The Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, joins Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, to explore what it takes to succeed as a CEO in today’s fast-changing business environment.

As organisations navigate increasing complexity and constant change, the demands on CEOs continue to evolve. In this episode, Mike shares insights from his leaders...

Claire Ainscough, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Ocado Group joins Bridgette Hall to explore what it takes to lead the people agenda in a fast-moving, technology-driven business.

As organisations navigate rapid advances in automation, robotics and digital innovation the role of the Chief People Officer continues to evolve. In this episode Claire shares how people leaders can shape culture, design organisations for speed and innovati...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Andrew Darfoor, SID, Post Office & Board Mentor at Criticaleye, and Jodene Young, Chief People Officer at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), join Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, for a discussion on the leadership trends shaping today’s executive teams and what it takes to build high-performing leadership at the top of organisations.

In this episode, Andrew and Jod...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Jon Rigby CBE, Senior Cyber Advisor and former Chief Cyber Officer at Liberty Specialty Markets, joins Jacob Ambrose Willson, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, to explore what it truly takes for organisations to build cyber resilience in an increasingly complex and unpredictable threat landscape.

With over 40 years experience across the Royal Air Force, intelligence, cyber operations and commerci...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Nick Burns, CEO of Reward Gateway | Edenred, joins Criticaleye’s Senior Editor Bridgette Hall to share his perspective on what it takes to deliver successful international expansion in today’s complex business environment.

Reflecting on the growth story of Reward Gateway and its £1 billion merger with Edenred, the podcast explores how leadership teams can scale across multiple geo...

Episode 31: Criticaleye Asia Podcast – Chairing for Impact: Leadership Lessons from Ray Ferguson, Global Board Chair

In this episode, Yu-Wen Hsiao, Marketing and Communications Manager, APAC at Criticaleye, speaks with Ray Ferguson, Global Board Chair and seasoned international banker, shares his perspective on how CEOs and Boards are navigating resilience, growth and change in an increasingly complex global environment.

Draw...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Steven Cooper, CEO for financial planning and wealth management provider Fairstone joins Julia Brook, Marketing and Communications Director at Criticaleye to explore the first 100 days of taking on the CEO role.

Drawing on his experience in multiple CEO roles, Steven shares advice and observations on stepping into a leadership role and how to make that crucial initial time period count.

From ...

Episode 30: Criticaleye Asia Podcast – Mastering Regional Leadership in Asia: Driving Change Across Markets 

In this episode, Yu-Wen Hsiao, Marketing and Communications Manager, APAC at Criticaleye, speaks with Kalpesh R Parmar, General Manager, Mars Snacking Asia, about leading change and building high-performing teams across diverse Asian markets.

Drawing on more than two decades of international leadership experience,...

Episode 29: Criticaleye Asia Podcast – HR as a Strategic Partner in Complexity

In this episode, Yu-Wen Hsiao, Marketing and Communications Manager, APAC at Criticaleye, speaks with Kathleen Kee, VP, HR – EMEA & Asia at Santen, about what it takes to lead people and performance in an increasingly complex and fast-changing environment.

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience across consulting and in-house leadersh...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Jacky Simmonds, Chief People Officer at Experian, joins Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, to explore how CPOs can lead digital and AI-enabled transformation and unlock value through people.

As digital and AI transformation becomes a constant rather than a one-off initiative, the role of the CPO has never been more critical. In this episode, Jacky shares her perspective on how peop...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In this episode, Sally Bridgeland, Chair, Development Bank of Wales, Nest Invest and BelleVie Care and Keith Cochrane, Chair, Schenck Process Group talk about what risks will be on the Board agenda this year.

With Boards and executive teams operating in an ever more complex and challenging climate, we had an opportunity to ask these two experienced Board members and Criticaleye Board Mentors ...

PE Outlook Series: The Private Equity Outlook for 2026

Alastair Mills, Managing Director & Head of European Business Services at H.I.G. Capital, joins Criticaleye’s Senior Editor Jacob Ambrose Willson to share his perspective on what lies ahead for the UK private equity market in 2026.

Reflecting on UK market conditions in 2025, the podcast explores how macro uncertainty, fiscal policy and the growing influence of AI are ...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Matthew Blagg, CEO for Criticaleye, joins Marketing and Communications Director Julia Brook for the first Inspiring Leaders podcast for 2026.

They take a look at some of the lessons for leaders last year, and examine the trends and topics that will be front of mind for senior executives over the next 12 months.

Discussion points include:

• The landscape in 2026 and difficulties for leaders...

Episode 29: Criticaleye Asia Podcast – Leading Business Transformation Through Innovation

In this episode, Michael Crompton, General Manager Asia at Criticaleye, speaks with Tian Beng Ng, President and Group CEO at Certis, about what it takes to lead large, complex organisations through transformation in an era of rapid technological change.

Drawing on his experience leading mission-critical operations across Asia, Tian Beng ...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Dave Wilson, Chair of LBG Media (LADbible) and Knights plc, joins Criticaleye’s Senior Editor Jacob Ambrose Willson to explore how Boards and executive teams can successfully navigate today’s capital markets while staying focused on long-term value creation.

In a landscape of tightening liquidity, shifting investor expectations and ongoing macro uncertainty, leaders of publicly li...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

In this episode, Lorcan O'Connor, CEO for Transport Infrastructure Ireland joins Criticaleye’s Marketing and Communications Director Julia Brook to discuss his journey to the CEO role and reflections of being a Group CEO at Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), Ireland's largest public transport provider.

Managing multiple stakeholders is a key skill for any CEO. In this podcast, we look at what...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Bérangère Michel, Former CFO of the John Lewis Partnership and Ben Freeman, Country CFO RWE Renewables UK / Global Director Accounting RWE Offshore, join Criticaleye’s Senior Editor Bridgette Hall to explore what it takes to lead effectively through transformation and continuous change.

In an era defined by volatility, shifting stakeholder expectations and the accelerating pace of organ...

Episode 28: Criticaleye Asia Podcast - Succeeding as a Strategic CFO in a Time of Transformation

In this episode, Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, speaks with Joe Dische, CFO at PropertyGuru, and an experienced finance leader with over two decades of experience across the technology, media and telecom sectors. He has led organisations through complex transformations, scaling businesses from start-up to growth and drivi...

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast

Rob Hornby, Co-CEO of AlixPartners and Rita Clifton CBE, Portfolio Chair and Non-Executive Director (including Deputy Chair of the John Lewis Partnership, Chair of Simplyhealth, Chair of the international sustainability organisation Forum for the Future, Visiting Fellow at Saïd Business School University of Oxford, Fellow and former Trustee of WWF-UK, Board Trustee of Green Alliance and Criti...