The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast

In this episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, host Edmund Thomson Jones speaks with Mads Nipper, Board Chair, former CEO, and Energy Transition Advocate. Mads reflects on his leadership journey across diverse industries, sharing lessons on business transformation, building trust, and leading with purpose through uncertainty. He also discusses the challenges of steering organizations through the global energy transition, the critical role of boards, and what it takes to balance vision with agility in volatile times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Heidrick & Struggles’ Jerry Gorss speaks to Karl Iagnemma, the CEO of Vecna Robotics. Iagnemma shares how the talent needs of the robotics and automation sector are evolving as the sector grows, as well as how he thinks about finding and training the right talent. He also shares his perspectives on managing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, industry consolidation, and the evolution and importance of implementing the flexible and collaborative automation technology for case picking in today's supply chain operations. Finally, Iagnemma also discusses artificial intelligence and what its advances mean for the human leader in terms of the skills or capabilities they will need to manage a workforce with an increasing share of machines and collaborative work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Heidrick & Struggles’ Nicole Balsam and Haven Thompson sat down with Lisa Valentino, president of Best Buy Ads, which is the in-house regional media arm of Best Buy. The three discuss the growth in retail media networks and what this means for talent across the retail, media, and ad tech sectors. Valentin shares the capabilities and skill sets that are most important for talent today, and what sectors outside of retail media networks can be relevant experience. She also discusses how generative AI is affecting the retail media networks space, and how she expects the space to continue evolving in the next few years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Heidrick & Struggles’ Scott Bae speaks to Dr. Roawen Chen, the chief supply chain and operations officer of Qualcomm Technologies. Dr. Chen first defines the concept of a “fab” [fabrication facility] versus “fabless” semiconductor company, and explains how the management of the supply chain is nuanced between the two. He then shares what he calls the “semiconductor trilemma”—how leaders have to balance three competing KPIs: pursuing the most advanced technology, having the lowest cost, and having unlimited supply—and discusses the leadership capabilities he believes are critical to manage that trilemma. Throughout the conversation, he also offers his advice for leaders who are managing the current uncertain and volatile market dynamics as it pertains to the chip space, how he has seen the role of the supply chain and operations leader evolve, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic, and how he approaches the balance between developing talent internally and recruiting talent externally, particularly when conditions are changing so rapidly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this next episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Paula Davis is joined by Sally Susman, the chief corporate affairs officer of Pfizer. Susman, who recently published her book, Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World, shares her insights on what skills are most important as a leader, particularly a communications leader, as well as the value in humanity, humility, and humor. She also discusses navigating professional boundaries and spotting a healthy corporate culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special feature of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Jason Henderson and Sean McLean sit down to talk about trends in private equity across Canada and the United States: evolving dynamics, human capital, and how leaders can compete in this environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Heidrick & Struggles’ Uroš Zver speaks to Jennifer Granholm, the former United States Secretary of Energy, about what leadership looks like in the context of the global energy transition—a transformation that's technological, economic, political, and human all at once. Granholm discusses the value of storytelling as a leader as well as how leadership evolves under pressure, especially when the stakes involve generational change and long-term global challenges. She also reflects on the moments that shaped her leadership philosophy, shares insights on how to foster cultures that balance innovation and execution, and discusses what it takes to keep teams motivated in long-horizon, purpose-driven work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Slater, CEO of Redevco, a real estate management company, explores his personal leadership journey and the pivotal moments that led him to the CEO role. He reflects on the formative experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, the challenges he faced transitioning from a global head role to CEO, and what he’s had to unlearn to lead effectively in a rapidly evolving business landscape. He also discusses the importance of resilience, adaptability, and self-reflection, as well as aligning his personal values and corporate values to cultivate a leadership team that moves in harmony with his strategic vision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Mitja Schulz, the newly appointed CEO of Debrunner Koenig, a Swiss wholesale company specializing in reinforcements, steel and metals, metal services, and technical products, describes his leadership style and shares the core leadership competencies he believes are essential for steering his organization through today's dynamic business landscape that places increasing demands on CEOs. He also discusses how he thinks about developing leaders who excel in collaboration, staying agile, and being goal oriented; strategies he has implemented to develop these competencies within his leadership teams; and some common challenges that arise when building high‑performing teams. Looking into the future, he also shares how he thinks digital tools and AI will shape the future of leadership development, and how he is preparing his teams and wider workforce to adapt to these changes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, as part of our ongoing series examining how leaders across functions are managing and incorporating AI, Heidrick & Struggles’ Julian Ha spoke to Miriam Vogel the president and CEO of EqualAI, which is a nonprofit organization created to promote artificial intelligence governance. Miriam, who has extensive experience working with C-suites and boards and the government to help them establish best practices for legal regulatory compliance, as well as operationalizing those best practices, discusses the ways that leaders of all kinds have become much more AI literate with respect to potential harms and litigation risks, and how they are mitigating liability as well as avoiding those harm to companies, individuals, and communities. She also shares what she’s excited about when it comes to the future of AI, what it means to her to lead in an AI-enabled world, and how she believes that leaders must balance guardrails and innovation, so that their organizations remain competitive, ensure there's trust in AI systems, and that those AI systems deserve our