The Courageous Leaders Podcast

What’s the one toxic leadership behaviour you’d banish forever? In this special Leadership Room 101 episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, three industry leaders each argue to banish one leadership behaviour for good: busyness, fear-based leadership, or pay-to-play culture. I’m joined by Katy Wright (Chief Client & Business Officer, AMV BBDO), Sergio Lopez Ferrero (Global CEO, Omnicom Prod...

Why is avoidance the biggest killer of performance in teams?  In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I explain why it’s okay to upset people, and why giving honest feedback without fear is a skill every leader needs. Most leaders tiptoe around their teams, scared of upsetting someone. But avoiding hard conversations doesn’t protect people, it holds them back. I share why we waste...

Some people don’t just achieve, they achieve as though their life depends on it. In this deeply honest episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I sit down with Esther Marshall, former global gender diversity leader at Unilever and founder of Sophie Says, to ask a question so many of us avoid: who are you when achievement isn’t enough? This is a conversation about grief, high achievement, emotion...

Why are so many executive teams underperforming? In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I break down the biggest leadership mistakes I see inside executive teams today, from social loafing and siloed thinking to oversized leadership teams and “Game of Thrones” behaviour at the top of organisations. I explore why executive leadership is about far more than titles, why leadership te...

We often hear the ideas of great thinkers, but rarely get to understand how they actually think or who they are as people. In this episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I am joined by Rory Sutherland, President Emeritus of Ogilvy UK, best-selling author, and one of the most influential voices in advertising, behavioural science, and decision-making. If you’ve ever wondered why some ideas take...

Is your company culture too nice to perform? In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I break down the Challenge & Care Framework and why many teams are stuck in cultures that feel good on the surface but quietly damage standards, accountability, and results. I explore the four zones every workplace can fall into: apathy, comfort, fear, and courage, and how the best teams combin...

Why do we avoid talking about sex, death, and money when they shape so much of our lives? In this episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I am joined by Charlotte Pearce , an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, and CEO & Founder of Inkpact , who is reinventing direct mail into a future-facing medium rooted in human connection and behavioural science. From leading 150 people at just 19 to b...

Most leaders are never trained in how to manage their emotions. In this solo episode, I break down emotional fitness and why it plays a critical role in leadership, decision-making, and performance. When emotions take over, we react instead of respond, avoid difficult conversations, and make decisions driven by fear rather than values. I explore the difference between emotionally fit and emotional...

What if the way you understand people is incomplete? In this episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I am joined by Kathleen Saxton , Psychotherapist, Executive Coach, and Best-Selling Author, to explore the psychology behind behaviour, leadership, and one of the most misunderstood traits, narcissism. This conversation goes beyond labels. From how narcissism actually shows up in men and women,...

Power is always present in leadership… whether you realise it or not. In my work with leadership teams, I see how often power shows up in ways people don’t talk about. Not in obvious or intentional ways, but in the small moments. Who speaks first. Whose opinion carries weight. What gets challenged… and what gets left unsaid. In this episode, I break down the four ways power shows up inside executi...

What does leadership look like when everything is on the line? In this episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I’m joined by three extraordinary leaders, Mandy Hickson , former RAF fast jet pilot, Mark Fetters , Bomb Disposal Squadron Commander, and Rob Keeping , former military professional turned Managing Director. From being shot at mid-air, to leading bomb disposal missions, to making high-...

Are you leading your team… or unknowingly holding them back? In my work as a leadership coach, I’ve seen how easy it is for well-intentioned leaders to fall into toxic patterns, without even realising it. In this episode, I break down the subtle behaviours that quietly build into toxic leadership. The ones that don’t look harmful on the surface, but over time, create dependency, frustration, and d...

What does it really take to have the courage to change? In this episode, we unpack the real, messy, and powerful moments behind choosing change in your career and life. I sit down with Amber Shand , Founder of She Bites Back ; Catherine Peacock , Co-Founder of 05:37 ; and Georgie Rechner , Bodybuilder and Founder of Midlife Rebel , who all found the courage to change their lives.  This isn’t about...

