"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 led the company’s operations in Pakistan & Ukraine. As April marks the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Islamic world this year, we decided to revisit some past conversations with past Muslim guests that you may have missed — and even if you’ve already heard, are worth a fresh listen. Qaisar is the author of “When Tribesmen Came Calling...
Apr 24, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 108
“Nothing can teach you more than your failures. Your struggles are where you're growing the most.” Ikdeep Singh is Mars Petcare’s President of North America, responsible for iconic brands such as Pedigree, Iams, Cesar, and Sheba — and driving the company’s purpose of “A better world for pets.” Prior to Mars, Ikdeep served as the President at the L’Oréal Group, and he started his career at P&G P&G, where he worked across Canada, the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China for ...
Apr 17, 2022•51 min•Season 3Ep. 107
“The higher you go, it's harder to understand the front lines. Be in touch to accelerate your growth.” Kevin Hochman, is Kentucky Fried Chicken’s US President at Yum! Brands, and the former President of Pizza Hut US. As KFC’s President Hockman oversees more than $10 billion in retail sales across 10,000 restaurants. For more than eight years, Kevin’s held numerous senior positions at Yum! Brands. Previously Kevin led P&G’s North America Cosmetics business, the culmination of an 18-year caree...
Apr 10, 2022•52 min•Season 3Ep. 106
“People tend to be afraid of the unknown. The most dangerous thing is the illusion of knowledge. We need to have an open mind and embrace the world.” Dian Alyan is the Founder & CEO of the GiveLight Foundation (GiveLight.org) — a non-profit inspired by Islamic values to help orphans across the globe regardless of nationality, race or religion. As April marks the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Islamic world this year, we decided to revisit some past conversations with past Muslim g...
Apr 03, 2022•51 min•Season 3Ep. 105
“The ability to persist in the face of overwhelming odds is a kind of necessary feature of the innovator.“ Malcolm Gladwell is a Canadian journalist and writer best known for treading the boundary between popularizer and intellectual. Malcolm’s the author of bestsellers like “The Tipping Point”, “Blink”, “Outliers”, “Talking to Strangers” and most recently — “The Bomber Mafia.” Malcolm is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, an audio content company that produces the podcasts “Revisionist ...
Mar 27, 2022•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 104
“The first job of any leader is to coach people that can do a better job than them, and lead better than them — to unlock people's fullest potential.“ Raj Rao is IBM’s General Manager of Blockchain Ventures where he oversees programs in blockchain, AI and cloud architecture. Raj was previously the CEO of Ford Mobility, leading the automotive company’s Palo Alto based mobility business investments, as well as Chief Digital Officer of 3M. Raj got his career start at P&G marketing - working acr...
Mar 20, 2022•53 min•Season 3Ep. 103
“When you take care of yourself, you are much more able to lead, to be more creative, more empathetic.” Arianna Huffington is Founder & CEO of Thrive Global, a firm centered on health and wellness information. Arianna was also the Co-founder of The Huffington Post , the author of fifteen books, one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential People,” and Forbes “Most Powerful Women,” among numerous other honors. In 2011, AOL acquired The Huffington Post for $315 million, where Arianna became President &...
Mar 13, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 102
“In facing a crisis, you have to try to understand the reality as seen by different people. We've got to bring that to bear now, even as we're speaking.” -John Pepper UPDATE 3/14/2022: Our original podcast discussion was recorded on 3/72022. Many things have changed since that moment, including a vocal response to erroneous statements we made on this show. Those incorrect statements have been removed, and we apologize for the impact they had - given the nature of this very sensitive subject to s...
Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 101
“We really want to dive deep because no two people are going to answer the same,“ “These deeper conversations are what's going to be true years from now.” 100 Episodes later, Drew & Raman sit down for a chat about what they’ve learned from all their Learnings from Leaders, answer some of the questions they get most often about this P&G Alumni Podcast, share a little more under the hood, and tease what’s coming up for the next 100 episodes...
Mar 05, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 100
“You've got to suspend how you think about things to be successful. There is power in creating the story that will be told.” Seaphes R. Miller is an accomplished entrepreneur - the Founder & CEO of Fusion Integrated Solutions - a design, engineering and technology firm he started in 2004 - focused on creating innovative solutions for the CPG and energy industries — recognized as a top minority-owned business enterprise. Prior to founding Fusion, Seaphes spent 20 years at P&G working acro...
