Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

Kwame Kwei-Armah is British actor, playwright, director and broadcaster. In 2018 he was made Artistic Director of the Young Vic, where he has directed Twelfth Night and Tree. From 2011 to 2018 he was previously the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage where he directed: Jazz, Marley, One Night in Miami, Amadeus, Dance of the Holy Ghosts, The Mountaintop; An Enemy of the People, The Whipping Man and Things of Dry Hours.Other work as a director includes: Tree (Manchester International Festival), Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, Detroit’67 (Public Theatre, New York), The Liquid Plain (Signature Theatre, New York and Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Porgy and Bess (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) the Olivier Nominated One night in Miami for Best New Play 2016 (Donmar Warehouse) and One Love (Birmingham Repertory Theatre). As a playwright his credits include Tree (Manchester International Festival, Young Vic), One Love(Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Beneatha’s Place (Baltimore Center Stage) Elmina’s Kitchen, Fix Up, Statement of Regret (National Theatre) Let There Be Love and Seize the Day (Tricycle Theatre). Kwame was Artistic Director for the Festival of Black arts and Culture, Senegal, in 2010. He conceived and directed the opening ceremony at Senghor National stadium. He was an Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse and has served on the boards of the National Theatre, Tricycle Theatre, and Theatre Communications Group. Kwame was the Chancellor of the University of the Arts London from 2010 to 2015, and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama.In 2012, 2013 and 2014 Kwame was named Best Director in City Paper’s Best of Baltimore Awards and in 2015 was nominated for the prestigious Stage Directors and Choreographers Zelda Fichandler Award for Best Regional Artistic Director. In 2016 he was awarded the Urban Visionary Award alongside House Representative Elijah Cummings by the Center for Urban Families for his work in the Baltimore community. In 2019 he was the Chair of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. Kwame is a patron of Ballet Black and a visiting fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ex Silicon Valley Executive & Investor Stephynie Malik is a Global Business Strategist and Crisis Expert. She is also a 3x Founder, Consultant, Podcast Host and Speaker. Stephynie's career was built in sales, marketing, business development, and strategic alliance roles, holding leadership positions at Actuate, Silicon Graphics, Icarian. She then made the move into independent consulting before founding her first management consulting firm, MalikCo, LLC. While leading alliances, she was responsible for creating countless Partnerships and Technology deals with American Express, Monster.com, Siebel Systems, Deloitte, Nike, People Soft, Actuate, and Toyota to name a few over her 25-year career. Driven by her desire to make an impact, she currently sits on 3 boards and lends her time to brands she believes in that have the potential to change the world. She is working on her first book and has recently launched a podcast called Spin It with Stephynie Malik, a business podcast dedicated to sharing the stories of influential individuals who turned obstacles into opportunities. In addition, she created 2 business courses in 2021: Executive Presence Elevated, how to win and influence leadership, and ScaleOS, scaling your business with practical wisdom and grit. She is also currently rolling out 2 new “By Invitation Only" retreats for men that are struggling with the new way to lead — the ever-changing rules on presence and connection. Stephynie is a Mother of 4 kids — 2 boys and 2 girls, aged 11-26 years old. She is an avid foodie and is a strong influence on Mental Health and Learning Differences. Leadership Top Tip: Say “YES” as much and as often as you possibly can. Attitude is everything. You will NOT know your WHY until you are 100% clear on your Why Not.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guy Hands, who was born in 1959, graduated with an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Mansfield College, Oxford, and then went to work for Goldman Sachs International where he became Head of Eurobond Trading, and then Head of Goldman Sachs' Global Asset Structuring Group. He left Goldman Sachs in 1994 for Nomura International plc where he established PFG before spinning out Terra Firma as an independent private equity firm in 2002. Since then, he has overseen the investment of €17 billion of equity in 35 businesses with an aggregate value of €48 billion. In 2012, Guy was named the 20th most influential figure in Private Equity International's '100 Most Influential of the Decade'. He established Terra Firma Capital Partners Limited's commitment to donate 10% of annual pre-tax profits to local initiatives in London, while Terra Firma Capital Management Limited supports numerous charities in Guernsey. He is also President of 'Access for Excellence' which promotes access to higher education. Additionally, Guy is a fellow of the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme. In 2018, Guy was awarded Spear's 'Philanthropist of the Year'. He is also a member of the University of Oxford Chancellor's Court of Benefactors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Harney was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Europe for Great-West Lifeco in February 2020, overseeing the Irish Life and Canada Life organisations in the UK, Ireland and Germany serving over 5m customers and employing 5,000 people.  