Meet The Leader

Space has become a junkyard, a mess of millions of pieces of debris that pose big risks to spacecrafts, complicating astronaut safety, research and even our own connectivity back home. Daniel Faber is the CEO of Orbit Fab, a company whose technology will allow for satellites to refuel once in orbit. He'll explain why this solution can be critical to tackling space debris while also helping to save lives, boost research and even supercharge the space economy. About this episode:  Orbit Fab: https://www.orbitfab.com/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/daniel-faber-orbit-fab-space-economy Related report: Report: Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth: https://www.weforum.org/publications/space-the-1-8-trillion-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth/ Related Podcasts  Meet the startup building the first commercial space station: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/tejpaul-bhatia-space-economy-axiom/ An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/mark-lundstrom-radia-climate-change/ This former astronaut shares what's key to building strong, effective teams:: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BvAcXlFqExORF2eZNjcLQ?go=1&sp_cid=01e8f5e22b1a6834bc34234353341751&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=269a6c9f8a3a4b02  

As cyber threats and geopolitical risks intensify, how can organizations be nimble and outsmart the next cyber attack? In this episode, seasoned data protection and cyber law expert Vinod Bange breaks down the threats that are still overlooked – including a new understanding of influence in social engineering – and the questions that leaders should ask themselves to ensure their teams are truly nimble and cyber ready. This Baker McKenzie partner also shares the unique methods that business and government are employing to work together to share best practices and strategies, all while breaking down why this sort of collaboration has traditionally been slow to happen. About this episode: Baker McKenzie: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/ Global Disputes Forecast: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/insight/publications/2025/01/global-disputes-forecast-2025 Related report: Cybercrime Atlas: Impact Report 2025: https://initiatives.weforum.org/cybercrime-atlas/home Related podcasts: Radio Davos: New era, new mood, new challenges Read: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/adam-tooze-cnbc-china-us-history/ Listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4byCozwrPwSDRGexzSpOIv?go=1&sp_cid=01e8f5e22b1a6834bc34234353341751&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=21eda2cf5c3c4932 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOlOPL3woKA Meet the Leader: AI will reshape knowledge work. What leaders should ask, do and learn now: Read: https://tinyurl.com/ydfed937 Listen: https://tinyurl.com/ycxh9zer Watch: https://youtu.be/GCo7czq2yXI

Software development and software engineering could be the first major economically valuable capability that closes the gap between humans and AI, says Eiso Kant, the CTO of frontier AI company poolside. He shares what these changes mean for technology and the sector, and for knowledge work generally. Eiso stays cautious about tech forecasts and predictions, but breaks down how worry and fear can be a motivator to drive true learning and understanding in a fast-moving era, sharing and questions we should ask and mindsets we should apply to understand how we can uniquely contribute to societies and economies in the years ahead as technologies reshape human roles. This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. About this episode: https://poolside.ai/ Related report: Future of Jobs 2025: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Related episodes: Radio Davos: Do you need an AI mentor? This tech entrepreneur thinks so Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I0CNHlS7f4 Read here: https://tinyurl.com/28z7cmtt Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/y7yshdad Meet The Leader: This company launched with $600 a decade ago. How it's using data and AI to boost yields for millions of small-scale farmers Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkOu9As6J60 Read here: https://tinyurl.com/bdz69j65Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/bcmj6572

Sustainability goals take more than will -- they take culture change and block and tackle approaches. Microsoft announced a host of big commitments in 2020 for the decade ahead, including a goal to be carbon negative and another to reduce emissions by 55%. Procurement and supply chains played a key role in these goals and former supply chain exec Donna Warton shares the moves that have helped secure leader buy-in, drive proactive thinking and help make sustainability a business imperative and not just a "one-off" project. She'll also explain the role an internal carbon tax has played in driving incentives, the challenge AI brings in staying on track for emissions goals, and what's been effective to force the right conversations in product design and at the supplier level to reduce waste and tackle emissions. About this episode: Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/microsoft-donna-warton-procurement Related Report: Green Procurement Playbook: The CPO's Guide to Delivering for People and Planet: https://www.weforum.org/publications/green-procurement-playbook-the-cpo-s-guide-to-delivering-value-for-business-and-planet/ Related episodes: 3 shifts all effective collaborators make https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/3-shifts-all-effective-collaborators-make/ Bridging AI's 'woeful' data gap can save lives and tackle climate change: Gecko Robotics: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/jake-loosarian-gecko-robotics-data-gap-ai/

This pioneering researcher-turned-climate activist who died this week reshaped how we see the natural world and how humans understand their place on this earth. We revisit our 2021 interview with Jane and the unique way she approached climate communications to find common ground, broach difficult topics and inspire millions. We also talk to Gill Einhorn, head of the World Economic Forum's 1t.org, who explains how Jane worked with that restoration and conservation initiative, sharing how Jane collaborated and forged connections behind the scenes, what leaders can learn, and how we can take her legacy forward. Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552 Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

What's needed to deliver the carbon removal needed to meet key emissions targets in the years ahead? Charm Industrial CEO Peter Reinhardt helps explain what carbon removal and sequestration are and what's needed to scale these further – including the incentive gaps that must be bridged for progress. He'll also share how he and his three roommates from MIT became startup founders together – and how they've stayed friends and partners since, and how they leveraged each person's unique skillsets. He also explains how key moments have helped him sharpen his focus and priorities, and how a CEO coach has helped him develop as a leader. About this episode: Charm Industrial: https://charmindustrial.com/ Epsiode transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/peter-reinhardt-charm-industrial-cabon-capture Related report: Defossilizing Industry: Considerations for Scaling-up Carbon Capture and Utilization Pathways: https://www.weforum.org/publications/defossilizing-industry-considerations-for-scaling-up-carbon-capture-and-utilization-pathways/ Related episodes: 'Do it nearly right, but now' - How effective leaders navigate change and disrupt sectors: Disruption Report: Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/simon-freakley-alixpartners-disruption-index/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/443s16GQ3cBzgI3akxzzIq?go=1&sp_cid=974f0d02895cc3e5dc6ee274371893a7&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=a279d80799654118 A CEO coach shares new leaders' biggest blindspots (and how to overcome them):Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ceo-coach-shares-new-leader-blindspots/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YG6HujYmc4IrD3JSGnyOh?go=1&sp_cid=974f0d02895cc3e5dc6ee274371893a7&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=d0d22380bec54bb7

