ERUPT

HR Heroes with Charlotte Forsyth (VP People at LoopMe)

Continuing our latest podcast series, ‘HR Heroes’, where we sit down with inspirational people leaders from across industries to discuss their career journeys and more, is Charlotte Forsyth - Vice President, People at LoopMe. With a background in both a corporate and startup environment, Charlotte chats to Becky Finnegan, Associate Director at Annapurna, about her varied experience and what led her to where she is today. Charlotte shares how she’s navigated the evolving demands of fast-growth te...

HR Heroes with Peter Zielonka (Global HR Director - Supply Chain at The HEINEKEN Company)

Welcome to the first episode of our brand new podcast series, 'HR Heroes'. This series is focused on shining a light on the inspiring people leaders driving real change in their organisation and beyond. In this debut episode, Becky Finnegan, Associate Director at Annapurna, is joined by Peter Zielonka for a discussion on his career journey. Peter opens up about his early days working in London to leading international change programmes, and the key moments that shaped his path. He also emphasise...

Embedding Predictable Growth using the MEDDIC Methodology with Glen Howard

In this episode, Tom Walsh, Executive Search Manager at Annapurna, sits down with Glenn, SVP of Sales, EMEA at Kollective Technology, to uncover what it really takes to scale a high-performing sales team using the MEDDIC methodology. Having spent nearly 13 years at Kollective Technology, Glenn has gone from being a member of the sales team to leading revenue functions across EMEA and uses his experience to share insights on: ✅ Avoiding the "Super IC" trap and making the shift to true leadership ...

Gliding Through Transformation with Ralf Hellebrand (Head of Division IT Transformation at Vodafone) - Part 2

Welcome back to part two of our conversation with Ralf Hellebrand, Head of Division IT Transformation at Vodafone, hosted by Charley Lucas, Interim IT Manager at Annapurna. In this episode, they dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities organisations face in 2025 and beyond, with a strong focus on how artificial intelligence is driving transformation. Ralf explores how changing motivations and increasing complexity, both in business and everyday life, are pushing organisations to rethink...

Gliding Through Transformation with Ralf Hellebrand (Head of Division IT Transformation at Vodafone) - Part 1

Charley Lucas (Interim IT Manager at Annapurna) continues his latest podcast series with leaders in the IT space by sitting down with Ralf Hellebrand (Head of Division IT at Vodafone) for an insightful discussion on ‘Gliding Through Transformation’. In this episode, Ralf delves into the growing pressures of today’s accelerated and unpredictable business climate and its impact on leading transformations. Ralf highlights that business stability has diminished compared to decades ago and emphasised...

In the Spotlight with Estelle Hollingsworth (Chief People Officer at McArthurGlen Group)

In this week’s episode, we are thrilled to be joined by Estelle Hollingsworth, who was the Chief People Officer at Virgin Atlantic at the time of recording and is now the Chief People Officer at McArthurGlen Group. Estelle is a firm believer in the idea that employees perform at their best when they feel happy, secure, and valued - a belief that challenges the traditional idea that high performance comes solely from pressure and resilience. She shares her perspective on why prioritising employee...

The Arrival of 'BizDevSecAIOps' with Cristina-Gabriela Nita (Global Tech Leader in IT Delivery)

In this episode, Cristina-Gabriela Nita (Senior Tech Director) talks to Charley Lucas (IT Contracts and Senior Appointments Manager at Annapurna) about a phrase that she has coined herself, BizDecSecAIOps. The BizDevSecOps methodology has now been around for a number of years with the aim of optimising the software development lifecycle through the efficient collaboration between the business, development and ops teams. The evolution of AI and the opportunity that it presents to businesses can b...

In the Spotlight with Rui Casias (CEO at Funcom)

In this week's episode, we are delighted to be joined by Rui Casias (CEO at Funcom) to discuss the role of the CEO in one of the most exciting and fast-paced industries in which to work, the gaming industry. Funcom are one of those organisations that you may not have heard of themselves but you'll definitely know the games they build and develop, which include the Conan series and the highly anticipated, Dune Awakening. In this fascinating conversation, James Ballard (Co-Founder at Annapurna) sp...

Seize the AI Opportunity with Cristina-Gabriela Nita (Global Tech Leader in IT Delivery)

In this episode, Charley Lucas, IT Contracts and Senior Appointments Manager at Annapurna, talks to Cristina-Gabriela Nita, Senior Tech Director, about AI and the opportunity that it presents to businesses when used correctly. One of her key messages is that AI shouldn't be feared or seen as a job stealer. Instead, she encourages business leaders and employees to embrace AI's capabilities, seeing it as a tool to revolutionise the way we work. Throughout the episode, Cristina-Gabriela, emphasises...

