Oscar Trimboli is an award-winning author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker.Along with the Deep Listening Ambassador Community, he is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace.Through his work with chairs, boards of directors, and executive teams, Oscar has experienced first-hand the transformational impact leaders can have when they listen beyond words. He believes that when leadership teams focus their attention and listening, they will build organizations that create powerful legacies for the people they serve – today and more importantly, for future generations.Oscar is a marketing and technology industry veteran working for Microsoft, PeopleSoft, Polycom, and Vodafone. He consults with organizations including American Express, AstraZeneca, Cisco, Google, HSBC, IAG, Montblanc, PwC, Salesforce, Sanofi, SAP, and Siemens.He is the author of how to listen – discover the hidden key to better communication – the most comprehensive book about listening in the workplace, Deep Listening – Impact beyond words and Breakthroughs: How to Confront Assumptions. Oscar loves his afternoon walks with his wife, Jennie, and their dog Kilimanjaro. On the weekends, you will find him playing Lego with one or all his four grandchildren. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Macaskill (pronounced Muh-KAS-kill) is a retired Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness teacher and leadership coach. During his 24-year Navy career, he served in multiple highly dynamic leadership positions, from the battlefield to the operations center and the board room. Jon's unconventional yet highly effective style of teaching leadership is fueled by his passion for helping people and organizations become the best versions of themselves. He takes what helped him excel in his professional life and heal in his personal life and now shares this through mindfulness coaching, grit and resilience training, and keynote speaking, all in the pursuit of helping others achieve their full potential.Top tip: Masters are never done learning - learning something new every single day! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Aston joined the army in 1964 as a boy entrant with no formal qualifications. On entering adult service in 1966 he was posted to the Gloucestershire Regiment. Here he served in Berlin, Minden, Belize, Canada and Northern Ireland. He was a Corporal, section commander at age 20 and within 5 years was a platoon sergeant and went on to command a platoon on operations in Northern Ireland.In 1978 he passed SAS Selection and was employed in Mountain Troop in D Sqn. He served all over the world and took part in the Falklands War where he took part in the liberation of South Geor gia, the raid on the airfield on Pebble Island and the taking of Mount Kent.Later he was employed as the senior instructor at the International Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol School in Germany. Following this he was instrumental in the formation of the Light Recce Commanders Course at the School of Infantry. A tour as the RSM of the British Military Parachute School followed. His final job in the army was as the Divisional Sergeant Major assisting in running Company Commanders Courses at the Land Warfare School.On retiring from uniformed service he was employed as a civil servant working with the Infantry Trials and Development Unit delivering Urgent Operational Requirements for ongoing operations.Since retiring in 2013 he spends his time walking ‘Wilf’, his Border Terrier, cycling, training for and running ultra marathons. He has co-written a book with Col Stuart Tootal about his experiences during the Falklands War –‘ SAS – SEA KING DOWN’Top Leadership TipKnow your team and always be approachable, Always set an example and be decisive in all you do. Above all, know that Loyalty goes down as well as up. If the guys know you’ve got their back, they will protect yours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Barron, General Manager Personal Care UK&I / VP Deodorants Europe at Unilever With nearly 25 years’ experience in the industry, Chris is the General Manager for Unilever’s Personal Care business in the UK&I, and VP for Deodorants Europe. He was also recently appointed as Deputy chair for the industry body the Cosmetics, Toiletries and Perfumeries Association. Chris started his career with L’Oréal on their management trainee scheme, before working both in their marketing team in London, and the International Development team based in the company's global headquarters in Paris. He first joined Unilever in 2006 and has since then worked in London, Chicago, and New Jersey on many of Unilever’s biggest brands. Since 2017 he has been on the UK&I leadership team and is currently General Manager of the Personal Care business unit. He is also charged with running the program for the Deodorants business across Europe, Australia & NZ, leading the cross functional team for this €1bn business. Chris has significant experience in working on purposeful brands. He has worked hard to pioneer a number of initiatives on Hygiene Poverty, to address the fact that almost half of low-income households have had to go without hygiene products because they can no longer afford them. This has seen more than one million products donated to charity partner In Kind Direct over the last year, and he is now working on scaling the initiative across the industry. Most recently, on Unilever’s Dove brand, he has been involved in launching Cost of beauty: A Dove film which invites people to join us on