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

How bridging design gaps in science and tech can tackle gender bias

Gaps in the design of everything from AI to pharmaceuticals lead to everything from safety risk to poor health outcomes. Nigina Muntean, the chief of innovation at the United Nations Population Fund, is looking to fix this, making research and design more inclusive for everyone. Her agency launched the Equity 2030 Alliance last year bringing together leaders in tech and pharma and other sectors to share best practices. Its experts in academia, government and business come together to help advoca...

Sep 26, 202431 minSeason 1Ep. 141

How one founder's design background is helping to rethink EV charging in cities

After the pandemic, Tiya Gordon realized the next global crisis would be climate based. To that end, she’s co-founded It’s Electric, a curbside solution that takes power from buildings, sidestepping the currently time-consuming permitting and installation process that slows the growth of charging stations in cities around the world. She shares how her design background has helped her be clear-eyed on objectives, identify fresh approaches and break down stubborn barriers, all to speed the change ...

Sep 26, 202423 minSeason 1Ep. 140

'Global, frictionless and free': How digital dollars will reshape economic activity, humanitarian aid and more

Jeremy Allaire is the co-founder and CEO of Circle, a global financial technology firm that operates one of the largest dollar digital currency payment systems in the world -- USDC. Stablecoin is already seeing billions of digital dollars in economic activity and he talks about what we can expect next, including emerging applications for humanitarian aid. He’ll talk about Circle’s special partnership with the refugee agency UNHCR, and how new approaches for social impact could be more and more i...

Sep 13, 202422 minSeason 1Ep. 139

A CEO coach shares new leaders’ biggest blindspots (and how to overcome them)

Ty Wiggins coaches leaders during the hardest moment in their careers – the shift from mere mortal to CEO. He drives the CEO and executive transition practice at consultancy Russell Reynolds and has had a backstage pass to what works (and what doesn’t) in the top role. He’s put what he’s leaned into a new book, The New CEO, and in this wide-ranging interview, he shares tactical advice that can help any leader adjust, from what to do in the first 100 days, how to get more honest feedback from you...

Sep 04, 202446 minSeason 1Ep. 138

Build a culture of innovation: HPE's Chief Technology Officer shares what's needed

Fidelma Russo is the Chief Technology Officer of Hewlett Packard Enterprise running of team of 5,500 innovators driving everything from hybrid cloud technologies to solutions for the future. She brings 30 years of experience as a technologist to the role and shares the tactical strategies that leaders can deploy to support innovation, from tangible ways to invest in experimentation to methods that promote next-level research while breaking down siloes and driving cross-team collaboration. Relate...

Aug 09, 202421 minSeason 1Ep. 137

How to motivate your team - from an organization with 17 million volunteers

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is powered by 17 million volunteers in 191 counties.. At its helm is Jagan Chapagain, a man who started himself at the organization as a teenaged volunteer in Nepal, wanting to do good. He returned after college and has been with the organization ever since, eventually serving in a number of leadership roles until he was appointed to his current position of chief executive officer and secretary general in February 2020. In this...

Jul 26, 202421 minSeason 1Ep. 136

Intel's HR chief on reskilling and building teams for the future

As the Chief People Officer for global chipmaker Intel, Christy Pambianchi does more than drive hiring, organizational design or people development. As innovations cycles turn at faster and faster clips, she keeps an eye on how technology will reshape work for her teams and how they can stay one step ahead. She shared the importance of building in-company "skills economies", where individuals are empowered to tap into resources to drive innovation, learn new functions, or ready themselves for le...

Jul 17, 202420 minSeason 1Ep. 135

Build your own personal board of advisors - Traits great mentors share

OakNorth Bank is a digital commercial bank founded by serial entrepreneurs who know firsthand the role advice and expertise plays in growing vibrant businesses. To that end, OakNorth has developed a special 'mentorpreneurship' program with the London School of Economics, all to help build socially-conscious businesses through mentoring. Meet the Leader talked to co-founder Rishi Khosla about what traits great mentors share and how anyone can make the most of the expertise around them. He also sh...

Jul 11, 202419 minSeason 1Ep. 134

The No. 1 skill leaders can steal from influencers: One founder explains

Florian Hoffman is a social entrepreneur and the founder of The Do, a platform for tomorrow’s entrepreneurs that runs a special 'anti-business' business school focused on helping leaders implement tangible, real-world solutions. He shares why leaders need to make a shift in how they motivate and inspire, moving from driving a 'command and control' mindset' to driving a movement that connects with hearts and minds. He explains why this approach helps leaders tackle apathy and resistance to change...

Jun 28, 202418 minSeason 1Ep. 133

An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why

Mark Lundstrom is the CEO and founder of energy company Radia. He'll explain why he's building the world's largest plane --and how a unique approach to making offshore wind turbines onshore can speed progress on tackling emissions. He'll also share why this company is focused on using just existing technologies. He'll explain why this approach can actually lead to a host of new solutions for innovators and tackle big challenges more quickly -- and can be especially powerful as leaders consider h...

