

The World Class Leaders Show: Master High-Stakes Leadership: Learn from Top CEOs and World-Renowned Leaders
Andrea Petrone
What does it take to lead with confidence in a world that’s constantly changing?
The World Class Leaders Podcast is your go-to resource for actionable strategies and real-world insights from top CEOs and world-renowned leaders.
Hosted by Andrea Petrone—Performance and Executive Coach to CEOs and Leadership Teams—this show dives deep into the challenges of executive leadership, from crisis management and team dynamics to navigating volatile markets and shaping a culture that drives execution.
Each week, Andrea and his guests share practical tools and inspiring stories to help you:
- Make bold, data-driven decisions—even when the stakes are high and the clock is ticking.
- Build teams that not only survive but thrive in the face of constant change.
- Navigate volatile markets with clarity, adaptability, and a competitive edge.
- Shape a culture that drives execution, turning vision into measurable results.
- Lead with unshakable confidence, even when the pressure feels overwhelming.
Featuring insights from leaders at companies like Microsoft, GE and Target, this podcast has helped thousands of executives transform their leadership approach.
Don’t miss these standout episodes:
- 158: How Prioritizing Culture Helped One CEO Lead a Powerful Transformation with Lindsley Ruth
- 062: The Six Mindsets of Extraordinary CEOs with Carolyn Dewar
- 054: Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes on Driving Change Through Uncertainty
Whether you’re a seasoned CEO, an aspiring executive, or a leader looking to level up, this podcast will give you the strategies and mindset shifts you need to excel in the boardroom and beyond.
Subscribe now and transform the way you lead. Follow Andrea on LinkedIn for exclusive leadership tips and behind-the-scenes insights.
The World Class Leaders Podcast is your go-to resource for actionable strategies and real-world insights from top CEOs and world-renowned leaders.
Hosted by Andrea Petrone—Performance and Executive Coach to CEOs and Leadership Teams—this show dives deep into the challenges of executive leadership, from crisis management and team dynamics to navigating volatile markets and shaping a culture that drives execution.
Each week, Andrea and his guests share practical tools and inspiring stories to help you:
- Make bold, data-driven decisions—even when the stakes are high and the clock is ticking.
- Build teams that not only survive but thrive in the face of constant change.
- Navigate volatile markets with clarity, adaptability, and a competitive edge.
- Shape a culture that drives execution, turning vision into measurable results.
- Lead with unshakable confidence, even when the pressure feels overwhelming.
Featuring insights from leaders at companies like Microsoft, GE and Target, this podcast has helped thousands of executives transform their leadership approach.
Don’t miss these standout episodes:
- 158: How Prioritizing Culture Helped One CEO Lead a Powerful Transformation with Lindsley Ruth
- 062: The Six Mindsets of Extraordinary CEOs with Carolyn Dewar
- 054: Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes on Driving Change Through Uncertainty
Whether you’re a seasoned CEO, an aspiring executive, or a leader looking to level up, this podcast will give you the strategies and mindset shifts you need to excel in the boardroom and beyond.
Subscribe now and transform the way you lead. Follow Andrea on LinkedIn for exclusive leadership tips and behind-the-scenes insights.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 17, 2022 • 49min
060: Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot on Building a Bold Vision and Perseverance
It’s not so common to meet CEOs who have built a bold vision for their companies and didn’t stop until they achieve it.
Most leaders don’t have either the courage or the persistence to go beyond the drift and make a significant impact. They prefer to play safe and go for more predictable outcomes.
Not Dr. Doron Myersdorf, co-founder of StoreDot. StoreDot’s Mission is to use nanoscale metalloids and proprietary compounds and develop ultra-fast-charging (XFC) battery technology that overcomes major barriers to EV adoption: range and charging concerns.
In this episode, Doron shared his passion, dedication, and persistence to achieve his bold vision to revolutionize the electric automotive industry.
We discuss:
The importance of external culture to build successful businesses
The inception of an idea
The courage to persevere despite the general pessimism
How to beat Tesla
The challenges of being a CEO
If you’d like to know more about Doron’s work, he can be contacted via LinkedIn, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/donush/. For more information about StoreDot, go to the website at https://www.store-dot.com/
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast:https://www.andreapetrone.com/doron-myersdorf-ceo-of-storedot-on-building-a-bold-vision-and-perseverance-article/

