Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Kenneth Chan, former CEO, McDonald’s China Nov 05, 2023

Show notes

“It's not about how you get results from yourself but learning how you're going to get results through other people and how you bring other people along.”

Kenneth Chan is a seasoned CEO and Organization Leader with over 30 years experience in Fortune 500 companies such as P&G, McDonald’s, PepsiCo, and Singapore Airlines. Kenneth was McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer for China and Division President for the Greater China region between 2009 to 2015. Kenneth led an organization of 150,000 employees and oversaw the fastest period of expansion at that time — opening over 1,000 restaurants in the span of 5 years. Kenneth was awarded the prestigious "Overseas CEO Award" at the Singapore Business Awards (2014), as well as the "Leading CEO Award" by the Singapore Human Resources Institute (2007). Kenneth He now serves as a strategic advisor and executive mentor. You’ll enjoy this deep, humble conversation on creating one’s authentic leadership style, how Asians can become strong leaders, and importance of values during adversity.

Sophia Toh on finding your voice - P&G Alumni Coaching Oct 29, 2023

Show notes

“If somebody tells you no, from their perspective, they see ‘N-O’ — but from my side, I see ‘O-N’ — meaning it just turns me ON to try to say, ‘How can I prove somebody wrong?’ ”

Sophia Toh is a Professional Certified Coach with 20 years of experience in corporate finance, accounting, strategy, organizational, and entrepreneurial leadership. Sophia has worked for multi-billion brands leading organization development and transformation. Sophia served CFO of P&G’s subsidiary, Walker & Company Brands, and VP of Financial Transformation at Kraft Heinz. As a Coach, Sophia is credentialed by the International Coaching Federation, a certified coach by the Gallup Clifton’s Strengths organization, Coach Diversity Institute, and Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder-Centered Coaching Center. She is also a certified trainer in the Four Stages of Psychological Safety™. Sophia is passionate about giving back to the community - volunteering in nonprofit organizations and alumni networks, mentoring and providing coaching pro-bono for students and early career professionals, leveraging her expertise and experience to pay forward and impact the world positively. Her company, Illuminate U Coaching was featured by ManageHR Magazine in 2022 as one of the top 10 emerging leadership development companies in the US.After hundreds of coaching sessions and clients, Sophia had the honor of witnessing incredible success stories – helping individuals find their voice, step into their confidence, and taking giant leaps toward their dream roles.

This is a continuation of our series with P&G Alumni Coaching where leading Alumni will dive deep on relevant topics. Just as professional athletes have a coach to help them perform at their best, coaching can help you thrive in career and life life, through powerful questioning, exploration, and action planning. P&G Alums can learn more and sign up for their first free first session @ coaching.pgalums.com.

Derrick Booker, L’Oreal SVP & Head of Brand - Thayers Natural Remedies Oct 22, 2023

Show notes

“I was non-traditional, with so many stereotypes — this gives me every right to win, because they will always underestimate the power that you have when you're in a space where they don't see you belonging.

Derrick Booker is currently the SVP and Head of brand for Thayers Natural Remedies at L’Oreal, but has had a varied path before joining a beauty-focused company. Armed with a degree in microbiology from Miami University, Derrick started his career with medical and consumer brand marketing roles in Oral Care at P&G. He is an accomplished research scientist having led the clinical claims support strategy as a Clinical Trial Manager for P&G’s North American Oral Care R&D organization. Derrick then went on to join Pfizer, where he worked on prescription to over-the-counter switching, Advil and Pediatric brands. In 2020, Derrick was recognized among the top 100 under 50 emerging and executive leaders, by Diversity MBA Chicago and continues to inspire leaders with his authentic leadership and focus on building relationships and leaning into our truths. You’ll enjoy this authentic, candid conversation about reframing feelings of not belonging and being underestimated to surprise others with personal excellence.