Getting the right information at the right time is critical for any sector but especially small-scale farming. Losing a yield could mean a farmer has no income for a year while weakening food security and local economies. To bridge these gaps, company Farmerline has created AI-powered tools, including one that acts like a "911 for farmers," bringing critical information on weather, crop diseases and more on demand to people who need it, all in 34 languages. The company has also developed ways alternative data can be used to develop credit scores for farmers, helping prove the investing opportunity to lenders while connecting them to much-needed financing. With small scale farmers locked out of some of the biggest innovations in the last century thanks to access and affordability, founder Alloysius Attah shares what's needed to ensure agriculture is future ready – including the power of a database that can create a national pulse on food security for NGOs, governments and the private sector. Attah also shares his company's founding journey, what he's learned in the past 10 years - and how global crises like COVID have helped him rethink how he prioritizes as a leader. This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Updated statistics can be found in the corresponding transcript. About this episode: https://farmerline.co/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/alloysius-attah-farmerline-ai-data-finance Related episodes: We're 'losing the war' on modern slavery: Tech's surprising role and what leaders can do - HPE's John Schultz Read here: https://tinyurl.com/486fhvy9 Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/yewem3s4 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXggC3o08I 'I'll show you a real leader' - Platon, the photographer of power, on finding humanity in all of us Read here: https://tinyurl.com/2s4372wc Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/3r9xrpftfdfc40499c Watch here: https://tinyurl.com/yr44h49y

Most of the world's information is stored digitally in a way that's vulnerable to disappearing without warning thanks to everything from link rot and server changes, to someone not paying their web hosting bill. Some information might even disappear because bad actors have removed or changed it. Civil liberties lawyer and Filecoin Foundation president Marta Belcher explains why the modern standard for how we store information is so vulnerable and why protecting data is a human rights issue. She breaks down a fundamentally new approach (leveraging crypto and decentralized databases to protect information and create new incentives to store it) and how it serves as a sneak peek at how Web3 technologies could bake in new approaches to privacy and civil liberties protections. She'll share how it's already being used to protect digital artifacts such as Ukraine war crime evidence and Alexander Graham Bell's earliest sound recordings, and how it could even be used to improve space communications. Marta, a crypto law pioneer, also shares unique ways she's driven open-source solutions throughout her life and career and how these lessons can help any leader better collaborate. This interview was recorded in May 2025 at the World Economic Forum Office in New York. About this episode: Filecoin Foundation: https://fil.org/ Not Your Parent's Web Study, Filecoin Foundation, 2024: https://fil.org/blog/the-web-isn-t-forever-new-research-findings-from-not-your-parents-web-project When online content disappears, Pew Research, 2024: https://www.pewresearch.org/data-labs/2024/05/17/when-online-content-disappears/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/marta-belcher-filecoin-foundation Related episodes:We're 'losing the war' on modern slavery: Tech's surprising role and what leaders can do - HPE's John Schultz Read here: https://tinyurl.com/486fhvy9 Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/yewem3s4 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXggC3o08I 'I'll show you a real leader' - Platon, the photographer of power, on finding humanity in all of us Read here: https://tinyurl.com/2s4372wc Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/3r9xrpftfdfc40499c Watch here: https://tinyurl.com/yr44h49y

Robots that fold our laundry might sound futuristic, but don't justify a new way of operating. And AI that reads our email or searches the web in new ways, won't tackle the world's biggest problems. Jake Loosararian, Gecko Robotics Co-founder, explains how technologies such as AI and robotics could do more to tackle stubborn challenges – such as infrastructure failure, to protect lives and prevent catastrophes – if only they had the right data. He breaks down: how big data gaps have held back innovation for the physical world, and how smarter approaches to infrastructure can improve efficiency and safety in sectors like manufacturing or mining, all while reducing emissions. He also offers key questions leaders can ask to better understand what information has informed their AI and why that's critical to continued trust in the technology. Lastly, he takes us through the moment he knew he needed to start Gecko Robotics, the sleepless nights he pushed through to bootstrap it in its early days, and the unique way he has merged worklife and family life to spend more time with his wife and four children. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 2025. About this episode: Gecko Robotics https://www.geckorobotics.com/ Episode transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/jake-loosarian-gecko-robotics-data-gap-ai/ Future of jobs report https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Meet the Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA Listen: https://tinyurl.com/ys2dtftj Read: https://tinyurl.com/fbym95jy Radio Davos - Tech poised to change the world: Top Ten Emerging Technologies 2025 Watch: https://youtu.be/QVTprDQdrZE Listen: https://tinyurl.com/2nb3c246 Read: https://youtu.be/QVTprDQdrZE Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: - / @wef Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560

Forecasts say we'll need to double food production by 2050 - a tall order given 40% of the earth's land has been degraded over decades by mining, unsustainable farming and climate change. The head of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Ibrahim Thiaw takes us through this complex issue that impacts economies, human well-being and global security. He breaks down what's needed to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land and the policies and technologies that can make a difference. He also shares how drought devastated his family and community when just a child and how the destruction and despair he witnessed inspired him to dedicate his life to environmental issues. As he closes out his role as executive secretary this summer, he shares how leaders can sharpen their focus on the issues that matter most. About this episode: https://www.unccd.int/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ibrahim-thiaw-unccd-land-restoration-climate Related report: Business on the Edge: Building Industry Resilience to Climate Hazards Related podcasts: How one global health leader prepares teams for the toughest scenarios: Gavi CEO The 'triple strength' leaders must develop to drive a sustainable future: OMV CEO We're 'losing the war' on modern slavery: What business leaders can do - HPE's John Schultz