Prior to that, David spent 4 years as Chief Executive Officer of Irish Life Group, in which he led the Group’s Financial Services, Financial Advisory, Health Insurance and Investment businesses in Ireland. Before that he worked in Irish Life for over 30 years and has held a number of senior roles over that time including Director of Finance, Director of Marketing, Director of Sales and Managing Director of Irish Life Corporate Business. David’s is energised and inspired by the opportunities that new technology and the digital agenda offer businesses to function more effectively and connect more meaningfully with their customers. He is a keen advocate and early adopter of DEI practices, and is currently championing the development of strong CSR and Sustainability credentials across the organisations that he manages. David holds an MSc. in Financial Mathematics from Dublin City University and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland. He is currently serving as President of Insurance Ireland. David is married to Brid, has three sons and enjoys playing golf in his spare time. His leadership tip would be ‘Stay Curious’. Being open to new ideas and having the bravery to explore them means your business and your offering to customers remains relevant, responsive and successful.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to an impressive collection of CEOs and CEO's Advisors - James Bashall CB CBE, Emma Kane, Sam Mercer, Sharon Peacock CBE, Gary C Laney, Brian J Esposito, chat on the following topics:1. How is the future of work going to develop in your sector – Hybrid, Full Office or Mainly Remote First?2. What is your lessons from creating successful meetings and minimizing video fatigue?3. How much more benefit are you gaining from face to face meetings coaching and mentoring vs by Video and Phone?The wisdom and experience was drawn from many sectors with simple but profound tips such as: Have clear agendas and purpose, ensure everybody reads it in advance. Stick to the start and finish times - why do you need to have a 60 minute meeting? Why not 20 minutes?Don't have any other business AOB. As you will get ambushed and the meeting will get taken off track. Instead end every meeting with a "burning issue round" of questions and themes that have not been addressed in this session but should be addressed in the future one. The problems of "disconnection syndrome" and the need to rebuild trust with the workforce. The fact that productivity is down 40% in tech companies during the working from home phase. The place of work for people - office or WFH. The impact on local service industries (many closed) in some of the big cities now that more people stay away from them and work from home. The reduction in commuting time which has got switched into extra work time. The need for people to attend in person in places like labs hospitals and on building sites. There is a greater quantity of work, but the question is: is there more quality? The loss of confidence and trust between people who don't see each other.There is real tension for HR directors. Costs are down - as there is far less travel - but trust is down in meetings and on boards due to lack of physical presence.The danger of less creativity and sparking off each other in impromptu spontaneous ways.Where is the cultural glue for new joiners who never get to meet their colleagues?The impact of reduced mental health and the loss of impromptu meetings. Now there are just programmed meetings which are back to back in exhausting long days. Less is more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marty Martinez is a Brand and Marketing Strategist who partners with CEOs, executives and solopreneurs to grow their personal and professional brands, human-to-human through the power of story. Spending nearly a decade working on marketing for the US Army, in the Pentagon with the Army G8, a multimillion dollar defense contractor and startups, Marty knows what truly drives conversions, sold-out launches and how to land big interviews—and it’s not mastering the marketing flavor of the week. It’s how well you connect with the heart-beating people you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them. Marty has landed coverage in print and broadcast outlets around the world, including The Washington Post, Stars and Stripes Magazine, and CNN. He is also in the Amazon Best Selling Book How to Speak Civilian Fluently and his own articles have been featured in Shift Magazine, Heart of Hollywood (Dec 2021), and his new Business Development book is scheduled for release in 2022. In addition to his extensive strategic planning and marketing experience, Marty is a trained business and marketing coach with his company Joint Task Force - 214. Marty holds a BA in Health and Fitness Management from Southwest Texas State University and is a StoryBrand Certified Guide. You can find him at Joint Task Force – 214: www.jtf214.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/loungewithlegends LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-martinez-jtf214/ StoryBrand: https://www.clarifyyourmessage.com/Marty-Martinez  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trailblazing in the B2B world, Belinda Agnew is Managing Partner at Enamus. She is a highly motivated entrepreneur who has experienced incredible success, is breaking the internet with her followers, and has made a real mark in the B2B world.   Belinda’s approach to staffing combines digital know-how, leadership, management, pizzazz, and a no B.S. approach to dealing with business decisions.   She is the founder of Foccus Group which falls into tech with a digital edge. Aside from her unique approach in utilizing tech to access and scale companies across the globe, she has an eye for brands and helping companies find their voice and build a presence online. Belinda aims to inspire others to realise what seems impossible.   Passion. Branding. Talent. Tech. Belinda has years of experience in managing the digital and tech executions for several brands in and outside Australia, the USA, AND Europe. Belinda is helping companies reach digital marketing goals–whatever these goals may be.  