The Leadership Enigma

As AI gets smarter, does human leadership become less important or more? In this landmark episode of The Leadership Enigma, host Adam Pacifico launches the first-ever Global Human Centered Leadership Index, joined by two exceptional former CEOs: Angela Cretu (former Global CEO, Avon Cosmetics) and Tiger Tyagarajan (former CEO, Genpact). After six years and 300+ conversations with world-class leade...

Could your diet be holding back your leadership performance? In this one-of-a-kind episode, host Adam Pacifico is joined by executive educator and author Adam Kingl for a live cooking demonstration a first in 300 episodes of The Leadership Enigma. Adam's new book Executive Eats, co-authored with molecular biologist and former Michelin-star chef Dr. Jacobi, is believed to be the world's first cookb...

What does real leadership look like when your team is working through blackouts, missile strikes, and the daily uncertainty of war? In this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma, host Adam Pacifico sits down with Maryna Pavliuk, General Manager of Glovo Ukraine a delivery platform that became critical infrastructure from the very first day of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Maryna share...

In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacifico sits down with Karen Moorhouse, CEO of the International Tennis Integrity Agency, to explore the challenges of protecting integrity in one of the world's biggest sports. From high-profile anti-doping cases involving top-ranked players to the realities of match-fixing investigations, Karen reveals what happens behind the scenes when profession...

AI is moving faster than most organisations can adapt but what does that actually mean for leadership, workforce capability, and real business impact? In this episode of The Leadership Enigma Podcast, Adam Pacific sits down with Sanjay Dutt, SVP & Global Head of HR Centres of Excellence, to unpack what it really takes to move beyond AI experimentation into meaningful workforce transformation. From...

What happens when leadership is tested in the most extreme conditions imaginable? In this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma, we sit down with Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of Metinvest, to explore what it truly means to lead in a war zone. From navigating life-or-death decisions to keeping thousands of employees safe, this conversation goes far beyond business it’s about courage, responsibility, an...

We’re living longer than ever before… but businesses are still built for a world that no longer exists. In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacifico sits down with longevity expert Annie Coleman to unpack one of the biggest hidden risks facing organisations today. 💡 Key topics: Why companies are unprepared for longer working lives The real risk of losing experience too early How longev...

AI isn’t just a tool it’s a complete rethink of how we work. In this episode, we go beyond the buzzwords and break down what AI really means for leaders today. From re-engineering processes to building future-ready organisations, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about AI adoption. 💡 Key takeaways: Why adding AI on top of old systems doesn’t work The biggest misconcepti...

AI isn’t coming… it’s already here. In this episode, we sit down with a global CXO leading a 300,000+ workforce across 60 countries to break down what it really takes to build an AI-ready organisation. From completely reshaping business models to retraining entire workforces, this conversation reveals the uncomfortable truth: 👉 If you don’t adapt, you risk becoming irrelevant. We go deep into: -...

In this episode, we sit down with Raj Kumar, former leader at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and now founder of his own gas company, to unpack the real behaviours required to operate at CXO level. This isn’t theory. This is lived experience from the energy sector — one of the most complex and high-pressure industries in the world. We cover: - The mindset shift from executive to owner...

🚨 Attention Leaders, Executives & Entrepreneurs! 🚨 The world is changing faster than ever AI, quantum computing, geopolitical battles, inflation, and global crises are reshaping everything. In this exclusive session, we break down: ✅ The human condition in leadership: fear, greed, and confirmation bias ✅ Why courage beats comfort in decision-making ✅ The AI supercycle & energy, water, and inf...

In this episode, we talk about why organisations that don’t adapt to AI risk falling behind, and how HR can lead one of the most important transformations organisations are facing today. From storytelling and humility in leadership to real, practical AI use cases within HR 💡, this conversation challenges traditional ways of thinking about leadership and change. We also explore why mindset, authen...

Leaders today are expected to provide endless support, flexibility, and comfort — yet leadership burnout is at an all-time high. In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacific is joined by leadership expert Lisa Vidal for a powerful, honest conversation about what’s really broken at work. Together, they challenge the idea that leadership is about keeping people comfortable and explain why...

HR has two roles: keep the business out of jail and unlock human performance. In this powerful conversation, Ashley Williams (former CHRO of BT Group and BHP) explains what truly matters for HR leaders during periods of growth and transformation. We discuss: - Why HR must be a business function, not just a support function - The reality of transformation in large organisations - Leadership clarity...

Today, I’m joined by Vikram Bector, a seasoned business leader with decades of experience navigating change at the highest levels. The world of work is changing faster than ever 🌍⚡ From AI and automation to mindset shifts and career reinvention, every profession is being disrupted. In this episode, we dive deep into: 🔹 Why no job is truly safe in the age of AI 🤖 🔹 How mindset blocks can hold...

Dive into this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma as Olympic gold medallist and world-record-breaking swimmer Adrian Moorhouse opens up about the mindset, failures, resilience, and leadership lessons that shaped both his sporting greatness and his business success. From being bullied at school, to becoming world number one for six years, to then leading a company of hundreds — Adrian reveal...

British singer-songwriter Jessica Sweetman shares her incredible story of resilience, creativity, and leading with authenticity. From busking in Soho and performing in jazz clubs at 16, to squatting inside a Nashville record label until they offered her a deal, Jessica’s fearless pursuit of her dream redefines what it means to lead yourself through risk, rejection, and reinvention. Now working ind...

Adam Bierman—co-founder of MedMen—shares how a desperate, all-in bet on a federally illegal, unlicensed Venice Beach shop in 2010 became the world’s most recognized cannabis brand, with Apple-style stores from Beverly Hills to Fifth Avenue and a multibillion valuation. A dingy dispensary doing ~$300k a month revealed massive demand; a “Canna Mums” encounter reframed the mission from retail to cult...

Leaders are rushing into AI—but many treat it like another IT program. In this episode, Sam Burman, Global Managing Partner for Frontier Tech at Heidrick & Struggles, shares practical steps to activate AI without losing the human system at the heart of every organization. We cover why the CEO must be the sponsor (not the expert), how to align the exec team on investment, governance, adoption, and...

Dr James Hewitt is a Human Performance Scientist, speaker, and author. James combines first-hand experience as a full-time racing cyclist with ground-breaking work and research, proven on Formula 1 tracks and with Fortune 500 companies, to provide actionable, inspiring, science-backed insights at the intersection of leadership, wellbeing, peak performance, and the future of work. In this Leadershi...

In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Anne Chow — former CEO of AT&T Business, Independent Board Director, author of Lead Bigger, and one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business — shares her extraordinary journey and lessons on leadership, transformation, and purpose. Listeners will learn: Why the “power of difference” fuels creativity, innovation, and belonging. How to lead through chaos...

In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, I am joined by Dr. Khairunnisa Mohamedali, a social scientist with over ten years of experience in organisational culture, innovation and human-centred design. Together, they uncover why anthropology — the study of people in their contexts — is one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools for modern leaders. 💡 Key Learnings You’ll Take Away from This Epi...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Karen who is Founder & CEO of Fyma www.vorboss.com www.fyma.ai Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Michelle who is the Founder of Meeesh Unlimited Limited. www.vorboss.com Hosted by Simplecast,...

Leading London is a series of interviews with founders, entrepreneurs, disruptors and leaders all making an impact in London and beyond. The interviews were filmed at Vorboss (the internet for London business) during Tech Week from their new offices overlooking Liverpool Street. In this episode I chat to Katerina who is Head of Bizops, Encode Club. www.vorboss.com www.hub.encode.club Hosted by Sim...