Pod Leaders

In this episode of Pod Leaders , Rachael Thornton sits down with Julia Reichel , a respected leader in aviation technology, to discuss a career that's been anything but conventional. From dreaming of becoming a pilot and training with British Airways, to navigating the aftermath of 9/11, overcoming career setbacks, leading commercial growth across some of aviation's most recognised technol...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, Rachael Thornton is joined by technology entrepreneur, speaker, author, and CEO Christopher Carter. From starting out with a Commodore VIC-20 and Georgia Tech, to working with SAP, building global businesses, and speaking internationally about AI, Christopher shares the lessons he’s learned throughout his career in technology and leadership. The conversation dives i...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with aviation expert Sinead Finn to explore a career shaped by opportunity, creativity, and bold decision-making. Sinead shares her journey from early exposure to the travel industry to spending 13 years at Ryanair, where she played a key role in expanding markets across Europe and driving commercial growth. From negotiating with airp...

In this episode of Podleaders by Thornton Gregory , host Rachael Thornton sits down with Emma Robertson to explore her remarkable journey through aviation and technology. From early ambitions of becoming cabin crew to leading global teams in complex tech environments, Emma shares the pivotal moments, challenges, and decisions that shaped her career. They dive into topics including resilience in th...

In this episode of Podleaders , host Rachael Thornton sits down with Dan Fischer for a powerful conversation on what modern leadership truly demands. From navigating uncertainty to building high-performing, resilient teams, Dan shares the lessons he’s learned through real-world experience — not just theory. They dive into the importance of culture when scaling, how to lead with clarity under press...

In this episode of Podleaders , host Rachael Thornton sits down with airline industry veteran Helene Millet for an inspiring and honest conversation about building a career in aviation technology. Starting her journey in data science at Air France, Helene spent 20 years navigating revenue management, distribution strategy, GDS negotiations, and the early development of NDC standards. She shares wh...

In this episode, we explore a career that sits at the heart of airline transformation. From working within global airline groups and joint ventures to leading revenue management initiatives across continents, the conversation traces a journey through traditional airline commerce into AI-driven innovation. We discuss the evolution of ancillary revenue, the rise of offer and order management, buildi...

In this episode, host Rachael sits down with Sandra for a heartfelt and engaging conversation. Together, they explore the experiences that have shaped their lives, the lessons they’re still learning, and the honest moments that shaped where they are.   Rachael and Sandra open up about navigating challenges, pursuing personal growth, and finding joy in unexpected places. You’ll hear stories that ar...

In this episode, I sit down with Edward Keelan, GTM Operating Partner at Octopus Ventures, one of Europe’s most active VC firms. Edward shares how growing up with dyslexia shaped his education, career, and mindset — from early struggles to earning a distinction at Oxford. We explore why neurodiverse thinkers often excel in entrepreneurship, how companies can rethink hiring to unlock hidden talent,...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Simon Gregory welcomes Matt to discuss the dynamic world of MarTech and the importance of creating a platform for meaningful conversations in the industry. Simon, a seasoned expert in recruitment for MarTech and CDP companies, shares his journey over the last decade and the valuable insights he’s gained through his experiences. The episode aims to elevate hard-...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, Veronica Hull shares her extensive journey in the airline industry, reflecting on over 20 years of experience. She discusses the pivotal moments that shaped her career, including her early inspiration from airport and airline television shows in the 90s. The conversation delves into the twists and turns of her professional path, emphasizing her passion for change an...