our mission to make social media a more positive place for young people. Chris is married to Lizzie and has two daughters, Alice and Lottie. He is a big rugby and cricket fan, but the Chicago Cubs will always have a place in his heart. Chris’s top leadership tips are firstly, to ‘make it personal’ with people by connecting with his team and broader stakeholders in a personable, authentic way. Secondly, his work during the pandemic as one of the leading manufacturers of soap and hygiene products in the UK&I informs his tip to wash your hands - more often than you think you need to and for longer. This is a habit from the pandemic we must keep, which would help to reduce the burden on the NHS by keeping us healthier and avoiding respiratory diseases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi I'm Doug Field, the CEO of the vibrant and dynamic East of England Co-op, a co-operative society that has thrived for over 150 years and continues to grow with passion and purpose. What sets our Society apart is our unwavering commitment to our members—over 280,000 strong—who are the lifeblood of our co-operative. We take immense pride in being the largest independent retail business in East Anglia, with a remarkable presence spanning more than 200 trading outlets across 70 diverse towns and villages in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. As the CEO, I am entrusted with safeguarding and nurturing the legacy of our members, ensuring their interests are protected for generations to come. It is a responsibility I wholeheartedly embrace, driven by a deep-seated passion for the East of England and the remarkable communities we serve. Beyond the East of England Co-op, I am actively involved in initiatives that make a positive difference in our region. Previously I was Chair of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and am a Trustee of the esteemed Green Light Trust. I work to support and uplift local businesses and charitable causes. Before moving to East Anglia my career included four years at Christie Group plc as Group Financial Controller and six years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Bristol. Away from the professional realm, I find great joy and inspiration in the adventures that parenthood brings. My three school-age children keep me on my toes and fuel my imagination. Sports also hold a special place in my heart—I relish witnessing the successes (and failures) of my hometown sports teams, from Hull City's promotion to the Premier League to Hull FC's victorious rugby league Challenge Cup win in Cardiff.His Top TipAsk questions - Asking questions is a great way to get the most out of our lives and businesses. It encourages us to learn and share our thoughts, which helps build trust, encourages new ideas, and improves performance. From a leadership perspective asking questions also encourages others to participate in problem-solving and to take ownership of their own ideas. As a leader, it is important to be curious and open to new ideas. It is through asking questions that leaders can gain insight into what is important to their employees and gain a better understanding of what’s happening on the ground. Finally a good question can begin to shift the way we perceive of think about something that might serve as a catalyst for change Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This was very special for me to have a US Naval Aviator who was trained at the same bases as my father had trained at, and who had flown F14 Tomcats at the Top Gun school, while Tom Cruise was filming, and then going on to come on the USS Nimitz before his current career in Boeing.Mike Manazir served 36 years in the U.S. Navy and retired in 2017 as a Rear Admiral (Upper Half). As a naval aviator, Mike was qualified in the F-14 and the F-18 aircraft, flying 3750 fighter hours and conducting 1240 arrested landings during fifteen overseas deployments aboard aircraft carriers. A graduate of TOPGUN, Mike commanded a fighter squadron, two ships including the aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ, and a carrier strike group. Mike also completed five tours in the Pentagon. Following retirement from the Navy, Mike accepted a position with The Boeing Company where he conducts liaison between the U.S. Navy and Boeing.Mike has been married to Kelly for 41 years. They have two grown children.Mike has published Learn How to Lead to Win; 33 Powerful Stories and Leadership Lessons in which he describes his own leadership journey through his Navy experience. His stories are applicable in civilian organizations and pursuits as much as in the military. Mike’s book is available on Amazon in all versions as well as an audio version, which Mike narrates himself. Further leadership content can be found on Mike’s website, www.mikemanazir.com.Mike’s “Two-Minute Top Tip” can be encapsulated in one phrase: “Lead from your heart, not with your title”. If you have to revert to using your official title to lead your team, you will not get the best results. To truly build a high performing team, you must create a connection – from your heart – with each member of your team. You must lead with empathy and care. You must let them know that you allow failure as long as we all learn from the failure. You must let them know that the team thrives through the contributions of each team member as a whole. You want them to know it is okay to assume risk and to always strive to gain better results. If you lead with your title, your team will not take risk, they will not attempt to fail and learn. In short, they