Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast

"It's always easier to make it through something when you're doing it together." Tarang Amin is CEO & Chairman of e.l.f. Beauty, the parent company to e.l.f. Cosmetics, WƎLL PEOPLE, and Keys Soulcare - a lifestyle beauty brand created with Alicia Keys. Having led e.l.f. Beauty since 2014 - Tarang has 25+ years of experience building brands, leading innovation, and assembling high-performance teams. Previously, Tarang served as President & CEO of Schiff Nutrition - growing it from $190 million to $1.5 billion. Tarang also served as VP of Clorox’s $1.7 billion Litter, Food and Charcoal businesses. And of course, Tarang began his career at P&G, rising through management positions over 11 years. Tarang earned his BA in international policy and MBA from Duke University. He and his family live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and are committed to giving back. In a conversation about the power of people, and giving back to those around you, you’ll enjoy hearing Tarang’s story - starting from a motel on Route 1, and leading him to a career filled with drive, curiosity, and generosity.

  “Go where the growth is happening - and the growth of yourself will follow.”   Zena Arnold is Kimberly Clark’s Chief Digital & Marketing Officer,  an accomplished executive across CPG and Technology marketing and general management.  Zena was previously at Google for nearly seven years - in senior roles as Global Head of Growth for ChromeOS, General Manager for US Chromebooks, and Head of Americas Marketing for Google Play. The first formative decade of her career was at Kellogg’s, and of course Procter & Gamble, where she held brand and portfolio management roles on brands like Olay, Folgers, Pop-Tarts and more. Zena holds a degree in computer science from The Ohio State University. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about owning your career, not having things mapped out, and taking risks into uncomfortable and challenging roles. 

Kirk Perry is Google’s President of Brand Solutions - where since 2013, he’s led global teams to enable brand partners to leverage all of Google to reach their consumers wherever they’re engaging. Prior to joining Google Kirk was at P&G for 23 years - in various roles across marketing and general management - including President of Global Family Care, and six years in Asia with assignments in South Korea and Japan. Growing up from humble beginnings, Kirk and his family are also very active in giving back - supporting his alma mater, the University of Cincinnati, and personally serving on a # of non-profit boards like the March of Dimes, the Ronald McDonald House, and many more. Kirk’s background and experiences have given him a unique perspective on work and life - and you’ll appreciate hearing about his approach to living a “eulogy led” VS “resume-driven” life.

Najoh Tita-Reid leads Marketing Reinvention at Logitech where she’s reimagining, redefining and reinventing the global marketing function across 120+ countries - reporting to the CEO. Najoh’s worked across in multinational roles across leading brands like Hero, Bayer, and Merck, after having spent 19 years at P&G - rising through the ranks of marketing and sales. Najoh earned an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a BA in English from Spelman College. She also completed the Executive Leadership Program at IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Woman’s Executive Leadership Program at Simmons University and the Design Thinking program at the Stanford School of Design. As a member of The Executive Leadership Council, she serves on the International Steering Committee and the Community Service Committee.  As an American who’s been living and working in Europe for more than a few years - Najoh’s currently based in Zurich with her husband and 2 kids. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation from the perspective of an American on the outside looking in - and about creating work/life harmony with feet on both sides of the world. 

  As we get ready for the year ahead, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this second “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with the NEXT generation of brand leaders - not too far off from many of our current stages of work and life. Beyond reflecting on where we’ve been - we also talked about our current moment - and where things are going. These are Alumni Leaders NOW in the prime of their career at some of the world’s best companies. Check out each guest’s full episode to hear more of the conversation. Featured in this episode...  Andy Shih: Nike, VP of eCommerce & Direct Stores -  Julie Eddleman: Google, Global Client Partner Antonio Sciuto: Salesforce, Office of the CEO, former Nestlé Waters’ CMO Janet Roller: Shutterfly, VP Brand & Audience, former Marriott & Target Design Exec Vince Hudson: American Express SVP of Brand, former BET, Samsung, Diageo Exec Julie Sutherland: Estée Lauder VP & Commercial Head Gustavo Lopez Ghory: Kimberly Clark, Chief Supply Chain Officer Alexandra Warbasse: Lyft Executive Development Charlie Chappel: Hershey’s Head of Media  Filippo Catalano: Reckitt Benckiser’s CIO, and Nestle’s former CIO Tami Hurwitz: Amazon Music Global VP of Marketing, former Microsoft GM

