The Leadership Enigma

Adam Bierman—co-founder of MedMen—shares how a desperate, all-in bet on a federally illegal, unlicensed Venice Beach shop in 2010 became the world’s most recognized cannabis brand, with Apple-style stores from Beverly Hills to Fifth Avenue and a multibillion valuation. A dingy dispensary doing ~$300k a month revealed massive demand; a “Canna Mums” encounter reframed the mission from retail to cult...

Leaders are rushing into AI—but many treat it like another IT program. In this episode, Sam Burman, Global Managing Partner for Frontier Tech at Heidrick & Struggles, shares practical steps to activate AI without losing the human system at the heart of every organization. We cover why the CEO must be the sponsor (not the expert), how to align the exec team on investment, governance, adoption, and...

Dr James Hewitt is a Human Performance Scientist, speaker, and author. James combines first-hand experience as a full-time racing cyclist with ground-breaking work and research, proven on Formula 1 tracks and with Fortune 500 companies, to provide actionable, inspiring, science-backed insights at the intersection of leadership, wellbeing, peak performance, and the future of work. In this Leadershi...

In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Anne Chow — former CEO of AT&T Business, Independent Board Director, author of Lead Bigger, and one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business — shares her extraordinary journey and lessons on leadership, transformation, and purpose. Listeners will learn: Why the “power of difference” fuels creativity, innovation, and belonging. How to lead through chaos...

In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, I am joined by Dr. Khairunnisa Mohamedali, a social scientist with over ten years of experience in organisational culture, innovation and human-centred design. Together, they uncover why anthropology — the study of people in their contexts — is one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools for modern leaders. 💡 Key Learnings You’ll Take Away from This Epi...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Karen who is Founder & CEO of Fyma www.vorboss.com www.fyma.ai Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Michelle who is the Founder of Meeesh Unlimited Limited. www.vorboss.com Hosted by Simplecast,...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Katerina who is Head of Bizops, Encode Club. www.vorboss.com www.hub.encode.club Hosted by Sim...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Tobias who is dad & Founder, CEO of Making Moves www.vorboss.com www.makingmoveslondon.co.uk H...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Paul who is head of Sales for Voip Unlimited www.vorboss.com www.voip-unlimited.net Hosted by...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Rob who is the co-founder of Bramwell Brown Clocks. www.vorboss.com www.bramwellbrown.com Host...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Jose who is the Head of Operations for Streetscope www.vorboss.com www.streetscope.com Hosted...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Ben who is the Founder of Fully Charged www.vorboss.com www.fullycharged.com Hosted by Simplec...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Sarah who is the Founder and Managing Director of Flourish www.vorboss.com www.helloflourish.c...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Diptesh who is the Founder and CEO of UBDS www.vorboss.com www.ubdsdigital.com Hosted by Simpl...

In this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma, I am joined by Iris Loew-Friedrich, former Chief Medical Officer at UCB and current global board advisor, for a deeply human and honest conversation about leadership in an uncertain, fast-moving world. Iris flew to London specially for this conversation — and it shows. Her insights are raw, real, and full of wisdom earned across decades of experie...

What does it take to raise a football star while staying grounded in love, learning and loyalty? In this powerful and personal episode, I sit down with Marcia Lewis, proud mum and agent to Myles Lewis-Skelly—Arsenal and England’s 18-year-old sensation and one of the most talked-about young players in football today. But this conversation isn’t about hype. It’s about humanity. Marcia shares the rea...

What happens when John Cleese personally selects you to play Basil Fawlty in the West End revival of one of the most iconic sitcoms in TV history? If you're Adam Jackson-Smith, you say yes… and then quietly panic. In this special episode of The Leadership Enigma, we go behind the curtain with the man trusted to resurrect Basil on stage. Adam shares the rollercoaster ride from virtual auditions (co...

In this powerful and timely episode, Adam sits down with Olivier Award-winning director-turned-writer Mark Rosenblatt, the creative force behind Giant, the searing and sensational play that explores the genius and the darkness of Roald Dahl. Starring the legendary John Lithgow—who also took home an Olivier for Best Actor—Giant dives deep into the tangled web of brilliance, grief, controversy, and...

In this episode, I am joined by Tom Stevenson – Investment Director at Fidelity, respected columnist, and broadcaster – for a wide-ranging and brutally honest look at the global economic storm we’re all trying to navigate. From tariffs and Trump to inflation, war, and AI-driven disruption, Tom unpacks why we’re entering a new era of unpredictability – one where the calm of the past few decades has...

In this powerful episode, I welcome Spencer Gore, the dynamic CEO of Gorely Group and owner of Chelmsford City FC. A serial entrepreneur with seven ventures under his belt, Spencer shares the raw truths of leadership, innovation, and purpose-led business. 💡 Key takeaways for leaders and entrepreneurs: Turn Neurodiversity into a Superpower: Spencer opens up about discovering his dyslexia later in...

In this raw and powerful episode, Adam sits down with Josh White, the accidental CEO and co-founder of Cano Water – the eco-conscious drinks brand shaking up the industry. Josh opens up about his journey from addiction, ADHD, and mental health struggles to building a brand that’s now selling 15+ million cans a year and backed by global icons. From school dropout to DJ, from rock bottom to rehab, J...

The Dean of Dumbassery Returns to The Leadership Enigma In this energising episode, Garry Ridge, former Chairman & CEO of WD-40 (yep, that iconic blue and yellow can with a red top), returns to the Leadership Enigma – flying in from the West Coast to London just for this chat! 🔥 Garry shares powerful lessons from his new book “Any Dumb Ass Can Do It”, drawn from 25 years of scar tissue, leadershi...

In this captivating episode, we dive deep into the remarkable leadership journey of Tiger Tyagarajan, former CEO of Genpact, who led the company from a humble team of 20 to a global powerhouse of 130,000 employees with over $5 billion in revenue. Tiger's story is one of curiosity, humility, adaptability, and relentless growth. 🚀 Key Leadership Insights: 1. Curiosity as a Superpower:Tiger emphasiz...

Charl Bassil is the BBC’s first-ever Chief Brand Officer, tasked with developing a unified brand strategy to engage global audiences, strengthen loyalty, and drive digital growth. With a background in marketing and leadership, Charl, originally from South Africa, brings a fresh, external perspective to one of the world’s most iconic institutions. The BBC, founded in 1922, has been at the heart of...