaround in the last few years, prompting CEO Stuart Machin to hail back in May “the beginning of a new M&S”. We discuss how the company got here.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/new-trump-presidency-bad-news-global-trade/down-to-business/article/1895394https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/supply-chain-threats-top-concern-majority-ftse-100-companies/indepth/article/1895514https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/marks-spencer-its-mojo-back/down-to-business/article/1895852Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September, airBaltic outlined its hope to raise €300 million as it continues to prepare for a potential initial public offering that could take place as early as by the end of the year. The funds would support its ambition to double in size over the next five years.The outlook for Latvia's flag carrier hasn't always looked as promising, however. When CEO Martin Gauss joined the company in 2011, airBaltic was facing significant financial difficulties and the immediate question that confronted him was whether the business should continue at all.This week's guest on Leadership Lessons, Gauss explains the key decisions that helped get the airline's turnaround on track, how airBaltic has navigated through subsequent crises, and discusses handling criticism in the social media age.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, we hear some reactions to the autumn budget and discuss new research into the best way to mitigate reputational damage in the wake of a cyberattack.Given the seismic political developments of the past few days in the US, the autumn budget is starting to feel like a long time ago. But business leaders had a lot to say about the measures announced by new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves when we canvassed opinion last week. We bring you some CEO reactions and discuss why the hike in employers' National Insurance contributions could impact wages.Cyberattacks are on the rise and threaten even the best-prepared organisations. Reputational damage can be one of the most significant (if also one of the hardest to quantify) ramifications of a cyberattack. Antonia Garrett Peel discusses new research into why organisations might benefit from adopting a ‘victimhood communication strategy' in the wake of an attack.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/business-leaders-weigh-autumn-budget/down-to-business/article/1894195https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/research-claiming-victimhood-wake-cyberattack-minimise-reputational-damage/indepth/article/1894858Credits:Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding a perfect match during an M&A is no easy feat and something that Duncan Clarke, co-founder of Flourish and Head of Europe at Canva, experienced first hand. Having been both the acquired and acquirer, he has discovered what it takes to make a acquisition flourish. On today's episode, he explains why he prioritised shared values and long term vision over immediate financial gains during an acquisition and how he's making sure Flourish 'flourishes' amidst Canva's portfolio of brands.Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses whether disinformation is the next critical frontier for business and asks if chatbots are a business critical tool.‘Fake news' is a very modern phenomenon. Of course, there has always been spin, slander, and rumours. But the term – which is perhaps most closely associated with one of the most polarising US presidents of modern times – belongs to an era when social media has allowed politically charged falsehoods to spread like never before. However, disinformation is not just a threat in the public sphere; increasingly, businesses are being targeted too. We discuss what drives those propagating bogus claims about companies and how businesses can prepare. The (chat)bots are coming. Well, technically, they've already arrived. We consider their evolution and revisit some of our favourite – and not so favourite – early examples. But can automated assistants really deliver on customer service? How are advances in AI changing the equation? And what happens when you ask a chatbot whether it's a chatbot? We ponder these questions and more during the episode.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/disinformation-next-critical-frontier-business/indepth/article/1892326https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/chatbot-invasion-fad-business-critical/indepth/article/1891943Credits:Presenters: Claire Warren, Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we meet Gabriel Fernandez, president of confectionery company Mars Wrigley. With experience in both European and Latin America, Fernandez discusses how he's successfully grown the business across both of these diverse markets and how these different cultures have shaped his management style. As an organisation dedicated to sustainability, Fernandez and I discuss the recent updates to Mars' Sustainable in a Generation progress report and how he has achieved record reduction in carbon emissions in global emerging markets. Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we discuss why businesses should focus on fewer, clearer goals during a period of transformation and which companies made it onto the gender equity nice list. According to the Project Management Institute, the global economy bleeds a million dollars every 20 seconds due to ineffective implementation of business strategies. Companies are pouring billions into strategic initiatives aimed at reinventing themselves, only to watch them crumble under the weight of misaligned priorities and diluted focus. Nine out of 10 transformation initiatives fail to meet their objectives on time or are significantly delayed. Johan Grönstedt, chief product officer at Howwe Technologies, explains why business leaders often fail to grasp the true cost of ambition and how taking a “less is more” approach to strategy and transformation results in more engaged, productive, and motivated employees.While it is likely to take more than 100 years to achieve full gender equality in the workplace, some companies have already set the standard for equality and equity for women in the workplace. We discuss the four companies who, according to the Women in Work Gender Equity Measure Report 2024, have achieved the gold standard on gender equity and the ones who are on their way to joining them.