L&D Disrupt

What does great leadership development actually look like, and how can L&D prove it's making a difference? In this episode of L&D Disrupt , Pauline is joined by Cathal Quinlan , host of the Better at Work podcast and an experienced transformation leader, to explore how organisations can develop better leaders, improve team performance and connect learning to real business outcomes. Dra...

What happens when you stop treating people initiatives as standalone HR programmes and start connecting them directly to business performance? In this episode of L&D Disrupt, Pauline Taylor is joined by Luke Fisher, CEO of Sova and Co-founder of Mō, to explore what it really takes to build high-performance environments where people, culture and business outcomes are connected. Luke shares less...

AI is changing the way we learn and work, but what does that mean for the future of L&D? Pauline, VP of People at HowNow, is joined by Toby Newman, Founder of Control Coaching Diagnostics, to explore why self-awareness, psychological safety and learning in the flow of work are becoming increasingly important. They discuss why traditional leadership training and LMSs often fail to drive real be...

AI is changing how people work — but what does that mean for L&D? Kelsey, Learning & Performance Lead at HowNow, is joined by Patrick Mullarkey, founder of Byte and Build Consulting, to explore how AI is pushing L&D beyond traditional training and towards performance, business outcomes and commercial impact. They discuss what AI can’t replace, the importance of quality assurance and bi...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt , host Kelsey (HowNow) speaks with Leah Fellstad, L&D Manager at Crimson Hotels, about why great learning starts with treating people like people. Leah shares her journey from hospitality to teaching and L&D, and explains how her experience managing teams shaped her approach to learning, leadership and employee experience. From achieving 86% staff retenti...

What happens when we stop making HR and learning feel beige? Michelle Hartley, founder of People Sorted and Find Your Awesome, joins L&D Disrupt to explore how HR and L&D can become more human, engaging and memorable, from the way we design training to how we measure its impact. Michelle shares why she believes learning should be something people participate in, remember and apply , rather...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt , Kelsey from HowNow sits down with Jordana Cole, founder of Ignited, to explore why organisations may be approaching AI all wrong. Rather than positioning AI as a tool for efficiency or task replacement, Jordana argues that we should think of it as an operating system for people enablement, one that can amplify uniquely human strengths, support personalised grow...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt , Pauline sits down with Asi Degani, former Director of Skills and Talent at London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and now Head of the AI Academy at **NTT DATA, to explore what it really takes to build a skills-based organisation. Asi shares how LSEG developed its Career Navigator talent marketplace, creating a transparent framework that mapped roles, skills and pro...

What happens when L&D stops thinking like a support function and starts thinking like the business? In this episode of L&D Disrupt , Kelsey Botne from HowNow is joined by Elizabeth Chaloner , Head of Learning & Talent Development at Lastminute.com, to explore what it really takes to align learning with business priorities. Elizabeth shares why L&D professionals should see themselve...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt, host Pauline Taylor, VP of People at HowNow , sits down with Daniel Gualdino , Head of Head of People, Talent & Culture at Oatly , to explore why HR should start thinking more like a product team. Daniel explains what Product-Led HR really means: designing employee experiences around people's needs, using data to drive decisions, and measuring success th...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt, host Pauline speaks with Monica Holliday , Head of People at British Airways Euroflyer, about why traditional approaches to talent development and performance are no longer fit for today's workforce. Drawing on a career that has spanned multiple industries, Monica shares how the world of work has fundamentally changed since COVID and why organisations need t...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt, host Kelsey speaks with Derek Bruce, Chief Learning Officer at Easygenerator, about what's holding L&D back and what the function needs to become next. Derek argues that learning teams spend too much time creating content instead of making better use of what already exists, and that L&D must become more closely connected to performance, skills, and b...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt, host Kelsey speaks with Ruth South, who leads Talent Development and Learning at Costa Coffee, about what it really takes to build a learning culture that drives business success and meaningful internal mobility. Ruth explains how Costa invests in apprenticeships, coffee craft, and centrally funded talent pathways that move people from barista to leadership role...

