Meet The Leader - podcast cover

Meet The Leader

World Economic Forum / Linda Lacinawww.weforum.org
In these one-on-one conversations, host Linda Lacina interviews the world's top leaders, change-makers and experts on the solutions they're building to tackle the world's biggest challenges, the habits they can’t work without, and their lessons learned, all from the World Economic Forum
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Episodes

Helping the unprecedented number of forcibly displaced

2023 saw an unprecedented number of forcibly displaced people worldwide - 110 million and counting - all thanks to climate calamities, conflict and more. Kelly Clements, the deputy high commissioner of the UN’s refugee agency shares the unique ways businesses around the world have stepped in to help tackle this problem, putting training in place to help refugees become economic drivers or even designing education solutions that help children in remote areas stay in school. She also shares what g...

Dec 08, 202317 minSeason 1Ep. 110

Build cultures of accountability and integrity: Anti-corruption expert explains how

Demanding transparency and accountability aren't just the right things to do - they're key to tackling big global goals and rooting out things like corruption, self-dealing and undue influence. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, we speak to Delia Ferreira Rubio, a lawyer, anti-corruption expert and the former long-time chair of global society organization Transparency International. She helps leaders look at the big picture to make things happen, sharing what’s needed to build cultures ...

Dec 06, 202322 minSeason 1Ep. 109

How to negotiate: Ahead of COP28, a diplomat and politician shares her personal approach

As the climate summit COP28 kicks off this week, and Egypt hands the summit baton to Dubai, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation discusses what any negotiation needs to be effective. In her role, Rania Al-Mashat helps drive economic diplomacy and she shares the phrases that can help build common ground, the personal traits that can forge perseverance and the mindsets that are key to make trust and action possible. This conversation, recorded during UN Week in New York this September, al...

Nov 30, 202322 minSeason 1Ep. 108

2 executive coaches share how promotions really happen

Executive coaches Mitzi Short and Lori Marcus share a tactical approach to careers and promotions to help women get their work noticed while eliminating gender bias in the workplace. These coaches, two of the 6 members of Band of Sisters (a group of former executives turned authors and speakers), discuss the the block and tackle of promotions: what experiences you must have on your CV for C-Suite roles; what development conversations you should be having with your boss (or your direct reports); ...

Nov 22, 202350 minSeason 1Ep. 107

What an astronaut can teach leaders about collaboration and aiming high

Matthias Maurer, an astronaut for the European Space Agency, returned home from his first space mission in May 2022 after 177 days living and working on the International Space Station (ISS). There he helped to conduct more than 35 experiments benefiting biology and robotics and more - an experience that drove home for him the need to protect space and maximize its potential. He spoke with Meet The Leader at the Annual Meeting in Davos about his experience, sharing what’s needed for collaboratio...

Nov 10, 202314 minSeason 1Ep. 106

More effectively manage change, fear, layoffs and more: One CEO's lessons learned

How can leaders best navigate layoffs -- and rebuild for the future? Melbourne-based software firm Culture Amp recently conducted research on this question -- and then unexpectedly faced cuts of its own. CEO Didier Elzinga shares insights from the research and his applied experience, including common myths, surprising findings, and strategies his firm used to recalibrate and reprioritize. He also shared the tough realities leaders must keep in mind during times of change as well as his thoughts ...

Nov 03, 202342 minSeason 1Ep. 105

Reach your changemakers: Arctic Basecamp's Gail Whiteman and Rainn Wilson

Melting arctic ice will have knock-on effects around the globe, impacting farms, homes, livelihoods and more. But making people care about melting ice or the Arctic - things most people will never see firsthand - can be almost impossible. Unless you get creative, that is. Arctic Basecamp (a group of arctic experts and scientists), has found a range of creative ways build awareness, including: a special basecamp during Davos (where visitors can learn the latest research by day and some spend the ...

Oct 27, 202327 minSeason 1Ep. 104

Rally others to your cause: Former trial lawyer, Baptist minister (and current United Way CEO) explains how

The first black female CEO of one of the largest privately-funded global non-profits discusses the experiences that helped her learn how to be a better advocate for others. These experiences range from a father who served in the NAACP tackling civil rights in 1960s South Carolina, to her own life journey serving as a trial lawyer, a Baptist minister and in the military during Operation Desert Storm. Angela Williams will explain what she’s learned about partnering and rallying others for a cause ...

Oct 19, 202315 minEp. 103

Master these skills to build fast-moving, future-ready teams: Siemens CEO Roland Busch

The digital transformation is shifting more than technology - it’s changing the skills workers will need, the mindsets required to tackle big challenges, and the nature of business itself. Roland Busch, Siemens CEO, shares how tech is reshaping Siemens and how reskilling will evolve, and how managers especially will need to empower teams for the changes ahead. He shares why more decisions should happen near the bottoms of organizations (to compete in a fast-changing world), the corners leaders w...

