Meet The Leader

SUGI is a unique global organization that brings pocket forests -- ultra-dense, biodiverse forests leveraging the proven Japanese Miyawaki Method -- to cities all over the world. The group has built 200 pocket forests in 42 cities so far, with each providing a key form of "urban acupuncture" that can protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and even better reconnect people to nature. Founder and CEO Elise Van Middelem shares more about SUGi and how it got started - and the unique ways these projects are reviving places from England to Cameroon.  This interview was recorded at the Urban Transformation Summit in Detroit, Michigan in October 2023.  Photo by Joya Berrow

What workers want - and what keeps them motivated - has changed drastically in recent years. And with big technological and demographic shifts driving labor shortages, knowing how to both retrain and retain your workforce will be more important than ever. Randstad CEO Sander Van't Noordende will share insights from the talent firm's annual Workmonitor survey, giving a one-of-a-kind snapshot on how workers are thinking about everything from ambition, to purpose, to flexibility and pay. He'll also share what new habits leaders will need to adopt (including the value of microfeedback) and how leaders should be approaching everything from how they connect with workers to how they future proof their talent pipelines.  Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, 2024.  Transcript here: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/how-leaders-must-adapt-randstad-sander-vant-noordende

As a busy mom working in tech, Ritu Narayan understood the chaos school logistics can bring to kids and parents. Her personal experience inspired her to found Zum, a startup providing an end-to-end solution for districts with optimized bus routes, one including bus fleets to match different-sized schools, and an approach that makes school transit transparent and efficient for the first time in a century. The startup was launched originally as an on-demand service and she shares the key questions that helped her pivot the company for scale -- questions that can help any founder make a big shift happen. She also discusses the unexpected impact wrangling family logistics can have on parents' work lives (even nudging some moms out of the workforce altogether) and how tackling that can boost opportunity for parents and kids alike. This episode was recorded at the World Economic Forum's Urban Transformation Summit in Detroit in October 2023. 

Kat Bruce is an eco-entrepreneur who founded NatureMetrics, one of the world's leading nature technology companies measuring the very tiny traces of DNA that organisms leave in the air, water and soil. She’s also a former jungle explorer who has undertaken expeditions in the Amazon, working in research stations, riding down tributaries on balsa rafts she’s made herself. She shares how such experiences have helped her to be a better leader: to be reflective to find new solutions, to understand different people’s unique roles in a team, and to make tough choices quickly. She also shares the potential environmental DNA provides, and why more leaders than ever are understanding the need to leverage data in new ways to tackle their environmental impacts.  This episode was recorded at the Sustainable Development Impact Meeting in the World Economic Forum's New York City office during UN Week September 2023. 

Forget snacks and gym memberships: Today's worker wants to know you value their family.    When Reshma Saujani founded Moms First -- a movement to drive paid leave for families --she already had a successful non-profit under her belt in Girls Who Code. But she quickly learned that advocating for moms and parents uncovers a host of structural barriers that hold back both women and families. In a special conversation recorded at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, she shared how leaders will need to focus on their teams' families to stay competitive and to bridge a host of gaps - including gender pay gaps and labor shortages coming down the line. She also shared how a special AI-powered tool her organization built -- PaidLeave.AI -- is helping thousands better understand leave benefits in New York State and showing how new technologies can expand opportunity in surprising ways. 

Where do you see yourself and your team a year from now? How can you maximize tech - and mitigate its risks? How can you stay focused despite increasing geopolitical tensions? What impacts will small decisions now have in 5 to 10 years? In this special compilation episode of Meet The Leader recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, heads of top companies, civil society organizations and non-profits shared what leaders should prioritize this year. They share questions to ask yourself, how to set your objectives, ways to better serve your team, the risks to keep on your radar and ways to build your vision for the long term. In this episode:  Sander van 't Noordende, CEO, Randstad Fidelma Russo, CTO, HPE Milton Cheng, Global Chair, Baker McKenzie Daphne Koller, CEO, Insitro Hilde Merete Aasheim, CEO, Norsk Hydro Petra Jenner, senior vice president and general manager, Splunk  Christy Hoffman, General Secretary, UNI Global  Reshma Saujani, founder, MomsFirst Olajumoke Adekeye, Founders, Young Business Agency Catalina Cock Duque, Co-Founder and President, Fundacion Mi Sangre Rudayna Abdo, founder, Thaki Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

What’s next for the year ahead? Is a much-promised “soft landing” for certain economies possible? And what new impacts can we expect from inflation? Meet The Leader caught up with International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva at the Annual Meeting in Davos to get her take on what's ahead, including how upcoming elections and other global challenges could make some moves especially tricky in 2024. She discusses the findings of a new IMF report exploring how AI will impact jobs in different economies around the world in the decades to come -- and how leaders can get prepared now. She also shares the mindsets and approaches that can help leaders stay nimble in what could be an unpredictable year -- along with what gives this "die hard" optimist hope. 

