“Take greatest pride in the challenges you face, and being able to overcome them.” Jorge Mesquita is Johnson & Johnson’s former Executive Vice President, and Worldwide Chairman - where he served since 2014. At Procter & Gamble, Jorge spent a 29-year career where he was recognized for the reinvention of major brands such as Tide, Swiffer, Febreze, Downy and others. Jorge spent his first 15 years at P&G working in various capacities across Latin America including roles in Oral Care and...
Mar 28, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 50
“Reframe the competition - to yourself - to fully achieve what you’re meant to achieve.” Michelle Crossan is Samsung Electronics America’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, Innovation and Transformation at, where she leads overall corporate strategy, innovation, transformation, and new business incubation. Prior to Samsung, she also served as CMO for luxury mobile brand Vertu. Michelle got her start at Procter & Gamble, starting as a systems analyst, and working on brands like Ola...
Mar 21, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 49
“Dharma is doing what must be done. Don’t worry about credit - you’ll be happier and your work better.” Gurcharan Das is known as “the godfather of P&G India” - the former chairman and managing director of Procter & Gamble India. He also served as VP managing director of worldwide strategic planning for P&G’s Health & Beauty business. Schooled in the US, Gurcharan returned to join Richardson Vicks India - rising from a trainee to senior assignments in the US + Mexico, and becomin...
Mar 14, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 48
“We are all intersectional - uniqueness is our greatest gift. Empathy makes you a better leader.” Shelly McNamara is P&G’s Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer, where she’s responsible for shaping culture, policies, and leadership to promote greater diversity. Shelly’s also an avid storyteller, speaker and writer — her new book No Blanks, No Pauses - weaves her life story with reflections and poetry. Shelly got her start in Sales, and spent 25+ years rising through P&G’s HR ranks, ulti...
Mar 07, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 47
“ 'Yes, and...' is a kind of courage. Only failure allows us to begin again more intelligently.” Emily Chang, CEO of McCann Worldgroup China. Emily’s a seasoned marketer with 20 years of experience across the US and China. At Starbucks she was the SVP of Marketing, and CMO of Starbucks China. She was the Chief Commercial Officer at Intercontinental Hotels Group, and APPLE’S head of Asia retail marketing. Emily got her start at P&G, spending 11 years working across multiple business units. Em...
Feb 28, 2021•49 min•Ep. 46
“The one thing you can’t teach in a job to be successful has to come from within - desire." James Michael Lafferty is the CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding - a leading CPG company across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, and USA - as well as an accomplished writer, coach, and athlete. Jim is an internationally-tenured leader whose career spans 3 decades and 5 continents. Jim served as CEO of British American Tobacco in the Philippines and Coca-Cola in Nigeria. He led a distinguished 24-year care...
Feb 21, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 45
“Your value will only be known after you have moved on. So lay good foundations for those who come after you.” Mohan never imagined the career he would lead - working for P&G across 3 continents over 30 years. Growing up in India, he studied Mechanical Engineering, and got a Masters in Technology from @ IIT. He then got his Master in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii and an MBA from Columbia University. After a chance interview with a P&G executive in NYC, Mohan began ...
Feb 14, 2021•59 min•Ep. 44
“You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once. In the long view, it all balances out.” Tiana Conley is Kellogg’s VP of Global Cereal where she is responsible for the $6 billion flagship portfolio with treasured brands such as Special K, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops and Corn Flakes. Prior to joining Kellogg, she was Beam Suntory’s Marketing Director of global tequila, and held marketing roles at Kimberly Clark. At P&G , and held a variety of marketing roles at Kimberly-Clark. At P&am...
Feb 07, 2021•41 min•Ep. 43
"It's always easier to make it through something when you're doing it together." Tarang Amin is CEO & Chairman of e.l.f. Beauty, the parent company to e.l.f. Cosmetics, WƎLL PEOPLE, and Keys Soulcare - a lifestyle beauty brand created with Alicia Keys. Having led e.l.f. Beauty since 2014 - Tarang has 25+ years of experience building brands, leading innovation, and assembling high-performance teams. Previously, Tarang served as President & CEO of Schiff Nutrition - growing it from $190 mi...
Feb 01, 2021•56 min•Ep. 42
“Go where the growth is happening - and the growth of yourself will follow.” Zena Arnold is Kimberly Clark’s Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, an accomplished executive across CPG and Technology marketing and general management. Zena was previously at Google for nearly seven years - in senior roles as Global Head of Growth for ChromeOS, General Manager for US Chromebooks, and Head of Americas Marketing for Google Play. The first formative decade of her career was at Kellogg’s, and of course...