Nov 10, 2022 • 19min
059: How to Create Alignment with your Leadership Team
Only 20% of CEOs are able of driving change in their organizations.
According to the latest CEO study from Egon Zehnder, a poor alignment between the CEO and the leadership team is one of the main reasons.
You can have a great purpose, the best vision, and a wonderful strategy but if your team is not aligned, everyone is gonna go in different directions. Leaders will build competing priorities and won’t share the same macro objectives.
As I do a lot of work with team alignment at a leadership level, in this episode I share some red flags as well as some solutions that might help you to deal with this problem.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/how-to-create-alignment-with-your-leadership-team-article/

Nov 3, 2022 • 36min
058: The Journey from Founder to CEO with Eric Rubenstein
It’s no shock to anyone that starting up a business comes with a lot of challenges, setbacks, and disappointments. People who are driven by the money that can come with success often forget that it takes more than just a good product. It’s understanding your market and understanding people. The people you surround yourself with as part of your team, and the customer.
For episode 058 of ‘The World Class Leaders Show’, I invited Eric Rubenstein, Founder and Managing Partner of New Climate Ventures.
Since its launch in October 2021, NCV has made several investments that cover areas involving climate tech, alternative materials, and food tech – as well as other emissions-avoiding technologies.
Before founding NCV, Eric held positions leading venture investing activities for commodities as well as leading fundamental strategy for oil, refined products, natural gas liquids, plastics, and recycled plastics.
By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
What are the best attributes of a Founder/CEO
The importance of self-awareness to grow your company
Why diversifying sectors is critical to success
The Founder Journey From Start-Up To Scale
If you’d like to know more about Eric’s work, he can be contacted via LinkedIn, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric--rubenstein/. For more information about New Climate Ventures, visit the website at https://www.newclimateventures.com/.
If you’ve enjoyed this or another of my podcast episodes, please send me any comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website, at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/the-journey-from-founder-to-ceo-with-eric-rubenstein-article/

Oct 27, 2022 • 21min
057: My Best Advice For First-Time CEOs
Social isolation. Lack of feedback. Fear of making bad decisions. These are typical challenges that first-time CEOs experience.
This is not ideal for leading an organization through the current level of uncertainty.
However, these feelings are normal, so the key is not to hide them. It’s to acknowledge them and learn how to see things from a different lens.
In this episode, I share 8 key pieces of advice for making a smooth transition to a new CEO role which are also applicable to everyone who has a new leadership role in their organization.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/my-best-advice-for-first-time-ceos-article/

Oct 20, 2022 • 48min
056: Hans-Martin Hellebrand CEO of Badenova on Turning Leadership Upside Down
In the ‘old’ Western European world, internal business leaders were typically viewed as the top of the organizational hierarchy pyramid — the ones who ‘knew it all’ and made the decisions accordingly.
Today’s business wisdom turns the prevailing structure upside down, with customers sitting at the top of the pyramid; for true organizational success, this is where all business decisions should stem from.
For episode # 56 of my podcast the World Class Leaders Show, I was honored to host a good friend from Germany, Hans-Martin Hellebrand. Hans-Martin is the co-CEO of Badenova, a regional utility company committed to driving energy transition in Southwest Germany. Before joining Badenova, Hans-Martin was managing director of the digital energy retailer eprimo. From 2015 – 2017, he founded and led an innovation center in Silicon Valley, as well as scaling a tech start-up as COO/CFO.
Hans-Martin has studied at internal institutions such as Stanford and Kellogg-Northwestern, and he was awarded “IT Executive 2016” by CIO Magazine. By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
Lessons Hans-Martin took from his time in Silicon Valley
Four steps to establishing customer-centricity
What it’s like managing a business with a Co-CEO
Supporting Change, and what most people get wrong about CEOs
If you’d like to know more about Hans-Martin’s work, he can be contacted via LinkedIn, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmhellebrand. For more information about Badenova, go to the website at https://www.badenova.de/.
If you’ve enjoyed this or another of my podcast episodes, please send me any comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website, at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/hans-martin-hellebrand-ceo-of-badenova-on-turning-leadership-upside-down-article/

Oct 13, 2022 • 19min
055: The Fine Balance of a Leader
What’s the fine balance of leadership?
It’s the perfect equilibrium that great leaders find when they manage their teams. It’s the trade-off between pushing too much and overcontrolling their work and being too distant and often unavailable when teams need it.
In this episode, I’ll share:
The expected consequences of being too pushy
The expected consequences of being too distant
A proven multistep approach to finding the right equilibrium
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/the-fine-balance-of-a-leader-article/

