Behind The Title

I waited two years to get Shaun Simons on Behind the Title. Not because he was hard to get hold of, because I knew there was a story behind the LinkedIn posts, the business success and the opinions people see online. What I didn't appreciate was just how much of Shaun's mindset was shaped by what happened away from work. Launching a business during the financial crisis. A son born four months prem...

Katie Street is the founder of Street Agency, a successful B2B marketing business working with brands including Microsoft, Adobe and Shopify. But behind the title lies a story of extraordinary resilience. In this deeply honest conversation, Katie shares what it was like growing up with a mother suffering from severe bipolar disorder, becoming a single parent when her husband was sent to prison, be...

We're living in a world of cheap dopamine. It's one of the many insights Chris Forester shared during one of the most honest conversations we've had on Behind the Title. After nearly 30 years in senior leadership roles across media, Chris made the decision to leave corporate life behind and dedicate his next chapter to improving men's mental fitness through The Wingman Project. We explored: - Why...

Most people associate dyslexia with challenges in reading, writing or spelling. Paul Wright sees something different. After building a career spanning Sky, Apple, Amazon, Uber and Farfetch, Paul believes the same trait he spent years trying to manage helped shape the way he thinks, leads and builds businesses. In this episode, Paul shares why dyslexic thinking often creates stronger entrepreneurs,...

Lee Bofkin is the co-founder of Global Street Art, Europe's leading hand-painted advertising company. But behind the murals, creativity workshops and infectious optimism lies a fascinating story of neurodiversity, loss, resilience and personal growth. In this episode, Lee opens up about his autism diagnosis in his 40s, the loss of his co-founder and mentor, Conrad, the lessons he learned from a si...

At 30 years old, Neil Tookey thought he was indestructible. His career was thriving, he was building momentum in the media industry, and life felt firmly on track. Then everything changed with a diagnosis he never saw coming: testicular cancer. More than a decade later, after building a successful 20-year career across some of the industry's biggest businesses, another unexpected chapter arrived:...

John Maloney spent 24 years building a remarkable career in media, rising from a working-class upbringing in Elephant & Castle to some of the industry's most senior leadership roles. But behind the success was a very different story. In this candid conversation, John opens up about the anxiety, imposter syndrome and self-doubt he carried throughout much of his career, despite outward success....

Suicide is now the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK and it’s rising fastest among young women. But it is one of the most preventable causes of death, yet it remains one of the hardest things to talk about. In this episode of Behind the Title, I'm joined by Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, to explore why the way we talk about suicide prevention matters just as much as whether we talk about it at...

In this episode of Behind the Title, I sit down with Hannah Blake, Managing Director of Creative & New Media at Daily Mail Group, for a candid conversation about what leadership really costs when no one’s watching. Hannah opens up about the moments where everything appears fine externally while internally you’re paddling furiously just to keep going. She shares what it was like running a busin...

Please take care when listening. Jess Gross has had three miscarriages and nobody at work knew about any of them. Not because she didn't need support but because telling your employer you've had a miscarriage means admitting you were pregnant. Admitting you were pregnant means they now know you're trying for a baby and in too many workplaces, that single piece of information can quietly change how...

Join me as Hamish Nicklin and I briefly discuss where it all started with the podcast and the realities of fight or flight mode. In any industry, job titles carry power, perception, and pressure. But behind every title CEO, CMO, CFO is a person navigating private challenges, mental health struggles, and silent turning points that shape who they are and how they lead. Behind the Title is a candid p...

In this episode of Behind the Title, we sit down with Paul Sculfor. A former international male model, TV personality, and founder of the Stride Foundation. From the outside, Paul’s life looked flawless: global campaigns, red carpets, parties, success. On the inside, he was spiralling, battling addiction, shame, and a growing sense that he was disappearing behind the image. Paul opens up to us abo...

In this episode of Behind the Title, I’m joined by Emma Bain, Chief Operating Officer at TLC Worldwide, for a conversation that strips away the polished veneer and gets honest about what senior leadership really feels like. This is an episode about vulnerability without oversharing. About strength without pretending. And about the quiet pressure so many leaders carry without ever naming. We talk a...