New approaches to partnering and collaboration will be key to tackling climate action. This will require new mindsets, new systems and connecting with people and groups you might have otherwise overlooked. To better understand how collaboration is evolving, this week’s episode talks to Chief Procurement Offers, leaders who do more than acquire goods and services, but who increasingly work across the business and hold a holistic perspective, exposed to everything from the bottom line to changing trade rules, innovations and shifting geopolitical contexts. They share methods they use to collaborate in new ways -- practices any leader can put to work to push climate action forward. In this episode:  Rachael De Renzy Channer, Global Head of Sustainability, Egon Zehnder  Andrea Fuder,  Chief Procurement Officer, Volvo Group  Björn Stenecker, Chief Procurement Officer, Vattenfall  Dan Bartel, Chief Procurement Officer, Schneider Electric

Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy interviews fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg about the designer's life and one-of-a-kind perspective. The spirited, wide-ranging conversation goes beyond the creation of the famous wrap dress and how Furstenburg built one of the world's most recognizable brands, to explore how these two strong female creatives open doors for others and navigate challenges in their industries.  Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland January 18, 2024.  Watch the full session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/wrapped-in-leadership    

Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger talks with World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab in this wide ranging conversation on technology, leading edge semiconductor production and the trends shaping the year ahead. Recorded January 17, 2024. Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/a-conversation-with-pat-gelsinger-and-klaus-schwab ---- Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wef Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552 World Economic Forum Book Club Podcast - subscribe: https://pod.link/1599305768 Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella speaks to World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab in a special wide ranging conversation covering how AI will transform science, new game-changing technologies that will drive progress, and more. This conversation was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Recorded January 16, 2024.  Watch the session here: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2024/sessions/a-conversation-with-satya-nadella-and-klaus-schwab

How do the world's top leaders maximize their time to connect and build solutions to the world's biggest problems? This special highlight episode shares insights recorded at past Annual Meetings in Davos, Switzerland with a range of voices including CEOs, entrepreneurs, civil society leaders and an astronaut. They share the personal approaches they employ to listen effectively, build trust, strengthen collaborations, seek out new perspectives and ensure their leadership meets the moment.  In this episode: Roy Jakobs, CEO, Royal Philips Priya Lakhani, CEO and Founder, Century Tech Alex Liu, Chairman, Kearney Matthias Maurer, astronaut, European Space Agency David Rubenstein, founder, Carlyle Group Achim Steiner, administrator, UNDP Ashleigh Streeter-Jones, founder, Raise Our Voice Australia

Swami Sivasubramanian’s first experience using a computer was in high school in India, where there was just one computer for the entire school. While each student could use the computer for just a few minutes a day, those few minutes sparked his lifelong passion for technology, one that led to his current role as VP of Data and AI at Amazon Web Services. It also drove home to him that any exposure to new technologies can be transformative. He talks to Meet the Leader about why it's critical to prioritize access to AI training for a range of ages and backgrounds, especially those in non-technical fields like HR or Marketing where new possibilities will be on the horizon. He also shares a slate of free AWS programming for cutting edge AI tools as well as guidance for leaders setting training priorities for the year ahead. He’ll also explain how he's changed as a leader and technologist since starting at Amazon as a mere intern and the key questions that can help teams get future ready, including one that helped teams at AWS maximize technologies like machine learning. 

