Manageable Conversations

Are you fully present in every meeting? Taylan Turan , CEO of Retail Banking at  HSBC Wealth & Personal Banking , explains how this habit helps him stay resilient and be respectful of others.   In this episode, we also discuss: His style of leadership Judging people not by their actions but rather their intentions The power of frameworks and framing problems before taking action Being intentio...

Brigitte West is Executive Director of Product at DrDoctor and Co-Founder of Health Tech Hive , a network of change-makers who are building technology solutions to the world’s biggest health challenges. In this episode, Brigitte talks about: ✳ Her pivot to a coaching style of leadership ✳ Giving honest feedback and holding oneself – not just others - to a high bar ✳ A non-linear career based on a...

Natasha Frangos is Managing Partner at haysmacintyre . She specialises in advising ambitious, scaling businesses operating in the UK and globally in the creative, media and technology industries. In this episode, Natasha talks about:  ✳ What's kept her at the same firm for over two decades ✳ Challenges faced by earlier-stage businesses and the importance of prioritisation ✳ Ways in which her...

Are you comfortable challenging others and being challenged in return? Ian Constance , CEO of Advanced Propulsion Centre UK , talks about this motto of his and why it's easy to say and hard to implement. In this episode, Ian talks about: ✳ Getting the best from people by not telling them what to do  ✳ Insights from working around the world, including China ✳ Adapting from a global career at F...

James Hollow is the Founder and CEO of Fabric , a Strategic Design and Sustainability consultancy based in Japan. In this episode, James talks about:  ✳ The power of vulnerability and not knowing everything ✳ Healthy reflective practices in business ✳ What being “inclusive by design” means as a leadership principle ✳ The importance of making values tangible through behaviours ✳ His experience lead...

Chia-Lin Simmons is the CEO of LogicMark and an early leader in AI and IoT.   In this episode, Chia-Lin talks about: What she means by her personal brand of ‘kindness leadership’ Being a futurist as part of managing career transitions The value of code-switching and thinking like a startup and a large company Why vision fit is more important to her than culture fit Misunderstandings with AI and it...

Tony Jamous is the CEO and Founder of Osyter , the automated global employment platform that removes barriers to remote work and distributed hiring. Oyster is the second Unicorn that Tony has founded. In this episode, Tony talks about: What he means by sustainable leadership and what caused him to embrace it Achieving higher performance without taxing yourself and others as much Setting the bar hi...

Kathrin Jesse is CEO of BBDO Germany , one of the top ten creative agencies in Germany, working with clients such as Allianz, Porsche, Lidl, Meta, 1&1 and E.ON.  In this episode, Kathrin talks about: Being a real person as a leader, and being a good fit for the times How parenting has strengthened her predictability, consistency and intentionality Why taking on the CEO role was a risk for her...

Jennifer Nuckles is Chairperson & CEO at R-Zero , the biosafety technology company dedicated to making indoor spaces safer, healthier and more productive. In this episode, Jennifer talks about: Being kind rather than nice How Chief Marketing Officers can become CEOs The danger of vanity metrics Being a role model for her daughters Playing to people's strengths Getting out of your comfort...

Petr Baron is CEO of tbi , the challenger bank that is one of the most profitable in Southeastern Europe. In this episode, Petr talks about: The importance of authenticity Seeing the teacher in everyone Algorithms and hacks that free him up to create value Protecting ourselves from digital noise Seeking out problem-solving partners Ways in which banks need to change Petr belongs to a new wave of e...

In this episode of Manageable Conversations, Luca Schnettler , CEO of Qumata , the Insurtech scaleup, talks about: Bluntness as a sign of respect rather than rudeness Owning your truth if you want to lead rather than be led How an ecosystem of advisors helped him gain credibility Dedication to hard work as the route to success How failure showed him the importance of focus In his late teens, Luca...

In this episode of Manageable Conversations, Dominic Allon , CEO of Pipedrive , the global unicorn CRM, talks about: Ways he enables his team Why leadership requires solitude How to be the best version of yourself every day Embracing vulnerability and a coaching style Why culture change needs to be approached with humility  Dominic has a long and successful track record of leading large, global or...