Feb 27, 2022•56 min•Season 3Ep. 99
“People need to be treated equitably to move forward. As we normalize and equalize, we’re saying all people are the same. Well, guess what? They're not.” Sharon Hall is Walmart’s VP of Global Executive Recruiting - where she's building a dynamic organization for a changing culture. Sharon previously spent 20+ years as a Partner at Spencer Stuart, a leader in executive search, board services and leadership consulting - where she founded the firms Diversity practice and were the first Black Woman ...
Feb 20, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 98
"I had an authentic connection to the problem - a perspective on cultural connection. So it wasn't powering through rejection, it was neglecting it - because I just knew something they didn't.“ Tristan Walker is the Founder & CEO of Walker & Company Brands, acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2018. Walker & Co. is best known for best-selling brands like Bevel & Form - Healthy and Beauty designed for communities of color. So Tristan is not exactly a P&G Alumni, so what’s the d...
Feb 13, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 97
“Stay humble, stay grateful. Your position or work isn’t what matters most. For me, it's my family and the opportunity to impact others and give back.” Marissa Solis is the National Football League’s SVP of Global Brand & Consumer Marketing. Prior to joining the NFL, Marissa led marketing for Frito Lay North America and was at PepsiCo for almost two decades. She won several preeminent marketing awards for her work on Cheetos, Doritos and Tostitos brands and in 2021, was recognized by Adweek ...
Feb 06, 2022•48 min•Season 3Ep. 96
"I needed to work on something that had social impact — a game changer for schools to hear from parents in a different way." Christine Fisher is the Co-Founder and COO for Possip - an education technology start-up that helps schools better hear from parents. Christine spent 13 years at P&G working in Finance on some of the company’s biggest brands—including Tide, Charmin, and Bounty. But equally notable — Christine has been finding ways to be more actively involved in her community - during ...
Jan 30, 2022•53 min•Season 3Ep. 95
“In Africa there's a billion people about to get on the Internet. What kinds of opportunities will they create? How will they solve problems?” Nitin Gajria is Google’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa- where he works to make the internet more helpful for Africa - leveraging technology as an enabler for amazing things. Google recently announced a $1B investment over the next 5 years in Africa. Having been at Google for 7 years, Nitin previously led YouTube’s business in India & South-...
Jan 23, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 94
“Start canceling out those lanes that aren't feeding you well - that aren't giving you ROI - that are holding you back.” Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award–winning actor and producer, and the author of the NY Times bestselling book GREENLIGHTS, among many other things — but Matthew is NOT a P&G Alumni. So what’s the deal? Alongside our partners at P&G, we’re thrilled to share a sneak peak of P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast - available exclusively each week to P&G Employees at...
Jan 16, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 4Ep. 93
“With innovation failure happens more often than not. Take lessons from those experiences - the connections you can draw into something more interesting.” Claire Elvers is Wayfair’s Head of Global Brand Management & Insights - where she is building long-term brand equity across the globe - with consumers, partners, and employees. With 20+ years of experience in advertising, CPG, retail, e-commerce, and health & fitness industries, Claire has held senior innovation and marketing roles at ...
Jan 09, 2022•52 min•Season 3Ep. 92
“Get uncomfortable. Don't feel like you can’t keep creating new value in an environment of curiosity.” Suzy Deering is Ford’s global Chief Marketing Officer - leading Ford’s North America marketing and driving strategy across the company’s global business units – to constantly enhance and release the huge customer and company value across Ford’s iconic brands. Suzy was previously global CMO of eBay, where she helped revive the company’s brand and drive sharply higher revenue. She also served as ...
Jan 02, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 91
As 2021 comes to a close, we put together a not-so-quick compilation of our favorite moments from all of the great conversations we had over the past year. So sit back with a beverage of choice, enjoy, and PLEASE DO share our podcast with a friend (and leave us a review) — it makes a big difference! Got a guest idea or want to ask a question? Email us! pgalumpod@gmail.com We can’t wait for you to hear what’s next in the new year! Heard someone you liked? Be sure to go back and check out their fu...
Dec 31, 2021•35 min
“It's not just one Latino or one Hispanic group, it's much more nuanced. It's less about the language and more about who we are and what our role is in this country.” Luis Silberwasser is Univision’s President of the Television Networks Group, where he oversees the company's TV networks, as well as its entertainment, news and sports divisions along with its ops and tech teams. Luis is a seasoned, award-winning TV executive with 25+ years’ experience building TV networks and creating entertainmen...