Want a book for that hard-to-shop-for person? Or a book to make you that much sharper in the year ahead? In this special collection episode, CEOs, startup founders and more share the books that have changed their minds, how they lead and even changed their careers. Their book picks include business classics, as well as surprising selections from histories, how-to books and the Bible. These recommendations helped this year's class of leaders better manage teams, their time and their energy, all while making critical shifts in their lives and mindsets.  Interviewees include: Alyssa Auberger, CSO, Baker McKenzie Deborah Braide, E-Guide Didier Elzinga, Chief Executive Officer, Culture Amp Martine Ferland, Chief Executive Officer, Mercer Tiya Gordon, founder, It's Electric Fahd Jamaleddine, co-founder, Nafda Lebonan Cassandra Mao, Chief Strategy Officer, Halo Car Benjie de la Pena, Chief Executive OfficerShared Mobility Center Blake Scholl, Chief Executive Officer, Boom Supersonic Mitzi Short, CEO of New Season Coaching and Consulting Aaron Tartakovsky, Chief Executive Officer, Epic Cleantec Dylan Taylor, chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Voyager Space Angela Williams, Chief Executive Officer, United Way Worldwide Interviews in this episode were recorded at: Annual Meeting, Davos Switzerland; Sustainable Development Impact Summit, New York; Urban Transformation Summit, Detroit.      

2023 saw an unprecedented number of forcibly displaced people worldwide - 110 million and counting - all thanks to climate calamities, conflict and more. Kelly Clements, the deputy high commissioner of the UN’s refugee agency shares the unique ways businesses around the world have stepped in to help tackle this problem, putting training in place to help refugees become economic drivers or even designing education solutions that help children in remote areas stay in school. She also shares what gives her hope, what keeps her up at night and the traits she depends on most to drive this work – insights that can help leaders of any stripe tackling complex challenges.

Demanding transparency and accountability aren't just the right things to do - they're key to tackling big global goals and rooting out things like corruption, self-dealing and undue influence. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, we speak to Delia Ferreira Rubio, a lawyer, anti-corruption expert and the former long-time chair of global society organization Transparency International. She helps leaders look at the big picture to make things happen, sharing what’s needed to build cultures of integrity - and the risks that can emerge if key steps aren’t taken. Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos in 2023

As the climate summit COP28 kicks off this week, and Egypt hands the summit baton to Dubai, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation discusses what any negotiation needs to be effective. In her role, Rania Al-Mashat helps drive economic diplomacy and she shares the phrases that can help build common ground, the personal traits that can forge perseverance  and the mindsets that are key to make trust and action possible. This conversation, recorded during UN Week in New York this September, also explores some of the key priorities leaders will explore for climate action this year and what should be kept in mind to drive progress. 

Executive coaches Mitzi Short and Lori Marcus share a tactical approach to careers and promotions to help women get their work noticed while eliminating gender bias in the workplace. These coaches, two of the 6 members of Band of Sisters (a group of former executives turned authors and speakers), discuss the the block and tackle of promotions: what experiences you must have on your CV for C-Suite roles; what development  conversations you should be having with your boss (or your direct reports); and if you’re a male leader, how you can be a better sponsor across your organization to help position women and people of color for leadership positions and opportunity.   Band of Sisters: https://thebandofsisters.com/ Excerpts from Band of Sisters' recent book “You Should Smile More” This stubborn barrier is widening the gap for women in leadership: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/stubborn-barrier-widening-gender-gap-women-leadership/ How 'sponsors' can achieve gender parity in leadership: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/sponsors-can-achieve-gender-parity-leadership The 4 insidious phrases prevent the gender gap in leadership from closing: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/4-phrases-gender-gap-leadership

Matthias Maurer, an astronaut for the European Space Agency, returned home from his first space mission in May 2022 after 177 days living and working on the International Space Station (ISS). There he helped to conduct more than 35 experiments benefiting biology and robotics and more - an experience that drove home for him the need to protect space and maximize its potential. He spoke with Meet The Leader at the Annual Meeting in Davos about his experience, sharing what’s needed for collaboration to balance a growing space economy and the need for stronger space governance. He also shared what his degrees in engineering and economics have tight him about problem solving - and what his astronaut’s training can teach any of us about collaboration - and tackling climate action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can leaders best navigate layoffs -- and rebuild for the future? Melbourne-based software firm Culture Amp recently conducted research on this question -- and then unexpectedly faced cuts of its own. CEO Didier Elzinga shares insights from the research and his applied experience, including common myths, surprising findings, and strategies his firm used to recalibrate and reprioritize. He also shared the tough realities leaders must keep in mind during times of change as well as his thoughts on how leaders can better protect healthy cultures at any time. He also shares his lessons learned from his previous career in visual effects - and how story telling insights from those days help him manage change as a leader today.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.