Former gymnast and current USA Gymnastics CEO and president Li Li Leung joined the organization after after a turmoil-ridden period marked by an abuse scandal, bankruptcy and rapid leadership turnover. She talks to Meet The Leader about what she did in her first days to rebuild trust with athletes, coaches and gymnastics communities across the country and build new policies that met their needs. She also shares what's needed for psychological safety and the slate of new mental health resources created at the organization, from therapists to emotional support dogs, that are supporting both athletes and coaches. Lastly, she shares what the sport has taught her about discipline and accepting feedback, and what's key to coaching teams on results that matter. About this episode: USA Gymnastics https://usagym.org/ Future of jobs report https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Related Podcasts: Meet the Leader - Ballerina Misty Copeland: Unlocking potential and a leader's most 'vital' role https://tinyurl.com/yd7zc3yc Radio Davos - How sport can save lives: Homeless World Cup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsXULphhSzo Meet the Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: - / @wef Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560

Big change can come with big fallouts and big feelings. Cisco's chief customer experience officer Liz Centoni runs a team with tens of thousands of employees and has 25 years of experience making the tough calls needed to drive needed technological change and earn critical buy-in and support. She shares what she's learned about tackling team fears and frictions head on and the importance of breaking down complex shifts into manageable 'chunks' to bring people along. She explains why she recommends leaders embrace the 'power of the pause' -- and wait to speak in meetings -- and what's needed to get truly honest feedback in pivotal moments. Learn more about her approach – and the empowering lessons she learned about transformation from books like 'The Courage to be Disliked' and the famed psychologist Viktor Frankl. About this episode:Cisco: https://www.cisco.com/ Episode Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/liz-centoni-cisco-tough-decisions-big-change Referenced in this episode: Book recommendation - The Courage to Be Disliked, by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Be-Disliked-Phenomenon-Happiness/dp/1501197274 World Economic Forum Research - Future of Jobs Report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Related podcast: 7 women leaders on the books that shaped them https://tinyurl.com/vuketc78 How one global health leader plans for the unexpected: Gavi https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Sj2YMTzpZj54Q0DMhHVrr

The global retirement savings gap could grow to $400 trillion by 2050 -- a problem that can't just be tackled by simple saving alone. Meanwhile, we're living longer and longer, a reality that is changing the way we live in our later years while making it trickier to save. Yie-Hsin Hung, the CEO of State Street Investment Management, will break down this problem and the new multi-prong approaches from all parts of society that will be needed to fix it. She also shares the moments that shaped her as a leader (like the simple question she asked early in her career that has helped her get honest feedback to this day). About this episode: State Street Investment Management Note: State Street rebranded to State Street Investment Management since this interview was recorded. https://www.ssga.com/us/en/intermediary Related Initiative: World Economic Forum Longevity Economy Initiative: https://initiatives.weforum.org/financial-resilience-for-every-generation/home Related reports: Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends: https://www.weforum.org/publications/future-proofing-the-longevity-economy-innovations-and-key-trends/ Global Risks report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/digest/ Related Podcasts: The 'inevitable' caregiving cost nightmare: One young founder's story and solution: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/lily-vittayarukskul-waterlily-caregiving-costs/

How does the CEO of an organization brought in to help respond to fast-moving health crises like Mpox and other infectious diseases plan for the unexpected? Sania Nishtar heads up Gavi - The Vaccine Alliance, an organization that has helped vaccinate over one billion children in the world's poorest countries and prevent more than 18 million deaths worldwide. Sania talks to us about the planning, mindsets, technologies and scenario planning her team uses to be ready for any emergency. She explains the importance of securing 'crystal clarity' in advance for what its expected to deliver and how that helps the organization prepare for a range of circumstances and efficiently coordinate with governments and other global organizations when time is of the essence. This organization was launched at Davos 25 years ago and she shares what what's needed for global health security and strengthened public health systems now and in months and years ahead. This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. About this episode: Gavi: https://www.gavi.org/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/sania-nishtar-gavi-preparation-global-health Related podcasts: What most people get wrong about progress: Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IJjZs4E7A&t=51s We're 'losing the war' on modern slavery: What leaders can do - HPE's John Schultz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXggC3o08I&t=1s

Non-communicable diseases like stroke and heart disease have swapped spots with infectious diseases as top global killers. Improving health access -- whether in the developed or emerging world -- can save the lives of billions. CEO Bernd Montag explains how Siemens Healthineers is partnering with providers around the world to deliver technologies and help reduce the complexities that can stand in the way of efficient treatment. He'll also share his own unique background -- as a professional basketball player and later theoretical physicist -- and how it shaped how he makes decisions and leads. This interview was recorded January 2025 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. About this episode: https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/ Video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECEgJAlM72A Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/bernd-montag-siemens-healthineers Related podcasts: Bridging the gap in women's health technology, policy and more: Kearney: https://tinyurl.com/3jmahwwj Tackling these surprising blindspots can bridge gender gaps in health, opportunity and more: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HfUaxq69cJBZfVgGctVMB?go=1&sp_cid=974f0d02895cc3e5dc6ee274371893a7&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=38d6c85af7df484e

