Careers & Character Podcast

From working and studying simultaneously from the age of 17, to helping build IKEA Mexico as employee number 51, and now graduating as the class speaker of the IMD MBA Class of 2025, this is the story of Alfonso “Poncho” Martínez . In this episode, we sit down with Poncho to explore what it means to build a life anchored in relationships, humility, and courage. We talk about learning to “care and...

From completing a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology to consulting across industries and ultimately teaching leaders on three continents, this is the story of Katharina Lange , IMD Professor of Leadership, whose work blends strategy, psychology, and character. In this episode, we sit down with Katharina to explore what true leadership demands of us: courage, humility, self-awareness, and the disci...

From building a successful career in investment banking in London and Italy to helping deep-tech founders turn groundbreaking science into world-changing companies, this is the story of Kevin Martelli - investor, advisor, and founder behind Delta Plus Ventures . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Kevin to explore how character and conviction shape great ventures, why trust compounds fa...

From leading Unilever’s ice cream brands across Latin America to leading with calm and purpose in the IMD MBA, this is the story of marketer, musician, and father of twin daughters, Rodrigo Sarzosa . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Rod to explore what it means to stay true to yourself while serving others, to balance “caring and daring,” and to find humour and lightness even in 12-h...

From landing in startups accidentally to scaling companies and leading 120+ teams, to now pursuing an MBA at IMD, this is the story of Jens Marczinski . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Jens to explore his path from accidental entry into the startup world to becoming a leader who thrives in chaos. They discuss his philosophy on meaningful work, the lessons of managing fast-growing te...

From running track and designing sustainable buildings as an engineer in Canada to pursuing an MBA and pitching a decarbonization venture in Switzerland, this is the story of Somerset Jarvis . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Somerset to explore how sports shaped her approach to business, why she believes positivity is practical (not naïve), and how she’s tackling the challenge of de...

This season felt different. In Season One, we mostly spoke with close friends, people who thought and worked in ways familiar to us. Season Two took us further afield… professors, entrepreneurs, classmates from other corners of the world. Conversations stretched from rugby pitches to boardrooms, from Kuwait to Singapore, from AI to originality. If Season One was about discipline, Season Two was ab...

From growing up in the Netherlands as a shy student to becoming one of the world’s leading voices on business ecosystems, and now serving as Dean of Asia and Professor of Management Innovation at IMD, this is the story of Professor Mark Greeven . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Mark to explore his journey from reluctant public speaker to world-renowned teacher and management thinker...

From growing up playing rugby in Wales, to coaching across Europe and Australia, to now leading the German women’s national Sevens team, this is the story of Curtis Bradford. In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Curtis to explore his journey from a self-proclaimed ‘average’ player to an internationally respected coach. They dive into the philosophy that has guided him through highs and l...

From starting work at age 12 in a car radio shop in Johannesburg, to building and backing insurance ventures in London, to now advising CEOs across Europe, this is the story of Arthur Goldberg . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Arthur to explore how early lessons in hard work and resourcefulness shaped his outlook, why empathy and curiosity remain at the heart of good leadership, and...

From growing up in the Netherlands and building a global food brand with his brothers, to teaching at INSEAD and mentoring future leaders across continents, this is the story of Cliff Go . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Cliff to explore his family's entrepreneurial journey — from a small Indonesian kitchen in 1950s Holland to a thriving European-Asian business. With humility and cl...

From advising at the White House and consulting at McKinsey, to teaching for two decades at McGill and now mentoring students as Dean of the MBA and Professor of Strategy and International Management at IMD Business School, this is the story of Professor Omar Toulan . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Omar to explore a career dedicated to helping others realise their potential — from...

From a small village in China to quality management across multiple industries, and now fatherhood and an MBA in Switzerland, this is the story of Fang Yuan . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Fang to explore the quiet strength behind his curiosity, how quality control taught him honesty and resilience, why humour became a tool for leadership and connection, and how he’s striving to r...

From growing up in Kuwait and studying petroleum engineering in Colorado to managing institutional portfolios and now pursuing an MBA in Switzerland, this is the story of Abdulaziz “Aziz” Akbar . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Aziz to explore how his family roots and Kuwait’s merchant history shaped his values, the pivotal lessons he’s learned from investing and teamwork, why trust...

From discovering cricket through a Netflix documentary and playing in her San Francisco backyard to co-founding a nonprofit that is building women’s sports pathways and now pursuing an MBA in Switzerland, this is the story of  Auni Mirabrishami . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Auni to explore how her multicultural upbringing and move from Silicon Valley to Lausanne fueled her love...

From exploring his curiosity as a self-described “kid at heart” to earning a PhD and later founding his own startup, this is the story of José Parra Moyano , Professor of Digital Strategy at IMD Business School. José is a passionate and award-winning teacher who has been listed as a member of the Thinkers50 Radar List, a Forbes 30 under 30, and a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum. In this...

From Idea to Impact: Our First Season of Careers & Character What started as a fun experiment, a simple idea to record interesting conversations, has turned into a meaningful project for us. In one month, we’ve sat down with nine remarkable guests: Olympians, hostage negotiators, investors, military officers, performers, and more. Each shared a piece of themselves that challenged, inspired, and ta...

From directing school musicals as an “acting director” to structuring deals and executing strategies in private equity, and ultimately discovering her transferable skills in communication, stage presence, and coaching during her MBA, this is the story of  Katinka Wodschow . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with “Kat” to explore what her early theatrical experiences taught her about the wo...

From pursuing handball at a high level to leading teams and board meetings at McKinsey and, ultimately, finding his niche as a family office advisor & investor, this is the story of Kilian Graulich . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Kilian to explore how his athletic upbringing instilled resilience and a learning mindset, the unconventional CV strategy that earned him a coveted role...

From being a top-10 German swimmer to winning gold in the Men’s Singles Sculls at the 2024 Olympic Games to embarking on a new journey in business school, this is the story of  Oliver Zeidler . In this episode, John and Konsti speak with Oliver about the strategic mindset that propelled him from rowing world titles in 2019, 2022 and 2023 to Olympic gold in Paris, the mental resilience that helped...

From learning to sail on Danish waters as a five-year-old novice to charting new waters in strategy consulting and now bringing all his skills together in business school, this is the story of Georg Bunk Lauritsen . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Georg to explore how his international upbringing shaped his adaptability, the mentorship and grit that propelled him from a “terrible” s...

From growing up on a family farm to rising to the rank of Captain in the Danish Military, to his current journey of self-discovery at business school, this is the story of Georg Vind . In this episode, John and Konsti speak with Georg about the lessons he learned growing up on the family farm, how he gained confidence in the military and overcame his childhood stutter, his evolving leadership phil...

Today, we are honored to welcome Professor George Kohlrieser to our show. George is an American clinical and organizational psychologist who served for years as a police psychologist and hostage negotiator before becoming Distinguished Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at IMD in Lausanne. He founded IMD’s High Performance Leadership programs and sits on the advisory board of the...

From the Colorado ski slopes and Santa Clara lacrosse fields to corporate boardrooms and now IMD’s MBA cohort, this is the journey of Connor Lewis . In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with Connor to talk about his “family first” ethos, how sport taught him to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable”, and the everyday actions he uses to build trust and drive team performance. Key Takeaways...

From “Attacking Viking” to MBA Classroom, this is the story of 29-year-old Olympic medal-winning alpine skier and current IMD student, Fabian Wilkens Solheim . In today’s episode, John and Konsti speak with Fabian about his former skiing career, what life lessons he learned from sport, how he turned setbacks into his “love the process” philosophy, and how he’s discovering new things about himself...