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/successful-business-transformation-requires-ruthless-focus-fewer-clearer-goals/opinion/article/1890879https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/four-companies-leading-pack-when-comes-gender-equity/indepth/article/1890066Credits:Presenters: Claire Warren and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are some eventualities that are not covered by any job description, as Tim Cadogan found out when he took the reins at GoFundMe in early March 2020 (you know the rest).This week's guest on Leadership Lessons, Cadogan told MT how he navigated the challenge of getting to know a new business and team remotely, at the same time as activity on the crowdfunding platform was spiking.Now, under his leadership, GoFundMe is leaning into the latest technological wave in the service of one of its core aims.“For nearly all of us, asking for help is psychologically difficult, emotionally difficult, and so we think through every little step in that journey. How can we make this more accessible? How can we make this feel better?”We talked about the ways in which AI is making the platform more user-friendly, GoFundMe's current strategic priorities and a piece of advice that shifted his perspective.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses steps for rebuilding trust after a scandal and takes you into the heart of the dynamic pricing debate.It has been a year and a half since the CBI was engulfed by a sexual misconduct scandal that brought the business group to the brink of collapse. And alongside the resultant financial challenges, the organisation has faced an uphill battle to re-engage members and re-establish trust. Ethics crises are so damaging because they “call into question the very foundations of trust”, says David Rodin, founder and chair of advisory firm Principia. We discuss his steps for rebuilding this, starting with identifying the root causes (hint: it is rarely just a case of a few bad apples).Dynamic pricing has been catapulted into consumers' consciousness in recent weeks, after Oasis fans reacted angrily to being charged, in some cases, more than double the advertised price for tickets to the band's comeback tour. Ticketmaster is not the only business to have found itself at the sharp end of consumer sentiment – last year, Stonegate customers decried the pub group's decision to raise prices during peak times. Dynamic pricing is of course not new, but the increasing digitisation of operations means it is spreading to additional sectors. So, as companies consider the pros and cons, MT asked leaders and experts: how should businesses weigh up the potential reputational impact? We bring you a snapshot of the debate.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/rebuild-trust-scandal/culture/article/1888924https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/businesses-weigh-reputational-risk-when-deciding-whether-introduce-dynamic-pricing/down-to-business/article/1889421Credits:Presenters: Claire Warren and Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As waves of disruption reshape what the future of business is likely to look like, current and future leaders need to adapt their skills to embrace change. In this week's episode, three MT's 35 Women Under 35 winners discuss how leaders can embrace change and grow their businesses.Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of The Debrief, MT's editorial team discusses what we can expect from the economy in the next few years and research from EY suggesting that CEO confidence in the global outlook is fuelling M&A activity.As political strategist James Carville famously drilled into Bill Clinton campaign staffers, “it's the economy, stupid”. But after several years of successive disruptions, precisely which economic variables should we be watching most closely? Adam Gale enlisted the help of two economists – one micro and one macro – to answer this question. We take you through their analysis.Median pay for a FTSE 100 CEO reached £4.19m in 2023, according to the High Pay Centre – that's 120 times that of the median full-time worker. At the same time, new research, which looked at workforce dynamics in a number of advanced capitalist economies, has identified a trend of “dramatically declining exposure of top earners to bottom earners”. The potential implications of this growing segregation are multifaceted – but universally bleak, as we discuss.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/economy-know-watching-briefs-significant-piece-legislation/indepth/article/1886971https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/research-ceo-confidence-drive-m-a-activity-despite-macroeconomic-uncertainties/indepth/article/1887287https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/research-top-earners-increasingly-isolated-bottom-pay-hierarchy/indepth/article/1886849Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Stephanie Shirley has a fascinating – and difficult – story to tell. Aged just five, she was one of nearly 10,000 children who were sent to England on board the Kindertransport to escape the dangers posed by Nazi Germany.It was a life defining moment that would equip Dame Stephanie with a resilience that would see her set up a successful software business, at a time when attitudes to women in the workplace were very different.Ultimately, that business made millionaires of more than 70 co-owners and has enabled Dame Stephanie to set up several charities and not-for-profits in the autism and IT spheres.She talks to Management Today about employee ownership, her tips for entrepreneurs and how to become an effective public speaker.Credits:Presenter: Claire WarrenProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, we discuss how long investors are likely to wait for tech firms to turn a profit and the phenomenal rise of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD. Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/chinese-electric-vehicle-maker-byd-achieve-automotive-dominance/indepth/article/1886214https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/just-long-will-investors-wait-tech-firms-spotify-turn-profit/indepth/article/1885927Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All companies nowadays are digital companies, and therefore face an imperative to continually push technology-led transformation. In this week's episode, BT Business's CEO Bas Burger discusses how to navigate the digital landscape and identify the tools that will generate value for your business. Having landed his first CEO role at the age of 31, he also offers his advice for first-time leaders, including to surround yourself with people who are better than you at their particular job and always ask questions.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, we discuss the impact of ‘gamification' on the digital retail space, how to hit the right notes in your internal comms, and Deloitte's advice for elevating technology conversations in the boardroom. Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/shein-temu-tiktok-shop-chinese-e-commerce-platforms-existential-threat/indepth/article/1884882https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/great-transformation-chiefs-know-internal-comms/indepth/article/1883084https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/round-up-ai-quantum-readiness-value-boardroom-alliances/food-for-thought/article/1884746Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Wreford chose to leave a promising career rather than continue to keep quiet about his sexuality. At the time he was working in the financial services sector but was advised his promotion opportunities would be stymied if senior executives found out about his sexuality. That decision would shape his career – and his ability to provide a more welcoming environment for his LGBTQ+ colleagues. Now CEO of fintech platform Demica, Wreford remains passionately committed to championing current and upcoming LGBTQ+ leaders, and committed to educating organisations on how to build a culture which encourages them to aspire towards and develop into leadership roles.Wreford joined this week's episode of the Management Today Leadership Lessons podcast to talk about the five key areas businesses need to focus on if they are to move the dial on inclusivity.Read more here: Credits:Presenter: Claire WarrenProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, we discuss Labour's plans for ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, the scourge of cyber attacks and how businesses are faring post-pandemic.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/kings-speech-will-ethnicity-disability-pay-gap-reporting-move-dial-pay-equality/food-for-thought/article/1881442https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/cyber-threat-landscape-the-worst-past-five-years/indepth/article/1881987https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/round-up-smart-thinking-without-reading/food-for-thought/article/1882272Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we meet Russ Lidstone, president of Inizio Engage XD. He believes businesses are made up of Red Meat and Red Roses players, both of whom needs specific support in order to excel in their roles. We discussed how leaders can identify which category their employees fall into and the best ways to support them through challenging times. He says, "There are times, of course, where there's no sugar coating anything. It's about being direct with people, but doing so in a way that demonstrates you're human."Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, we discuss what CEOs think about the change in government, what lessons we can learn from transformational M&A success stories, and how gender influences entrepreneurs' choice of co-founder.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/ceos-think-change-government/down-to-business/article/1880010https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/four-lessons-genuinely-transformational-m-a-deals/indepth/article/1881238https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/research-gender-influences-entrepreneurs-choice-co-founder/indepth/article/1879349Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's an undeniable fascination in observing US tech tycoons' bizarre efforts to ‘de-age', from blood plasma transfusions to investing in “cellular rejuvenation” start-ups. Yet, while Bryan Johnson and fellow anti-ageing obsessives try to cheat (or, as they would see it, ‘hack') biology, there's a reality “we all know yet fail to act on”, Andrew Scott writes in the introduction to The Longevity Imperative: we have already been given more time.Over the last century, life expectancy has increased by around two to three years every decade. Yet, this “longevity revolution”, as Scott describes it, now necessitates a second revolution: we need to change how we age.In this week's episode, we discuss exactly what this entails – ranging from how we manage our careers and relationships to the measures we take to safeguard our health. We also look at the implications for businesses, including in terms of recruitment, how they innovate and the products they bring to market.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett Peel discuss the problem with 'leaning in', PR lessons from the Post Office inquiry, and an interview with the co-founder of a digital marketing agency when 20% of the staff are neurodivergent.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/research-telling-women-lean-in-harm-good/indepth/article/1878199https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/opinion-public-relations-lessons-post-office-scandal/reputation-matters/article/1878676https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/pamela-uddin-20-staff-neurodivergent/women-in-business/article/1877698Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode we meet Joanna Swash who, despite kicking off her career with a failed business, rose through the ranks to become the CEO of Moneypenny. She talks to MT about the the differences between working in the UK and the US, and her 'no egos' ethos, and the two faces of leadership.She says: "We all make mistakes, we're all human, we're all vulnerable. If we're going to pretend to be better or different than we are, what's the point?"Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga Marsden & Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, robust network security is not just a protective measure – it is the very foundation of corporate peace of mind. This Management Today Insight podcast, presented in partnership with Chubb, looks at the critical importance of implementing strong network defences to safeguard corporate assets and ensure operational continuity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett Peel discuss the risks posed to businesses by deep fakes and whether your organisation needs a chief AI officer.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/need-chief-ai-officer/indepth/article/1877156https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/when-call-boss-isnt-really-boss/leadership-lessons/article/1876697Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode I speak with Amy Edmonson, the brains behind the concept of psychological safety. We take a deep dive into the art of failure; how and why it happens, the different types of failure, her own experiences of failure, and why some failures are better than others and could be, in the right circumstances, transformative for your business.She says: “A successful failure is one that teaches us something that we could not have learned any other way. It's useful to the next step of the journey."Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Inga Marsden & Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis Cronin discuss what the authors of one study have called the UK's ‘overtime epidemic', Samsung's six-day working week, and why savouring expressions of gratitude can make you a better leader.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/productivity-employee-impacted-overtime-epidemic-says-report/indepth/article/1874538https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/why-samsungs-six-day-working-week-leaders-likely-cause-harm-good/opinion/article/1874141https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/why-savouring-expressions-gratitude-better-leader/indepth/article/1874742Credits:Presenters: Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga Marsden and Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research suggests that about 70% of us will end up feeling like a fraud at some point during our lives. In this week's episode, Sally Bibb, a partner at PA Consulting, gets under the skin of imposter syndrome, providing a practical framework for addressing feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy.She also discusses why saying what you're good at doesn't have to mean bragging, the reason we might be focusing on the wrong things when it comes to boosting performance, and explains how it's possible to overdo it on our strengths.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of Leadership Lessons, MT's editorial team discusses what we might be inadvertently communicating about ourselves online, the findings of new research into global hybrid working patterns, and an interview with Geoff McDonald in which the former global VP of HR at Unilever opens up about his experience with mental ill health.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/geoff-mcdonald-days-i-scared-leave-house/interviews/article/1872271https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/why-think-hit-send/indepth/article/1871458https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/new-normal-majority-organisations-globally-introduced-hybrid-working/article/1872474Credits:Presenters: Claire Warren, Antonia Garrett Peel and Éilis CroninProducer: Inga MarsdenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Making those steps from one industry to another you get to experience the best of everything. You never become institutionalised or entrenched in one industry or culture. You take a little patchwork of experience with you wherever you go.”On this week's episode of Leadership Lessons, Jo Carman, director of Plusnet, discusses the lessons she learnt from her "squiggly" career, the major overhaul of Plusnet's customer offering and the challenges she faced when pitching her vision to Plusnet employees.She also explains how she balances her role as director with being a chief marketing officer, including the "pitfalls of not setting boundaries".Credits:Presenter: Éilis CroninProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of Leadership Lessons, Éilis Cronin and Management Today's new editor, Claire Warren, discuss whether Unilever's softening of its green policies mean it's turning its back on ESG, should all talk of politics be banned from the workplace and if the government's new visa requirements are a spanner in the works for recruitment.Links:https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/minimum-visa-requirements-spanner-works-recruitment/down-to-business/article/1871405https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/mt-asks-time-ban-political-discussion-work/leadership-lessons/article/1870864https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/does-unilevers-u-turn-mean-businesses-giving-esg/indepth/article/1870546Credits:Presenters: Claire Warren and Éilis CroninProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is an indictment of the value organisations place on management, in Ann Francke's view, that 82% of those promoted into these roles have had no proper training.This week on Leadership Lessons, the Chartered Management Institute's chief discusses why the prevalence of so-called 'accidental managers' is bad news for organisations, the economy and, of course, the individuals being managed.She also explains why blanket return-to-the-office edicts are about "control", how self-confidence and self-awareness are the foundation of good management, and the reasons why she chooses to be honest about past failures.Credits:Presenter: Antonia Garrett PeelProducer: Til OwenArtwork: David Robinson#management #leadership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.