Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast

“Your value will only be known after you have moved on. So lay good foundations for those who come after you.” Mohan never imagined the career he would lead - working for P&G across 3 continents over 30 years. Growing up in India, he studied Mechanical Engineering, and got a Masters in Technology from @ IIT. He then got his Master in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii and an...

“You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once. In the long view, it all balances out.” Tiana Conley is Kellogg’s VP of Global Cereal where she is responsible for the $6 billion flagship portfolio with treasured brands such as Special K, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops and Corn Flakes. Prior to joining Kellogg, she was Beam Suntory’s Marketing Director of global tequila, and held marketing ro...

"It's always easier to make it through something when you're doing it together." Tarang Amin is CEO & Chairman of e.l.f. Beauty, the parent company to e.l.f. Cosmetics, WƎLL PEOPLE, and Keys Soulcare - a lifestyle beauty brand created with Alicia Keys. Having led e.l.f. Beauty since 2014 - Tarang has 25+ years of experience building brands, leading innovation, and assembling high-performance t...

  “Go where the growth is happening - and the growth of yourself will follow.”   Zena Arnold is Kimberly Clark’s Chief Digital & Marketing Officer,  an accomplished executive across CPG and Technology marketing and general management.  Zena was previously at Google for nearly seven years - in senior roles as Global Head of Growth for ChromeOS, General Manager for US Chromebooks, and Head of Americ...

Kirk Perry is Google’s President of Brand Solutions - where since 2013, he’s led global teams to enable brand partners to leverage all of Google to reach their consumers wherever they’re engaging. Prior to joining Google Kirk was at P&G for 23 years - in various roles across marketing and general management - including President of Global Family Care, and six years in Asia with assignments in Sout...

Najoh Tita-Reid leads Marketing Reinvention at Logitech where she’s reimagining, redefining and reinventing the global marketing function across 120+ countries - reporting to the CEO. Najoh’s worked across in multinational roles across leading brands like Hero, Bayer, and Merck, after having spent 19 years at P&G - rising through the ranks of marketing and sales. Najoh earned an MBA from the Fuqua...

  As we get ready for the year ahead, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this second “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with the NEXT generation of brand leaders - not too far off from many of our current stages of work and life. Beyond reflecting on where we’ve been - we also talked about our current moment - and where things are...

  As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with retired industry greats - once at the helm of the world’s greatest companies - many of whom now continue to serve non-profits, NGOs, corporate boards, and even professional sports teams! These leaders were able to reflect on wh...

      As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with CEOs leading some of the biggest and fastest growing brands - who shared their journey to the big chair, and what they’ve learned since. In pretty challenging year - they revealed how their purpose, value and principles suc...

  As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In our first “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with some of P&G’s great leaders - former CEOs, regional leaders and trailblazers in diversity, equity, and inclusion. And of course, if you want to hear more from any of these leaders, definitely check out each guests full epi...

    “Just do the right thing for the customer - don’t caveat it with other things.” Alejandro Bethlen is the CEO of the Bouqs Company - the leading online floral retailer who’s radically disrupting the $100B global floral industry - where he’s been in the top seat since June 2020. Alejandro’s a veteran of Amazon - where over eight years he held senior roles across six countries with P&L + operatio...

  “Leverage the purpose, values, & principles to use data for good.” Filippo Catalano is the Chief information & Digitization Officer at Reckitt Benckiser - where he’s driving the IT and digital transformation of the consumer giant. Filippo was also recently CIO of another consumer giant - Nestle, where he scaled the company’s efforts in eCommerce, Programmatic and more. Filippo got his start at P...

  “Search and reapply for the insights and innovations to build your business.” Jill Beraud is the CEO and Co-founder of Sh'nnong Beverage company - WHO IS developing plant-based, functional beverages - and SHE also serves on the Board of Directors at Levi Strauss & Co. Jill previously served as CEO of IPPOLITA and has held C-Suite executive marketing roles for multi-billion dollar brands like Vic...

