I by IMD

The energy transition isn't coming. It's already here. From boardrooms to trading floors, from tech labs to oil rigs, the shift toward clean energy is reshaping how business gets done. On "Inside the Transition," hosts Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes are bringing you conversations with the people at the front line of this historic shift of the energy transition. This week, Knut and Julia are joined by Paul Watkinson, a seasoned climate negotiator who enabled the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Just weeks before COP 30 in Brazil, they discuss the current state of global climate efforts and the need to overcome domestic political, social, and financial barriers to decarbonization. The conversation delves into the uneven pace of the energy transition, the pivotal but complex role of China in clean tech, Europe's regulatory challenges, and the essential need for a "just transition" to build public support.  

Mike Wade and Amit Joshi welcome their colleague José Parra Moyano, Professor of Digital Strategy at IMD and contributor to their book GAIN. Jose shares his perspective on how Generative AI is not just an efficiency tool but a powerful enabler for non-technical business leaders. The conversation explores how Gen AI democratises data analytics, enabling managers to reduce uncertainty and make informed decisions without needing to code. They discuss the shift from using AI for cost savings to driving innovation, the evolving role of data science experts, and practical advice for listeners on how to leverage these tools to gain a competitive advantage.

In this episode of Mike and Amit Talk Tech, on the IMD Podcast network, our hosts discuss the transformative role of generative AI in supply chains. Joining the show is Professor Carlos Cordon, an IMD expert with over 30 years of experience in technology and strategy. Cordon reflects on his journey from the world of IT leadership to academia and explains why the supply chain remains both one of the most complex and most critical engines of modern business.The discussion examines why early experiments with generative AI in supply chain operations led to disappointment and how the rapid evolution of tools like Microsoft Copilot and DeepSeek has since transformed the landscape. From Excel spreadsheets to enterprise systems, Cordon explains how AI is now beginning to enhance accuracy, unlock deeper analysis, and make supply chain management more adaptive in a volatile geopolitical environment.

In this episode of the CEO Dialogue series, Jean-François Manzoni speaks with Morten Wierod, President and CEO of ABB, about how one of the world’s great engineering companies is transforming itself for the road ahead.With 110,000 employees, 170 factories, and more than $30 billion in annual revenues, ABB has long been central to electrification, automation, and industrial innovation.Now, under Wierod’s leadership, the company is driving a “leaner and cleaner” mission that connects competitiveness with sustainability.

On the IMD Podcast network, Mike Wade and Amit Joshi speak about the future of health, with Achim Plueckebaum, a contributor to their latest book GAIN.As a senior executive with decades of experience in the life sciences industry, Plueckebaum believes AI will have a transformative impact on medicine, pharmacology, and patient care. He emphasizes the importance of data privacy, ethical considerations, and the need for AI to serve patients effectively.Plueckebaum predicts significant AI-driven drug innovations within the decade, and even the discovery of entirely new treatments. From synthetic biology to personalized medicines, healthcare is set to change in a big way.

IMD Dean of Faculty and Research Stefan Michel sits down with Amar Bhidé - Emeritus Professor at Tufts University, and a founding member of the Center on Capitalism and Society at Columbia. Drawing on insights from his latest book, Uncertainty and Enterprise: Venturing Beyond the Known, Amar unpacks the vital difference between risk and uncertainty, why this matters for entrepreneurs, and how imagination shapes decision-making in business and innovation.In today’s business environment, true visionaries rely on contextual judgment rather than just statistical models. And though the evolution of AI will bring many opportunities, understanding its pitfalls remains key to success. Amar discusses these issues and the surprising role that routines play in enabling creativity and collaboration.

In this I by IMD podcast, Rohit Jawa, the former CEO of Hindustan Unilever, outlines how he is reshaping the company’s strategy to meet the evolving needs of India’s growing middle class, leveraging digital transformation, talent development, and a future-focused growth agenda. In conversation with IMD’s Jean-François Manzoni, Jawa explains how he is future-proofing the Indian consumer goods giant to take advantage of the nation’s rapidly expanding middle class. For nearly a century, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has been flourishing in the Indian subcontinent, growing in tandem with the nation. As India’s largest consumer goods company, the maker of Lux soap, Surf Excel laundry detergent, and Lipton tea has become deeply embedded in the country’s economic and cultural fabric, serving nine out of 10 Indian households and earning its place as the “crown jewel” in Unilever’s global portfolio. India is Unilever’s second-largest market after the US, contributing around 10% of the parent company’s turnover. While HUL draws on Unilever’s global R&D and brand strength, it has also become an exporter of talent and innovation, helping shape success in other markets.  Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at what drives the company’s success. 

In this I by IMD podcast, host Michael Watkins, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, sits down with executive coach Brenda Steinberg to discuss a common challenge: the "post-summer blues."They reframe this experience not as a slump but as a transition and discuss the importance of acknowledging and processing the seasonal change. For many, returning to work triggers a “survival mode” attitude. Watkins and Steinberg say it's common to feel a sense of loss or "grief" for the holiday break and to fear returning to the "go-go-go" office dynamic. The show provides practical advice for leaders, including the need to create space for team members to reflect on what they learned about themselves over the summer and what their new priorities are. They also delve into the strategic importance of managing one’s energy, a core tenet of leadership, and how personal reflection can be a catalyst for meaningful professional change. 

In this episode of Mike and Amit Talk Tech from the IMD Podcast Network, hosts Mike Wade and Amit Joshi speak with Tomoko Yokoi, Senior Researcher at IMD, about one of AI’s fastest-growing frontiers — Edge AI. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in B2B and B2C industries, Tomoko explains what Edge AI is, why it matters, and how it could reshape both consumer and business applications in the coming decade. The discussion unpacks how running AI directly on local devices brings speed, bandwidth savings, and potential privacy benefits, while also creating new opportunities for non-traditional AI players like telecoms companies and hardware producers. Tomoko also explores the likely rise of hybrid AI models that blend cloud and edge capabilities, and the competitive shake-up this could trigger in the AI ecosystem. From healthcare wearables to next-generation smartphones, mining equipment and future 6G services, this conversation dives deep into the technical, strategic, and regulatory implications AI “at the edge.” 

What it means to be “working-age” is changing, and so too are the ways in which people look at their careers. The traditional “three-stage” life is giving way to a “multi-stage” life, and businesses that fail to adapt to this new reality are in danger of being left behind.In this special episode of the IMD Podcast Network, we bring together two of the world’s most influential thinkers to discuss the future of work and leadership. Host Andrew Sharman, Adjunct Professor of Risk, Resilience and Safety Culture at IMD and author of Who Cares Wins, is joined by the globally renowned author Lynda Gratton to explore the profound implications of her book, The 100-Year Life.Lynda and Andrew dive into what it means to live and work for longer. They discuss why leadership must evolve to accommodate ageing populations,” the challenge of transforming organisations to support multi-stage careers, and how “care” is not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity. They tackle tough questions, like how leaders should balance empathy with productivity, and outline the importance of “unlearning” old habits.