Leading with James Ashton
Business & Economics Podcasts
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others.
From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.
Location:
United States
Description:
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others. From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.
Language:
English
Website:
https://www.leadingpod.com
Episodes
Meta
11/8/2021
Nicola Mendelsohn oversees the vast $100bn-a-year advertising business at Meta, the social media giant known until recently as Facebook. She is one of the most senior women in UK tech, now heading to New York to take up her new role.
Business is booming for Meta, which also includes Instagram and Whatsapp, as it plots a push into virtual reality worlds. But so are critics’ voices, especially after damaging leaks suggesting the group knew its products contributed to violence and mental...
Duration:00:35:18
JoJo Maman Bébé
10/11/2021
Laura Tenison is the always-on founder and CEO of JoJo Maman Bébé, the children’s clothing, gifts and maternity wear chain which brightens dozens of UK high streets.
The business now stretches to 88 shops, a strong online presence, 900 employees and an annual turnover of £70m.
Laura joins James Ashton to discuss:
The life-changing car accident that led to the foundation of her business in 1993;
Rolling up her sleeves to join her warehouse workers during the Covid-19 pandemic;
The...
Duration:00:39:24
Under Armour
9/30/2021
Patrik Frisk is CEO of Under Armour, the US sportswear brand worn by top boxer Anthony Joshua, rugby star Maro Itoje and taekwondo champion Jade Jones that goes head-to-head with Nike and Adidas every day.
Frisk joined UA in 2017 to help get it back on track after sales growth stuttered. He oversees a global team of 15,000 and annual revenue of $5bn.
He joins James Ashton to discuss:
Taking the helm from UA’s long-serving founder Kevin Plank, who created his first T-shirt in 1996;
What...
Duration:00:37:55
Royal Navy
9/21/2021
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin is First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, overseeing more than 30,000 personnel and a fleet of aircraft carriers, assault ships, submarines and more designed to protect UK interests at sea.
He joins James Ashton to discuss:
The new investment and recruitment needed to tackle changing threats abroad;
Taking life threatening decisions and fulfilling our duty in Afghanistan;
His career so far, including three command tours of Iraq;
The importance of not...
Duration:00:46:31
S4 Episode 15 - RFU
6/21/2021
Bill Sweeney is chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, English rugby’s 150-year old governing body that oversees half a million regular players and strives for elite international success.
Sweeney joins James Ashton to discuss:
Bringing back the fans and steadying the finances in the wake of the Covid-19 closedown;
Making your own luck on and off the pitch;
Instilling a team ethic in the athletes who brought back a record medals haul from the Rio Olympics in 2016 when he led the...
Duration:00:41:30
S4 Episode 14 - Marks & Spencer
6/14/2021
Katie Bickerstaffe is joint chief operating officer at Marks & Spencer.
She is part of the top team tasked with reviving the retailer’s clothing and home business while capitalising on the appeal of its expanding food operation and the shift towards shopping online.
Bickerstaffe joins James Ashton to discuss:
Her quest to make daily improvements to the business that still frustrates customers;
Career confidence and experience gathered at Dixons, Dyson and SSE;
How she makes a four-day...
Duration:00:48:04
S4 Episode 13 - Mars Petcare
5/24/2021
Poul Weihrauch is global president of Mars Petcare, the largest division of the family-owned food empire still best known for its chocolate bars and chewing gum.
Selling brands including Whiskas and Pedigree, the business also runs thousands of pet hospitals and comprises a workforce of 85,000 operating across 55 countries.
Weihrauch joins James Ashton to discuss:
Keeping up with demand as pet ownership boomed during lockdown;
Concerns over rip-off vets' fees;
Navigating his way up...
Duration:00:41:20
S4 Episode 12 - National Trust
5/9/2021
Hilary McGrady is director-general of the National Trust, keeper of the nation’s treasures including the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, Sir Winston Churchill's family home Chartwell in Kent and Scafell Pike in the Lake District.
With 5.5m members and more than 50,000 volunteers in normal times helping to keep stately homes, parks and coastline open and maintained, everyone has a view of what the boss should be doing.
McGrady joins James Ashton to discuss:
Her plan for recovering...
Duration:00:54:34
S4 Episode 11 - Arts Council England
4/26/2021
Darren Henley is chief executive of Arts Council England, the public body that distributes £700m every year to support galleries, theatres, museums, dance studios, music venues and libraries.
He joins James Ashton to discuss the challenge of restarting the arts post-pandemic and their importance on the world stage.
Henley’s background is in radio, having risen from weekend newsreader to managing director during 22 years at Classic FM.
After leading reviews of music and cultural education...
Duration:00:46:04
S4 Episode 10 - M&C Saatchi
4/13/2021
Moray MacLennan is chief executive of M&C Saatchi, one of the most famous names in advertising.