will not be invested in constant improvement and greater success. Your heart to heart connection with each member will accelerate results. Nirvana for top team performance is when you don’t want to disappoint them…and they don’t want to disappoint you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig Valentine, MBA, an award-winning speaker and trainer, has traveled the world helping people get remarkable results through leadership, communications, and change. Known as the Champion of Change, he is a professional speaker and has spoken in the United States, Taiwan, Canada, Jamaica, Qatar (Doha), England, Bahamas, Hong Kong, China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, South Africa, Japan, and Ireland giving as many as 160 presentations per year.Craig is the author of the Amazon.com #1 Bestseller, World Class Speaking In Action.He is also the 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking for Toastmasters International, winning out ofmore than 25,000 contestants in 14 countries. He has used his success formulas to:• win Salesperson of the Year (3 times) for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill’s Mid-Atlantic Division• become an award-winning management trainer for one of the most prestigious and largestseminar companies in the United States (averaging an industry-leading 5.85 on a 6.0 ratingscale)• produce sales years of 233%, 157%, and 152% of goal for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill• sell more than $8 million in educational resources in a single year• win the Rising Star salesperson award as a rookie with Glencoe/McGraw-Hill• Direct a highly-successful employment academy for homeless men in Baltimore City andachieved a 100% job placement rate for the program’s graduates• win Events Manager of the Year for the National Small Business Council• win a Congressional Achievement Award from the United States Congress for excellence incommunications• earn the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins University• receive hundreds of speaking awards from Toronto to Taipei• help the United Way of Central Maryland exceed its $45 million fundraising goal in the year2000 by training their Loaned Executives to present with influence• Run an employment academy for homeless men in Baltimore City. During his tenure, Craigand his team had a 100% job-placement rate.Craig is the President of The Communication Factory, LLC, which is an award-winning company that helps people present with impact. Craig Valentine is the author of the groundbreaking book, The Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking, Co- Author of the book, World Class Speaking, and contributing author for the books Guerrilla Marketing on the Front Lines, Success Secrets of the Social Media Marketing Superstars, The Speaker’s Edge, and Guerrilla Marketing Remix. He has an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and he is certified as a Co- Active Coach and a Guerrilla Marketing Coach.Craig is also the Founder and Co-Founder of two successful small businesses that are each highly profitable even in this economy.Most recently, Craig became the co-author of the Amazon.com #1 bestseller, World Class Speaking In Action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Et Halstead is currently COO of Search Capital, a firm he founded alongside Jamie Woods in 2021. The organization focuses on the incubation, growth and development of companies working in the talent space from recruiting and consulting to Rec Tech and RTD. Having joined JCW, the recruitment arm of Search Cap, in 2009 fresh out of university the last 15 years have been busy for Et who has seen the organization grow from 3 people in a small office in London to over 300 team members spread across 6 countries, 8 brands, 5 sectors and annual revenue in excess of £60 Million pounds An unusual mix of experience, Et has bounced between back and front office throughout his career responding to whatever the the organization needed as it moved through its start up phase. He graduated from London South Bank with a degree in industrial design before falling into the recruitment industry in a post credit crunch world. Starting out as a junior headhunter he quickly moved into a managerial role growing and leading high performing teams that enabled organizational growth. In 2012, at the age of 25, Et moved to New York to set up the organization in the American markets. As the business grew so too did Et’s remit, moving from management to executive leadership and eventually in 2018 to the Chief Commercial Officer role that pinpointed his key skill set – operationalizing business initiatives. In 2021 he was asked to move into the COO role focusing on the development of the groups corporate services functions. But Et sticks firmly to the fact that turning idea into reality is not his passion. An avid reader he created the Future Managers and Leaders training course for Search Capitla which pulls together the knowledge of hundred of business and psychology writers to develop management expertise across the group. When not in the office you’ll find him pursuing one of his endless hobbies (much to his wifes frustration) from fishing, and shooting to wood working and tennis. Most frequently you’ll find him playing with his growing family on his farm in Massachusetts.His Top Leadership Tip: 1st Asses and Issue. Sharpen the Axe in Steven Covey advice. Isolate to execute. Never Assume you understand the problem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin has over 30 years' executive leadership experience