Nadya Okamoto launched her nonprofit Period as a teenager at the height of startup mania, hustle culture and girlboss memes. It grew to become one of the largest youth nonprofits in the world, but the fast growth led to burnout and a harsh cost to her well-being. She talks about how she learned to value rest, set boundaries and get 10 hours of sleep a day – and the moment she decided to pass the leadership torch for the organization's next phase. Her non-profit Period, one that got started distributing menstrual pads to the homeless in San Francisco, and her current startup August, a menstruation care brand, both deal with tackling access to women's health products, health equity and ending period poverty. She discusses the unique challenges leaders face in this space and the boundary pushing ways she leverages social media and grassroots organizing to bridge gaps in awareness and funding and drive positive conversations and change. She also shares her lessons from her work in non-profits, policy work and startups on how any leader can be more accountable to what their organization needs right now. About this episode: August: https://www.itsaugust.co/Period: https://msha.ke/periodinc/ Related report: Prescription for Change: Policy Recommendations for Women's Health Research: https://www.weforum.org/publications/prescription-for-change-policy-recommendations-for-women-s-health-research/ Blueprint to Close the Women's Health Gap: How to Improve Lives and Economies for All: https://www.weforum.org/publications/blueprint-to-close-the-women-s-health-gap-how-to-improve-lives-and-economies-for-all/ Related podcasts: 7 women leaders on the books that shaped their lives: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/7-women-leaders-books-recommendations/ Bridging the gap in women's health research, policy and innovation: Kearney https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/paula-bellostas-muguerza-kearney-womens-health/ How bridging design gaps in science and tech can tackle gender bias: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/nigina-muntean-design-equity-unpf/

In this special collection episode, top women leaders in business, non-profits and more share the books that inspired them, informed them and changed their minds. These books will make you take a second read of a classic - whether it's a favorite business book or an Agatha Christie mystery. And these insightful picks will have you thinking differently about a range of big problems, from geography's role in a fractured society to how transit design can widen gender gaps. These books will help you get sharper at your role -- and even find new ways to make room for joy. Global Gender Gap Report 2025: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/ Leaders featured in this episode: Liz Centoni, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Cisco Alicia Chong Rodriguez, founder, Bloomer Tech Nadya Okamoto Founder, August Kara Alaimo, professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University Makiko Ono, CEO, Suntory Beverage and Food Angela Oduor Lungati, Executive Director, Ushahidi Yie-Hsin Hung, CEO, State Street Global Advisors Books mentioned in this episode: The Courage to Be Disliked, by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi From Good to Great, Jim Collins The Vagina Business by Marina Gerner Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Marie Brown Down Girl, Kate Manne Hood Feminism, Mikki Kendall Invisible Women, Caroline Criado-Perez Agatha Christie Mysteries The Power of Geography, Tim Marshall Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552 Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

Women's health is under-researched and under-funded, leading women to live longer in poor health than men. However, tackling this gap can boost lifespans and GDP, a fact Paula Bellostas Muguerza understands well. This global head of healthcare and life sciences at consulting firm Kearney, discusses the role that policy and collaboration can play in creating incentives for real change, and driving awareness and education. She'll talk about [w]Health, a special platform she helped found that has grown into a community of 350 organizations sharing best practices to bridge gaps and what leaders can do to make change happen for their own organizations. About this episode: Kearney: https://www.kearney.com/ [w]Health: https://www.kearney.com/industry/health/w-health Prescription for Change: Policy Recommendations for Women's Health Research: https://www.weforum.org/publications/prescription-for-change-policy-recommendations-for-women-s-health-research/ Related podcasts: How bridging design gaps in science and tech can tackle gender bias: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/nigina-muntean-design-equity-unpf/ Tackling these surprising blindspots can bridge gender gaps in health, opportunity and more: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/sahil-tesfu-essity-bridging-health-gap

Slavery is not a problem cast to the annals of history. Modern slavery and forced labour are hidden in plain sight, found everywhere from nail salons to pristine factories, estimated to impact millions worldwide. Hewlett Packard Enterprise's John Schultz explains more about this worsening problem and how it impacts economies and communities. He also explains how data and artificial intelligence are being leveraged in new ways to draw insights from sources such as from shipping reports, photos, supply chain data and victim impact statements to tackle this issue in a way that's never been possible before. He shares the collaborations in place that are broadening data pools and the simple question business leaders must ask to dig deeper into their own firms to make real change possible. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland, January 2025. About this episode: HPE: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/blog-post/2024/06/hpes-2nd-annual-human-rights-report-three-takeaways.html About the World Economic Forum's Global Data Partnership Against Forced Labour: https://initiatives.weforum.org/fldata/home Photographer Lisa Kristine: https://lisakristine.com/ About this podcast:Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/john-schultz-hpe-modern-slavery Related Podcasts:What most people get wrong about progress: Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IJjZs4E7A&list=PL7m903CwFUgkDwzqiHQj0cjnZYJNJF8VQ&index=2&t=1s Understanding the housing affordability crisis - and what's needed to fix it: Habitat for Humanity CEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crdJqhl8pGk&list=PL7m903CwFUgkDwzqiHQj0cjnZYJNJF8VQ&index=14

Staffing giant president Christophe Catoir of Adecco got an early start at the firm as an intern. He's had a front-row seat to how work has evolved since. He shares the insights from the firm's annual skilling report, giving compelling statistics on the percent of workers globally trained in AI so far and what's needed to keep workers both engaged and employed as upskilling cycles accelerate. He also shares his thoughts on how leaders in remote and hybrid workplaces will need to re-evaluate how they coach and train teams, how apprenticeship thinking can help, and how his own career journey has changed him as a leader. This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. About this podcast: Adecco: https://www.adecco-jobs.com/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/christophe-catoir-Adecco-upskilling-ai-jobs Related Podcasts: Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

Platon has made over 20 Time magazine covers with his portraits of people such as Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George Clooney, Silvio Berlusconi, Mohammed Ali, Adele and Sinead O'Connor. But he has also photographed people who are the opposite of famous and powerful - and recently published a book called The Defenders: Heroes of the Global Fight for Human Rights - which contains work done over 15 years around the world telling the stories of refugees and other oppressed people. He tells us what makes a true leader, and how the meaning of a photograph can change over time, and depending on who is looking at it. Video version of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIUGFUza2ec&t=37s Links: https://www.platonphoto.com/ Platon is a World Economic Forum Cultural Leader https://www.weforum.org/communities/artsandculture/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/platon-power-photography-humanity Related Podcasts: Meet The Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA Ballerina Misty Copeland: Unlocking potential and a leader's most 'vital' role: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNwmJJMRt4o&t=337s Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552 Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

