Inspirational Journeys of the Best Minds

From dreaming of becoming a figure skater to leading global brands and helping businesses unlock growth through innovation, Rochelle has built a career defined by curiosity, adaptability and a willingness to embrace opportunities beyond the original plan. With 25 years of experience across advertising, consumer goods and commercial leadership, and now as Founder of Fractional Fusion, a Fractional...

A true leader in the world of AI and Data. With more than 2 decades of experience across #Finance, Academia and presently Global Head of AI Enablement at Standard Chartered, David Hardoon is influencing how AI can be used responsibly and effectively. In this episode, David talks to our host Francesca (Frankie) about #fair, #ethical and #transparent usage of #AI in the financial sector. David is pa...

Chosen as one of the Powerlist Saudi Executives in Aviation of 2025, Top Influential Global Leader of 2024, Woman Icon of the year 2023, one of the TOP100 influential Arab leaders in CSR for 2023, and amongst the MEA’s 50 most influential ESG Leaders in 2022, Maryam Telmesani is a prominent woman leader navigating a time of economic #uncertainty , #technological transformation, and rising expectat...

With 24 years of global experience across four continents, Ali F. Hamdan has shattered the mold. Known for challenging the status quo, leading with integrity, empathy, and a disruptive vision, Ali ignites teams, fuels innovation, and builds resilient cultures. In this episode, discover how Ali’s journey from dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon to becoming a Chief Audit Officer has shaped his timeles...

Starting with dreams of becoming a vet, eventually leadingteams at Google, and now empowering others as a globally acclaimed coach, Nina's story is packed with lessons of resilience, adaptability, and finding harmony between professional success and personal joy.   In this episode, Nina, cofounder of Astrolabium, opens up to our host, Jackie, abouther transition into coaching. Her experience h...

Are you holding your team back? For Anand Mishra, Global Head of Bid Management at SAP GTM Strategy and Operations, culture is the “oxygen” teams need to thrive, and fostering curiosity and innovation is essential for any leader. In this episode, our host, Sharmistha Mukherjee, sat down with Anand to uncover key lessons from his inspiring leadership journey. Anand shares how resilience, shaped by...

"Being different is actually a great thing. And I think being able to look for the nuance in that not just in your life, but also in the lives of those around you is really how we tell the best stories in the communications industry and career.”     From an animal lover with dreams of becoming a vet to a communications leader at global tech giants like Microsoft and LinkedIn, Wai’s journey is noth...

“The biggest leadership lesson I've learned is to lead a team as a father. You have to care and you have to trust. Trust is the base of every functional team and you have to understand that your kids can be different with different personality, with different vibes, with different attitudes and one size doesn't fit all. So you have to change and play different leadership styles with different team...

"The book 'The Beacon of Opportunity' isn't just a guide on investments and opportunities in Saudi Arabia; the book is about clearing several misconceptions about Saudi Arabia's cultural landscape too. (...) One misconception I have cleared is that 'Saudi is very strict with its cultural norms', whereas the reality is completely different. The second misconception I have tried to clear was about t...

"If you're not in the role, is the team able to function in a harmonious and high-performing way even in a state of crisis?"   In this insightful episode, Siew Ting Foo, a global CMO and visionary author of "Building Brands with Soul," sat down with our host Jackie Lee. Drawing from her 25-year career and the influence of esteemed mentors, Siew Ting has crafted a book she wished she had during her...

“I wish somebody when I'm starting on my career would have told me that FMCG is actually one of the best place to start your career.” In this compelling episode, we have the pleasure of learning from Rachel Goh, the Zone Head of Global Employer Branding & Recruitment Marketing at Nestlé. Rachel, a recent recipient of the 2023 IMERGEY APAC Luminaries Award, has spent over two decades transformi...

“But in fact, fiction is really important because it does a very, very good job of changing public opinion. And I mean, it can even change history.” Genevieve Hilton is an ESG leader and the co-author of "Fairhaven - A Novel of Climate Optimism." Genevieve, who writes under the pen name Jan Lee, has had a multifaceted career at companies such as Lenovo and BASF as well as serving as a senior advis...