He joins James Ashton to discuss taking over the reins at the start of 2021 at a critical time – after a boardroom exodus and accounting crisis rocked the business.
MacLennan joined Saatchi & Saatchi in 1983 and followed the brothers Maurice and Charles when they set up their breakaway agency M&C in 1995.
He made his name overseeing key accounts British Airways, Silk Cut and Famous Grouse...
Duration:00:46:19
S4 Episode 9 - Royal Air Force
2/15/2021
Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston is Chief of the Air Staff, the leader of the Royal Air Force, defender of the UK skies.
He joins James Ashton to talk about managing the fast-changing defence threat to the UK and leading through the toughest times when lives are lost.
In 35 years of service, Sir Mike has flown at seven miles a minute in some of the most dangerous parts of the world. Now he’s trying to speed up the RAF’s adoption of new technologies – including unmanned aircraft – and...
Duration:00:54:01
S4 Episode 8 - Snoop and Homeserve
12/18/2020
Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia and Richard Harpin join James Ashton to discuss starting a business in a pandemic, coping in a crisis, long-term ambition and being kind to yourself.
Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia is the founder and executive chair of Snoop, a banking app designed to help consumers save money on bills and day-to-day spending that recently raised £10m via crowdfunding.
Dame Jayne-Anne spent six years at Norwich Union, before founding Virgin Direct and then Virgin One, which was acquired by...
Duration:00:40:52
S4 Episode 7 - Tech Nation and Global Scaling Academy
12/13/2020
Stephen Kelly and Chris Yeh join James Ashton to discuss what UK tech leaders can learn from Silicon Valley – and vice versa. Plus, how to harness the sector’s current growth spurt and the relentless reinvention of successful bosses including Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Airbnb’s Brian Chesky and Marc Benioff of Salesforce.
Stephen Kelly is chairman of Tech Nation, the state-backed organisation that supports the growth of the UK’s most promising technology firms. Set up in 2014, Tech Nation...
Duration:00:50:51
S4 Episode 6 - Barnardo’s and DLA Piper
12/7/2020
Javed Khan and Simon Levine join James Ashton to discuss tough decision-making caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, prejudice at work and inspirational role models.
Javed Khan is chief executive of Barnardo’s, one of the UK’s largest charities which supports over 350,000 vulnerable children, families and carers each year. With roots going back to 1867, Barnardo’s today has 700 shops, 8,000 staff and 14,000 volunteers looking after children who have suffered from abuse or violence. The impact of...
Duration:00:54:04
S4 Episode 5 - Fortnum & Mason and Love Your Imposter
11/30/2020
Ewan Venters and Rita Clifton join James Ashton to discuss retail under pressure, tackling self doubt, the importance of kindness and knowing when it’s the right time to move on.
Ewan Venters is chief executive of Fortnum & Mason, the Queen’s grocer which was founded in 1707 and is famous for its luxury hampers, teas and preserves. In charge since 2012, Venters has boosted online delivery and opened new stores in Hong Kong and Heathrow Airport, but the Covid-19 pandemic has dealt trading a...
Duration:00:46:34
S4 Episode 4 - British Council and Alzheimer's Society
11/23/2020
Sir Ciarán Devane and Kate Lee join James Ashton to discuss communicating in a crisis, diplomacy at work and when personal and professional lives collide.
Sir Ciarán Devane is chief executive of the British Council, the organisation which projects the UK’s image on the world. Since 1934 it has aimed to forge trust and understanding with other countries through arts and education programmes, and is the number one specialist English language teacher. Last year the British Council reached...
Duration:00:50:28
S4 Episode 3 - Health Education England
11/17/2020
Navina Evans joins James Ashton to discuss life leading a key division of the NHS, the challenge of attracting and retaining a giant workforce, why she kept treating patients after becoming chief executive - and overcoming workplace sexism even after rising to the top.
Navina Evans is chief executive of Health Education England, a unit of the NHS that plans, recruits, educates and trains the health workforce of the future.
Currently there are more than 160,000 NHS students including...
Duration:00:39:03
S4 Episode 2 - Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and Welcome to Yorkshire
11/9/2020
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others.
From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.
This time, hear from Claire Horton, chief executive...
Duration:00:46:11
S4 Episode 1 - Be the Business and the CBI
11/1/2020
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others.
From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.
Tony Danker joins James Ashton as he is about to take...
Duration:00:44:34
S3 Episode 6 - Canal & River Trust
5/25/2020
In another lockdown episode, Richard Parry joins James Ashton to discuss safeguarding staff and visitors, developing new income streams and swapping commercial for charitable leadership at the helm of one of the UK’s largest not-for-profit organisations.
Richard Parry is chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, the charity that looks after 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales.
He became leader in 2013, a year after the organisation was created to replace the state-run...