Oct 12, 202339 minEp. 102

Turning points and lessons learned: Meet The Leader's top leadership moments so far

Trust time. Pick your moments. Find joy in doing. Know the future is not ordained. These are just some of the hard-won lessons learned that have guided the top minds in government, civil society, business on Meet the Leader. This 101st episode collects the program’s highlights, from Jane Goodall's run-in with a grumpy cabbie, to a moment that changed how Al Gore communicates, to a habit that Verizon’s CEO can’t work without. Dig in and take a tour though the one-of-a-kind insights, aha moments a...

Oct 05, 202345 minSeason 1Ep. 101

How climate philanthropy can speed solutions and progress

Helen Mountford is the president and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation, a philanthropy platform that has granted more than a billion dollars to worthy projects and grantees in more than 50 countries since 2008. She’s a key partner in a World Economic Forum initiative that launched this year called GAEA - Giving to Amplify Earth Action - and she'll tell us why philanthropy can be a critical way to fund and experiment with new ideas that can be scaled further by the private sector and how it creates ...

Sep 21, 202318 minSeason 1Ep. 100

The surprising climate progress blindspot no team can overlook

More companies have set sustainability goals than ever. But many will struggle to meet those goals. Baker McKenzie's Alyssa Auberger shares insights from a special survey that reveals business leader worries and the blindspots that some might overlook. As the global law firm's first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer, she also shares her unique journey to the role -- from pianist to lawyer to her current position -- and how the discipline and creativity required in music shapes how she works even...

Sep 12, 202319 minSeason 1Ep. 99

How a space CEO and explorer approaches risk and navigates the unexpected

Dylan E. Taylor is the chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Voyager Space, a space infrastructure company and one of the firms helping with efforts to replace the aging International Space Station. He and his team are working hard to ensure there’s no ‘space station gap’, all while getting the infrastructure in place so as many people as possible could one day live and work in space. In this episode, he talks about why expanding access to space motivates him, how his own visit to space change...

Aug 24, 202323 minSeason 1Ep. 98

This founder climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro after a big pivot - and learned a key lesson about patience and innovation

Trust time, make one thing better everyday and keep upgrading yourself. CEO Yuxiang Zhou shares the lessons he has learned in co-founding Black Lake Technologies and his journey to help digitise factories -- a too-often analog world where too many still depend on paper and pencil. It’s a trip through big ideas, big disappointments (including a failed startup), and the slow process of building back from the ground up. The World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer talked to Forum video producer Kate...

Aug 17, 202320 minSeason 1Ep. 97

How innovation can tackle the food crisis: A biotech leader explains

How can something as simple as a seed help the world begin to make progress across big challenges such as protecting water, tackling climate change and even strengthening food security and opportunity? Ponsi Trivisvavet, the CEO of seed design company Inari, shares the innovations that are helping to protect the earth while tackling stubborn problems like hunger. She also shares her leadership journey, the question she feels is key to strengthening any leader's resilience and the unique approach...

Aug 10, 202317 minSeason 1Ep. 96

7 top innovators share strategies that drive cutting edge solutions

Is your team solving the right problems and building the right solutions? Are they truly pushing the envelope - in the short- and long-term? This compilation episode shares the questions top innovators ask themselves and their teams, across engineering, biotech, healthcare and more. It also highlights the practical tactics and strategies they use to keep teams challenged, focused and engaged so they are poised to develop the leading ideas that will truly reshape the future. This episode features...

Aug 03, 202319 minSeason 1Ep. 95

Manage risk more effectively. A risk expert shares what's needed most

Chief Risk Officers (CROs) are firefighters, investigators, counselors and -- critically -- the people trained to ensure companies have the systems, frameworks and culture in place to identify, assess and monitor big challenges ahead. They also help teams take meaningful action and chart a path forward. On the launch of the World Economic Forum's Chief Risk Officers Outlook, Bahare Heywood, the first ever CRO at global law firm Clifford Chance, shares her take on the report's highlights as well ...

Jul 27, 202340 minSeason 1Ep. 94

This simple framework can drive disruptive innovation: Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon

Qualcomm has long served as a tech pioneer, driving innovations in cellular connectivity, AI, autonomous driving and more. CEO Cristiano Amon shares how digitalization will further transform our lives -- from health and retail to energy and the future of work. He also shares how Qualcomm drives innovative thinking in its teams and the simple framework any leader can use to decide which disruptive ideas to take forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 13, 202318 minSeason 1Ep. 93

Solve the problems you want to solve most: Bezos Earth Fund’s Andrew Steer

Hard-fought battles by leaders around the world have helped better protect nature in recent years but more work is needed to secure everything from future economic resilience to progress on climate action. Dr. Andrew Steer of the Bezos Earth Fund shares what transitions must happen this decade and the new approaches to philanthropy, policy, technology and more that can bring those transitions past the tipping point for true change. In this episode recorded at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Davos, he...

Jul 06, 202320 minSeason 1Ep. 92

10 women leaders share how they work and thrive

The global gender gap isn't budging, new research shows, and in this week's episode, women leaders share some of the unique policies and programs that can help build a pipeline for women in leadership and get closer to bridging that divide. Women also share the strategies that they have personally used to get their ideas heard and lead in only the way they can. This episode features: Ashley Dartnell, Global Senior Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Boston Consulting Group; Jane Sun, C...