Oct 6, 2022 • 42min
054: Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes on Driving Change Through Uncertainty
All successful CEOs possess several critical skills and attributes. Chief among them is the ability to build a diverse team that complements the CEO’s capabilities and expertise and provides both support and challenge as needed.
A CEO must be able to decisively manage ambiguity and constant change, while focusing on strategic clarity and communication.
For episode # 54 of my podcast series, The World Class Leaders Show, I was honored to interview Lorenzo Simonelli, the Chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes, an energy technology company that combines innovation, expertise and scale to provide solutions for energy industrial customers worldwide.
Previously, Simonelli served as President and CEO of GE Transportation where, as one of the youngest division chiefs in GE History, he expanded and diversified GE Transportation by focusing on advanced technology manufacturing, intelligent control systems, and a diverse approach to new propulsion solutions.
By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
Expanding C-Suite leadership beyond your own skills and expertise
Evolving an organization to keep pace with change, addressing cultural change
Managing communication effectively across diverse groups
Critical attributes for a successful CEO
For more information regarding Lorenzo Simonelli and his work, you can visit the company website https://www.bakerhughes.com/. You may also wish to reach out on Linkedin, at linkedin.com/in/lorenzo-simonelli.
If you’ve enjoyed this or other of my podcast episodes, please send me any comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the web site, at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/lorenzo-simonelli-ceo-of-baker-hughes-on-driving-change-through-uncertainty-article/

Sep 29, 2022 • 18min
053: We Turned 1: Five Big Lessons Shared by my Guests on World-Class Leadership
Today is a special day.
The World Class Leaders Show podcast turns 1 and I thought to share with you some of the key lessons that top performer CEOs, business leaders, and best-selling authors shared with me during the last year.
You’re going to love them!
Plus, I got some news for you about the future of the podcast and what to expect from the new season that starts next week.
Stay tuned….
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/we-turned-1-five-big-lessons-shared-by-my-guests-on-world-class-leadership-article/

Sep 22, 2022 • 51min
052: How to Monetize the Social Element of ESG with Miriam Gonzalez Durantez
While many organizations promote and publicize their ESG (Environmental, Social, & Governance) efforts, still there exist significant gaps between concepts and execution. This is especially true for the Social and Governance dimensions.
Environmental initiatives are generally maturing. However, the Social aspect is receiving preliminary, and sometimes misguided, attention, and the Governance aspect is often no more than a few paragraphs in the annual report. Why is this so, and how can performance be improved?
For Episode # 52 of my podcast, The World Class Leaders Show, I was honored to host Miriam González Durántez. Miriam is an international trade lawyer who currently leads the trade and EU regulation practice of US law firm, Cohen & Gresser, and is a founding partner of Altius. Her extensive legal experience includes advising clients on intricate EU regulatory, compliance, and trade matters, and Miriam serves on several influential boards and advisory committees.
Miriam is the Founder and Chair of Inspiring Girls International, a global charity dedicated to raising the aspirations of young girls around the world by connecting schoolgirls and women role models. The campaign operates in nearly 30 countries across the globe and has led the highly praised global campaign #ThisLittleGirlIsMe.
By listening to this podcast episode, you will hear:
Perspectives on each dimension of Environmental, Social & Governance initiatives
Aspects and requirements for monetization of ESG efforts
Five key factors for making a global impact.
If you’d like to know more about Miriam and her work, you can find her on her website, https://miriamgonzalezdurantez.com/about,
on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/miriamgonzalezdurantez/,
or on LinkedIn, linkedin.com/in/miriamgonzalezdurantez.
If you are interested in the Inspiring Girls initiative, https://inspiring-girls.com/
To learn more about me, Andrea Petrone, and my work with leaders and organizations, to subscribe to my weekly newsletter, or to take a free assessment of your leadership level, please drop me an email at Andrea@Andreapetrone.com, or go to my website at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
I would also very much appreciate hearing from you about your thoughts on this episode, or suggestions for future topics for this podcast.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/how-to-monetize-the-social-element-of-esg-article/

Sep 15, 2022 • 17min
051: 9 Seemingly-Weak Behaviours that Define Great Leaders
I don't believe that what we often label as "weaknesses" is correct.
Some of them are actually great signs of leadership.
In this episode, I shared some typical misconceptions about weaknesses in the workplace and explained why seemingly-weak behaviors are actually wonderful ways to demonstrate good leadership.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/9-seemingly-weak-behaviours-that-define-great-leaders-article/