In this episode, strategic talent and development leader and coach Shane Halifax shares how he moved from being a general manager at DFS into L&D after realizing he most enjoyed developing people, and explains what he learned about what does and doesn’t translate from courses into workplace performance. He outlines a capability-based approach: defining role capabilities, benchmarking with top...

We’re excited to kick off Season 4 with our new host, Pauline Taylor, VP of People at HowNow! Join us for an engaging discussion with Ian Walker, an industry leader and expert in Learning and Development (L&D), as he explores the transformative power of L&D in driving business outcomes. In this episode, Ian highlights the crucial role L&D plays in unlocking potential, fostering collabo...

🎉 Celebrating the 100th episode of L&D Disrupt Live at World of Learning! Nelson Sivalingam is joined by four forward-thinking L&D leaders—Tara (AND Digital), Stephen (So Energy), Penny (inRiver), and Joe (Centrick)—for a conversation about how Learning & Development is evolving in today’s organisations. They explore how L&D teams are moving from problem solvers to problem finders...

Join us in this exciting episode of L&D Disrupt Live as we explore the latest trends, lessons learned, and predictions for the future of Learning and Development with Nelson, CEO and co-founder of HowNow, along with a panel of experts. From discussing the role of AI in L&D to the importance of evidence-based practice and the shift to performance-based metrics, this episode covers it all. F...

Join us for an engaging discussion with Lavinia, founder of OffBeat and a thought leader in Learning and Development (L&D), as she explores the future of organisational learning. In this episode, Lavinia highlights the crucial role L&D plays in fostering collaboration, trust, and adaptability within organisations. The conversation covers the impact of AI on L&D, the distinction between...

In this episode, Adam Horne joins the show to unpack the challenges of “accidental managers”, those promoted without proper leadership training, and the friction caused by poorly designed roles. Drawing on his experience at Open Org , Adam explains how the organisation supports HR professionals in startups through community building, content creation, and consulting . He explores the impact of AI...

In this episode, Ross Stevenson explores how Learning and Development is evolving in the age of AI. As technology reshapes how we work and learn, Ross shares how L&D professionals can harness AI’s potential while keeping the human element at the heart of learning. Drawing from his journey from practitioner to creator and consultant, he offers practical advice on experimenting with AI tools, ad...

In this episode, we dive into what it really takes to make learning a daily habit at work. From finding that sweet spot between passion, relevance, and environment, to empowering managers and influencers to champion learning, we explore the practical side of building a true learning culture. You’ll hear how technology can reduce friction, how merging cultures can reshape development, and why redef...

How do you transform a fragmented organization into one united by shared goals, values, and performance? In this episode, Emma shares her journey leading talent management at James Fisher, reflecting on the rebrand from L&D to Talent, building strategies in times of transformation, and shifting perceptions of HR’s role from “just training” to driving real business impact. We explore how to: Al...

In this episode of L&D Disrupt , we sit down with Joe Milton, Learning and Development Manager at Centrick , to explore what it really takes to build the next generation of leaders. From his beginnings as a music teacher to shaping leadership development strategies in fast-moving businesses, Joe shares how teaching children isn’t so different from coaching adults, and why positive reinforcemen...

In Part 2 of this special episode, Nelson continues unpacking the future of workplace learning—focusing on how L&D leaders can future-proof their strategies in an era of exponential change. He explores why the fastest learners—both individuals and organisations—are the ones who will thrive, and why L&D must evolve from a compliance-driven function into a true strategic lever for business p...

In this episode, the tables are turned as our usual host, Nelson, takes the hot seat to explore the current state of L&D. The conversation kicks off with the challenge of content overload and what it means for HR and L&D leaders trying to cut through the noise. Nelson explains why shifting from a content-first to a skills-first approach is essential, and how connecting the right learning t...