⚠️ Trigger warning take care when listening. In this episode of Behind the Title, I speak with Matt Longley, CEO of Mobsta, about anxiety, leadership and a lived experience rarely discussed openly at senior level. Matt shares what anxiety really looked like behind his title, from toxic pressure and burnout to late‑onset self‑injury, therapy, and learning that you don’t need to hit rock bottom to a...

What does class look like in the creative industries and why are we still not talking about it enough? In this episode of Behind the Title, we sit down with Lisa Thompson, Strategy & Planning Partner at Wavemaker North and co‑founder of Common People, a movement committed to tackling class inequality across creative and media industries. Together we explore... Why class is the forgotten divers...

Nobody talks enough about what happens when your “superpowers” suddenly disappear. Sometimes the thing that looks like “success” from the outside is costing someone far more than anyone can see. Ali Reed shares what happened when menopause collided with senior leadership, pressure, family life and the expectation to keep showing up like nothing had changed. This is a part of working life we still...

This episode of Behind The Title, recorded a little while ago, feels more relevant than ever right now. Take care when listneing to the episode. Because Daniele Fiandaca co-founder of Hard as Nails is working at the exact opposite end of that spectrum. Not by lecturing men. Not by demonising them. But by giving them something the manosphere accidentally understood and weaponised, a space to feel s...

Lucy Foy, Director of IMedia, joined me to talk about something she rarely speaks about publicly living with Crohn's disease for her adult life while building a career in media. Lucy has been in pain every single day for over 20 years. In her words, I don't know what it feels like to wake up and feel amazing. I just don't know what that's like. You'd never know it. She's built a career across publ...

5.8 million. That's how many unpaid carers there are in the UK. 8% of the population has a learning or physical disability. Two pieces of advice from Episode 11 of Behind The Title that I haven't stopped thinking about. Kitty Day's permission slip: "Go and find people with additional needs in your world. You're not going to say the wrong thing. You'll be fine. Just go." Natalie Dawson's permission...

Three days after her husband's funeral, Pippa Glucklich got on a plane to Munich to lead a pitch. She was CEO of of a large media agency. BMW was the biggest pitch of her career. And her world had just exploded. In the latest Behind The Title episode, Pippa shares something I've never heard a senior leader discuss so openly: what happens when the facade crumbles. → The out-of-body experience of le...

We are back and have an incredible line up of leaders sharing their raw, hoenst and unfiltered truth. Covering a wide range of topics that will resonate with the majority, not the minority I hope you get to listen and please do share the series across your socials. - Pippa Glucklich, CEO EG, discusses the unfortunate circumstance of her husband's passing. - Ali Reed, Chief Growth Officer at Brainl...

In every industry, job titles seem to count for everything. But behind them, people are often facing struggles we don’t see from personal battles to mental health challenges. This podcast lifts the lid and pulls back the curtain. It’s a space to share the stories that rarely get told, to shine a light on taboos in the workplace, and to empower others to speak up, connect, and feel less alone. Beca...

Behind the Title welcomes Hamish Nicklin former Google, AOL, Guardian and Dentsu executive to share his journey to the top of the media industry, and the personal cost it carried. With honesty and courage, Hamish opens up about seven years of panic attacks, burnout, and the moment his wife intervened. He reflects on why leaders must redefine strength, the power of saying ‘enough’, and how talking...

Behind the Title welcomes Michelle Sarpong, Head of Activation at The7Stars, a leading independent media agency to share her powerful story of navigating and overcoming racism in the media industry. From personal experiences to the importance of allyship, Michelle reflects on resilience, recognition, and why open conversations are essential to breaking stereotypes and driving change. In any indust...

Behind the Title welcomes Will Lavin, Operations Lead on the PG One account at Publicis. Will opens up about life with a stammer and the wider challenges of being neurodiverse, from masking in the workplace to sensory overloads and missed opportunities. With honesty and humour, he shares how he’s turned what he once saw as a weakness into a superpower and why normalising neurodiversity matters for...