

Meet The Leader
World Economic Forum / Linda Lacina
In these one-on-one conversations, host Linda Lacina interviews the world's top leaders, change-makers and experts on the solutions they're building to tackle the world's biggest challenges, the habits they can’t work without, and their lessons learned, all from the World Economic Forum
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 26, 2024 • 21min
How to motivate your team - from an organization with 17 million volunteers
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is powered by 17 million volunteers in 191 counties.. At its helm is Jagan Chapagain, a man who started himself at the organization as a teenaged volunteer in Nepal, wanting to do good. He returned after college and has been with the organization ever since, eventually serving in a number of leadership roles until he was appointed to his current position of chief executive officer and secretary general in February 2020. In this wide-ranging conversation, he sets the stage for humanitarian challenges the world faces, as well as how the IFRC is developing solutions to prevent the next crisis from occurring. He'll also share a first-of-its-kind for the humanitarian sector -- an insurance solution that can transform disaster preparedness and resilience. But he'll also share what any organization can learn from the IFRC on engaging and motivating teams -- and the simple lessons any leader can keep in mind. Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/jagan-chapagain-red-cross-red-crescent-disaster-insurance To learn more about IFRC: https://www.ifrc.org/ To learn more about IFRC-DERF insurance: https://www.ifrc.org/happening-now/emergency-appeals/disaster-response-emergency-fund-dref/dref-insurance Other related podcasts: Helping the unprecedented number of forcibly displaced: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/kelly-clements-unhcr-refugee/ What COVID taught one epidemiologist about speaking to build trust, without jargon: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/speak-effectively-takeaways-from-scientist-turned-comms-founder/

Jul 17, 2024 • 20min
Intel's HR chief on reskilling and building teams for the future
As the Chief People Officer for global chipmaker Intel, Christy Pambianchi does more than drive hiring, organizational design or people development. As innovations cycles turn at faster and faster clips, she keeps an eye on how technology will reshape work for her teams and how they can stay one step ahead. She shared the importance of building in-company "skills economies", where individuals are empowered to tap into resources to drive innovation, learn new functions, or ready themselves for leadership positions. She shares programs that help expose workers to new tech, like AI, and how a future-ready approach to skilling can help bridge future labor shortages while helping to tackle big challenges. To learn more: This episode's transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/christy-pambianchi-intel-ai-jobs-reskilling Intel's Responsible AI Principles: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/artificial-intelligence/responsible-ai-principles.html World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report: Report link: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/ Intel: Intel.com Related podcasts: 9 leaders from Microsoft, IKEA and more share advice for new grads: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/9-leaders-share-advice-for-new-grads-2024/ Davos 2024: A conversation with Pat Gelsinger: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/davos-2024-intel-pat-gelsinger-semiconductor/ 7 top innovators share strategies that drive cutting edge solutions: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/top-innovator-strategies-tactics/

Jul 11, 2024 • 19min
Build your own personal board of advisors - Traits great mentors share
OakNorth Bank is a digital commercial bank founded by serial entrepreneurs who know firsthand the role advice and expertise plays in growing vibrant businesses. To that end, OakNorth has developed a special 'mentorpreneurship' program with the London School of Economics, all to help build socially-conscious businesses through mentoring. Meet the Leader talked to co-founder Rishi Khosla about what traits great mentors share and how anyone can make the most of the expertise around them. He also shared why it can be powerful to consider mentorship as a way to build your own personal board of directors, people who can give you the range of measured, honest insights that aren't often easy for top leaders to find any other way. To learn more: This episode's Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/traits-great-mentors-share-oaknorth-rishi-khosla/ "Mentorpreneurship" at the London School of Economics: https://oaknorth.co.uk/mentorpreneurship-programme/ OakNorth: https://oaknorth.co.uk/ Related podcasts: 9 leaders from Microsoft, IKEA and more share advice for new grads: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/9-leaders-share-advice-for-new-grads-2024/ Workers have changed - How leaders must adapt: Randstad's Sander Van't Noordende: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/how-leaders-must-adapt-randstad-sander-vant-noordende/ Launch your brainchild: Raise Our Voice Australia's Ashleigh Streeter-Jones: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/raise-our-voice-australias-ashleigh-streeter-jones-launching-your-brainchild/

Jun 28, 2024 • 18min
The No. 1 skill leaders can steal from influencers: One founder explains
Florian Hoffman is a social entrepreneur and the founder of The Do, a platform for tomorrow’s entrepreneurs that runs a special 'anti-business' business school focused on helping leaders implement tangible, real-world solutions. He shares why leaders need to make a shift in how they motivate and inspire, moving from driving a 'command and control' mindset' to driving a movement that connects with hearts and minds. He explains why this approach helps leaders tackle apathy and resistance to change, and how it will be all the more important given increasingly fast cycles of innovation. To learn more: The Do: https://thedo.world/ Young Global Leaders: https://www.younggloballeaders.org/community/?page=12®ion=a0Tb00000000DCLEA2&x=8&y=7 About this episode: Transcript Related podcasts: Workers have changed - How leaders must adapt: Randstad's Sander Van't Noordende: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/how-leaders-must-adapt-randstad-sander-vant-noordende/ Rally others to your cause: former trial lawyer, Baptist minister (and United Way CEO) explains how: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/angela-williams-united-way-advocate/ Turning points and lessons learned: Meet The Leader's top leadership moments so far: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/best-leadership-moments-so-far/