Jan 25, 2021•51 min
Kirk Perry is Google’s President of Brand Solutions - where since 2013, he’s led global teams to enable brand partners to leverage all of Google to reach their consumers wherever they’re engaging. Prior to joining Google Kirk was at P&G for 23 years - in various roles across marketing and general management - including President of Global Family Care, and six years in Asia with assignments in South Korea and Japan. Growing up from humble beginnings, Kirk and his family are also very active i...
Jan 18, 2021•59 min
Najoh Tita-Reid leads Marketing Reinvention at Logitech where she’s reimagining, redefining and reinventing the global marketing function across 120+ countries - reporting to the CEO. Najoh’s worked across in multinational roles across leading brands like Hero, Bayer, and Merck, after having spent 19 years at P&G - rising through the ranks of marketing and sales. Najoh earned an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a BA in English from Spelman College. She also comple...
Jan 10, 2021•51 min
As we get ready for the year ahead, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this second “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with the NEXT generation of brand leaders - not too far off from many of our current stages of work and life. Beyond reflecting on where we’ve been - we also talked about our current moment - and where things are going. These are Alumni Leaders NOW in the prime of their career at some of the world’s best compa...
Jan 01, 2021•52 min
As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with retired industry greats - once at the helm of the world’s greatest companies - many of whom now continue to serve non-profits, NGOs, corporate boards, and even professional sports teams! These leaders were able to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how their purpose values and principles helped them successfully navig...
Dec 28, 2020•27 min
As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with CEOs leading some of the biggest and fastest growing brands - who shared their journey to the big chair, and what they’ve learned since. In pretty challenging year - they revealed how their purpose, value and principles succeed at work - and life. Check out each guest’s full episode to hear more of the conversation. Feature...
Dec 21, 2020•40 min
As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In our first “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with some of P&G’s great leaders - former CEOs, regional leaders and trailblazers in diversity, equity, and inclusion. And of course, if you want to hear more from any of these leaders, definitely check out each guests full episode. Featured in this episode... John Pepper: P&G’s former CEO & Chairman (1995-2002)...
Dec 14, 2020•57 min
“Just do the right thing for the customer - don’t caveat it with other things.” Alejandro Bethlen is the CEO of the Bouqs Company - the leading online floral retailer who’s radically disrupting the $100B global floral industry - where he’s been in the top seat since June 2020. Alejandro’s a veteran of Amazon - where over eight years he held senior roles across six countries with P&L + operational responsibilities. Alejandro got his start at P&G - where he spent seven years across North A...
Dec 07, 2020•53 min
“Leverage the purpose, values, & principles to use data for good.” Filippo Catalano is the Chief information & Digitization Officer at Reckitt Benckiser - where he’s driving the IT and digital transformation of the consumer giant. Filippo was also recently CIO of another consumer giant - Nestle, where he scaled the company’s efforts in eCommerce, Programmatic and more. Filippo got his start at P&G - spending 16 years in roles across Europe and the US rising through the IT ranks into ...
Nov 30, 2020•54 min
“Search and reapply for the insights and innovations to build your business.” Jill Beraud is the CEO and Co-founder of Sh'nnong Beverage company - WHO IS developing plant-based, functional beverages - and SHE also serves on the Board of Directors at Levi Strauss & Co. Jill previously served as CEO of IPPOLITA and has held C-Suite executive marketing roles for multi-billion dollar brands like Victoria’s Secret, PepsiCo, Tiffany’s, and was the CEO of Living Proof. Jill started her marketing ca...
Nov 23, 2020•43 min
“Find what balance means for ALL of your people.” Tami Hurwitz is Amazon Music’s Global VP of Marketing & Growth - a role she’s been in since 2017, working on campaigns featuring Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Chance the Rapper, Alicia Keys - reaching more than 55 million customers worldwide. Tami also spent 9 years at Microsoft as a General Manager working on digital, demand, and data efforts. Tami got her start at P&G, where she spent 14 years in a broad range of marketing leadership roles -...
Nov 16, 2020•56 min
“Make every decision in your career on the basis of values and principles, and you will be successful.” Fernando Aguirre is the former CEO of Chiquita Brands International, and currently a Professional Baseball Owner - as CEO of the Erie SeaWolves (AA affiliate for the Detroit Tigers), and Vice-chair of Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs). Fernando also owned a minority position in the Cincinnati Reds for 14 years before divesting in 2019. Fernando got his start at P...
