Dean’s Speaker Series

Peter McGuinness, CEO of Impossible Foods, has over 30 years of experience transforming brands in the food industry. In this insightful discussion, he shares his journey from advertising to sustainable food innovation. McGuinness emphasizes the importance of persistence and learning from mistakes while navigating the challenges of marketing plant-based products. He addresses consumer misconceptions, the significance of nutrient density, and strategies for appealing to traditional meat eaters. Ultimately, he highlights the balance between sustainability and profitability in the evolving food landscape.

As managing director for the engineering and design consultancy Ramboll, Cheryl Ginyard-Jones oversees more than 2,000 professionals across the Americas dedicated to developing cutting-edge technologies that mitigate climate change. Over her distinguished career, spanning roles at Worley, Advision, Verizon, and BP, Cheryl has significantly influenced growth, innovation, and operations within the green energy sector. In this fireside chat, Ginyard-Jones shares insights into her unique career path, her leadership in achieving sustainability goals, and the broad impact of Ramboll’s work across various communities. The session concludes with an audience Q&A. This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Responsible Business Peterson Speaker Series. This talk at the Haas School of Business was originally live streamed on April 16, 2025. Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers. Read more about the Haas School of Business.  Read the full transcript here. The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. This production is made possible by our:  Haas Events team: Sarah Bottger, Carrie Hults, Meg Fellner Podcast production team: Jordan Joseffer, Laura Counts, Stella Kotik Dean’s Speaker Series Student Board: Ashley Wong, Budi Sosrodjojo, David Bravo, Fernanda Ortolan, Luis Sante, Olivia Halas-Dias, Punit Vyas Interim Dean Jennifer Chatman  Berkeley AV Production Team

David Sabow joined HSBC as Head of Technology & Healthcare in 2023 to establish a dedicated banking practice focused on the innovation economy, empowering forward-thinkers, and future makers who are questioning the status quo. His two-decade career has centered on innovation banking. David previously held several roles at Silicon Valley Bank, which includes leading the Technology & Healthcare Division, focusing on venture capital relationship management and new opportunity organization, and running the Life Science & Healthcare Business. In a fireside chat format, David discusses his career journey in banking, how he works in the innovation space, the influence of AI on investment strategies, and gives advice to students who want to break into venture capital. This talk at the Haas School of Business was originally live streamed on February 12th, 2025. Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers. Read more about the Haas School of Business.  The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. This production is made possible by our:  Haas Events team: Sarah Bottger, Carrie Hults, Meg Fellner Podcast production team: Jordan Joseffer, Laura Counts, Stella Kotik Dean’s Speaker Series Student Board: Ashley Wong, Budi Sosrodjojo, David Bravo, Fernanda Ortolan, Luis Sante, Olivia Halas-Dias, Punit Vyas Interim Dean Jennifer Chatman  Berkeley AV Production Team

In a fireside chat format, Interim Dean Jenny Chatman shares the origin story of the Defining Leadership Principles and how they have evolved over 15 years. She shares some of our community’s personal DLP stories, as well as our school's aspirations for the DLPs for the future. A panel of Haas alumni, Elena Gomez, BS 91, Chief Financial Officer, Toast, Inc.; Marc Singer, BS 86, Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Company; and Sean Li, MBA 20, Founder, University FM and OneHaas Podcast Host, then discuss how the Defining Leadership Principles have resonated with their work and influenced their leadership journey. We want to hear from you! Please share your story of the Haas Defining Leadership Principles here: https://haas.org/DLPstories. Some of these stories will be shared during the event. This talk at the Haas School of Business was originally live streamed on February 5th, 2025. Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers. Read more about the Haas School of Business.  The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. This production is made possible by our:  Haas Events team: Sarah Bottger, Carrie Hults, Meg Fellner Podcast production team: Jordan Joseffer, Laura Counts, Stella Kotik Dean’s Speaker Series Student Board: Ashley Wong, Budi Sosrodjojo, David Bravo, Fernanda Ortolan, Luis Sante, Olivia Halas-Dias, Punit Vyas Interim Dean Jennifer Chatman  Berkeley AV Production Team

Jensen Huang, co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA, dives into the relentless innovation culture at his company, which revolutionized 3D graphics with the first GPU in 1999. He emphasizes the importance of creating new markets and adapting to challenges, sharing insights from his entrepreneurial journey. Huang discusses the future of computing, highlighting the balance between general-purpose and specialized technology, and the transformative potential of AI across industries like healthcare. He also touches on leadership qualities necessary for driving change and collaboration in tech.