  As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with retired industry greats - once at the helm of the world’s greatest companies - many of whom now continue to serve non-profits, NGOs, corporate boards, and even professional sports teams! These leaders were able to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how their purpose values and principles helped them successfully navigate their career journey. Check out each guest’s full episode to hear more of the conversation. Featured in this episode...  Paul Polman: Unilever former CEO, Co-founder of IMAGINE,  Cheryl Bachelder: Popeyes former CEO Fernando Aguirre: Chiquita Brands former CEO, Professional Baseball Owner Meg Whitman: Quibi, eBay & HP former CEO Jim McNerney: Boeing & 3M former CEO Sara Mathew: Dun & Bradstreet former CEO

      As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In this “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with CEOs leading some of the biggest and fastest growing brands - who shared their journey to the big chair, and what they’ve learned since. In pretty challenging year - they revealed how their purpose, value and principles succeed at work - and life.  Check out each guest’s full episode to hear more of the conversation. Featured in this episode...  Chip Bergh: Levi Strauss & Co. CEO Gina Drosos: Signet Jewelers CEO Lisa Baird: National Women’s Soccer League Commissioner Jill Beraud: Sh'nnong Beverage Co. CEO & Co-Founder Alejandro Bethlen: the Bouqs Co. CEO Kris Malkoski: Newell Food Brands CEO Benno Dorer: Clorox Chairman & former CEO of  Bracken Darrell: Logitech CEO

  As the year winds down, we reflect on the Learnings from Leaders we’ve had on this P&G Alumni Podcast. In our first “year in review” episode, we revisit our conversations with some of P&G’s great leaders - former CEOs, regional leaders and trailblazers in diversity, equity, and inclusion. And of course, if you want to hear more from any of these leaders, definitely check out each guests full episode. Featured in this episode...  John Pepper: P&G’s former CEO & Chairman (1995-2002) & Disney former Chairman Linda Clement-Holmes: P&G's former Chief Diversity Officer & CIO Jorge Montoya: P&G Latin America’s former President; Gap & Kroger Board Director  Qaisar Shareef: P&G’s former Head of Pakistan & Ukraine Ed Artzt: P&G's former CEO & Chairman (1990-1995) Ed Riguad: among P&G's first Black senior execs; Founder of the Freedom Center Shantanu Khosla: P&G's former Head of India; Crompton Greaves’ Managing Director Bob McDonald: P&G former CEO & Chairman (2009-2013); US Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2014-2017)

    “Just do the right thing for the customer - don’t caveat it with other things.” Alejandro Bethlen is the CEO of the Bouqs Company - the leading online floral retailer who’s radically disrupting the $100B global floral industry - where he’s been in the top seat since June 2020. Alejandro’s a veteran of Amazon - where over eight years he held senior roles across six countries with P&L + operational responsibilities. Alejandro got his start at P&G - where he spent seven years across North America and Latin America. Alejandro received his MBA from Rice University, and recently moved back to the US (Los Angeles) with his family. In our candid conversation, Alejandro shares an insider view on not just one, but two of the world’s great companies - with a unique, multicultural, multinational perspective on work and life.

  “Leverage the purpose, values, & principles to use data for good.” Filippo Catalano is the Chief information & Digitization Officer at Reckitt Benckiser - where he’s driving the IT and digital transformation of the consumer giant. Filippo was also recently CIO of another consumer giant - Nestle, where he scaled the company’s efforts in eCommerce, Programmatic and more. Filippo got his start at P&G - spending 16 years in roles across Europe and the US rising through the IT ranks into digital leadership roles.   Listen for a great conversation about the impact of technology not just on business, but society. Filippo’s driven by his purpose, values and principles in all of his work in data - something he calls “data for good” - which becomes ever more important with the immensely power and potential of AI and machine-learning just on the horizon. Born in Italy, Filippo studied Mechanical Engineering at the Politecnico di Torino and received his Masters at the Lund University in Sweden. When he’s not working on innovations or his 20+ vintage Honda motorbikes, he’s spending time with his wife and children.