The Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Francesca Ecsery, Non-Executive Director at Air France, and Heather Hayes, Global HRD at Lightsource BP, explore how Chief People Officers (CPOs) can cultivate a high-performing senior leadership team by developing the critical skills and capabilities necessary for success.

Hosted by Alexander Hanna, Account Manager & CPO Lead, we focus on how leaders can prepare their teams to navigate challenges, seize opportunities and drive long-term organisational success, highlighting the skills required for 2025 and the importance of aligning with the Board’s vision and overarching strategic goals.

Discussion points:

• What the key skills and capabilities CPOs need in 2025?
• What strategies can CPOs use to identify and address skill gaps within their leadership teams?
• How can CPOs shape the culture and dynamics of the senior leadership team to ensure effective collaboration and communication?
• The skills and capabilities that align with the Board’s strategic priorities
• Advice for aspiring executives looking to make a meaningful impact in their organisations
• The impact external reference points have on leadership capability and performance

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In this episode, we sat down with Serena Lang, Chair of Trifast, Independent Non-Executive at Henry Boot, and a Criticaleye Board Mentor, plus Sebastian Munden, Chair of WRAP. Together, they covered on how Chairs and Non-executives can collaborate effectively with CEOs and CFOs to embed sustainability into the core of their business strategy. We explore the balance of driving long-term sustainability goals while remaining agile in the face of short-term challenges and pressures.

Key discussion points include: 

• The economic landscape and the priorities for Boards at present
• How the CEO should handle stakeholder complexities
• Which strategic goals are coming to the forefront and how boards are navigating competing demands in a challenging environment.
• Driving sustainability efforts amid volatile environment and regulatory limits. 
• Chair and NED skill capabilities and working with the Board

Episode 20: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Succeeding as a Regional CEO in Asia

In this episode, Yu-Wen Hsiao, Marketing and Communications Manager, APAC at Criticaleye, speaks with Terence Quek, CEO of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in strategy, business development, communication and organisational development, Terence has collaborated with leaders across the public, private and people sectors. As CEO, he is dedicated to enhancing the directorship profession and promoting good governance in organisations.

In this podcast, Terence shares his insights on what it takes to succeed as a regional CEO in Asia, focusing on the critical aspects of building strong CEO-Board relationships. He discusses the unique challenges that leaders face in the fast-evolving business environment across Asia, including the need for trust, alignment and agility. Terence also offers actionable strategies for CEOs to navigate complex organisational landscapes and drive success across the region.

Discussion points include: 

• What are the key elements in building trust and alignment between CEOs and Boards?
• How can CEOs balance transparency and confidentiality when communicating with their Boards?
• What are the common challenges in aligning CEO and Board perspectives, and how can they be overcome?
• How can CEOs foster agility in decision-making within the Boardroom?
• What strategies can CEOs use to continuously develop and evolve their relationships with the Board?

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In this episode, our first for 2025, we kick off the year by speaking to Criticaleye CEO Matthew Blagg about the trends, challenges, opportunities and risks for leaders over the next 12 months. He talks to Jordan Christofis, Senior Marketing Executive & Digital Lead at Criticaleye about the landscape for this year.

Discussion points include: 

• What factors will influence performance and decision making this year?
• Why 2025 will be a growth environment with opportunities and capital available to well-run and productive organisations.
• Increased pressure on Boards  and why the gap between Boards and operational team may widen this year.
• The leadership traits needed to be successful in 2025.
• What support leaders will need - the importance to find ways of benchmarking and testing ideas in a challenging environment.

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In this episode, Neya Patel, Account Manager & CFO Lead, speaks with Criticaleye Board Mentor Keith Cochrane, Chair of Qlar Group, about the unique challenges Group CFOs face when stepping into the Group CEO role.

Group CFOs are increasingly finding themselves at the helm, stepping into the Group CEO role. But what does it take to make this transition successfully? How does a Group CFO leverage their financial expertise to lead at the strategic level, and what new skills do they need to develop along the way?

Discussion points include: 

• Key drivers behind transitioning from Group CFO to Group CEO
• Shifts in responsibilities and challenges faced as a Group CEO
• Balancing strategic focus and avoiding financial detail as a Group CEO
• Engaging with the Board and internal stakeholders in a Group CEO role
• The unique value CFOs bring when stepping into the Group CEO position
• Mentorship and support for Group CFOs transitioning to Group CEO

Episode 19: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - How AI is Reshaping the Future of Leadership.