In the Spotlight with Peter Saville (Esteemed Founder/Chairman and Chartered Occupational Psychologist)

This week's episode is rather special as we look back to 2020 when the late Professor Peter Saville (Chairman and Founder at 10x Psychology) sat down virtually to chat with James Ballard, Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Annapurna. In this exclusive session, Professor Peter Saville introduces 'Workplace Psychology'. James Ballard (Co-Founder at Annapurna) talks to Peter about his life, his experiences as a serial entrepreneur, an industry-changing academic, and some of his own personal inter...

ERUPT Podcast with Angeley Mullins

Continuing the new series of ERUPT, and the first episode of the series in 2025, we open up the conversation on 'Start-up Stories: When To Bring in a CRO/ CCO?' Tom Walsh (Executive Search Manager at Annapurna) is joined by Angeley Mullins (CMO & CCO) for a fascinating discussion on the key stages start-up organisations go through and where the focus should be to excel. Falling back on her own experiences, Angeley describes the mistakes most founders make when it comes to progressing through...

In the Spotlight with Alistair Palmar (Mindset & Performance Coach)

Have you ever felt that there is something greater you could be contributing to the world, either personally or professionally? Alistair Palmar, an experienced Mindset & Performance Coach at 49 Consulting LLP, recently sat down with James Ballard, Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Annapurna, to educate us on how to listen to that voice that’s telling us we want something more, and act on it, rather than pushing it to the back of our to-do list. Alistair shares transformative insights on b...

In the Spotlight with Amanda Rajkumar (HR Leader & ex Adidas - Global Human Resources, People & Culture)

Amanda Rajkumar , an inspiring HR leader with experience at global giants like BNP Paribas and Adidas, recently joined James Ballard , Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Annapurna , for an open and honest chat about her incredible journey, both personal and professional. From her early days growing up in Northampton, UK, to stepping into the world of tech headhunting, and later taking on exciting challenges abroad in New York and Germany, Amanda’s story is a testament to finding your passion a...

The Cost of Not: Early Careers with Richard Freeborn (ex VP Global TA & Employee Experience at Adidas)

The Cost of Not: Strategic Workforce Planning with Gergo Safar (Strategic Workforce Manager at BT Group)

This week, we welcome Gergo Safar , Strategic Workforce Manager at BT Group for a conversation around 'The Cost of Not: Strategic Workforce Planning'. During his discussion with Hope Milne, Gergo stressed that workforce planning is never as straightforward as setting a plan in January and sticking to it through to December. With unexpected challenges constantly reshaping the market, Gergo emphasised the need for adaptable workforce strategies that balance accuracy with flexibility. 🤸‍♂️ Drawing...

The Cost of Not: Internal Mobility with Andrea Marston (Talent Acquisition Director, EMEA at Nutanix)

Join us as Andrea Marston, Talent Acquisition Director EMEA at Nutanix, sits down with Hope Milne, Manager at Annapurna for a discussion on ‘The Cost of Not: Internal Mobility’. ♻️🤸 Andrea sheds light on how her team navigated a complex company acquisition by introducing a system of internal movement, giving TA employees the chance to explore different departments and even geographical areas. This approach not only gave employees the chance to widen their skillsets, but it also enabled the busi...

The Cost of Not: The Best Athlete with Aaron Beider (Head of Talent Acquisition at Vertical Aerospace)

Aaron Beider , Head of Talent Acquisition at Vertical Aerospace , recently sat down with Hope Milne , Manager at Annapurna , for a discussion on 'The Cost of Not: The Best Athlete'. 🧠🏋️‍♂️ Aaron shares why, in the fast-paced aerospace industry, finding exceptional talent and moving quickly when you do find it is non-negotiable. The 'Best Athlete' concept allows them to hire extraordinary individuals without the red tape, enabling them to compete against their competitors for the best talent, n...

ERUPT: Building Future Ready GTM Strategies with Louis Fernandes

In the first episode of the newest season of ERUPT, we are opening up the topic of 'Building Future Ready GTM Strategies'. Tom Walsh (Manager at Annapurna) is joined by Louis Fernandes (GTM and Sales Revenue Leader, ex VP Sales at Uberall) for a fascinating conversation around productivity and how we use productivity to coach, equip & train our teams within a sales environment. Louis introduces the topic as we look to get our sales reps as productive as possible and making revenue generation...

Ellevate: Overcoming Hurdles with Daniela Lück (VP of Engineering at SimCorp)

On this episode, we meet with Daniela Lück (VP of Engineering at SimCorp) to discuss overcoming hurdles and thriving as a senior female leader in the technology world. Daniela shares her personal journey from her home country to moving abroad during a Civil War where she started University and got stuck into her career in Germany and eventually in Copenhagen. Daniela shares some advice for young women considering a career in the IT sector, transferable skills she picked up over time and lessons ...