Leadership tip: allow your employees to build their own personal brands  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Pyle is Head of one of England’s oldest and most successful state schools. Lancaster Royal Grammar School has 1250 pupils including 170 boarders from the UK and across the world. The school traces its origins to the middle ages. Today it is heavily oversubscribed with outstanding academic results and extracurricular breadth. It counts two Olympic gold medallists and a Nobel Laureate amongst its current alumni.  During the nine years of his headship the school has grown in size and global reach, welcomed Sixth Form girls for the first time, and given priority in admissions to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school’s last boarding inspection said: “Leaders and managers show exceptional levels of competency and compassion.”   Chris works closely with the Boarding Schools Association and the Grammar School Heads’ Association. He was Founding Chair of the North North West Maths Hub which works with 300 schools across Lancashire and Cumbria. He writes on school leadership, and has published numerous resources for A-level geography students on environmental change and natural hazards.   High trust – high challenge and leadership as service are his leadership themes. He believes that schools change lives, and that the goal of education is to help every individual to find their voice.   Chris was previously Deputy Head of the Perse School, Cambridge, as that school grew rapidly and became fully coeducational. He gained his degree and PhD in physical geography from Cambridge University, worked for a water company, and has served as church trustee and warden. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and member of the Chartered College of Teaching. Born in South America, he is still working on his Spanish.   Leadership top tip: You always overestimate what you can do in six months and underestimate what you can do in five years. Rome wasn’t built in a day – but the cement mixers were whirring from dawn till dusk!    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Mackay is a former Army officer, business leader, speaker and author.   Andrew Mackay started his career as an Inspector in the Royal Hong Kong Police. On leaving the RHKP and vowing to never wear a uniform again he joined the British Army the following year.   His service in the British Army saw him experience operations in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. In the latter he commanded the coalition and British forces in Helmand. During the Helmand campaign he focused on the role of influence and behavioural economics whilst engaged in a counter insurgency. His interest in achieving influence in complex environments led to a series of papers on the subject and culminated in the co-authoring of Behavioural Conflict: Why Understanding People and Their Motivations Will Prove Decisive in Future Conflict.   Andrew’s Helmand tour has featured in a number of books, papers and publications including a BBC long form web article called ‘The Art of Influence’ and a BBC Radio Documentary; Afghanistan: The Lessons of War.   Andrew co-founded Complexas in 2012. The purpose of Complexas is to provide insight and foresight to a range of clients seeking to progress projects in complex environments. In doing so they seek to address and find solutions to uncertainty and enable resilience. The current focus is the utility of First Party data to communicate and promote ESG more effectively and to enable clients and communities impacted by social and environmental change.   For the last six years he has worked with the Blavatnik School of Governance on their mentoring programme for students who are studying the Masters in Public Policy programme.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mr Wight is a lifelong entrepreneur, banker, trader, fund manager and private equity investor. With interests in aerospace, construction, electric vehicles, energy, maritime, technology and entertainment.  He was the Keynote Speaker at the World Biofuels Symposium in Beijing China. His first company, Windsports, Inc. was a franchise of Wind Skate products for sailing, skiing and skating. This was started at age 14.  At age 18 Mr. Wight began attending bank board meetings and at 21 was appointed to the Board of Directors of DucoBancshares, the holding company for Bank of Illinois.  Several years latter he participated in the repositioning of the bank and ultimate sale for nearly 4 times book value. This was a very high sale measure as interstate banking was just opening up. During his tenure with Bank of Illinois he expanded the bank’s position in aircraft leasing. As an active pilot he was able to fly the bank’s Chairman to rural banks during the farm crisis and assist in recapitalizing them. During his formal Economics, Business and U.S. History training at Cornell College, Mr. Wight began a career as a standup comedian and club manager. This established his lifelong passion for entertainment and hospitality.  Upon Graduation Mr. Wight went to work for DLJ, Pershing division at the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). Having worked at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) for Geldermann, Inc., in the summers, he was prepared for his successful floor and office trading career at the Chicago Board of trade.As an “upstairs” trader, Mr. Wight also began working with his families real estate, construction, engineering and private investment business. Mr. Wight developed, managed shopping centers, vacant land for development, class A office buildings and hotels & resorts. During this period Mr. Wight became an investor with Odyssey Marine, Inc. One of the World’s most successful wreck salvage and recovery business. The company was featured in 2 seasons of “Treasure Quest” on Discovery Channel.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.