Dec 26, 2021•44 min•Season 2Ep. 89
“Don’t measure success by traversing processes and challenges - but if you win once it gets in the hands of consumers.” Mark Mercurio is President and CEO of The Gorilla Glue company, a leading, family-owned producer of consumer-branded Glues, Tapes, and Personal Care products based in Cincinnati, Ohio - and often ranked as one of the best places to work in the city. Before becoming CEO in 2019, Mark served as the company’s CMO and President of their International Business. Prior to Gorilla Glue...
Dec 19, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 88
“Don’t get caught chasing what you think you have to chase. Figure out what you want to go do - and you’ll ultimately be happier and more successful” George Felix is Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer - where he leads the global brand vision, strategy, and operations for the highest grossing non-gaming app in the world. Previously, George spent 6 years at Yum! Brands in roles of rising seniority - most recently as CMO of Pizza Hut U.S. - where he led a new brand positioning and advertising campaig...
Dec 12, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 87
“When you face challenges, the more you imagine finding positive outcomes is important to finding a different solution.” Alicia Enciso is Nestlé USA’s first ever Chief Marketing Officer - leveraging marketing as a force for good across the industry - in multicultural marketing, plant-based innovation, and scaling mentorship for underrepresented groups. Alicia has served at Nestlé since 2013, starting as a VP of Communications in Mexico. Prior to Nestlé Alicia was Managing Director of the Zyman...
Dec 05, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 86
As 2021 comes to a close, we wanted to share an amazing donation - and winning - opportunity for ALL of our end-of-year giving. pgalums.com/raffle pgalums.com/donate https://pgalumnifoundation.org The P&G Alumni Foundation creates economic empowerment opportunities for those in need around the world - providing marginalized communities sustainable paths to prosperity. As a registered nonprofit with HUNDREDS of volunteers around the world - the P&G Alumni Foundation does this each year by...
Dec 01, 2021•2 min
“Being an entrepreneur gives you life and business experiences you don’t see on the corporate side. Those can make you a better business leader.” Bob Gilbreath is an accomplished entrepreneur - currently the CEO & Co-founder of Hearty - a professional recommendation network where great people and companies find each other. Bob was previously the Co-Founder and CEO of Ahalogy, a leading influencer marketing company with clients such as P&G, Coca-Cola and Kroger - ultimately acquired by Qu...
Nov 28, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 85
“How do you change the dynamic - where you have others with diverse thoughts and culture - so you're not alone?” Stefan K. James is Nationwide Insurance’s AVP of Marketing for Personal Lines B2C Business. Prior to Nationwide, Stefan helped launch and accelerate SwitchedOn Training - a brain training app for athletes and pro coaches. Stefan spent ten years at Pepsi as a Marketing Insights Director on brands like Tropicana and Quaker Oat, and got his start at P&G working in CMK on brands like ...
Nov 21, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 84
“Outsiders bring fresh thinking to the table. Some of my biggest contributions were because I thought differently and spoke my own mind all the time.” Peg Wyant is the Founder & CEO of Grandin Properties. But before that, Peg broke the glass ceiling at Procter & Gamble in 1967 - a decade before the phrase entered the lexicon. When the company tried to put her in the typing pool, she responded with “all I can do is think, don’t you have a test for that.” She rose through the ranks, becomi...
Nov 14, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 83
“Keep the consumer in the room. Don’t spend time on things that don’t matter to her.” Joe Arcuri is the CEO of American Greetings which includes brands like American Greetings, Papyrus, and Carlton cards. He was also previously the CMO of the PGA Tour and President of home solutions for Newell Rubbermaid. Joe got his start at P&G, first in product development and later in brand management, where we rose through the ranks to VP and GM roles in North America Beauty, Global Personal Cleansing, ...
Nov 07, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 82
“Don't rely on what got you there. Making time to invest in yourself is important.” Jamal Muashsher serves as Valvoline's President, Global Products - where he’s responsible for the long-term growth and expansion of international markets, having risen through the ranks for 7+ years. Prior to joining Valvoline, Jamal spent nearly fifteen years at Procter & Gamble rising through the ranks of beauty, health, and home care, as well as P&G Entertainment. Jamal is active in the non-profit comm...
Oct 31, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 81
“People want to be a part of the change. It’s important that allies are not only anti-racist, but accomplices.” Tiyale Hayes is BET Network’s SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing where he ensures the Viacom company advances business objectives and authentically connecting with African American audiences. Over his career, Tiyale has worked on some of the world’s biggest and best brands fueling his passion for authentic inclusion and empathy into brand building. Tiyale spent eight years at Johnso...
Oct 24, 2021•44 min•Season 2Ep. 80
