“My job as CEO wasn't to be right, it was to see that the right thing gets done. Surround yourself with the people and resources you need to solve things.” David Taylor served P&G’s Chairman & CEO from 2015 to 2022 - having worked at P&G for more than 40 years. Throughout his career, David held leadership roles within both operations and marketing, managing P&G manufacturing sites, and eventually leading various consumer brands across North America, Europe, and Asia. David reinvigorated P&G's growth during his tenure, returning it to sustainable, balanced growth and value creation by simplifying the company's management structure and empowering business leaders to drive operational excellence in their specific areas of responsibility. David also led the company during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving both worker safety and supply chain resiliency. goes without saying that David is among one of the great modern CEOs of P&G, steering the company through a trying time, and demonstrating the purpose, values, and principles that continue to make P&G not just the sustaining, successful business we know it to be, but also a culture of some of the best people in the business. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation covering not just the highlights of David’s storied career, but the reflections on his learnings along the way.

“I was not gonna follow rules if they didn't make any sense to me. There's a healthy sense of curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status quo.” Sudha Ranganathan is LinkedIn’s Director of Product Marketing on the Talent Solutions business — helping employers worldwide hire and develop strong talent in the new world of work. Sudha’s advocacy of consumer-centric marketing comes from a career spanning consumer insights and product marketing. Prior to LinkedIn, Sudha worked at Paypal as Senior Manager, Strategic Customer Insight, as well as at Affinova as VP on Strategic Account Development. Sudha got her start at P&G in Consumer Insights where she spent 7+ years working across Asian markets. Sudha earned her MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Mumbai. Sudha has a track record for developing high-performing, psychologically safe teams. As a trained CTI (Co-active Training Institute) coach, Sudha has a passion for unlocking the highest potential within individuals and teams. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the importance of emotional intelligence for modern leaders.

“Finding your voice in an organization is not easy. Great leaders gave me a push when I needed the push. So now I need to do the same - giving others their voice.” Oya Canbas is Global Brand Director and I&D Lead for Bayer Consumer Health — leading Bayer’s biggest nutritional brand, Elevit, globally which has a purpose of giving every baby best start in life. She is also the global lead in Inclusion and Diversity. In her 8 years in Bayer Consumer Health, Oya held two GM roles in UK and Ireland, as well as in Turkey. Prior to Bayer, she established her career at Gillette and then in Procter and Gamble for 18 years in leadership roles across Turkey, the UK and Russia on brands like Pampers, Ariel, Fairy, Always, Head & Shoulders, Gillette and Oral-B. Born in South Africa, raised in Turkey, and now living in the UK, Oya is a is a passionate leader and brand builder — and also a proud mother of two children. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about being a passionate learner, developing high performing teams, and bringing out the best in people.

“Be curious. Curiosity is the foundation of  success. Understanding where people are coming from helps you to ask the right questions.” Vahe Ayvazian is Abbott’s Divisional Vice President of Marketing & Core Diagnostics. Having served at Abbott for 8+ years, Vahes work is focused on delivering measurably better healthcare performance through innovation to the healthcare ecosystem. Vahe got his start at P&G, spending twelve years in marketing and category management roles, from Prilosec OTC to Pantene — where in haircare he helped turn around a decade of brand decline through simpler innovation and retailer understanding. Vahe earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business at Indiana University, and has received executive certifications from the CMO program and Big Data from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business. A proud husband and father of two, Vahe is also on the board of a local school district educational foundation in the Chicago suburbs. Always curious, Vahe has grown his career passion for building teams and organizational culture for sustainable growth. Through his early years in sports that greatly shaped his team player attitude to the mentors at P&G that believed in him and demonstrated the importance of listening and being curious, Vahe pays the leadership learning and mentorship forward on the global teams he now leads.