spanning three sectors - healthcare, financial services and professional services - having worked in HR leadership roles for Boots, Abbey National, Capital One, Freshfields, Norton Rose Fulbright, EY and most recently for KPMG as the UK Chief People Officer. In addition through his work with Scope, Nottingham Trent University and two multi academy trusts he has over 15 years' non-executive experience. Kevin now runs his own advisory and consulting business supporting leadership teams with people and talent strategies, succession planning processes, diversity, equity and inclusion practices and HR organisation design. He has recently taken on a role as Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Adviser for Wellcome Trust helping them become a more inclusive employer.In recognition of his passion for and commitment to creating diverse workforces and inclusive cultures Kevin was recognised in HR Magazine's Most Influential UK HR Practitioners 2022. He was also included as one of 35 Advocate Executives in the INvolve Heroes Women Role Model 2021 & 2022 lists and as a Top 50 Ally Executive in the Outstanding LGBT+ Role Models list 2022. From 2020 to 2022 Kevin served as a Steering Group member for the government-sponsored Hampton Alexander/FTSE Women Leaders Review.Kevin holds an honours degree in Politics from the University of York and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He lives in Ealing with his second wife Shami and has two adult children from his first marriage. He is a proud Geordie having been born and brought up on the coast in Whitley Bay and is a life long supporter of Newcastle United. Other than following the fortunes of the Toon Army in his spare time you will find him either out enjoying some good food and wine, supping a beer in a proper pub or at a live music gig. Kevin’s top leadership tip is to build a diverse team of differing personalities, talents and aspirations. Leading that team will be more challenging but the diversity of thought that it brings and the different abilities each individual offers will lead to superior results. Support and encourage them. Listen to all voices. Include everyone. Recognise their achievements publicly and share your feedback privately. Stretch them with new and exciting work but do not overwhelm them. Allow them to grow and move on. Never selfishly hold them back. Take enjoyment and satisfaction through their success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recognized global creative leader having been Co-Founder of a UK design agency from the 80's, ATTIK, to the challenge of being Global Design VP at The Coca-Cola Company and today the Founder of a next generation agency disguised as a creative community called; KnownUnknown. 1986 - 2013;Co-Founder, ATTIK UK, age 19, unemployed and a street artists and former graphic design student. James and his partner Simon Needham applied for a financial grant from his Royal Highness, Prince Charles' youth charity, UK in 1986. They received £2,000 seed funding to start their design company and bought a first generation Apple Mac. Twenty five years later ATTIK grew to have offices in Leeds, London, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sydney and over 250 staff. ATTIK was acquired by Dentsu, Japan in 2007 in a multi-million deal. James then served in a creative leadership role at Dentsu before departing to go brand side.2013 - 2018Global Design Vice President, The Coca-Cola CompanyJames brought an outsider, entrepreneurial spirit to Coke. He changed the definition of ‘design’. Creatively led global brand activations across 200+ markets and introduced/built creative networks internally and externally to work in more agile ways directly with creative talent. Under his leadership he successfully re-branded over x20 billion dollar brands at The CC Company.“Undoubtedly, I can openly say that James represents a ‘before and after’ in the history of The Coca-Cola Company.”— Marcos De Quinto (former CMO), The Coca-Cola Company2019 - PresentFounder, KnownUnknown In 2018, James Sommerville departed his Coke VP role after realizing the creative industry was not evolving with the needs of a client. James launched what is now called KnownUnknown - a distributed network of talent (designed pre-Covid) that connects creatives around the world and embrace new technologies such as generative AI products to help the Creative Pro. Leveraging KnownUnknown community, he recently executed brand work for Ford, Google, HP and General Mills while connecting them to some of the highest creative talent in the world and is launching a beta AI tool for Graphic and Brand Designers.Other highlightsThe Prince’s Trust Recipient, Alumni, Enterprise Fellow and Patron.James has now been involved in The Prince’s Trust for 35 years both as the recipient (1986) and today helping the next generation of young entrepreneurs in UK and US.James appeared on UK ‘Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” UK for The Trust and raised $125,000 with OG supermodel, Jerry Hall.James has spoken live at over x25 Prince’s Trust events including being on stage with HRH The Prince of WalesBuckingham Palace (2007)St James’ Palace (2014 / 2021)Clarence House (2016)James is assisting The Trust to launch The Prince’s Trust America.“James has become the Virtuous Circle.”— HM King Charles IIIMarketing / Design / Brand  Keynotes;James has spoken on Design and branding at over x250 different locations/ live events over the past 25 years as keynote or panel speaker / judge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.