  “Find what balance means for ALL of your people.” Tami Hurwitz is Amazon Music’s Global VP of Marketing & Growth - a role she’s been in since 2017, working on campaigns featuring  Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Chance the Rapper, Alicia Keys - reaching more than 55 million customers worldwide. Tami also spent 9 years at Microsoft as a General Manager working on digital, demand, and data efforts. Tami...

  “Make every decision in your career on the basis of values and principles, and you will be successful.” Fernando Aguirre is the former CEO of Chiquita Brands International, and currently a Professional Baseball Owner - as CEO of the Erie SeaWolves (AA affiliate for the Detroit Tigers), and Vice-chair of Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs). Fernando also owned a minor...

    “Leadership is about doing the right thing - beyond politics - for the purpose and values of the country.” This election may be the most important of our lifetime, so we hope you’ve made your plan to VOTE. Bob McDonald - former P&G CEO and US Secretary of Veterans Affairs - returns to our podcast to share his unique perspective on service, leadership, people, and values and the choice we are m...

  “Work more on things that people haven’t figured out yet." Charlie Chappell is head of integrated media and communications planning at The Hershey Company, where he is leading the company’s transformation towards a data-driven, people-based approach to media on brands like Reese’s, Hershey’s, Kit Kat, Ice Breakers, Twizzlers and many more. In a great conversation about finding what’s important t...

  “The best leaders do what's right by people, not politics" Shantanu Khosla is Managing Director of Crompton Greaves - one of India’s leading Consumer Electricals companies, where he’s been since 2015. Shantanu was the P&G’s India country lead for P&G India from 2002 to 2015 - where he grew revenue 15x in 13 years - making P&G one of the fastest growing consumer companies in India. And prior to l...

“Integrity can be a competitive advantage.” Ed Artzt served as P&G’s CEO & Chairman from 1990 to 1995 - during which sales grew to $33 billion, and the company grew well above historic averages. Joining in 1953, Ed led growth on brands like Comet, Zest, Charmin, Bounty, and Folgers. Ed has also served on the boards of American Express, Delta Airlines, GTE and Teradyne. He was active in foreign aff...

    "Live, Laugh, Love, & Let Go." Kris Malkoski is the CEO of Newell Food Brands - overseeing operations of brands like Ball, FoodSaver, and Rubbermaid. She’s had more than 30 years of proven leadership across Fortune 500 companies, startups and private equity –  like Arc International World Kitchen (Pyrex®, Corelle®, CorningWare), Sears Craftsman, Ubiquity, and of course P&G - where she actually...

    "Rediscover your passion - find where you need to be." Gustavo Ghory is the Chief Supply Chain Officer of Kimberly Clark. Previously, Gustavo was Co-founder & Chairman of of SmarterChains - a startup focused on driving greater agile manufacturing globally. Gustavo got his start at P&G as a team manager at a plant in Venezuela, with increasing roles responsibilities globally and regionally - ov...

    "There is no bending your principles and values, you either stick by them or you don't.” Qaisar Shareef spent a 30 year career at Procter & Gamble - where he most recently led the company’s operations in Pakistan - which is actually an organization he helped build for the company many years prior when P&G was first starting business in Pakistan. During his time with the P&G, Qaisar also held c...

    "In challenging times, if no one has a game plan - you have to create one." Lisa Baird is the Commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League where she’s helping the organization navigate through unprecedented times. She previously held CMO roles at New York Public Radio and the US Olympic Committee - Where she launched the Team USA brand. She’s also held senior executive roles at the NFL,...

  "If you're in a position to improve others’ lives, then that is your duty." Paul Polman is Unilever’s former CEO (2009-2018), and currently co-founder of IMAGINE, where he is mobilizing businesses to tackle climate change and global inequality. At Unilever, Paul created (and proved) a long-term approach to global problems can also drive business performance. Prior to Unilever, he was Nestle’s CF...

    "Diversity is a business strategy - it's not an HR program, it's not a nice to have."  Virginia “Gina” Drosos, is the CEO of Signet Jewelers - the world's largest retailer of diamond jewellery - having served on the company’s Board since 2012. Gina was also previously the CEO of Assurex Health - growing the company towards a $410 million acquisition by Myriad Genetics. Gina got her start at P&...