Sundar Raman, P&G Fabric & Home Care CEO Oct 08, 2023

Show notes

“Sometimes there is a thin line between success and failure - so I'd rather seek help and succeed. Reach out to the right people and ask for help. People open doors because that's how they have succeeded. "

Sundar Raman is the CEO of P&G Fabric & Home Care - the company’s largest business sector representing a third of the company’s sales and net earnings. Sundar began his P&G career as a market analyst in India in 1998 and soon moved to the United States, where he worked in a variety of roles, from business intelligence to marketing, in P&G Beauty. In 2008, he joined NA Fabric Care to lead innovation and marketing, and in 2019 was appointed President Fabric Care North America and P&G Professional, expanding his responsibilities to Global Home Care in 2020. Along the way, Sundar has consistently demonstrated a track record of results and, importantly, a commitment to empowering people. Sundar is aware of his impact on the organization and those around them and strives to be available when someone needs him, especially a mentee seeking help, challenges his own implicit biases and works with his team to foster an inclusive environment. Sundar is a visionary leader with broad expertise and a passion for innovation and our conversation today reflects his passion for diversity, mentorship and finding a path that works for the individual. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the importance of being present to those in need, and always finding a better, third way.

Florence Marie Guesenet on Courage in Life & Leadership - P&G Alumni Coaching Oct 01, 2023

Show notes

“Don't wait for that bravery moment, that hero moment until you call yourself courageous. You are here for a reason, and that's usually reaching out to the world, and not getting smaller.”

Florence Marie Guesnet is an experienced, empathic trainer and coach where she currently focuses on topics such as “courage in life, courage in leadership,” self-leadership, and strategy consulting. Florence has been trained as a coach since 2015 and has been a “Professional Certified Coach” with the largest International Coaching Association ICF since 2020. She was a member of the Program Commission 2015 of the annual ESOMAR- Congress and “Marketer of the Year” 2014 Cannes Lions. Florence studied economics in Wuppertal with a focus on “work and personnel” after qualifying as a garment seamstress. And has extensive executive experience at companies like Estée Lauder, Melitta, Heineken, and Procter & Gamble. Florence speaks German, English, and French, enjoys playing golf, going running and doing yoga, and currently lives in Germany with her husband.

You’ll enjoy this candid coaching conversation on having courage in life and in leadership.

Mita Mallick: Reimagine Inclusion Sep 24, 2023

Show notes

“Inclusion starts at our kitchen tables. If you aren't building cross-cultural relationships - actively learning about a lived experience not your own - how do you expect to show up differently as an inclusive leader?”

Mita Mallick is a corporate change-maker, and the author of a new book — Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths To Transform Your Workplace. Mita’s an outspoken share of innovative and thought-provoking ideas in the area of inclusion and equity — and has a track record of transforming businesses. Mita's currently Carta’s head of Inclusion, equity and Impact, and the co-host of Brown Table Talk, a top LinkedIn podcast where she helps break down the challenges women of color face in the workplace. Mita’s extensive career - as a fierce advocate of including and representing Black and Brown communities - has crossed orgs like Carta, Unilever, Pfizer, AVON, Johnson & Johnson and more - as she’s a sought after speaker and coach to start-up founders, executives, and public CEOs. Mita’s a LinkedIn Top Voice, a contributor for Harvard Business Review, Adweek, Entrepreneur and Fast Company, and has been featured in the The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, Forbes, Axios, Essence, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Business Insider.

This is a conversation from Raman’s other podcast, Modern Minorities, where each week we share minority conversations for all of our majority years. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about Mita’s experiences and learnings from her new - and confront our own biases and myths. You can order Mita’s book here:

Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths To Transform Your Workplace

https://www.amazon.com/Reimagine-Inclusion-Debunking-Transform-Workplace/dp/1394177097

Ana Malmqvist, Front Burner Brands’ CMO Sep 17, 2023

Show notes

“There is no formula. There is no direct path. Everybody has to pivot at times in their life. Don't always be looking for the next thing because you won’t be happy in the moment.”