How can we live more sustainably? OMV's Alfred Stern takes us through the big innovations the Austrian energy and chemicals company has in progress, including a geothermal heating project that will help to decarbonise Vienna by 2040. But he also shares the bigger tactical pieces that must be in place for real change, from updating mundane practices like permitting to continually educating staff (from execs to those in the field) on topics like measuring methane and ways to curb emissions. This former research scientist who got his start in academia also shares what his background taught him about the difference between inventing and innovating, how he weighs evidence and honest feedback, and the mindset that leaders will need need to build nimble teams empowered to drive change for the future. About this episode: OMV: https://www.omv.com/en About OMV's climate neutral heating districts: https://www.omv.com/en/news/231106-climate-neutral-district-heating-wien-energie-and-omv-establish-joint-venture-for-deep-geothermal-energy Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/alfred-stern-omv-sustainable-energy Related podcasts: How one founder's design background is helping to rethink EV charging in cities: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/tiya-gordon-ev-cities-energy-transition/ An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/mark-lundstrom-radia-climate-change/

Lily Vittayarukskul was a college student at just 14 and on track for a career in aerospace engineering. However, an aunt's cancer battle later upended those plans, wreaking havoc on her family and their finances. The experience inspired her to launch the AI-powered startup Waterlily, helping people better predict expenses for getting older, including eldercare or assisted living, costs most don't realize aren't fully covered by either health insurance or Medicare. In this talk, Lily wades through the mounting data showing how super-ageing societies will struggle to afford long-term care needs. She also shares the tough lessons her personal story taught her and what others can do to prepare for an aging economy. This interview was recorded January 2025 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland About this episode: Waterlily: https://www.waterlily.com/ Related World Economic Forum Initiatives: Waterlily is an Uplink Innovator About Uplink: https://uplink.weforum.org/ About the Uplink / Manulife - Prosperity in Longevity Challenge https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-issue/a00TE000003HcDrYAK/prospering-in-longevity-challenge World Economic Forum Longevity Economy Initiative: https://initiatives.weforum.org/financial-resilience-for-every-generation/home Related Podcasts: Meet The Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA Meet The Leader - How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

Renowned Harvard cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker studies the big questions facing human nature: Why do we fight? What helps us get along? How do we understand the world around us? His research has uncovered an insight we might not expect – that humanity is doing better than we might think. Despite host of major challenges that still exist, from geopolitical unrest to climate change, data shows that humans today live longer, face fewer wars, and live more comfortable lives than in preceding generations. He explains why a better understanding of progress and its uneven nature can help us better appreciate the unique moment of time in which we live, avoid decision-making blindspots and strengthen leaders' confidence to solve the big complex problems we still face. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland in January 2025. About this episode: Steven Pinker: https://stevenpinker.com/ Future of Jobs report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Video podcast version of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IJjZs4E7A Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/steven-pinker-harvard-humanity-doing-better Related Podcasts: Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

How can we recognize potential and unlock it? Misty Copeland was the first Black woman to be promoted to principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. But as a child she almost quit after her first class – until an early teacher convinced her to return. Misty talks to Meet The Leader about the ways dance changed how she navigated life and how it taught her key skills such as resilience, empathy and curiosity. She shares how she uses her perspective and experience to found the Misty Copeland Foundation and develop a free afterschool program that reinvents how dance is taught to bridge diversity gaps while also teaching key leadership skills. She shares why these skills and approaches are vital to driving future change and what any leader can learn about elevating others. This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. To learn more: Misty Copeland Foundation: https://www.mistycopelandfoundation.org/ Arts & Culture at the World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/communities/artsandculture/ Special Open Forum Screening: Flower: https://www.weforum.org/de/open-forum/event_sessions/special-open-forum-screening-flower/ Dancing Through Adversity: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/dancing-through-adversity/ How can art drive equality for women? Two cultural trailblazers weigh in: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/how-can-art-drive-equality-for-women-misty-copeland-yana-peel/ About this episode: Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/misty-copeland-ballet-leadership-skills Related Podcasts: Radio Davos: Dance or die: the ballet dancer who faced down Al Qaeda to become the voice of stateless refugees: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/dance-or-die-the-ballet-dancer-who-faced-down-al-qaeda-to-become-the-voice-of-stateless-refugees/

Spatial computing will extend computing beyond screens. In the process it could change how we communicate and interact with technology as a whole -- transforming how we work, how we learn, how we preserve memories, and even what can be owned (with issues like virtual air rights highlighting new business opportunities and regulatory challenges). Future Dynamics founder and spatial computing expert Cathy Hackl will share what to expect and what's needed to scale this field further (or what could hold it back). She'll also explain how companies and leaders should be preparing and reveal the advice she gives CEOs to help them get ready for this tech shift and the workforce that will come with it, Gen Alpha. About this episode: https://www.cathyhackl.com/ Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2s37bkmp Related podcast: Radio Davos: Spatial computing: why the future of the internet is 3D https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/metaverse-spatial-computing/

Masculinity is having a moment. Leveraging it - in the right way - can help men and women succeed while bridging the gender gap both at work and at home. Gary Barker is the founder of Equimundo, a non-profit dedicated to research and solutions that help bring men into connected, equitable, caring versions of manhood. He shares the insights gleaned since this organization's founding more than a decade ago – a group that has collected the largest dataset on men, masculinity and gender equality and that publishes the only global report on men's involvement in parenting and care work. He breaks down the blindspots that can hold organizations back and the best practices that can drive the much needed norm changes. To learn more: Equimundo: https://www.equimundo.org/ World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, 2024: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2024/ Related podcasts: IKEA HR chief shares decades of career lessons learned and what's needed to bridge the gender equity gap: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ulrika-biesert-ingka-group-gender-equity/ How bridging design gaps in science and tech can tackle gender bias: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/nigina-muntean-design-equity-unpf/