Jun 28, 202322 minSeason 1Ep. 91

How experts can speak clearly without jargon. An epidemiologist turned comms expert explains

Speaking to the media during COVID drove home to epidemiologist Prativa Baral the need for clear science communication training so experts can build trust with the public and be understood. Her experience led her to found Let Science Connect, a social enterprise that trains scientists and technical experts how to speak without jargon and connect more effectively with audiences. She shares the frameworks and tips that can help anyone get their message heard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

Jun 15, 202324 minEp. 90

Royal DSM's Geraldine Matchett: These key mindsets drive groundbreaking innovation

This Co-CEO and CFO explains how biotech leader Royal DSM invests in innovation that propels the company in the short term while putting in place the solutions that will be critical for the future. She'll share key mindsets, such as the frameworks critical for balancing present and future needs, the key role purpose plays, and more. She also shares the skillset that must be built in the next 3 years that not every leader might be considering and the surprising advice that shapes how she looks at...

Jun 06, 202325 minSeason 1Ep. 89

CEOs, activists and more share the work and life advice they're grateful for

In this special compilation episode, top CEOs, founders, activists reveal the advice that shaped them, helping them change their minds and their approaches to work and life, improving on everything from patience and authenticity to how they team and learn. Featured in this episode: Leif Johansson, former non-executive chairman at AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca; Marie-France Tschudin, President of Innovative Medicines International and Chief Commercial Officer, Novartis; Caroline Casey, founder, the Va...

May 18, 202316 minSeason 1Ep. 88

10 Leaders from Google, LinkedIn and more on Reskilling for the Future of Work

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report finds that 44% of worker skills will be disrupted in the next five years. In this episode, experts from Google, LinkedIn and more talk about the mindsets and approaches that will help workers and employees navigate the skills disruption ahead - and what some companies are already putting into place to help workers stay relevant. In this episode: Becky Frankiewicz, Chief Commercial Officer, Manpower Group; Nela Richardson, Chief Economist at ADP; V...

May 12, 202324 minSeason 1Ep. 87

European space chief: Speak to inspire and make big change happen

Josef Aschbacher's role as Director General for the European Space Agency (ESA) requires mobilizing support for visionary innovations that often take decades to build. He shared the strategies he’s learned while at ESA to talk about technical marvels in a clear way, without jargon, to earn buy-in for big ideas and connect with a range of stakeholders from policy makers to children. These methods for sparking inspiration, trust and excitement can be critical to any leader making long-term change ...

May 10, 202327 minSeason 1Ep. 86

'Skills are changeable - passions are not': Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl

With a background in software engineering and ad tech, Blake Scholl has an unusual CV for an aviation CEO. However, his singular passion for aviation drove him to learn this sector and eventually found a sustainable aviation company with flights twice as fast as what's offered today. Founding Boom was one of several crossroads moments in Scholl's life that drove home to him that knowledge and skills are adaptable and changeable, and there to support our passions. In this episode, recorded at the...

May 03, 202321 minSeason 1Ep. 85

Mercer's Martine Ferland: Tackle these blind spots for healthier, more resilient teams

The CEO of Mercer, one of the world's largest human resource consultancies, shares the blind spots holding companies back from building healthier and more resilient teams. She shares how targeted uses of data can boost uptake of health and wellness benefits, the role of reskilling in future workforces and the importance of rethinking retention strategies in the long term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 02, 202322 minSeason 1Ep. 84

How a love for physics made AstraZeneca's Leif Johansson a better leader

With a career that spans nearly 5 decades in science and technology -- one that includes time at AstraZeneca during its history-making effort to deliver billions of vaccines to countries around the world -- Leif Johansson shares his unique lessons learned. Before he stepped down from his role as non-executive chairman 27 April, he shared with Meet The Leader how his interest in physics has made him a better leader, the key moments that shaped him and even changed his mind, and the advice he's be...

Apr 26, 202316 minSeason 1Ep. 83

Meta's Nicola Mendelsohn: To make an impact, break this habit first

A blood cancer diagnosis turned this Meta exec's day-to-day upside down in 2016. But it also reinforced a key personal philosophy: control what you can control. It's an approach that she stresses to her teams at Meta, reminding her staff to stop worrying about what they can't change and to focus instead on areas where they can make the biggest, most unique impact. And it's an approach that has empowered her to make big change happen for others, inspiring her to build a special charity to seek a ...

Apr 12, 202318 minSeason 1Ep. 82

Magic Leap's Peggy Johnson: The jobs augmented reality will change forever

Augmented reality (AR) is transforming retail, surgery and even how we read a book. Peggy Johnson, CEO of Magic Leap -- a company pioneering in this technology -- shares how AR might evolve – and what could hold that progress back. She also shares key milestones from her decades in tech -- including the surprising lesson mobile ringtones taught her about making way for big breakthroughs and how as an introvert early in her career she found ways to get her ideas heard. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

Mar 29, 202326 minSeason 1Ep. 81
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