Ana Malmqvist, is the CMO of Front Burner Brands, which owns Melting Pot, the world’s premier fondue restaurant. Ana’s love for beauty products took her to L’oreal right out of business school where she advanced throughout various roles before an inflection point and deciding to move to P&G Beauty as an experienced hire. At P&G Ana worked in Brand Management on Max Factor Cosmetics across North America and Western Europe, as well as on the Prestige Fine Fragrances business on brands like Hugo Boss, Giorgio Beverly Hills, Helmut Lang, and Hervé Leger Parfum. When she left P&G to be closer to family, she entered the hospitality industry - delivering unforgettable experiences via marketing as the VP of Product Marketing at Bloomin’ Brands. Ana has a love for translating marketing to the consumer, in large part due to her language skills developed as a child and learning the art of speaking others’ languages. Ana continues to use her language skills to bring together multi-functional groups she works with and in her mentoring of others. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the inflection points that change life’s path, and how to find balance and maintain curiosity along the way.

Carol Yang on the executive mindset shift - P&G Alumni Coaching Sep 10, 2023

Show notes

“We are most successful from the core of who we are - don't change into somebody else. But at the same time, what is it about your leadership style that is getting in the way?”

Carol Yang is a certified Global Executive Coach (ICF PCC) with 23 years of global leadership experience across Fortune 500 companies - like P&G and the Timberland Company, where she was VP of Global marketing. As an Executive Coach, Carol works with senior leaders around the world, with an emphasis on empowering female leaders to move up and thrive in bigger, more complex roles. Carol’s clients include senior leaders at Goldman Sachs, Merck, P&G, Agile Technology and others.

Going beyond her own career journey, Carol shares relevant advice on the mindset shift needed to ascend into senior executive roles. This is the first in a series with P&G Alumni Coaching where leading Alumni will dive deep on relevant topics. Just as professional athletes have a coach to help them perform at their best, coaching can help you thrive in career and life life, through powerful questioning, exploration, and action planning. P&G Alums can learn more and sign up for their free first coaching session @ coaching.pgalums.com

You’ll enjoy this candid coaching conversation with Carol on not just the big mindset mindset needed for executive growth, but also how to get clear on what we want, taking ownership of your career, building self awareness, and going beyond the buzzwords of building an authentic personal brand.

USA Travel Learnings V2: from Nebraska to Wyoming Sep 03, 2023

Show notes

“Make the time to scratch beneath the surface in each state. Spending time with the people - in the cities, in the towns, at the restaurants - you're always going to uncover something.”

Part TWO of our USA Travel series - across all 50 states of the USA with Raman and podcast co-founder Drew Tarvin - author of “The United States of Laughter” - as they share stories and learnings from their travels across America - from Nebraska to Wyoming. See last week’s episode for the first part, from Alabama to Montana.

Got some travel learnings from anywhere in the world? Send a voice memo to pgalumpod@gmail.com, and maybe we'll feature your story on a future episode!

And don’t forget to register for the P&G Alumni Global Conference in Washington DC - November 2-5, 2023. You'll get to hear from many former P&G CEOs, C-Suite alumni leaders, and emerging trendsetters, all while networking with fellow P&G Alums. Learn more and register at pgalums.com

USA Travel Learnings V1: from Alabama to Montana Aug 27, 2023

Show notes

“It's so easy to go onto the next thing - but take that moment to stop and celebrate small and big wins.”

We’re returning to one of our favorite topics - TRAVEL - turning our focus to the strange and foreign land known as the United States of America. Raman is joined by podcast co-founder Drew Tarvin - author of “The United States of Laughter” - as they share stories and learnings from their travels to all 50 American states, in the first of a two-part series, covering from Alabama to Montana.

Got some travel learnings from anywhere in the world? Send a voice memo to pgalumpod@gmail.com, and maybe we'll feature your story on a future episode!