Big shifts must happen to ready teams for a work future that requires agile thinking and new forms of collaboration. Organizational psychologist, best-selling author and Wharton professor Adam Grant shares research-backed strategies that help develop leaders and work relationships across an organization as well as help teams practice critical soft skills like analysis and creativity that are often overlooked and undervalued. He explains why future workers will need to become "job crafters," and the one trait leaders won't be able to work without. He'll also share what a college job as a magician taught him about engaging skeptics (and prompting critical thinking) and why he swears by keeping a "To-Don't" list. This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland About this episode: -Adam grant: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@adammgrant Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0uFXKiNiC05GOrjE9AXnkn -Future of Jobs Report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Related Podcasts: -How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist: https://tinyurl.com/mrpm57k6 -Upskilling, tapping human talents, and what's really needed for the future of work: Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ravi-kumar-cognizant-future-technology/

How will inflation, conflict and technological change shape economies in the year ahead? The International Monetary Fund's First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath sat down with Meet The Leader at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland to share what's next for global growth. She identified the statistics that she found most compelling and the risks and opportunities leaders must prioritize in 2025. She also described the pivot countries will need to make in fiscal policy to tackle historic levels of global public debt (levels that could hit the $100 trillion mark) and how "optimism bias" could stand in the way. This special episode of interview of Meet The Leader was recorded at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. About the research cited: IMF World Economic Outlook: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2025/01/17/world-economic-outlook-update-january-2025 Find a transcript here: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/gita-gopinath-imf-economic-outlook

To truly close the gender gap, we'll need to address the menstrual health gap. A lack of access to hygiene care, solutions, education and more holds back those who menstruate at school and work, leading to real knock-on effects to the economy. Sahil Tesfu, the Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer for health and hygiene company Essity Group, breaks down how age-old taboos related to women's health have led to big barriers for social progress and the simple changes that leaders in business can make to boost workplace health, psychological safety and productivity. She also shares lessons learned from her long consulting career including how a different approach to check-ins can be more effective than the standard status update in driving team progress, clarity and empowerment. For more on this episode: Blueprint to Close the Women's Health Gap: How to Improve Lives and Economies for All Related episodes: How bridging design gaps in science and tech can tackle gender bias: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/nigina-muntean-design-equity-unpf/

Climate change is one of 5 forces reshaping the world order, according to Ray Dalio, the founder of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates and a student of history who has tracked centuries of patterns in economics and geopolitics for his series of best-selling books. He explains how climate change will power a global transformation of economies and societies that's both "existential" and potentially "catastrophic." He'll share how bridging climate finance gaps can mitigate the worst impacts of a warming planet and how smart use of climate philanthropy can de-risk the investments needed for critical innovations and progress. This interview was recorded August 2024 in the World Economic Forum Headquarters in Geneva About this episode: GAEA (Giving to Amplify Earth Action): https://initiatives.weforum.org/giving-to-amplify-earth-action/home

Changes in demographics, technologies and geopolitics will create a net 78 million new jobs by 2030. But current workforces are not yet skilled for these jobs and 40% of the skills needed on the job are set to change. ADP's Chief Economist Nela Richardson breaks down research from the latest World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report and key findings from ADP data - including the dramatic boost to wages upskilling could bring to some workers. She'll explain why experts might soon be focused on task creation, not job creation, what soft skills will be valued more than ever and how leaders can help prepare their teams for a new future. She'll also share lessons learned from her own professional journey including how competing on her high school debate team has shaped how she communicates and connects with people to this day – and the two words she uses more than any other as a leader. About this episode: ADP: https://www.adp.com/ ADP Research Institute: https://www.adpresearch.com/ Article, ADP CEO Maria Black, Solving for human connection in the Intelligent Age: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/solving-for-human-connection-in-the-intelligent-age/ Future of Jobs Report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Related Podcasts: Upskilling, tapping human talents, and what's really needed for the future of work: Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ravi-kumar-cognizant-future-technology/

Around the world, affordable housing is becoming less and less easy to attain. Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford lays out in plain language the state of global housing, the barriers to affordability and the practical steps that can tackle this crisis, including the solutions this global housing organization is helping get into place. He also shares lessons from his unique career journey - one that included talking himself into a job at an investment bank after college and later coaching the South Korean Olympic rowing team - and what he learned from the leaders who shaped him, including the late US president Jimmy Carter and grandmother Millicent Fenwick, the fashion editor and former US representative.

Workplaces are poised for a step change in how they leverage (and partner with) technology and how they tap human talents. Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar shares insights from special research the company commissioned on how enterprise organizations can better harness tech disruptions. He discusses this research that mapped thousands of occupations and tasks and how they'll shape our need for upskilling. He also shares lessons learned from his own background, including his training as a nuclear scientist, and how that helps him embed curiosity and experimentation into teams and why a collaborative approach that empowers people with a variety of backgrounds will be key to driving innovation in the years ahead. About this episode: Cognizant: https://www.cognizant.com/us/en Future of Jobs Report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Reskilling Revolution: https://initiatives.weforum.org/reskilling-revolution/home