Nov 09, 2020•53 min
“Leadership is about doing the right thing - beyond politics - for the purpose and values of the country.” This election may be the most important of our lifetime, so we hope you’ve made your plan to VOTE. Bob McDonald - former P&G CEO and US Secretary of Veterans Affairs - returns to our podcast to share his unique perspective on service, leadership, people, and values and the choice we are making at this moment in our history. Beyond being a veteran, Bob’s served Republican and Democratic ...
Oct 30, 2020•47 min
“Work more on things that people haven’t figured out yet." Charlie Chappell is head of integrated media and communications planning at The Hershey Company, where he is leading the company’s transformation towards a data-driven, people-based approach to media on brands like Reese’s, Hershey’s, Kit Kat, Ice Breakers, Twizzlers and many more. In a great conversation about finding what’s important to each of us at work, Charlie talks about he’s always found his path Charlie brings a decidedly market...
Oct 26, 2020•44 min
“The best leaders do what's right by people, not politics" Shantanu Khosla is Managing Director of Crompton Greaves - one of India’s leading Consumer Electricals companies, where he’s been since 2015. Shantanu was the P&G’s India country lead for P&G India from 2002 to 2015 - where he grew revenue 15x in 13 years - making P&G one of the fastest growing consumer companies in India. And prior to leading P&G India - he led several P&G business units around the globe. Shantanu st...
Oct 18, 2020•1 hr 1 min
“Integrity can be a competitive advantage.” Ed Artzt served as P&G’s CEO & Chairman from 1990 to 1995 - during which sales grew to $33 billion, and the company grew well above historic averages. Joining in 1953, Ed led growth on brands like Comet, Zest, Charmin, Bounty, and Folgers. Ed has also served on the boards of American Express, Delta Airlines, GTE and Teradyne. He was active in foreign affairs and an influential advocate of world trade, and on President Clinton’s Advisory Committ...
Oct 12, 2020•1 hr 5 min
"Live, Laugh, Love, & Let Go." Kris Malkoski is the CEO of Newell Food Brands - overseeing operations of brands like Ball, FoodSaver, and Rubbermaid. She’s had more than 30 years of proven leadership across Fortune 500 companies, startups and private equity – like Arc International World Kitchen (Pyrex®, Corelle®, CorningWare), Sears Craftsman, Ubiquity, and of course P&G - where she actually launched the Aleve brand. Kris serves on the boards of Trustmark Insurance and Fluidmaster, grad...
Oct 05, 2020•42 min
"Rediscover your passion - find where you need to be." Gustavo Ghory is the Chief Supply Chain Officer of Kimberly Clark. Previously, Gustavo was Co-founder & Chairman of of SmarterChains - a startup focused on driving greater agile manufacturing globally. Gustavo got his start at P&G as a team manager at a plant in Venezuela, with increasing roles responsibilities globally and regionally - overseeing both manufacturing and supply chain functions - in the US, Latin America, and Europe, e...
Sep 28, 2020•45 min
"There is no bending your principles and values, you either stick by them or you don't.” Qaisar Shareef spent a 30 year career at Procter & Gamble - where he most recently led the company’s operations in Pakistan - which is actually an organization he helped build for the company many years prior when P&G was first starting business in Pakistan. During his time with the P&G, Qaisar also held country leadership roles for the Ukraine. He’s the author of “When Tribesmen Came Calling: Bu...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr 11 min
"In challenging times, if no one has a game plan - you have to create one." Lisa Baird is the Commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League where she’s helping the organization navigate through unprecedented times. She previously held CMO roles at New York Public Radio and the US Olympic Committee - Where she launched the Team USA brand. She’s also held senior executive roles at the NFL, IBM, GM, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson. Lisa got her start at P&G working across b...
Sep 14, 2020•47 min
"If you're in a position to improve others’ lives, then that is your duty." Paul Polman is Unilever’s former CEO (2009-2018), and currently co-founder of IMAGINE, where he is mobilizing businesses to tackle climate change and global inequality. At Unilever, Paul created (and proved) a long-term approach to global problems can also drive business performance. Prior to Unilever, he was Nestle’s CFO & Head of Americas. And Paul got his start at P&G, where he spent 27 years rising through th...
Sep 07, 2020•55 min