Jun 27, 202424 minSeason 1Ep. 132

This former astronaut shares what’s key to building strong, effective teams

Soichi Noguchi is a former astronaut with the Japanese space agency JAXA who has flown to space not once but 3 times. He’ll talk about the unique training these astronauts undergo - and the special lessons these trainings can teach any team about tapping each individual's expertise and what's needed to be a great leader and a great follower. He has since worked in a number of capacities, including as a professor at the University of Tokyo and an executive fellow at the Institute for Internationa...

Jun 21, 202420 minSeason 1Ep. 131

Cyber has a skills gap. How approaches to tech, hiring – and retaining women - can help

With hacking, it’s always a matter of when, not if and many leaders believe cyber skills gaps could leave their organization vulnerable. In fact, nearly 80% of respondents surveyed in our 2024 Cybersecurity Outlook report said their organizations do not have the in-house skills to meet their cybersecurity objectives this year. Given tech’s fast pace of growth and change, making opportunities available more widely will be critical bridging that skills gap in the sector while also driving opportun...

Jun 12, 202424 minSeason 1Ep. 130

Top leaders from Microsoft, IKEA and more share advice for new grads

Today's grads will live longer, face faster cycles of technological change and drive careers like we've never seen. This special compilation episode taps top leaders from companies like Intel, Microsoft, Ingka Group and more on the unique ways they can make the most of the first days of their careers. From remembering to "take your space" to finding time to "browse", they share the advice that has shaped them and that they wish they knew sooner. In this episode: Olajumoke Adekeye, Founder, Young...

Jun 06, 202423 minSeason 1Ep. 129

Microsoft’s Brad Smith: Tech blindspots and the key lesson that changed how he leads

As Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Brad Smith leads a team of professionals across business, legal and corporate affairs, tackling issues that stand at the crossroads of technology and society. In this wide-ranging discussion recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, he shares how these issues have shaped his thoughts on innovation and how they have informed his book and podcast Tools & Weapons. The 30-year Microsoft veteran also shares the career lessons that have changed him, how he l...

May 16, 202431 minSeason 1Ep. 128

We're living longer - how approaches to work, careers and finances will change: APG's Annette Mosman

Living longer than ever will mean we’ll need to prepare for our later years in ways we've never done before. While financial education and making savings last is always paramount, the World Economic Forum's recent Longevity Economy Principles report drives home the need to make sure we also prepare to live those extended years with purpose, changing the way we approach everything from careers to community. Annette Mosman, the CEO of APG (one of the world’s largest pension investors) shares how s...

May 09, 202423 minSeason 1Ep. 127

Speak last, lean on your team, and one CEO's other top lessons learned: Norsk Hydro

Norsk Hydro was founded nearly 120 years ago to tackle global famine. Today, it has evolved to take on a bigger challenge: climate change. The company focuses on low- and no-carbon aluminium, a material that will be key in electric vehicles, construction and comprises 2% of emissions. CEO Hilde Merete Aasheim shares the unique technologies and partnerships that are helping to drive a green energy transition. She also takes us through her unique path to the top job, one that has spanned a range o...

Apr 26, 202420 minSeason 1Ep. 126

The founder using 'pocket forests' to transform cities and protect biodiversity

SUGI is a unique global organization that brings pocket forests -- ultra-dense, biodiverse forests leveraging the proven Japanese Miyawaki Method -- to cities all over the world. The group has built 200 pocket forests in 42 cities so far, with each providing a key form of "urban acupuncture" that can protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and even better reconnect people to nature. Founder and CEO Elise Van Middelem shares more about SUGi and how it got started - and the unique ways these pro...

Apr 19, 202422 minSeason 1Ep. 125

Workers have changed - How leaders must adapt: Randstad's Sander Van't Noordende

What workers want - and what keeps them motivated - has changed drastically in recent years. And with big technological and demographic shifts driving labor shortages, knowing how to both retrain and retain your workforce will be more important than ever. Randstad CEO Sander Van't Noordende will share insights from the talent firm's annual Workmonitor survey, giving a one-of-a-kind snapshot on how workers are thinking about everything from ambition, to purpose, to flexibility and pay. He'll also...

Apr 12, 202418 minSeason 1Ep. 124

This pivot helped a mom-turned-founder scale modern student transit - and transform lives for moms and kids

As a busy mom working in tech, Ritu Narayan understood the chaos school logistics can bring to kids and parents. Her personal experience inspired her to found Zum, a startup providing an end-to-end solution for districts with optimized bus routes, one including bus fleets to match different-sized schools, and an approach that makes school transit transparent and efficient for the first time in a century. The startup was launched originally as an on-demand service and she shares the key questions...

