Stratospheric Leaders

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders , Georgie welcomes back one of the show’s most popular guests, Lance Uggla, for a deep dive into the leadership lessons behind the book Raise The Bar . Together, Georgie and Lance explore what leadership looks like in practice, moving beyond theory into the habits, behaviours and decisions that separate good leaders from great ones.   Drawi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders, Georgie sits down with David Mercer, CEO of LMAX Group a global cross-asset marketplace, powering the fusion of traditional and digital finance through regulated market infrastructure and trusted technology. David is one of the most compelling voices at the intersection of institutional finance and digital assets. And his story is anything...

Send us Fan Mail In this high-energy episode of Stratospheric Leaders, Georgie sits down with Jessica Jensen, CMO of LinkedIn - the world's largest professional network with over a billion members across more than 200 countries for a conversation that is as practical as it is inspiring. We often think of LinkedIn as a platform. Jessica reminds us it is something far more powerful – it’s your...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Stratospheric Leaders, Georgie sits down with Sara Furber, CFO and Executive Committee member at Tradeweb - a company valued at close to $27 billion at the time of recording - for a conversation rich with wisdom, clarity, and the kind of career-defining insights we rarely talk about. We often look at successful leaders and assume their path has been lin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders, Georgie sits down with visionary trend anticipator, entrepreneur extraordinaire, masterful business builder, consistent culture carrier, intuitive deal doer, and the ultimate shareholder value maximiser – just a few of the words industry peers use to describe Lance Uggla. Lance was Founder & CEO of Markit - a company that started with...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders, I sit down with Troy Kane , President andCOO of Inplay Global, Inc. an innovative company creating the world’s firstregulated marketplace for Performance Securities – a new asset class offinancial instruments tied to real-time sports team performance and fanengagement. Troy’s story began on the Chicago trading floors at just 14 – shapedin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders , the microphone is handed to Caroline Vasquez, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at DRW, as she sits down with the show’s usual host, Georgie Dickins, for a deeply personal and expansive conversation. This episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at Georgie’s journey from a 20-year career in global financial institutions, in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I am joined by Sharon Bowen, Chair of the New York Stock Exchange – the first woman and person of colour to hold this role in the institution’s 230-year history. Sharon’s career is nothing short of remarkable. She brings more than 35 years in regulatory, securities, and public policy expertise. After a distinguished career in law, she served as a Commissioner at t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Brad Levy, CEO of Symphony. Brad has spent decades at the intersection of finance and technology - a bold thinker, seasoned operator, and one of the most respected voices in fintech. Before Wall Street was even on the horizon, Brad’s entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic were already taking shape. From the age of 14, he was earning his stripes workin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Andy Kuper Founder & CEO of LeapFrog Investments - a pioneering impact investment firm that has reached  over half a billion low-income people  with access to essential healthcare, financial tools, and climate solutions. Under his leadership, LeapFrog has raised  over $3 billion  from global investors and, earning recognition from Fortune  as one...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Sandeep Sahai, CEO of Clearwater Analytics (NYSE: CWAN) - a truly disruptive force shaping the future of financial technology. Clearwater operates on the cloud, providing clients with a comprehensive, real-time view of their portfolios and enabling global execution - processing and reporting on an extraordinary $8.8 trillion in assets daily as of Dec...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders, I sit down with Keyvan Mohajer, Co-founder & CEO of SoundHound AI - a technical innovator reshaping how we live, work, and interact with AI. From selling bread at age ten to leading a $7B company powering billions of voice interactions worldwide, Keyvan’s journey is one of vision, grit, and relentless innovation. He shares how childhoo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Stratospheric Leaders, I am thrilled to be joined by Justin Bariso – one of today’s leading voices on emotional intelligence and the author of EQ Applied – a book I consider my leadership bible and one I gift to every client. A gifted writer, his popular weekly Inc.com column has attracted millions of readers. What makes Justin remarkable isn’t just his mastery...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with the remarkable Dr. Kay Swinburne, Baroness Swinburne. Kay is currently the non-executive Chair of the Association of British Insurers and an advisor to numerous FS Boards, having held senior executive roles in the financial & professional services industry. She played a pivotal role in shaping regulatory reform, spearheading major legislative r...

Send us Fan Mail In this insightful and highly enjoyable episode of  Stratospheric Leaders , I sit down with Fabiana Fedeli, Chief Investment Officer, Equities, Multi Asset and Sustainability of M&G Investments. Fabiana leads a global team of 170 people, overseeing more than $70 billion in assets.   We start by going back to where it all started. Born in Rome, Fabiana’s work ethic was already...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging episode of Stratospheric Leaders , I sit down with Doug Cifu, co-founder and CEO of Virtu Financial — a global leader in market making and execution services. Doug takes us on an extraordinary journey: from humble beginnings landscaping lawns and scooping ice cream, to practicing law, and ultimately co-founding one of the world’s most influential market-making fir...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Sal Naro, Chief Investment Officer of Coherence Credit Strategies, a 5-time award winning fixed income credit fund with a 12-year track record.  This is a fund that has boasted an annualized return of 8% and a sharpe ratio of 1.50 since its inception in 2012. Sal is an extraordinary leader who has spent over 40 years navigating the highs and lows o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Neal, a trailblazing executive in financial services with a proven track record in leading global markets and infrastructure businesses. With expertise spanning multiple asset classes, regulatory landscapes, and a focus on digitizing complex, scalable infrastructures, Michelle brings unparalleled insights to the table. Having held senior r...

Send us Fan Mail I was delighted to welcome  Michael Spencer  to  Stratospheric Leaders . Michael is one of the most renowned entrepreneurs and dealmakers of our time. As the  Founder and CEO of NEX Group  (formerly  ICAP ), he built a global powerhouse—one that he later sold to  CME Group for £3.8 billion in 2018 . His story is, in many ways, a modern history of the financial markets: how The Cit...

Send us Fan Mail In this compelling episode of  Stratospheric Leaders , Georgie Dickins sits down with Henry Fernandez, Chairman and CEO of MSCI, to explore the essential qualities that define extraordinary leadership. From navigating uncertainty to embracing risk, Henry shares profound insights on vision, resilience, and long-term thinking. He reflects on lessons from his early life, the importan...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Georgie sits down with Carlos Hernandez, whose extraordinary 37-year career at JPMorgan, took him from the firm’s investment banking training program to Executive Chair of Investment and Corporate Banking, as well as being a key member of the Operating Committee and the Corporate & Investment Bank Management Team. Working almost every part of the business, Car...

Send us Fan Mail In the inaugural episode of Stratospheric Leaders , Georgie sits down with Lance Uggla, visionary leader, entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Markit. This is a company that started with a handful of employees in a barn in St Albans and grew into a $44 billion global leader in critical information, analytics, and solutions. Through strategic acquisitions and a transformative merger wi...