In this episode, Yu-Wen Hsiao, Marketing and Communications Manager, APAC at Criticaleye speaks with AI expert Dr Feiyu Xu, former Senior Vice President and Global Head of AI at SAP, who now has various Board roles including Board Member at Zuhlke Group, Senior Advisor at A.T. Kearney and Non-executive Director at Airbus Group, about how leaders can harness AI and how it is reshaping leadership itself. Feiyu is also a Criticaleye Board Mentor.

During the podcast, Feiyu draws upon her experience as a data scientist, and experience in executive roles at companies including Lenovo and SAP.

Discussion points include: 

• How leaders should be thinking about their AI strategy and harnessing it across their organisations
• The AI value chain - how companies need to position themselves in the wider AI environment
• AI across the organisation and how it touches every part of the business, from processes and product to promotion
• Which regions are ahead when it comes to AI integration and innovation
• How AI is changing the way executives lead and the role mentoring can play to prepare leaders and ensure AI can work successfully for them.

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Carol Borg, NED, Ricardo plc and Alan Bannatyne, Chair, XPS Group and Criticaleye Board Mentor to cover how the skills in finance are changing, as well as the ways in which the function itself needs to adapt to deliver the strategic insight and analysis that organisations need if they’re to retain their competitive edge.

Discussion points include: 

• What does a high-performing finance function look like today? 
• What skills that may not have been top of mind a few years ago are crucial today? 
• Are there gaps between the Group CFO and finance team due to increased complexity? 
• How is the finance function evolving? 
• Advice for first-time CFOs

Episode 18: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Women in Leadership: Stepping Up as a leader in Asia

In this episode of the Criticaleye podcast, General Manager Michael Crompton speaks with Valerie Chew, Global Head of Value Assurance, Transformation Office, Sandoz and Criticaleye Member. With over 18 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Valerie has led transformative initiatives at global companies such as Sandoz and GSK. 

During the podcast, Valerie shares her journey into leadership, the challenges women face in stepping up as leaders, and the importance of innovation and collaboration in driving growth and transformation across the healthcare sector.

Discussion points include: 

• Navigating Gender and Cultural Challenges in Leadership
• The Importance of Diversity in Leadership
• Role of Mentorship and Inspiration for Women Leaders
• Legislative Impact on Diversity

Episode 12 of Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In our latest episode of the Inspiring Leaders Podcast, we talk to Helen Miles, Group CFO for FTSE100 company Severn Trent, one of Britain's largest water companies, about her route to the CFO role, key responsibilities and what it means to take on such a senior role at Severn Trent.

Discussion points include: 

• Becoming a Group CFO - Helen talks about her path to taking on the top finance job, what support was needed and what it means to her
• Going beyond the finance function as a CFO - key strategic and social responsibilities that come with the role
• The pivotal moments that shaped Helen's career to date and support she needed to make it to CFO
• What it means to be a female leader in the FTSE100 and how Severn Trent has pioneered women in corporate roles
• Retaining and motivating talent - taking risks, building employee engagement and supporting individuals to reach their potential

Episode 17: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Stepping Up as a Regional Leader

In this episode of the Criticaleye podcast, Managing Director Charlie Wagstaff speaks with Pascal De Petrini, former Chair of Danone Asia and Criticaleye Board Mentor. Pascal brings 37 years of global leadership experience in consumer products, with more than two decades in Asia, where he’s built, scaled, and transformed businesses within major publicly-listed companies.

During the podcast, Pascal shared valuable insights from his experience stepping up into regional leadership roles in the APAC region. He reflected on the challenges of managing multiple stakeholders, adapting to different cultures, and aligning global business objectives with local realities. Pascal emphasised the importance of self-awareness, authenticity, and building a trusted team that provides honest feedback. He also discussed the complexities of navigating organisational politics and the need for agility and adaptability when leading in a dynamic, cross-cultural environment.

Discussion points include: 

• Navigating the complexities of regional leadership
• Cultural sensitivity in global business strategy
• The power of authentic leadership and trust
• Managing organisational politics with diplomacy
• The importance of agility in leadership