Meet The Leader

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7 women leaders on the books that shaped them Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

In this special collection episode, top women leaders in business, non-profits and more share the books that inspired them, informed them and changed their minds. These books will make you take a second read of a classic - whether it's a favorite business book or an Agatha Christie mystery. And these insightful picks will have you thinking differently about a range of big problems, from geography's role in a fractured society to how transit design can widen gender gaps. These books will help you get sharper at your role -- and even find new ways to make room for joy. Global Gender Gap Report 2025: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/

Leaders featured in this episode: Liz Centoni, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Cisco Alicia Chong Rodriguez, founder, Bloomer Tech Nadya Okamoto Founder, August Kara Alaimo, professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University Makiko Ono, CEO, Suntory Beverage and Food Angela Oduor Lungati, Executive Director, Ushahidi Yie-Hsin Hung, CEO, State Street Global Advisors

Books mentioned in this episode: The Courage to Be Disliked, by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi From Good to Great, Jim Collins The Vagina Business by Marina Gerner Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Marie Brown Down Girl, Kate Manne Hood Feminism, Mikki Kendall Invisible Women, Caroline Criado-Perez Agatha Christie Mysteries The Power of Geography, Tim Marshall

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Bridging the gap in women's health research, policy and innovation: Kearney May 22, 2025

Show notes

Women's health is under-researched and under-funded, leading women to live longer in poor health than men. However, tackling this gap can boost lifespans and GDP, a fact Paula Bellostas Muguerza understands well. This global head of healthcare and life sciences at consulting firm Kearney, discusses the role that policy and collaboration can play in creating incentives for real change, and driving awareness and education. She'll talk about [w]Health, a special platform she helped found that has grown into a community of 350 organizations sharing best practices to bridge gaps and what leaders can do to make change happen for their own organizations.

About this episode: Kearney: https://www.kearney.com/ [w]Health: https://www.kearney.com/industry/health/w-health Prescription for Change: Policy Recommendations for Women's Health Research: https://www.weforum.org/publications/prescription-for-change-policy-recommendations-for-women-s-health-research/ Related podcasts: How bridging design gaps in science and tech can tackle gender bias: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/nigina-muntean-design-equity-unpf/ Tackling these surprising blindspots can bridge gender gaps in health, opportunity and more: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/sahil-tesfu-essity-bridging-health-gap

We're 'losing the war' on modern slavery: What business leaders can do - HPE's John Schultz May 19, 2025

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Slavery is not a problem cast to the annals of history. Modern slavery and forced labour are hidden in plain sight, found everywhere from nail salons to pristine factories, estimated to impact millions worldwide. Hewlett Packard Enterprise's John Schultz explains more about this worsening problem and how it impacts economies and communities. He also explains how data and artificial intelligence are being leveraged in new ways to draw insights from sources such as from shipping reports, photos, supply chain data and victim impact statements to tackle this issue in a way that's never been possible before. He shares the collaborations in place that are broadening data pools and the simple question business leaders must ask to dig deeper into their own firms to make real change possible. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland, January 2025. About this episode: HPE: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/blog-post/2024/06/hpes-2nd-annual-human-rights-report-three-takeaways.html About the World Economic Forum's Global Data Partnership Against Forced Labour: https://initiatives.weforum.org/fldata/home Photographer Lisa Kristine: https://lisakristine.com/ About this podcast:Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/john-schultz-hpe-modern-slavery Related Podcasts:What most people get wrong about progress: Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IJjZs4E7A&list=PL7m903CwFUgkDwzqiHQj0cjnZYJNJF8VQ&index=2&t=1s

Understanding the housing affordability crisis - and what's needed to fix it: Habitat for Humanity CEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crdJqhl8pGk&list=PL7m903CwFUgkDwzqiHQj0cjnZYJNJF8VQ&index=14

Protect employability, not just jobs: Adecco exec on effective coaching and upskilling May 05, 2025

Show notes

Staffing giant president Christophe Catoir of Adecco got an early start at the firm as an intern. He's had a front-row seat to how work has evolved since. He shares the insights from the firm's annual skilling report, giving compelling statistics on the percent of workers globally trained in AI so far and what's needed to keep workers both engaged and employed as upskilling cycles accelerate. He also shares his thoughts on how leaders in remote and hybrid workplaces will need to re-evaluate how they coach and train teams, how apprenticeship thinking can help, and how his own career journey has changed him as a leader.

This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

About this podcast: Adecco: https://www.adecco-jobs.com/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/christophe-catoir-Adecco-upskilling-ai-jobs

Related Podcasts: Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

'I'll show you a real leader' - Platon, the photographer of power, on finding humanity in all of us Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Platon has made over 20 Time magazine covers with his portraits of people such as Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George Clooney, Silvio Berlusconi, Mohammed Ali, Adele and Sinead O'Connor.

But he has also photographed people who are the opposite of famous and powerful - and recently published a book called The Defenders: Heroes of the Global Fight for Human Rights - which contains work done over 15 years around the world telling the stories of refugees and other oppressed people.

