Disrupt Disruption

“I’m coming around to the view that running human-written code – without it being AI-audited – is going to be considered the reckless thing.” In this episode, Martin Alderson – cofounder of Catchmetrics , engineering leader with two decades shipping enterprise software, and author of a Top 100 Hacker News blog on the intersection of software engineering and economics – cuts through the AI noise wi...

“We’ve seen a lot of technological innovation over the last few hundred years. I think this is the last invention.” In this episode, Dr. Michael Housman – Wharton-trained data scientist, founder of AIccelerator, and bestselling author of Future Proof – cuts through the noise on why most organizations are failing at AI adoption. The problem isn’t the technology. It’s the people. We dig into what le...

"If you show me a company that succeeded with every experiment, I'll show you a company that's very poor at picking their experiments." — Jason Goldberg In this episode, Jason "Retail Geek" Goldberg — Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis Group and co-host of the top-ranked Jason & Scott Show — makes the case that most companies are asking the wrong question a...

What happens when the cost of intelligence drops to zero? The only thing that matters is knowing how to give the right instructions. In this episode, Andreas Bachmann – co-founder of Adacor, a managed cloud and critical infrastructure provider serving banks, automotive, healthcare, and energy clients across Germany – shares what 22 years of deliberate, founder-led growth actually looks like. We ex...

“As we move up the pyramid of command and control, people stop telling us the truth. We as leaders actually become dumber.” – What if everything you learned about leadership is based on a system designed for sovereigns managing illiterate peasants? In this episode, Peter Laughter – a recovering CEO, Quaker, and self-described student of human connection – challenges the foundations of how we lead...

“Why do I have to tell your chatbot to do something? Just do it.” In this episode, Jeff Seibert – founder of Digits (AI-native accounting platform), former Twitter Head of Product, and the engineer behind Crashlytics (now on 6 billion devices) – reveals what it actually takes to build AI-native companies from scratch. We explore why most companies are getting AI wrong by bolting chatbots onto old...

“We couldn’t start inkjet again if we had it in our hands because we’re not meeting the rules.” That stark admission from former HP Fellow Will Allen reveals why even the most innovative companies struggle to recreate their own breakthroughs—and what it takes to actually scale disruptive technology. In this episode, Will Allen, holder of 102 US patents and the first HP Fellow promoted within HP’s...

What if the leadership frameworks we’ve relied on for decades are fundamentally broken for today’s world? In this thought-provoking conversation, Pascal sits down with Jeffrey Rogers—his collaborator of nearly a decade—to explore how leaders can navigate sustained uncertainty and systematic disruption. Jeffrey, an expert in organizational learning and futures thinking, challenges the “Good to Grea...

In this episode, we are joined by Gero Hesse, a distinguished “Top HR Influencer” and CEO of EMBRACE, a Bertelsmann Investments company at the forefront of HR technology. Drawing from his deep expertise, Gero offers a profound perspective on how the HR industry must evolve in an era defined by constant change. The conversation delves into the pressing dichotomy of the talent shortage driven by dem...

We’re joined by John Fallon, former CEO of Pearson PLC, who led its transformation from a 175-year-old publisher to a global digital learning company. Now an author and academic, John shares insights from his new book, “Resurgent,” on how established companies can thrive amidst disruption by leaning into their core strengths while learning to be agile. He argues that a strong, unifying sense of pu...

In this episode, we welcome Stefanie Klein, who leads the international initiative Women4Metals at Aurubis AG. With years of experience in the male-dominated metals industry, Stefanie is dedicated to making women in heavy industry more visible and empowered. Her work demonstrates that diversity is a business imperative, essential for driving cultural transformation across an entire sector. Stefani...

In this episode, Pascal sits down with Brian Brault, a leadership development expert who runs programs at MIT with the Entrepreneurs Organization, to explore how leadership has fundamentally evolved in our rapidly changing world. Brian shares insights on the shift from traditional “smartest person in the room” leadership to emotionally intelligent, authentic leadership that prioritizes building te...