trust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Heidrick & Struggles’ Scott Bae and Alexis Hennessy sit down with Lior Susan, the founder and managing partner of Eclipse Ventures, a venture capital firm dedicated to partnering with entrepreneurs, transforming industries that are critical to people's lives and national economies, such as manufacturing, supply chain, transportation, healthcare, and defense. Susan shares the leadership traits that he believes are uniquely critical to success in start-ups in the physical industries, as well as how leaders can seamlessly adapt between start-ups and large companies, how he thinks about investing in highly regulated industries, and his perspective on AI’s evolution and impact on the space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Borzi is the executive vice president and chief supply chain officer at Baxter International, a healthcare company; he joined Heidrick & Struggles’ Fabrice Lebecq to discuss how AI is helping leaders of the supply chain function across industries deliver value. Borzi shared how AI was rolled into the function at Baxter, as well as his perspective on finding the talent needed to make the most of these tools and managing the culture changes necessary to integrate the tools into ways of working. He also shared how he approaches balancing the opportunities of AI with its risks both ethical and sustainability-related; how he sees AI continuing to optimize the healthcare supply chain; and what it means to him as a leader to lead in an AI-enabled world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our interview series exploring AI and its impacts on leaders across functions, Heidrick & Struggles’ Lindsay Leach and Hugh Marshall were joined by Chris Koehler, the chief marketing officer at Twilio, a customer engagement platform that drives real-time personalized experiences for leading brands. Chris discusses the ways in which his marketing function is using AI and where they are finding it adding particular value, as well as how he uses AI tools in his day-to-day work. The three also discuss what skills and mindsets marketing leaders will need to thrive in this AI-driven world, as well as how they will continue to find talent to make the most of AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nearly 23 years at Unite Students, the United Kingdom’s largest student accommodation provider, Joe Lister moved from the role of CFO to CEO in January 2024. In this interview, he discusses how his mindset and perspectives regarding leadership have shifted, how he deals with mental health and wellness, and what it’s like managing a wide range of stakeholders. He also shares how he built out his executive team, what he looks for in future-ready leaders, and his advice to someone stepping into the CEO role for the first time: get match fit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stendert Krommendam is the chief people and sustainability officer at Ecotone, a leading private equity–backed company in Europe for organic, vegetarian, healthy and fair-trade food. Krommendam, who has built a dynamic career at the intersection of people, sustainability, and business, was formerly an HR leader in Unilever and Ahold Delhaize. In this interview, he discusses his new leadership model that embeds sustainability and systems thinking as core leadership qualities, describing what healthy leadership means in the context of Ecotone’s mission of biodiversity. He also shares the leadership qualities he believes are critical for balancing performance, purpose, and sustainability; how he fosters a purpose-driven culture; and his perspective on the balance between long-term sustainability commitments and the growth and profitability expectations that are typical in a PE environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Santiago Argelich Hesse, CEO of Cellnex Poland, Europe's largest digital infrastructure provider, shares his approach to leading diverse teams that are aligned with both local market needs and a unified global vision, as well as how the maturation of the digital infrastructure sector is changing talent needs, specific skills, and mindsets. He also shares the strategies he feels are most important to foster trust and alignment within the leadership teams of organizations during a merger, and what specific steps he took to minimize attrition and ensure continuity of expertise, especially for critical leadership roles within the strategy of the expanded organization. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Adam Pacifico sits down with Dr. Regis Chasse, who leads leadership development solutions initiatives for Heidrick Consulting. Adam and Regis discuss the five imperatives Heidrick has identified through which leaders can focus their capabilities and, over time, become what we call connecting leaders. These imperatives are: envision the future, deliver today, act with purpose and courage, harness the power of others, orchestrate ecosystems, and cultivate a learning mindset. For more on the connecting leader, see “The connecting leader: Five imperatives for leaders today.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ludovic Gaudé, CEO of Qinshift and Avenga, discusses the challenges and opportunities of leading tech companies under private equity ownership compared to other ownership structures, including private ownership or a publicly traded company, as well as balancing value creation with fostering innovation. Having led through mergers, he also shares how he adapts his leadership approach in a merger scenario and what qualities or strategies are most critical for success, as well as how he thinks about culture shaping, fostering trust and alignment, and minimizing attrition. Finally, he discusses the key trends he sees shaping the IT services market in the Central and Eastern Europe region and globally, and how those trends will impact leadership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this interview, Heidrick & Struggles’ Sherree Kendall sat down with Emma Delaney, executive vice president at BP, to discuss balancing growth and sustainability. Delaney, who has exposure and experience in both the upstream and the downstream verticals, shares how that has influenced her approach to leadership, emphasizing the importance of the strength and power of the team. She also talks about balancing being impactful as well as approachable and shares what skills and capabilities she believes business leaders will need to deploy in order to successfully lead an organization in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this next episode of the Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Sean McLean speaks to Theresa Roessel, the CFO of Canada Diagnostic Centres, about her 30-year career journey in finance. Theresa has led large global teams through strategic, collaborative leadership and proactive approaches to complex business issues. She has worked as CFO at the Calgary Zoo, as well as with CNOOC International. She also has served on the board of the Canadian Red Cross, among many others. In this conversation, Theresa shares her journey and discusses the leadership capabilities that have helped her succeed and navigate change, as well as how the finance function is adapting to evolving AI tools and capabilities, how her board experience has impacted how she approaches her executive mandates, and what organizations can do to build a more gender-diverse finance function. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.