He tells us what makes a true leader, and how the meaning of a photograph can change over time, and depending on who is looking at it. Video version of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIUGFUza2ec&t=37s

Links: https://www.platonphoto.com/ Platon is a World Economic Forum Cultural Leader https://www.weforum.org/communities/artsandculture/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/platon-power-photography-humanity Related Podcasts: Meet The Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

Ballerina Misty Copeland: Unlocking potential and a leader's most 'vital' role: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNwmJJMRt4o&t=337s

Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:

YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts

Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164

Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560

Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

The 'triple strength' leaders must develop to drive a sustainable future: OMV CEO Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

How can we live more sustainably? OMV's Alfred Stern takes us through the big innovations the Austrian energy and chemicals company has in progress, including a geothermal heating project that will help to decarbonise Vienna by 2040. But he also shares the bigger tactical pieces that must be in place for real change, from updating mundane practices like permitting to continually educating staff (from execs to those in the field) on topics like measuring methane and ways to curb emissions. This former research scientist who got his start in academia also shares what his background taught him about the difference between inventing and innovating, how he weighs evidence and honest feedback, and the mindset that leaders will need need to build nimble teams empowered to drive change for the future. About this episode: OMV: https://www.omv.com/en About OMV's climate neutral heating districts: https://www.omv.com/en/news/231106-climate-neutral-district-heating-wien-energie-and-omv-establish-joint-venture-for-deep-geothermal-energy Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/alfred-stern-omv-sustainable-energy

Related podcasts: How one founder's design background is helping to rethink EV charging in cities: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/tiya-gordon-ev-cities-energy-transition/ An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/mark-lundstrom-radia-climate-change/

The 'inevitable' caregiving cost nightmare: One young founder's story and solution Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

Lily Vittayarukskul was a college student at just 14 and on track for a career in aerospace engineering. However, an aunt's cancer battle later upended those plans, wreaking havoc on her family and their finances. The experience inspired her to launch the AI-powered startup Waterlily, helping people better predict expenses for getting older, including eldercare or assisted living, costs most don't realize aren't fully covered by either health insurance or Medicare. In this talk, Lily wades through the mounting data showing how super-ageing societies will struggle to afford long-term care needs. She also shares the tough lessons her personal story taught her and what others can do to prepare for an aging economy. This interview was recorded January 2025 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland About this episode: Waterlily: https://www.waterlily.com/

Related World Economic Forum Initiatives: Waterlily is an Uplink Innovator About Uplink: https://uplink.weforum.org/ About the Uplink / Manulife - Prosperity in Longevity Challenge https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-issue/a00TE000003HcDrYAK/prospering-in-longevity-challenge World Economic Forum Longevity Economy Initiative: https://initiatives.weforum.org/financial-resilience-for-every-generation/home Related Podcasts: Meet The Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

Meet The Leader - How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

What you might get wrong about progress - lessons for leaders: Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker Apr 07, 2025

Show notes

Renowned Harvard cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker studies the big questions facing human nature: Why do we fight? What helps us get along? How do we understand the world around us? His research has uncovered an insight we might not expect – that humanity is doing better than we might think. Despite host of major challenges that still exist, from geopolitical unrest to climate change, data shows that humans today live longer, face fewer wars, and live more comfortable lives than in preceding generations. He explains why a better understanding of progress and its uneven nature can help us better appreciate the unique moment of time in which we live, avoid decision-making blindspots and strengthen leaders' confidence to solve the big complex problems we still face. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland in January 2025.

About this episode: Steven Pinker: https://stevenpinker.com/ Future of Jobs report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ Video podcast version of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IJjZs4E7A Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/steven-pinker-harvard-humanity-doing-better Related Podcasts: Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

Ballet changed Misty Copeland's life. How it could shape a new generation of leaders Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

How can we recognize potential and unlock it? Misty Copeland was the first Black woman to be promoted to principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. But as a child she almost quit after her first class – until an early teacher convinced her to return. Misty talks to Meet The Leader about the ways dance changed how she navigated life and how it taught her key skills such as resilience, empathy and curiosity. She shares how she uses her perspective and experience to found the Misty Copeland Foundation and develop a free afterschool program that reinvents how dance is taught to bridge diversity gaps while also teaching key leadership skills. She shares why these skills and approaches are vital to driving future change and what any leader can learn about elevating others.

This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. To learn more: Misty Copeland Foundation: https://www.mistycopelandfoundation.org/ Arts & Culture at the World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/communities/artsandculture/ Special Open Forum Screening: Flower: https://www.weforum.org/de/open-forum/event_sessions/special-open-forum-screening-flower/ Dancing Through Adversity: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/dancing-through-adversity/ How can art drive equality for women? Two cultural trailblazers weigh in: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/how-can-art-drive-equality-for-women-misty-copeland-yana-peel/ About this episode: Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/misty-copeland-ballet-leadership-skills Related Podcasts: Radio Davos: Dance or die: the ballet dancer who faced down Al Qaeda to become the voice of stateless refugees: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/dance-or-die-the-ballet-dancer-who-faced-down-al-qaeda-to-become-the-voice-of-stateless-refugees/

Understanding spatial computing -- and how leaders can prep for the next tech shift Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

Spatial computing will extend computing beyond screens. In the process it could change how we communicate and interact with technology as a whole -- transforming how we work, how we learn, how we preserve memories, and even what can be owned (with issues like virtual air rights highlighting new business opportunities and regulatory challenges). Future Dynamics founder and spatial computing expert Cathy Hackl will share what to expect and what's needed to scale this field further (or what could hold it back). She'll also explain how companies and leaders should be preparing and reveal the advice she gives CEOs to help them get ready for this tech shift and the workforce that will come with it, Gen Alpha. About this episode: https://www.cathyhackl.com/ Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2s37bkmp Related podcast: Radio Davos: Spatial computing: why the future of the internet is 3D https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/metaverse-spatial-computing/

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