In this episode, Pascal is joined by Scott Wingo, a pioneer in the e-commerce space, to discuss the concept of 'liminal space' and the rapid changes brought by AI and geopolitics. Scott shares his journey from growing up with a mainframe in his home to navigating the fast-paced shifts from desktop to mobile and now AI. The conversation delves into the complexities organizations face in ada...

In this episode, the first of Season 2, Pascal welcomes Johnathan and Melissa, founders of the Raw Signal Group, to discuss the evolving landscape of management and leadership. Known for their impactful writings and expertise, Johnathan and Melissa share their insights on how leaders can navigate the turbulent shifts brought about by remote work, AI advancements, and geopolitical changes. They exp...

​Join Pascal Finette in our dynamic bimonthly live event series to dive into the heart of innovation. Pascal engages in candid conversations with eminent experts who demonstrate progress in practice. ​In our first session of 2024, we feature  Aaron Frank , a longtime expert in  Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Spatial Computing . Together, we will explore the future of this field....

Kacee Johnson , as the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at CPA.com, stands out in the realm of accounting technology. Grounded in global FinTech, she pinpoints pivotal trends and forges collaborations in the sector. Celebrated by Accounting Today and CPA Practice Advisor, Kacee also ranks among the Most Powerful Women in Accounting. In our conversation, Kacee explores the complex issues o...

In our discussion, David shares insights from years on the boards of major corporations. He urges CEOs to engage board members for strategic guidance, not just oversight. David sees board meetings as chances to focus on the future, offering strategies like independent incubators and migrating innovations from edge to core. He emphasizes selecting directors individually and fostering a strong chair...

Brant Cooper  is the New York Times bestselling author of “ The Lean Entrepreneur ” and “ Disruption Proof ,” and the innovative mind behind  Moves the Needle . With a rich history of transforming industrial age dynamics into digital age opportunities, Brant brings unique insights on agility, digital transformation, and how to create real value for customers amidst today’s complex and disruptive b...

Frederik is a renowned global thought leader and former Chief Innovation Evangelist at Google, where he led the growth of the company's innovation culture and mentored a diverse global community of over 600 Innovation Evangelists. He is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University's d.school and teaches graduate classes on navigating ambiguity at the intersection of innovation, creativity,...

Christina is the CEO of biotech startup Officinae Bio, and the former cofounder of the Innovation Lab of ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture between GSK, Pfizer, and Shionogi. Previously she held leadership positions at GSK and has spent her career at the forefront of healthcare innovation." Repeat guest Christina, and I discuss all things leadership, how to manage successful innovation initiatives a...

Mary is Managing Partner of Bread and Butter Ventures . She began her career working on the Google IPO, and went on to lead new business development partnerships, negotiating early-stage product and technology deals worldwide. Mary served as the founding director of Google for Startups , leading the company’s global efforts to support entrepreneurs in over 100 countries. After her 15-year career a...

Josep heads up Innovation at Swiss-based Oberalp Group , a world leader in mountain sports equipment. Further, he is General Manager at POMOCA , the market leader ski touring skin manufacturer. In our conversation, we explore the many lessons which can be learned from the timeless classic Swiss army knife, why sustaining innovation oftentimes trumps the perceived need for disruption, and what migh...

Raphael Gielgen has spent most of his professional life working on improving the office environment. Raphael is Trendscout Future of Work Life & Learn at the legendary design firm Vitra. His curiosity for architecture, technology, and social change in the context of working environments is his fuel — always connected to the question of how the global working world is changing and what impact it ha...

Barak is the founder of MarketCentrix, a consumer strategy consultancy for tech companies. Barak consults to start-ups, VCs, and large companies and serves as a board member or advisor to start-ups. Most recently, Barak was the Director of Operation and Strategy at the MIT Media Lab. Prior to the Media Lab, Barak was CEO of Evi, the virtual personal assistant acquired by Amazon, and is now the int...

Natasha is the Chief Operating Officer of Signol. Natasha has a Masters of Sience in Global Crime, Justice, and Security from the University of Edinburgh. Prior to Signol, Natasha spent nine years working within the UK Ministry of Defence, specializing in intelligence. Her final role in Defence was as Chief Operating Officer of the MOD’s most successful innovation team, responsible for delivering...