Before their first draft round on Dec. 6, Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith and General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin have been working around the clock to secure sponsorships, develop strategies and set goals as they navigate the internal and external operations that come with introducing a new sports team. Golden State won the bid last fall to expand its franchise, and the Valkyries, meaning “warrior women” in Norse mythology, was announced in May and will make their debut on the court in 2025. They’ll be the first new WNBA team since 2008. In this episode of the Dean’s Speaker Series Podcast, Smith and Nyanin discuss the importance of learning from failure, representation in sports, and the future of the WNBA in conversation with Brittany Jacob and Becca Neteler, both MBA 25. This interview, co-sponsored by the Center for Social Sector Leadership, took place on Nov. 19 as part of the UC Berkeley Haas Dean’s Speaker Series. Bringing in a diverse mix of preeminent business leaders, the Dean’s Speaker Series provides the Haas community with perspectives on effective leadership and opportunities for thought-provoking discussions. Read more about the Golden State Valkyries. Read more about the Center for Social Sector Leadership. Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers. Read more about the Haas School of Business.  The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. This production is made possible by our:  Haas Events team: Sarah Bottger, Carrie Hults, Meg Fellner Podcast production team: Jordan Joseffer, Laura Counts, Stella Kotik Dean’s Speaker Series Student Board: Ashley Wong, Budi Sosrodjojo, David Bravo, Fernanda Ortolan, Luis Sante, Olivia Halas-Dias, Punit Vyas Interim Dean Jennifer Chatman  Berkeley AV Production Team  

Brian Gross, Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group, shares his journey from a dairy farm in Iowa as one of 14 siblings to leading a consulting powerhouse. He highlights the importance of emotional intelligence, adaptability, and listening in leadership. Gross discusses fostering inclusivity and psychological safety in the workplace, influenced by his experiences in the diverse culture at Berkeley Haas. He emphasizes self-awareness in career choices and the need for mental health support within organizations, offering valuable insights into the consulting world.

Before Jill Evanko was leading the company responsible for products that include the nitrogen systems that cool Starbucks’ Nitro cold brews and hydrogen fuel cells that could power massive cruise ships, she was working in finance at Honeywell and Sony. By taking risks and telling herself, “I'm going to take on opportunities that maybe look different than what I originally thought it was going to look like,” she took her career to new avenues and loves what she does. She’s now at the forefront of the transition toward clean energy as CEO of Chart Industries. Evanko kicked off the first Dean’s Speaker Series of the fall 2024 semester by discussing the future of energy and what it means to take risks. With $3.37 billion in revenue this year, Chart’s has a portfolio of cryogenic products used throughout liquid gas supply chain phases. Evanko joked that members of her own family don’t know exactly what her company does, but they're familiar with Chart’s customers, which include household names from McDonald’s to ExxonMobile to SpaceX. In this episode, Jill Evanko discusses her career journey in conversation with Olivia Halas-Dias, MBA/MPH 25, and Ashley Wong, MBA 25. Above all, she emphasized the importance of kindness in leadership, noting that she would “never want any one of our team members or customers to walk away and say, ‘Jill over at Chart wasn't kind.’” This interview took place on Sept. 9, 2024, as part of the Dean’s Speaker Series. Bringing in a diverse mix of preeminent business leaders, the Dean’s Speaker Series provides the Haas community with insightful perspectives on effective leadership and opportunities for thought-provoking discussions. Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers. Read more about the Haas School of Business.  The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. This production is made possible by our:  Haas Events team: Sarah Bottger, Carrie Hults, Meg Fellner Podcast production team: Jordan Joseffer, Laura Counts, Stella Kotik Dean’s Speaker Series Student Board: Ashley Wong, Budi Sosrodjojo, David Bravo, Fernanda Ortolan, Luis Sante, Olivia Halas-Dias, Punit Vyas Interim Dean Jennifer Chatman  Berkeley AV Production Team

Tech journalist Kara Swisher, known for her sharp interviews since the '90s, shares captivating stories from Silicon Valley's elite, including Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. She emphasizes the importance of honesty in journalism and how it has shaped her career. Swisher discusses the urgent need for innovation in climate change technology, urging entrepreneurs to pivot towards meaningful solutions. With a focus on curiosity and adaptability, she reflects on the evolving media landscape and the necessity for diversity in tech.