“For the time that you're chief executive or leading a business, you are the soul of the company.” A.G. Lafley and Charlotte Otto return to our podcast — as two P&G Alumni whose career was directly and influenced by John Smale, and his unique style of leadership. A.G. Lafley served P&G’s CEO & Chairman twice - from 2000-2009 and 2013-2015, and Charlotte served as P&G’s Global External Relations Officer for thirteen years - the company’s first female corporate officer. Both have a lot to share about the purpose-inspired, caring, yet demanding and principled leader that was John Smale. For this month’s podcasts, we'll be hearing reflections from leaders on John Smale, P&G's former Chairman & CEO, who led P&G from 1981-1990, and served as General Motors’ Chairman  from 1992-1995. These conversions are in honor o f the new book "Here Forever: The Timeless Impact of John Smale on Procter & Gamble, General Motors, and the Purpose and Practice of Business" (by Rob Garver), available now. While John Smale passed away in 2011 - he is arguably one the most influential leaders of the modern era, growing P&G more than six-fold in his tenure. And yet, Smale is largely unknown to many leaders guiding American and global businesses today. John's leadership in developing a vision for corporate purpose was decades ahead of its time. This was a book years in the making by not just the author, but many of some of the biggest leaders in business. “Here Forever” is a compelling and insightful read we’d highly recommend, and will make a great holiday gift for the admired, or aspiring leaders in your life. Pick up a copy wherever you get your favorite books Johnsmalehereforever.com goodreads.com/book/show/62350265-here-forever amazon.com/Here-Forever-Timeless-Practice-Business/dp/1667864068 /bookshop.org/p/books/here-forever-the-timeless-impact-of-john-smale-on-procter-gamble-general-motors-and-the-purpose-and-practice-of-business/18846027?ean=9781667863818

“John Smale pushed the company to have a deeper ear toward what consumers really want. He made a greater effort to take a listen.” Janet Reid and Gordon Brunner are two P&G Alumni who had the privilege of coming up at the company during John Smale's rise in leadership at P&G. Janet Reid is Founder, CEO and Managing Partner of BRBS World, but spent 10 years as an early African American brand manager at P&G, from 1980 to 1990. And Gordon Brunner - a familiar guest on this podcast - was P&G's former Chief Technical Officer, and one of the company's most renowned R&D executives - and the first R&D'er to sit on the company's Board. Both have a lot to share about the purpose-inspired, caring, yet demanding and principled leader that was John Smale. For this month’s podcasts, we'll be hearing reflections from leaders on John Smale, P&G's former Chairman & CEO, who led P&G from 1981-1990, and served as General Motors’ Chairman  from 1992-1995. These conversions are in honor o f the new book "Here Forever: The Timeless Impact of John Smale on Procter & Gamble, General Motors, and the Purpose and Practice of Business" (by Rob Garver), available now. While John Smale passed away in 2011 - he is arguably one the most influential leaders of the modern era, growing P&G more than six-fold in his tenure. And yet, Smale is largely unknown to many leaders guiding American and global businesses today. John's leadership in developing a vision for corporate purpose was decades ahead of its time. This was a book years in the making by not just the author, but many of some of the biggest leaders in business. “Here Forever” is a compelling and insightful read we’d highly recommend, and will make a great holiday gift for the admired, or aspiring leaders in your life. Pick up a copy wherever you get your favorite books Johnsmalehereforever.com goodreads.com/book/show/62350265-here-forever amazon.com/Here-Forever-Timeless-Practice-Business/dp/1667864068 /bookshop.org/p/books/here-forever-the-timeless-impact-of-john-smale-on-procter-gamble-general-motors-and-the-purpose-and-practice-of-business/18846027?ean=9781667863818

“The purpose, values and principles — John Smale understood the importance of the soul of the company.” Bob McDonald & Bob Gill are two P&G Alumni who share many things in common, least of which is their first name. The first is no stranger to this podcast — Bob McDonald, who served as P&G's former CEO from 2009-2013, and was the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2014-2017. And our second guest is another well known Alum to many P&G Executives — Bob GIll - who served at P&G for 28 years in many senior leadership positions - from 1974 to 2002, where he had more than a few interactions with John Smale. Both of this episode’s Bobs - McDonald and Gill — have a lot to share about the purpose-inspired, caring, yet demanding and principled leader that was John Smale. For this month’s podcasts, we'll be hearing reflections from leaders on John Smale, P&G's former Chairman & CEO, who led P&G from 1981-1990, and served as General Motors’ Chairman  from 1992-1995. These conversions are in honor o f the new book "Here Forever: The Timeless Impact of John Smale on Procter & Gamble, General Motors, and the Purpose and Practice of Business" (by Rob Garver), available now. While John Smale passed away in 2011 - he is arguably one the most influential leaders of the modern era, growing P&G more than six-fold in his tenure. And yet, Smale is largely unknown to many leaders guiding American and global businesses today. John's leadership in developing a vision for corporate purpose was decades ahead of its time. This was a book years in the making by not just the author, but many of some of the biggest leaders in business. “Here Forever” is a compelling and insightful read we’d highly recommend, and will make a great holiday gift for the admired, or aspiring leaders in your life. Pick up a copy wherever you get your favorite books Johnsmalehereforever.com goodreads.com/book/show/62350265-here-forever amazon.com/Here-Forever-Timeless-Practice-Business/dp/1667864068 /bookshop.org/p/books/here-forever-the-timeless-impact-of-john-smale-on-procter-gamble-general-motors-and-the-purpose-and-practice-of-business/18846027?ean=9781667863818