ForTheFounders: Leading Through Uncertainty at ERUPT: Excellence in Leadership

Our ForTheFounders network has showcased some sensational leaders over the past few years and this session brings together 3 CEOs for a discussion about what our employees are looking for in a leader in an uncertain climate. What do we need from our leaders? How important is it for our leaders to be the champions of ethical practices? How we are navigating some of the continued challenges with an ever-growing remote workforce? Join Rasmus Bjerregaard (CEO at Januar), Rui Casais (CEO at Funcom) &...

Building a Thriving Culture at ERUPT: Excellence in Leadership

What does a ‘thriving’ culture actually mean? Are we focusing on business success, team collaboration or individual achievements? Join Paul Murphy - Chief People Officer at Laser Digital, Abhishek Rai - CTO at Vivy GmbH, and Sonja Sinterhauf - Strategic Projects, People Ops at Miro (at the time of recording) as they navigate the topic. Long-term success can be defined by an effective culture with this having knock-on effects on attracting and retaining top talent, boosting employee engagement an...

Ellevate: Back in Business - Returning to Work as a Mother with Collette Swindells

In the latest episode, Becky chats with Collette Swindells, VP of Marketing at Ocean.io which is a B2B data platform with AI built within its core. This conversation is all around how being a mum, combined with a career at leadership level, has impacts on work, social life and family time. This topic is still very rarely spoken about yet is couldn't be more relevant to any future and current parents, but also to companies supporting new parents returning to work. Listen to the full episode on yo...

Ellevate: Staying True to Yourself in the Workplace with Jeanine Brockhoff

On this week's episode, we meet with Jeanine Brockhoff, the VP, People at Corti, a Copenhagen-based AI tech company. Jeanine is originally from the Netherlands but has a wealth of international experience, studying and working in countries across the globe, which have helped shape her career and experience. On this episode we discuss the "career lens", why it's important, and how you can use it to view your career from different perspectives. We also touch on staying true to yourself in the work...

Ellevate: Female Leaders in FinTech with Lima Curtis

This week, we sit down with Lima Curtis, the Head of Marketing for a Danish fintech company. We discuss the challenges women face in the finTech world, how things are changing and some of the biases that still exist in industry. Originally from the UK, we also discuss the big move to Copenhagen and how it was settling into a new culture, learning a new language, new working habits as well as the importance of building a network both professionally and socially. Tune in to hear more on Lima's jou...

Ellevate with Michal Lasman

On this week's episode, we are sitting down with Michal Lasman, a Marketing Professional based in Berlin. Michal has experience in Early-stage start-ups, mainly SaaS and B2B and is currently working in the FinTech sphere. The discussion this week is around the importance of resiliency in leadership and the agility needed during times of change. Michal talks us through some of her experiences in the last few years where she established marketing functions and teams during market changes, personal...

Ellevate: Vulnerability in the Workplace with Sofie Hermansen & Sascha Skydsgaard

This week, Becky Finnegan doesn't only talk to one guest, but two! Sofie Hermansen and Sascha Skydsgaard, both working at Timelog, a Danish Business Management Software, discuss 'Vulnerability in the workplace'. Sofie and Sascha have experienced similar overwhelming situations at work. However, they show us how being a woman at the top management makes them think about a difference between being emotional and being vulnerable. Listen to their best stories on how they lead by example, even if vul...

Ellevate: The Role of Chief of Staff with Bernadette Christine Ritscherle

This week, Becky Finnegan sits down with Bernadette Ritscherle. Based in Berlin, Bernadette is currently working for a SaaS startup, but prior to this has worked in Management Consulting and Global FMCG companies, gaining strong experience from varied roles and challenges. This week's discussion is on the role of Chief of Staff and how it has evolved within business, the history and why and where it's appropriate. Listen to find out how Bernadette got into this position, her career path and the ...

Ellevate: Developing Mentorship Skills and Taking on Feedback with Ingrid Sierra

This episode is all about women empowerment, challenges in the recruitment industry, career progression and anything else that is empowering women in business Ingrid is a VP of Marketing and an expert in scaling teams. She'll open up about why she believes mentoring is so essential and feedback's role in this journey.

Ellevate: How to use Imposter Syndrome to your Advantage with Amalie Kaysen

On this week's episode, Becky Finnegan is joined by Amalie Kaysen, who is a leader in the Product and Strategy space working in international environments with a base in Copenhagen. She started her career in the Management Consulting world where she picked up a strong toolbox before moving into the Startup World. In this episode, we go through what imposter syndrome means for Amalie, how she has battled through it and how she has flipped it into a positive as much as possible. Amalie also gives ...

Are Women Founders Still Underrepresented?

In today’s episode, we spoke to Marianne Ricketts who founded Vibbio, a fully automated video platform. Marianne talks about her journey from the creation of Vibbio, all the way through to selling the company and becoming the director of product management. We also delve into topics such as owning failure as a team and funding as a female founder.