How do you lead when certainty disappears? In this episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I’m joined by Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Neuroscientist and Author of Tiny Experiments. This conversation genuinely changed how I think about leadership, productivity, burnout and decision-making. We talk about what happens when your identity is tied to your job. And how an experimental mindset can change your...

Struggling to break free from the UK’s “play it safe” mindset? In this explosive episode, Josh White , founder of Cano Water , gets real about why British culture is stuck in a cycle of skepticism, lack of support, and shutting down bold ideas before they can breathe.  He shares raw truths about growing up with ADHD, battling addiction, and constantly being underestimated. He exposes how our resis...

Why do so many successful leaders still feel stuck, disconnected, or self doubt, even when things look good on paper? In this solo episode, I explore how senior leaders, founders, and leadership teams can build self-trust by listening to their three intelligence centres: head, heart, and gut, especially when making difficult decisions or designing a life that truly fits. This reflection draws on m...

How do you lead with conviction when everything is changing around you? It’s the big question for every UK leader right now and exactly why I invited Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, onto the podcast. In this episode, we get honest about what it really takes to let go of control, build true trust in your team, and stay resilient even when things don’t go as planned. We dive into: • When to keep go...

How do you know when it’s time to walk away - even from something you’ve built yourself? Sedge Beswick, consultant, advisor, speaker, and founder, digs deep into what it really takes to make bold career moves, step back as a CEO, and create space for what matters most.  If you’ve ever wondered how to balance ambition with family, deal with overwhelm, and lead with honesty, this episode is for you....

How do you find the courage to change, even when it feels uncomfortable? I’m closing out the year on the Courageous Leaders Podcast with one of our most honest and practical episodes yet. Leaders everywhere are feeling the pressure to adapt quicker than ever before, and it’s easy to worry you’re not keeping up. In this episode, I share the real conversations I’ve had with guests who’ve faced huge...

How do you build real allyship and create cultural change that actually sticks? This episode is one every leader should spend time with. Not because it’s “nice to know,” but because the future of your culture depends on it. Lee Chambers , Founder & CEO of Male Allies UK , brings the kind of clarity and challenge most workplaces avoid. We talk about what it really takes to: Redefine outdated ma...

Former professional footballers Mollie and Rosie Kmita and now founders of The Powerhouse Project join me for one of the most authentic leadership stories we’ve had on the podcast. This episode is packed with real leadership stories you rarely hear: the setbacks, the identity shifts, the emotional toll, and the courage it takes to keep showing up when things don’t go your way. Mollie and Rosie ope...

What would you risk to do the right thing? In this episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I sit down with Zelda Perkins , Co-Founder of Can’t Buy My Silence and the first woman to break an NDA with Harvey Weinstein. Zelda’s story isn’t just about one man. It’s about the system that silences victims and protects abuse. She speaks openly about how she fought back, how breaking her NDA changed UK...

In this episode of the Courageous Leaders Podcast, I speak with Carly Avener , CEO of Leo Burnett UK , about why vulnerability is essential to leadership and how sharing your story builds real trust. Carly opens up about imposter syndrome, insomnia, and the pressure of returning to work as a parent. She also shares the practical steps she’s taken to reframe anxiety, create supportive environments...

What happens when you put three top creatives in Leadership Room 101? In this special Creatives edition of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I sat down with Dave Buonaguidi (Co-founder of St. Luke’s, 4Creative, and Karmarama), Trevor Robinson OBE (Founder and ECD of Quiet Storm), and Kevin Howes (Freelance Creative Director, Porsche, Sony, Hotels.com) for a sharp, honest, and funny deep dive into th...

The ROI of Inclusion – Why Diverse Voices Drive Better Business In this episode of the Courageous Leaders Podcast, I speak with Ali Hanan, Founder and Executive Director of Creative Equals, an award-winning organisation helping brands like PepsiCo, Mars, and McDonald’s put inclusion at the heart of marketing. We dig into why inclusive advertising isn’t just a social good but also one of the smarte...