In this latest episode of the  PodLeaders  series, host  Simon Gregory  sits down with Sales Enablement expert  Giles Giddings  to explore the pivotal role of enablement in scaling two of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in history— ServiceNow  and  Snowflake .Giles shares his first-hand experience of building and leading enablement initiatives that aligned go-to-market teams, accelerated sales...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host and guest Mark Lenahan dive into the intricacies of the airline industry, focusing on modern retailing. Mark shares insights gained from his 20 years in the industry, discussing the complexities and changes in airline retailing, including key acronyms like NDC and OSD. The conversation aims to demystify the terminology surrounding airline operations and enhance...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dave Govan, a seasoned CRO and Revenue Legend, with a track record at Dynamic Yield, Sailthru, Hitachi, and many other top SaaS companies. Dave shares his insights on cracking the enterprise code and scaling upmarket. Over the 60 minutes, he delves into real life examples and tactics for bringing your SaaS products to a large average sales price, and how he success...

In this episode, Roy Juggaseur shares insights from his impressive career in leadership roles at Selligent and Experian, discussing key milestones, lessons learned, and the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. He delves into effective change management, navigating cross-border challenges when building global GTM teams, and identifying “magic markers” that help struggling businesses...

In this episode of PodLeaders, host Simon Gregory sits down with Charlie Kennedy to explore the incredible journey of scaling a SaaS business from $25M to over $300M in ARR. Charlie shares his first-hand experience at Brandwatch, offering key insights into the challenges and opportunities of high-growth expansion. They dive into critical topics like when to segment sales teams, building an enterpr...

In this episode of Podleaders, host Rachel welcomes Mark Lenahan, a seasoned professional in the airline industry. Mark shares his unique journey, starting from his early days as a software engineer without a college degree to his extensive career in tech and aviation. He discusses his initial foray into the workforce with Irish Life Assurance and his pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Computer S...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with Massimo Morin, the Global Head of Travel at AWS. Massimo shares his journey in the travel and hospitality sector, starting the AWS travel and hospitality practice seven and a half years ago with a small team focused on transforming the industry through cloud technology. He reflects on the significant changes he's witnessed, p...

In this episode of  PodLeaders , host Simon Gregory is joined by Micah Fox, VP of Sales EMEA at mParticle. Micah shares valuable insights on " building high-performing GTM teams in a remote setting. " With over a decade of experience at Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Braze, and now mParticle, Micah discusses real-life examples and proven frameworks for attracting top talent. He also offers...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Nick Ashton from Protect Group shares insights into his unique journey and experiences within the industry. He has had quite a journey so far, in both roles and locations! Join us as we delve into Nick's background, his travels, and his vision for making a mark in the airline sector. Tune in for an engaging conversation filled with industry perspectives and per...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael sits down with Oana, a seasoned professional from the airline technology industry, to discuss her nearly 20-year career journey. Oana shares her experiences at Amadeus, where she played a pivotal role in developing and deploying innovative IT solutions focused on customer handling, baggage management, and ancillary services. She reflects on how these ex...

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael welcomes industry leader, Ann to discuss her extensive journey through the travel and airline sectors. Ann reflects on her beginnings in corporate travel and shares her passion for Airline Retailing. With a wealth of experience working for over 20 airlines, she is the go-to when it comes to Offer and Order. Tune in as Ann provides insights into the comp...

In this episode of Podleaders, host Thornton Gregory welcomes Phil Norton, an experienced professional with a diverse corporate background. Phil shares his journey through various roles within Avis, highlighting the significant changes and opportunities he encountered during his years in the corporate world. Tune in to hear more about Phil's insights on career progression and the lessons he's lear...

In this episode titled  "Building High-Performing and World-Class Revenue Teams,"  we interview GTM executive Louis Fernandes. Louis shares his expertise on assembling top-tier revenue teams, offering insights into the strategies and principles that drive high performance and sustainable growth. From hiring the right talent to fostering a culture of excellence, Louis provides valuable advice for a...

In this episode, host Rachael welcomes Boris Padovan, a seasoned expert in airline and airport IT, who shares insights from his extensive 20-plus year career in the industry. Boris recounts his journey, starting with his first position at Swiss Air, where he managed sales related to e-business during the early days of internet booking engines. Boris runs through the past, present and future of Air...