“Democracy works best when every eligible voter has an opportunity to have their voice. American business is built upon having a stable democracy.” Chip Bergh is President & CEO of Levi Strauss & Company — and a returning podcast guest (2020). Chip spent 28-years at P&G in leadership roles from Folgers to Swiffer, from Asia to Gillette and Old Spice. He got his start in the US Army as a paratrooper, rising to the rank of Captain. Chip came back on the pod to talk about something he's passionate about: the evolving role of the CEO - going beyond the P&L to advocacy and activism. Chip learned the idea of "the Responsible CEO" from P&G's former CEO John Smale (1981-1990), arguably one of the most influential leaders of the modern era. Chip shares his thoughts from the new book about John Smale “Here Forever: The Timeless Impact of John Smale on Procter & Gamble, General Motors and the Purpose and Practice of Business." Chip also discusses the issues he and Levi's are active in: voter registration, women's rights, ending gun violence and climate change. While many of us have strong beliefs on these topics, the goal of this discussion was not to push an agenda, but rather to focus on the nonpartisan business reasons for taking a stand on certain issues. Chip shares stories of not just his own style of values-driven leadership, but also how he’s continued - through humility and humor - Levi’s tradition of social activism.

“We learn from stories of character. How to live making decisions, caring for people, and carrying out the responsibility of a corporation, which John Smale perceived way before others.” For this month’s podcasts, we'll be hearing reflections from leaders on John Smale, P&G's former Chairman & CEO, who led P&G from 1981-1990, and served as General Motors’ Chairman  from 1992-1995. These conversions are in honor o f the new book "Here Forever: The Timeless Impact of John Smale on Procter & Gamble, General Motors, and the Purpose and Practice of Business" (by Rob Garver), available now. While John Smale passed away in 2011 - he is arguably one the most influential leaders of the modern era, growing P&G more than six-fold in his tenure. And yet, Smale is largely unknown to many leaders guiding American and global businesses today. John's leadership in developing a vision for corporate purpose was decades ahead of its time. This was a book years in the making by not just the author, but many of some of the biggest leaders in business. John Pepper and David Taylor — two of P&G's former Chairmen & CEO - sat down with Dorion Positano on P&G's More Than Soap podcast (GetMoreThanSoap.com). Both David Taylor and John Pepper have a lot to share about the purpose-inspired, caring, yet demanding and principled leader that was John Smale. “Here Forever” is a compelling and insightful read we’d highly recommend, and will make a great holiday gift for the admired, or aspiring leaders in your life. Pick up a copy wherever you get your favorite books Johnsmalehereforever.com goodreads.com/book/show/62350265-here-forever amazon.com/Here-Forever-Timeless-Practice-Business/dp/1667864068 /bookshop.org/p/books/here-forever-the-timeless-impact-of-john-smale-on-procter-gamble-general-motors-and-the-purpose-and-practice-of-business/18846027?ean=9781667863818

“We live in a world of massaging perceptions. It's okay to make a mistake, but the second time you have to learn from these things.” James Michael Lafferty is a returning guest to the podcast — rejoining us for an open and honest conversation about making mistakes, and owning up to them. Jim is the CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding - a leading CPG company across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, and USA - as well as an accomplished writer, coach, and athlete. Jim is an internationally-tenured leader whose career spans 3 decades and 5 continents. Jim served as CEO of British American Tobacco in the Philippines and Coca-Cola in Nigeria. He led a distinguished 24-year career at P&G, leading the company in both the Philippines and Poland, rising through the ranks in senior roles across Western Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. Beyond being a dedicated husband and father of 5, Jim is also an accomplished coach and athlete - serving as a Coach of the Philippines Olympic Athletics team at the 2016 Rio Games, having run 30+ marathons, and was the 2017 Philippines National Champion in Powerlifting. Jim’s consulted with numerous Fortune 500 companies, and his many talks and lessons have inspired brand managers around the world. He currently lives in the United Arab Emirates. In a world of projections, you’ll appreciate Jim’s vulnerabile, candid conversation.