In this episode of Manageable Conversations, Petra Felgen, Managing Director of CEWE UK and Ireland, talks about: The importance of being challenged by your team How management practices need to keep up with shifts in business strategy Managing transitions from countries and roles within the same organisation The opportunity and challenge of localisation vs globalisation Engaging everyone in the p...

In this episode, Chris Rowley , CEO of The Risk Advisory Group , talks about: How he became CEO and ways he copes with the demands of the role The importance of consistency of leadership, including having difficult conversations Why leaders would be mad to rely only on their instincts rather than seek help Expectations of younger generations and the need for investment in people from the outset Th...

In this episode, Twink Field , CEO and Founder of White Marble , the investment marketing consultancy, talks about: Her early experiences of good and bad management The value of self-reflection and restraint as a leader Characteristics of a high-performance culture and how she’s fostering it How functions like marketing break down silos and can cut through in organisations Tips for managers to get...

In this episode of Manageable Conversations, Robert Pickering , ex-CEO of Cazenove, the last independent British investment bank, talks about: His no-nonsense leadership style and what helped him succeed as a leader What CEOs should do above everything else How he coped with challenging transitions Ways in which incentives affect culture How delegation and empowerment served him Tips for managers...

How is visibility and being connected across an organisation critical for success? In this episode, Ruth Kelly, Chair of Thames Freeport and Water UK, and ex-Secretary of State for Education and Skills, talks about: Trust in organisations The value of managers spending time with members of their teams each week Developing soft skills Being visible and connected across your organisation What organi...

How are organisations and investors doing managers a disservice? In this episode, Ezechi Britton MBE , incoming CEO of the UK's Centre for Finance, Innovation, and Technology (CFIT), tells us how. He also talks about how he acquired leadership skills at an early age, what good managers are like and what they need to thrive, leadership lessons from Star Trek, and the dangers of immediacy at th...

Entrepreneur and FTSE100 Non Executive Director, Graham Cooke has been developing internet-based products for the past 20 years. He joined Google in 2005 as one of the earliest European employees working on the Google Ad Platform and Google Analytics. After Google, he founded Qubit, a leading SaaS company in the e-commerce space, providing AI-personalised shopping recommendations to over one billi...

Mark Billige is CEO of Simon-Kucher & Partners , the global consultancy firm operating in around 30 countries world-wide. Simon-Kucher delivers revenue and profit growth for clients by optimising pricing, sales, and marketing strategies. Mark is considered one of the world’s leading experts in pricing and monetisation strategy, advising CEOs and company boards, as well as leading private-equit...

Dannie Lynn Fountain is a passionate storyteller who helps companies focus on people. By day, she works at Google hiring the world’s most talented software engineers. By night she supports clients and brands with HR-focused diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies. Dannie is a five-time author and in her latest book, Ending Checkbox Diversity , she rewrites the story of performative allyship in...

Helena Gaunt is the Principal at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. She began her career as a professional oboist, before moving into academia. She then transitioned into strategic leadership roles, serving as Vice Principal and Director of Innovation at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Here, Helena pioneered the use of coaching to boost creative output, a practice she cont...

Cat Agostinho is the Co-founder of Imagen Insights, which offers organisations Gen Z insights within 72 hours. She is on a mission to support young people and provide them with opportunities regardless of their background. Cat has co-created a business and a culture that champions inclusivity, and caters for different languages, disabilities and social factors. In this episode, we discuss: putting...

Nabila is President of Revolent Group, which creates cloud talent that can thrive in niche technology markets. She's also on the Board of Tenth Revolution Group, the parent company of Frank Recruitment Group, Revolent Group and Rebura. Nabila was recognised in Management Today's 35 Women Under 35 List 2019 and selected as Globant's Inspiring Executive UK in 2021. Under Nabila’s lead...

Bruce Daisley is one of the UK’s most influential voices on fixing work. His first book, The Joy of Work , was a Sunday Times number 1 bestseller, ending 2019 as the UK’s top selling business hardback of the year. Previously he spent over a decade running Twitter and YouTube in Europe (the latter at Google). Bruce runs the Apple #1 Business Chart topping podcast Eat Sleep Work Repeat on work cultu...