Hiring Excellence with Johnny Campbell

In a world obsessed with AI automation, is real connection a lost art? Russell Weaver, SVP of TA at Paramount, joins Johnny Campbell to make the case for relationship recruiting . With 30+ years in talent, Russell shares stories of lasting candidate bonds, why trust still closes the best hires, and how tech should enable, not replace, human connection. This one’s a masterclass in TA with heart.

In a world where AI handles the workflows, what’s left for recruiters? Business acumen. Brian Ivay, of Ciena, joins Johnny Campbell to make the case that curiosity and commercial understanding are what make talent advisors indispensable. From submarine networks to semiconductors, Brian shares how his team drives hiring impact by deeply understanding the business. A must-listen for TA leaders build...

What happens when your recruiter is an AI agent? Pavan Kumar, Global Head of TA at Eightfold, reveals how his team is using agentic AI to interview over 600 candidates, and it's only the beginning. From AI-powered interviews to human-in-the-loop decision-making, this episode offers real-world insight into the future of hiring. If you thought AI couldn’t do interviews, think again.

What does it really take to make AI work for recruiters? Glen Cathey, SVP of Talent Advisory at Randstad Enterprise, returns to Hiring Excellence to unpack AI’s seismic impact on sourcing, persuasion, and productivity. From Reddit experiments to managing AI like a teammate, Glen shares bold insights and practical frameworks that will change how you think about work in 2025, and beyond.

What does it take to enable world-class recruiting in 2025? Molly Sly, Head of Global TA Enablement at Sage, joins Johnny Campbell to unpack the rise of TA Ops. From building global playbooks to training hiring managers across 16 countries, Molly shares how her lean team is transforming hiring productivity—without just adding more recruiters. A must-listen for anyone scaling talent acquisition tea...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell sits down with Ryan Stene, VP of Global Talent Attraction and Engagement at Wells Fargo. Ryan shares his personal journey from being laid off—twice—to navigating the hiring process himself and learning hard truths about how candidate experience is really delivered. Together, they unpack the key moments that matter most in a hiring j...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell is joined by Jeff Bettinger, Chief Administrative Officer at Hudson RPO, to explore how AI is transforming recruitment and what that means for RPOs and TA leaders. Jeff shares insights on how recruiters can evolve into strategic advisors, the balance between cost savings and value creation, and why early AI adoption is crucial. If y...

What does it take to transform global talent acquisition and hire 60,000 people in five years? Elle LeBourg, Global Head of TA at Hilti, shares how her team moved from a reactive setup to a focused, people-first model. From cutting time-to-fill in half to rolling out new tools and creative comms, Elle walks us through what it takes to lead lasting change in TA - packed with lessons for anyone driv...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell speaks with Natasha Nuytten, CEO and co-founder of Clara, about how AI is reshaping hiring for future-ready organizations. They explore why resumes are becoming obsolete, how to identify critical capabilities like learning agility and problem solving, and what it takes to build a workforce that thrives in fast-changing environments....

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell chats with Giorgio Benassi, Global Talent Acquisition Director at Sephora, about using AI and automation to transform high-volume hiring. Giorgio shares his experience from leading TA at H&M and now Sephora, discussing how immersive assessments, automation, and AI are reducing time to hire and improving candidate quality. It’s a...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell sits down with Jo-Ann Feely, Chief Innovation Officer at AMS, to explore the state of DEI in 2025. They unpack the impact of U.S. policy changes, shifting global perceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how talent leaders are reframing DEI to stay compliant while staying true to company values. If you're grappling wi...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell speaks with Bryan Adams, founder of HappyDance and author of  Give & Get Employer Branding . Together, they explore how the best employer brand strategies don't just reflect culture, they shape it. Bryan explains why focusing on skills isn’t enough, how capability-driven hiring unlocks business performance, and how a world-c...

On this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell speaks with Elias Albino, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Syngenta Group, about transforming a decentralized, transactional recruiting function into a global, business-aligned talent advisory team. Elias shares why influence, process, and mindset matter more than ever in today’s TA landscape,and how to build trust and credibili...

