The Inspiring Leaders Podcast

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

Episode 16: Criticaleye Asia Podcast -  Stepping Up as a CPO

In this episode of the Criticaleye podcast, hosted by Criticaleye's Head of Research & Market Development APAC, Holly Carmichael, we are honoured to hear from Joydeep Bose, Managing Director & Group CHRO at Olam International. Joydeep has been with the company since 2003, establishing the HR function during its startup phase. Under his leadership, Olam expanded from 2,500 employees to over 44,000, evolving from a private entity to a publicly listed Fortune 500 company.

During the podcast, Joydeep shares his views on key success factors for CPOs, including building personal credibility by solving problems, meeting commitments, and wisely using access to senior leaders. Maintaining credibility involves transparency, owning mistakes, and learning from them. The conversation also highlights the importance of aligning HR initiatives with business goals, prioritising impactful tasks, and demonstrating financial value. Collaboration with business heads is emphasised as crucial for driving meaningful HR impact.

Discussion points include: 

• Building and maintaining personal credibility
• Delivering measurable business impact
• Understanding what drives value and growth
• Bringing global trends and insights to the Board
• Leveraging personal and professional networks
• Securing sponsorship for executing mandates

Episode 11 of Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In our latest episode of the Inspiring Leaders Podcast, we break down some of the findings from Criticaleye’s 2024 CEO Research. Hosted by Criticaleye Senior Editor Jacob Ambrose Willson, this episode features Karen Fawcett, Non-executive Director, Aegon, LGT and Temus, and Criticaleye Board Mentor, and Criticaleye CEO, Matthew Blagg.

Karen and Matthew discuss the shifting priorities of CEOs in the last 12 months, agility versus strategy, the influence of major geopolitical swings, executive burnout, stakeholder management and the ongoing importance of personal development.

Discussion points include: 

• Focus on improved business performance
• Sustainability slipping down the agenda
• Balancing agility with strategy
• Macroeconomics and the impact of geopolitics
• The rise in executive burnout
• Managing internal and external stakeholders
• External reference points for leaders 

Episode 13: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Stepping Up as a CEO

In this episode, our guest speaker shares invaluable insights into his journey as a CEO, Board member, and leader navigating the complexities of modern business. ​Featuring Criticaleye's Managing Director Charlie Wagstaff, plus our guest Board Mentor at Criticaleye and Independent Non-Executive Director at Tencent - Ian Stone.

Discussion points include: 

• Real-life experiences and insights as a CEO.
• How can the approach to M&A be optimised to prioritise partnering over-controlling?
• How crucial is it to collaborate with existing key personnel and founders in this process?
• Identifying emerging issues for CEOs that need greater attention from Boards.
• The significance of committees at the senior level and what distinguishes effective committees from ineffective ones.
• Navigating the balance between operational involvement and strategic oversight for CEOs and Boards.

Episode 14: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Navigating the Path to Success as a CEO

In this episode, hosted by Criticaleye's Managing Director Charlie Wagstaff, our esteemed guest speaker, William Lo, shares invaluable insights from his extensive career as a seasoned executive based in Asia. With over three decades of experience in senior management and serving on the Boards of numerous publicly listed companies, William's portfolio spans a variety of industries, including telecommunications, internet, banking, fashion and retail. He delves into the challenges of leadership, organisational resilience, and the ever-changing landscape of technology.

Discussion points include: 

• The key challenges faced by CEOs today, and how can they navigate them effectively?
• What strategies can organisations employ to build resilience in the face of uncertainty and change?
• How is the ever-changing landscape of technology impacting businesses?
• What opportunities does it present for growth and innovation?
• Role of the Board in shaping culture

Episode 15: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Becoming a World Class Strategic CPO: Insights from the Board

In this episode of the Criticaleye podcast, hosted by Managing Director Charlie Wagstaff, we are honored to hear from Till Vestring. With over 25 years of consulting experience at Bain & Company in Asia, Till offers profound insights from his distinguished career. His expertise extends beyond consulting into significant leadership roles across various Boards. In his NEDs, he chairs an Audit Committee, a remuneration Committee, and a CSR Committee, and he also sits on remuneration and nomination Committees.

Discussion points include: 

• What makes a CPO high-performing and how should they partner with CEOs?
• What are CPOs' crisis challenges and how to stay realistic in a crisis?
• What traits are crucial for CPOs?
• How can CPOs influence business strategy?
• How should CPOs communicate with Board Members?