Mar 29, 202419 min

What adventure taught this eco-entrepreneur about leadership and tackling risk

Kat Bruce is an eco-entrepreneur who founded NatureMetrics, one of the world's leading nature technology companies measuring the very tiny traces of DNA that organisms leave in the air, water and soil. She’s also a former jungle explorer who has undertaken expeditions in the Amazon, working in research stations, riding down tributaries on balsa rafts she’s made herself. She shares how such experiences have helped her to be a better leader: to be reflective to find new solutions, to understand di...

Mar 20, 202425 minSeason 1Ep. 122

What workers really want - and how it can bridge the gender gap: Reshma Saujani

Forget snacks and gym memberships: Today's worker wants to know you value their family. When Reshma Saujani founded Moms First -- a movement to drive paid leave for families --she already had a successful non-profit under her belt in Girls Who Code. But she quickly learned that advocating for moms and parents uncovers a host of structural barriers that hold back both women and families. In a special conversation recorded at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, she shared how leaders wi...

Mar 07, 202426 minSeason 1Ep. 121

12 leaders share what to prioritize in 2024

Where do you see yourself and your team a year from now? How can you maximize tech - and mitigate its risks? How can you stay focused despite increasing geopolitical tensions? What impacts will small decisions now have in 5 to 10 years? In this special compilation episode of Meet The Leader recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, heads of top companies, civil society organizations and non-profits shared what leaders should prioritize this year. They share questions to ask yourself, how to set y...

Feb 23, 202427 minSeason 1Ep. 120

What's next for the global economy? IMF’s Kristalina Georgieva on AI, preparedness - and the unexpected

What’s next for the year ahead? Is a much-promised “soft landing” for certain economies possible? And what new impacts can we expect from inflation? Meet The Leader caught up with International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva at the Annual Meeting in Davos to get her take on what's ahead, including how upcoming elections and other global challenges could make some moves especially tricky in 2024. She discusses the findings of a new IMF report exploring how AI will impact job...

Jan 30, 202412 minSeason 1Ep. 119

3 shifts all effective collaborators make

New approaches to partnering and collaboration will be key to tackling climate action. This will require new mindsets, new systems and connecting with people and groups you might have otherwise overlooked. To better understand how collaboration is evolving, this week’s episode talks to Chief Procurement Offers, leaders who do more than acquire goods and services, but who increasingly work across the business and hold a holistic perspective, exposed to everything from the bottom line to changing ...

Jan 23, 202420 minSeason 1Ep. 118

Davos 2024: A conversation with Diane von Fürstenberg

Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy interviews fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg about the designer's life and one-of-a-kind perspective. The spirited, wide-ranging conversation goes beyond the creation of the famous wrap dress and how Furstenburg built one of the world's most recognizable brands, to explore how these two strong female creatives open doors for others and navigate challenges in their industries. Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland January 18, ...

Jan 18, 202434 minSeason 1Ep. 117

Davos 2024: A conversation with Pat Gelsinger

Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger talks with World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab in this wide ranging conversation on technology, leading edge semiconductor production and the trends shaping the year ahead. Recorded January 17, 2024. Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/a-conversation-with-pat-gelsinger-and-klaus-schwab ---- Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts : YouTube: https://www.youtube.c...

Jan 18, 202434 minSeason 1Ep. 116

Davos 2024: A conversation with Satya Nadella

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella speaks to World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab in a special wide ranging conversation covering how AI will transform science, new game-changing technologies that will drive progress, and more. This conversation was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Recorded January 16, 2024. Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/a-conversation-with-satya-nadella-a...

Jan 17, 202437 minSeason 1Ep. 114

Lessons from Davos Leaders Ahead of Annual Meeting 2024

How do the world's top leaders maximize their time to connect and build solutions to the world's biggest problems? This special highlight episode shares insights recorded at past Annual Meetings in Davos, Switzerland with a range of voices including CEOs, entrepreneurs, civil society leaders and an astronaut. They share the personal approaches they employ to listen effectively, build trust, strengthen collaborations, seek out new perspectives and ensure their leadership meets the moment. In this...

Jan 14, 202419 minSeason 1Ep. 113

This simple question helped Amazon teams get future ready: AWS AI and data chief

Swami Sivasubramanian’s first experience using a computer was in high school in India, where there was just one computer for the entire school. While each student could use the computer for just a few minutes a day, those few minutes sparked his lifelong passion for technology, one that led to his current role as VP of Data and AI at Amazon Web Services. It also drove home to him that any exposure to new technologies can be transformative. He talks to Meet the Leader about why it's critical to p...

Jan 10, 202432 minSeason 1Ep. 112

13 leaders on the books that changed how they live, think and lead: 2023 Books Roundup

Want a book for that hard-to-shop-for person? Or a book to make you that much sharper in the year ahead? In this special collection episode, CEOs, startup founders and more share the books that have changed their minds, how they lead and even changed their careers. Their book picks include business classics, as well as surprising selections from histories, how-to books and the Bible. These recommendations helped this year's class of leaders better manage teams, their time and their energy, all w...

Dec 15, 202323 minSeason 1Ep. 111
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