Jun 27, 2024 • 24min
An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why
Mark Lundstrom is the CEO and founder of energy company Radia. He'll explain why he's building the world's largest plane --and how a unique approach to making offshore wind turbines onshore can speed progress on tackling emissions. He'll also share why this company is focused on using just existing technologies. He'll explain why this approach can actually lead to a host of new solutions for innovators and tackle big challenges more quickly -- and can be especially powerful as leaders consider how to efficiently tackle sustainability issues. To learn more: World Economic Forum Energy Transitions Index: https://initiatives.weforum.org/energy-and-industry-transition-intelligence/energy-transition-index Radia: https://radia.com/ Related podcasts Skills are changeable - passions are not: Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl 7 top innovators share strategies that drive cutting edge solutions Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552 Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

Jun 21, 2024 • 20min
This former astronaut shares what’s key to building strong, effective teams
Soichi Noguchi is a former astronaut with the Japanese space agency JAXA who has flown to space not once but 3 times. He’ll talk about the unique training these astronauts undergo - and the special lessons these trainings can teach any team about tapping each individual's expertise and what's needed to be a great leader and a great follower. He has since worked in a number of capacities, including as a professor at the University of Tokyo and an executive fellow at the Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies. He’ll share what he’s focused on now - and how space can help us better live on Earth.

Jun 12, 2024 • 24min
Cyber has a skills gap. How approaches to tech, hiring – and retaining women - can help
With hacking, it’s always a matter of when, not if and many leaders believe cyber skills gaps could leave their organization vulnerable. In fact, nearly 80% of respondents surveyed in our 2024 Cybersecurity Outlook report said their organizations do not have the in-house skills to meet their cybersecurity objectives this year. Given tech’s fast pace of growth and change, making opportunities available more widely will be critical bridging that skills gap in the sector while also driving opportunity and economies more widely. Petra Jenner, senior vice president and general manager at cyber and analytics company Splunk shares how leaders can expand talent pools to new groups (including women and those with non-traditional backgrounds) and how to retain people skilled in such a stressful field. This episode leverages the following research: Global Gender Gap 2024: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2024/ Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2024/ Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2023: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2023/

Jun 6, 2024 • 23min
Top leaders from Microsoft, IKEA and more share advice for new grads
Today's grads will live longer, face faster cycles of technological change and drive careers like we've never seen. This special compilation episode taps top leaders from companies like Intel, Microsoft, Ingka Group and more on the unique ways they can make the most of the first days of their careers. From remembering to "take your space" to finding time to "browse", they share the advice that has shaped them and that they wish they knew sooner. In this episode: Olajumoke Adekeye, Founder, Young Business Agency; Ulrika Biesèrt, CHRO, INGKA Group; Sander van't Noordende, CEO, Randstad; Rishi Khosla, Co-founder and CEO of OakNorth; Annette Mosman, APG; Madison O'Brien, Teamgage; Christy Pambianchi, Chief People Officer, Intel; Brad Smith, President, Microsoft.

May 16, 2024 • 31min
Microsoft’s Brad Smith: Tech blindspots and the key lesson that changed how he leads
As Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Brad Smith leads a team of professionals across business, legal and corporate affairs, tackling issues that stand at the crossroads of technology and society. In this wide-ranging discussion recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, he shares how these issues have shaped his thoughts on innovation and how they have informed his book and podcast Tools & Weapons. The 30-year Microsoft veteran also shares the career lessons that have changed him, how he leverages AI in his everyday work, why he thinks leaders must learn to be better storytellers and the tech blindspots they'd do well to avoid.

May 9, 2024 • 23min
We're living longer - how approaches to work, careers and finances will change: APG's Annette Mosman
Living longer than ever will mean we’ll need to prepare for our later years in ways we've never done before. While financial education and making savings last is always paramount, the World Economic Forum's recent Longevity Economy Principles report drives home the need to make sure we also prepare to live those extended years with purpose, changing the way we approach everything from careers to community. Annette Mosman, the CEO of APG (one of the world’s largest pension investors) shares how she approaches the long-term as well as the trends she sees on the horizon -- and how they could change how workers and leaders take on everything from training to career development and advancement. Longevity Economy Principles Report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/longevity-economy-principles-the-foundation-for-a-financially-resilient-future/