In this special live episode recorded in Barcelona, Johnny Campbell is joined by Marcus Thorpe, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at ThoughtWorks, to explore how AI and automation are reshaping professional hiring. Marcus shares how ThoughtWorks approaches scalable automation without losing the human touch—from interview scheduling to sourcing and assessment. Learn how his team blends efficiency w...

In this special episode of  Hiring Excellence , originally broadcast during our SocialTalent Live event, we’re tackling one of the most pressing challenges in modern hiring:  AI-driven candidate cheating . Legal expert  Paul Britton , Managing Partner at Britton & Time Solicitors, joins us to break down the real implications of the  EU AI Act , what it means for hiring teams globally, and how...

In this episode of Hiring Excellence, Johnny Campbell is joined by Ariana Moon, VP of Talent Planning and Acquisition at Greenhouse. They explore how a shift from reactive hiring to strategic workforce planning is transforming TA teams. Ariana outlines Greenhouse’s approach to aligning headcount with business goals, embedding operational excellence, adopting AI tools, and verifying candidate authe...

How can organizations tap into  hidden talent pools  and create  truly inclusive hiring practices ? In this episode of the  Hiring Excellence  podcast,  Marianne Haegeli , Director of Learning and Leadership at  NSITE , joins  Johnny Campbell  to discuss  employment barriers for blind and visually impaired professionals  and how companies can rethink accessibility in hiring. Discover how  assistiv...

In this episode, Johnny Campbell sits down with Timm Rotter, founder of Disruptive, to discuss the transformative impact of AI on recruitment. Timm, a former sports journalist turned AI consultant, shares his journey from the world of social media to AI-driven recruitment solutions. He covers the potential and pitfalls of AI, the challenges organizations face when adopting these tools, and how AI...

In this episode, Johnny Campbell is joined by Tom Sayer from Accenture to explore the impact of AI on recruitment. Tom discusses the surge in job applications, with a 30% increase in applications leading to nearly a million more CVs. He shares insights on the rise of AI-enhanced or embellished resumes and how Accenture is tackling the challenges this presents. Tom also highlights how AI tools are...

In this episode, Johnny Campbell sits down with Lou Adler, a renowned recruitment expert and the creator of performance-based hiring. Lou discusses how traditional hiring methods often fall short and why defining the work upfront is key to hiring success. He explains the core principles of performance-based hiring, emphasizing the importance of assessing candidates for their ability to do the job...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence podcast, we’re joined by Salma Rashad, EVP and Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Siemens. Salma shares insights into how Siemens is balancing the real world with the digital world in talent acquisition, embracing AI and data-driven strategies while keeping the human touch in the process. From the rise of skills-based hiring to the impact of AI, Salma dis...

Join Johnny Campbell, CEO and co-founder of SocialTalent, as he speaks with Sebastian Jeppesen, Global Head of Recruitment at Joe and the Juice, about their groundbreaking decision to eliminate CVs from their hiring process. In this episode, Sebastian shares how this bold move in 2024 has transformed their recruitment strategy, reduced bias, and enhanced the candidate experience. Tune in to learn...

In this episode, Kevin Blair, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Ericsson, sits with Johnny Campbell and discusses the evolving role of talent acquisition in the modern business landscape. From addressing the identity crisis in TA to how metrics and performance should evolve, Kevin highlights how TA leaders can create value by aligning recruitment strategies with business goals. He shares his in...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, Johnny Campbell, CEO of SocialTalent, talks to Olga Power, Global Director of Talent Acquisition at Just Eat, about the importance of candidate experience in the hiring process. Olga shares insights into how Just Eat manages a high volume of hires while maintaining a focus on communication, transparency, and efficiency. She discusses how using data...

In this episode of the Hiring Excellence Podcast, John Vlastelica, CEO of Recruiting Toolbox, sits down with Danielle Monaghan, SVP of Global Talent Acquisition at Expedia Group, to discuss rebuilding a culture of recruiting in a large, mature organization. Danielle shares her experiences and strategies for aligning hiring practices, engaging hiring managers, and establishing clear hiring principl...