Consultancy AlixPartners works with top companies around the world, giving it a front row seat at how industries are changing. Its annual Disruption Index takes an even closer look at these changes surveying leaders to understand the biggest opportunities and challenges they see, all while identifying the tipping points ahead in everything from global labor markets to technologies. CEO Simon Freakley breaks down surprising insights from the Index's fifth edition, including the ways leaders have become more adept at handling change since COVID and the skills CEOs say they need to strengthen now. He uses his own experience to put key takeaways into sharp focus, sharing the traits effective technology leaders must develop and the tactical questions they must ask themselves to navigate disruption and eventually drive the transformation of their sectors. For more information: AlixPartners: https://www.alixpartners.com/ 2024 Disruption Index: https://disruption.alixpartners.com/ Related podcasts: What's next for data driven medicine - and what AI-powered innovation needs now: Insitro CEO Daphne Koller: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/daphne-koller-insitro-data-driven-medicine-ai/ Build a culture of innovation: HPE's CTO shares what must be in place: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/fidelma-russo-innovation-cto/ 7 top innovators share strategies that drive cutting edge solutions: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/top-innovator-strategies-tactics/

Looking for a new read? Something that will make you sharper in 2025 or something for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list? Or maybe you just want closer access to the ideas shaping today's brightest changemakers. No matter the reason, look no further than our annual books roundup, an episode collecting books that have transformed how some of the top global leaders manage teams, get inspired and motivated, shift mindsets and more. This year's recommendations include fresh takes on classic business books, histories, time-honored works of literature, and new favorites that can change how you build and lead. Leaders and their book selections: Leader: Alexi Robichaux, CEO, BetterUp Book Selection: Boyd Varty's Liontracker's Guide to Life: https://boydvarty.com/book/the-lion-trackers-guide-to-life/ Leader: Mark Lundstrom, CEO, Radia: Book Selection: Eliyahu Moshe Goldratt's The Goal: https://www.tocinstitute.org/the-goal-summary.html Leader: Sahil Tesfu, Chief Strategy Officer, Essity Book Selection: Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****: https://markmanson.net/not-giving-a-fuck Leader: Christopher Oakes, CEO, Reefgen Book Selection: Cal Newport's A World Without Email: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575655/a-world-without-email-by-cal-newport/ Leader: Brad Smith, President, Microsoft Book Selection: Brian Merchant's Blood in the Machine: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens=little-brown Leader: Serge Raemaekers, CEO, ABOLOBI Book Selection: Jim Collins' The Flywheel Effect: https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/the-flywheel.html Leader: Ritu Narayan, CEO, Zum Book Selection: Clayton Christensen's The Innovator's Dillemma: https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Dilemma-Revolutionary-Change-Business/dp/0062060244 Leader: Jordan Justus, Automotus Book Selection: Matt Ridley's How Innovation Works: https://www.mattridley.co.uk/books/how-innovation-works/ Leader: Catalina Cock Duque, founder, Fundacion mi Sangre Book Selection: Otto Scharmer's Leading from the Emerging Future: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575194/leading-from-the-emerging-future-by-otto-scharmer-and-katrin-kaufer/ Leader: Christophe Catoir, President, Adecco Book Selection: W. Henry Gilbert's Homo erectus: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/homo-erectus/hardcover Leader: Kara Alaimo, Professor and author, Fairleigh Dickinson University Book Selection: Kate Manne's Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny: http://www.katemanne.net/down-girl.html Book Selection: Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism: https://www.amazon.com/Hood-Feminism-Notes-Movement-Forgot/dp/0525560548 Book Selection: Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women: https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Women-Data-World-Designed/dp/1419729071 Leader: Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Book Selection: J. R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Series: https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Picture-Trilogy-Extended/dp/B000654ZK0 Leader: Florian Hoffman, Founder, The Do Book Selection: Voltaire's Candide: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19942/19942-h/19942-h.htm

Jessica Jackson understands the damage wreaked by excessive incarceration and supervision. As a young mother with a two-month old on her hip, she watched her husband be sentenced to six years in prison, being pulled into a system impacting millions in the US alone - one that erodes families and communities and restricts opportunities for stable lives after release. This life-changing experience drove this housewife just only a GED to go to college, then law school, and then become a human rights attorney driving a movement for reform. She talks about her work running The Reform Alliance as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Advocacy Officer, a non-profit that has passed 18 bipartisan bills in 11 states that have created pathways for more than 850,000 people to exit the system. She also shares why tackling stigma and isolation is so key to future progress on this issue and the personal traits that she's depended on the most to overcome hurdles and challenges. About this episode: The Reform Alliance: https://reformalliance.com/ Young Global Leaders: Future of Leadership Series: https://www.younggloballeaders.org/vision-and-mission/ Jessica is a Young Global Leader, a group of more than 1,400 innovators, entrepreneurs, technology pioneers, educators, activists, artists, journalists, and more, working to make change happen. This is the first in an ongoing series spotlighting leaders from this community.

What's a piece of advice that changed you for the better? In this special episode of Meet The Leader, top leaders from Microsoft, to IKEA to the International Monetary Fund and more share the feedback that was so meaningful and compelling they'd applied it throughout their careers. Learn the tough moments and powerful feedback that led to turning points and transformations, nudging leaders to reflect, change course, listen in new ways and change how they react to scale their impact. Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/leaders-advice-grateful-for-microsoft-ikea-hpe Featured in this episode: Olajumoke Adekeye, Founder, Young Business Agency Tejpaul Bhatia, CRO, Axiom Space Ulrika Biesert, CHRO, Ingka Group / IKEA Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund Daphne Koller, CEO, insitro Annette Mosman, CEO, APG Nigina Muntean, Chief of Innovation, UNFPA Sander van 't Noordende, CEO, Randstad Christopher Oakes, CEO, Reefgen Madison O'Brien, Customer Success and Community Lead, Teamgage Alexi Robichaux, CEO, Better Up Fidelma Russo, CTO, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft

Humans have learned to survive in space. But as Tejpaul Bhatia reminded Meet the Leader, it's time to learn how to live, work and thrive. One step towards that goal is Axiom Station, the first commercial space station. With the International Space Station due to be decommissioned, he explains how Axiom Station will build on decades of lessons learned for a future-ready station factoring in principles of ergonomic and industrial design, a station planned to adapt to new technologies and needs. And while it employs its share of former astronauts and rocket scientists, this unique company also designs space suits - like the one for the upcoming Artemis moon mission set for 2026. This means it also counts sewers and costumers from places like Cirque du Soleil on its team – people who understand performance fabrics and who have the skill sets to hand sew parts of uniforms that can't be tackled with a machine. He'll share how this incredibly diverse group works together and how learning how to tap such a range of capabilities is a window into the unique pioneering collaborations that will drive the space economy. To learn more: Axiom Space: https://www.axiomspace.com/ Report: Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth: https://www.weforum.org/publications/space-the-1-8-trillion-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth/ Related podcasts: This former astronaut shares what's key to building strong, effective teams: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/soichi-noguchi-astronaut-build-effective-teams/ From space to the ocean's depths - how a space CEO and explorer approaches risk: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/dylan-taylor-voyager-space-risk-leadership/

Last year, Ingka Group, the parent company for big retailer IKEA, reached near gender balance in leadership. This transformation did not come overnight and HR chief Ulrika Biesèrt discusses the mindset shifts and tangible changes in everything from hiring to development that helped make this possible for the 80-year-old company. Biesèrt also shares her own leadership journey, one that includes 27 years at IKEA and roles in every part of the company, including logistics, product development and retail. She explains how that breadth and depth shapes how she leads -- while also sharing the advice her mother gave her at the beginning of her career that has helped her get her voice heard. Interview recorded Spring 2024. Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mserdr8z To learn more: Global Gender Gap: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2024/ Related podcasts: 9 leaders from Microsoft, IKEA and more share advice for new grads: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/9-leaders-share-advice-for-new-grads-2024/ Ingka Group's Jesper Brodin: The talent crisis you're not talking enough about: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ingka-holding-jesper-brodin-refugees-hiring/

Unsafe, costly transit contributes to everything from wealth and equity gaps to pollution. But as cities grapple with growing populations, shifting needs, technological advancement and the energy transition, we're approaching a moment of reinvention that could lead to positive change if planned correctly. Benjamin de la Peña, the CEO of the Shared-Use Mobility Center breaks down the incentives and strategies that could drive more climate-ready, equitable, safe and affordable transportation. He also discusses the importance of systems thinking and planning that factors in the generations to come -- thinking that can help any leader make big change happen.

Daphne Koller is an AI pioneer, MacArthur fellow, member of the National Academy of sciences and the founder and CEO of drug discovery and development company insitro. She'll talk about how attitudes surrounding AI have evolved in her multi-decade career and what's ahead - including how technology is reshaping drug discovery, paving the way for more targeted treatments for the patients who can benefit most. But maximizing AI-powered innovation will depend on better investments in data aggregation, quality and collection and navigating hype cycles that can distract from real impact. This academic-turned-entrepreneur will also share how founding insitro (and a previous company, Coursera) helped her expand her leadership and management skills, all while driving home the importance of shaping a company culture. At insitro, this focus building a culture that works for unique needs led to a special 'helix' inspired-structure that helps discovery biologists, automation engineers and others in the company's cross-functional teams keep communication flowing, problem solve, and prevent the siloes that can hold true innovation back. Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/daphne-koller-insitro-AI-soft-skills Insitro: https://www.insitro.com/ Top Ten Technologies of 2024: https://www.weforum.org/publications/top-10-emerging-technologies-2024/

Gaps in the design of everything from AI to pharmaceuticals lead to everything from safety risk to poor health outcomes. Nigina Muntean, the chief of innovation at the United Nations Population Fund, is looking to fix this, making research and design more inclusive for everyone. Her agency launched the Equity 2030 Alliance last year bringing together leaders in tech and pharma and other sectors to share best practices. Its experts in academia, government and business come together to help advocate for new standards in equitable investment, and to champion more gender-inclusive approaches to tech and design. The group is coming upon its first year anniversary which it celebrated during this year's UN General Assembly Week in New York City. Nigina is also a former physician and a public health expert who understands how investments in research and design impact the lives of everyday people, especially those with the least resources. She shares her first-hand perspectives on what's needed tackle bias in design and what any leader should keep in mind. More about this episode: 2030 Equity Alliance: https://www.unfpa.org/equity-2030-alliance 2024 World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2024/ 2024 Sustainable Development Impact Meetings: https://www.weforum.org/events/sustainable-development-impact-meetings-2024/ Related podcasts: Cyber has a skills gap. How approaches to tech, hiring – and retaining women - can help: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/petra-jenner-splunk-cyber-skills-gap/ Build a culture of innovation: HPE's CTO shares what must be in place: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/fidelma-russo-innovation-cto/

After the pandemic, Tiya Gordon realized the next global crisis would be climate based. To that end, she's co-founded It's Electric, a curbside solution that takes power from buildings, sidestepping the currently time-consuming permitting and installation process that slows the growth of charging stations in cities around the world. She shares how her design background has helped her be clear-eyed on objectives, identify fresh approaches and break down stubborn barriers, all to speed the change needed for the energy transition. To learn more: Guest: https://www.itselectric.us/Report: Scaling Investment in EV Charging: A Policy Roadmap for Cities Related podcasts: An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/mark-lundstrom-radia-climate-change/ 7 top innovators share strategies that drive cutting edge solutions: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/top-innovator-strategies-tactics/

Jeremy Allaire is the co-founder and CEO of Circle, a global financial technology firm that operates one of the largest dollar digital currency payment systems in the world -- USDC. Stablecoin is already seeing billions of digital dollars in economic activity and he talks about what we can expect next, including emerging applications for humanitarian aid. He'll talk about Circle's special partnership with the refugee agency UNHCR, and how new approaches for social impact could be more and more important as political strife and climate change drive up the numbers of unbanked around the world.  Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/jeremy-allaire-circle-stablecoin-unhcr More about this episode: Circle: https://www.circle.com/en/usdc