“My definition of leadership is not the title that I hold. But if I walk in the office campus and you know, these used to be large campuses housing 25, 30,000 people. If you walk from one end to the other itself, it could take you perhaps 30 minutes. So I said, my benchmark of my leadership is how many people come out of the way when you're walking down the campus and they come and say, hi, no exp...

“On a few occasions, I was told you just don't have the gravitas, to you know, take on these bigger roles. You do look too young and it's a nice problem to have nowadays, obviously, but in those days it was very difficult. So, you know, obviously, you can't age overnight or make yourself look more, more worldly, but you can obviously work a lot harder on your knowledge and, also importantly on you...

SPOTIFY - Title: [VIDEO] Ep. 12: Cat Rüst, Revenue Growth Leader and Advisory Board Member “I've worked with bankers over the last few years where they have never worked anywhere else. And they proudly tell me I've been 35 years with the same company. And I'm like, why would you tell somebody that? It shows you have no ambition to change, (...) you're so in your comfort zone.” As a seasoned expert...

“And then when you look back, you will thank yourself that, thankfully I invested in myself to make my base stronger. And now when you are at a height, you are not shallow. You are somebody who has deep knowledge or you have expertise, which is really meaningful.” In this episode, our host, Jackie, uncovers Mukta’s path to becoming a human resources leader. From studying petri dishes in the lab to...

“He (Steve Jobs) said that getting made redundant was actually the best thing for him because he became creative. So what I'm going say is actually when I was the one time I was made redundant. It sounds really, really weird, but it prompted me to actually make a move I'd been considering from investment banking to private banking. So once you get over the original shock and the actual fact that i...

“It's almost like you are labeled basically because of your appearance. And especially as a young kid, that's a bit intimidating. And maybe that was also the purpose of those comments. [...] I think now that this actually motivates me even more to really excel. [...] But in a way, it helped me to create my personal brand as a kid.” In the latest episode of Inspirational Journeys of the Best Minds,...

“Seeing my wife have three kids at work. Seeing the different challenges that she went through versus the challenges that I went through and how that impacted her career. It made me want to be the sort of leader, the sort of partner, the sort of father that tried to drive change.” Sammy Elazab is the Sales Director for Southeast Asia at Samsung Ads. Sammy is a proponent of workplace equality and i...

“You know, there's a saying at Microsoft, say don't be a know-it-all, be a learn-it-all and that's been me since I can remember.“ Vanessa Sorensen is the Chief Partner Officer, ANZ, and Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand. Beyond the workplace and under Vanessa's leadership, Microsoft has implemented initiatives to increase Maori and Pacific representation in the corporate sector, and her e...

“From her (Amy Radin), I learned how to surround myself with people who are better and smarter than me. She named that as one of her leadership strategies. So I take that with me today.” Melissa Henson, the Chief Marketing Officer at AIA Philippines, has consistently driven business growth and brand recognition by introducing innovative products and embracing digitalization. She has developed disr...

“I had a fear of heights, but I forced myself to enroll in a skydiving course. I have a fear of deep water and deep blue, and I forced myself to become an advanced PADI scuba diver. I'm dyslexic, and I have issues with reading, but I pushed myself into an executive MBA and I graduated with distinction, top 5% of my class.” Sherif Tawfik, Chief Sustainability Officer MENA at Microsoft, is an admira...

"How many senior leaders do you know when they are in a room? They need to be the ones making the decision. Most of them." Yves Briantais, the VP of Marketing at Colgate-Palmolive is a true leader and advocate for empathy and inclusivity in the workplace. Yves joins us in person at our studio to tell us about how he got to where he is and discuss his views on leadership, inclusivity, and the recen...

“That’s how I grew in my leadership. Someone else took a bet on me.” Imane Jamal Eddine, Chief of Staff to the President of Microsoft Asia, joins us on the podcast to share her inspiring journey. From her dreams of joining NASA to the obstacles she faced with cultural biases and how she overcame them, Imane discusses her leadership style and the profound stories behind how she got to where she is...

“Don’t overanalyze, just go for it.” Amnah Ajmal is the Executive Vice President of Market Development EEMEA at Mastercard. Her accomplishments speak volumes about her expertise in the fintech industry and her dedication to her work. Starting from her aspirational dreams as a child and navigating the numerous challenges she encountered along the way, her story is one of resilience and determinatio...