Nottingham Business School Business Leaders
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders is a podcast from Nottingham Trent University in which host Mike Sassi, an Honorary Visiting Professor, talks with business leaders about how they inspire others, bring ideas to life and handle setbacks. Each episode explores the personal stories and leadership lessons behind its guest's career. Listeners get practical, actionable advice meant to help them develop their own leadership skills. The show is aimed at students, professionals and anyone interested in how successful leaders think and work.
Episodes
Roger Whittle - Optimism and the art of never giving up
SUMMARYTech entrepreneur Roger Whittle is an eternal optimist.And in Episode 85 of the Business Leaders’ Podcast, he explains how optimism is the superpower at the heart of all his achievements.Growing up in Nottingham, Roger was desperate to be in the school cricket team. Two things were stopping him: hay fever – and a complete lack of cricketing talent.But he came up with an innovative solution
Jon French – Leaders need to be comfortable being uncomfortable
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 84Jon French – Leaders need to be comfortable being uncomfortableSUMMARYJon French is a Managing Director of Android Global Business at Google UK – one of the world’s most influential technology ecosystems, with billions of users worldwide across smartphones and connected devices.He has more than 25 years of experience in telecoms, cons
Matthew Swann – Why playing it safe is the biggest risk of all
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 83Matthew Swann – Why playing it safe is the biggest risk of allMatthew Swann is director of the BBC Concert Orchestra which performs for millions of listeners and viewers around the world, across radio, television and digital platforms.His career as an arts executive, producer and curator has taken him through some of the UK’s most inf
Holly Cooke – Building a business that people can connect with
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 82Holly Cooke – Building a business that people can connect withSUMMARYHolly Cooke is the founder and chief executive of The Lonely Girls Club – the fast-growing social enterprise that has transformed a simple friendship group into a nationwide business with more than 160,000 members across eight British cities.The 29-year-old launched
Kate Butler – Leaders must be curious
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 81Kate Butler – Leaders must be curiousSUMMARYKate Butler is the deputy managing director of Via East Midlands. She is also an expert on the complex challenge of maintaining Britain’s crumbling roads.As a senior executive at Via, she oversees an £87 million turnover and a workforce of 700 staff dedicated – among many other things – to f
Peter Cheese – Make ‘good work’ your North Star
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 80SUMMARYPeter Cheese – Make ‘good work’ your North StarPeter Cheese is long-serving CEO of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development – and one of the UK’s most influential voices on the future of work.His book The New World of Work is often cited as a must-read for anyone in leadership.In Episode 80 of the Nottingham Busines
Anthony Hemmerdinger – The dangers of living on past glories
Episode 79SUMMARYAnthony Hemmerdinger – The dangers of living on past gloriesAnthony Hemmerdinger is one of the UK retail sector’s most experienced operators. As MD of Boots UK, he leads a business that has been at the heart of the high street for more than 175 years.In Episode 79 of the Nottingham Business School Business Leaders’ Podcast, he reflects on a career spanning more than three decades
Paul Southby – Leadership and the law
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 77Paul Southby – Leadership and the lawSUMMARYPaul Southby is a commercial dispute resolution lawyer whose influence reaches far beyond the courtroom and deep into the civic, cultural and business life of Nottingham.In Episode 77 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, he reflects on more than four decades of lead
Leadership roundtable – Why soft skills matter in the construction industry
SUMMARYThe UK construction industry is changing fast – shaped by new technology, shifting markets and the growing demand for skilled people who can lead with confidence.In Episode 76 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, two senior industry figures tell Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi what it really takes to build a successful career in construction.Jonathan Sucklin
Sarah Gregory – How joining a board helps leadership development
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 75Sarah Gregory – How joining a board helps leadership developmentSUMMARYStepping into a non-executive board role can be one of the most powerful – and most overlooked – ways to accelerate leadership development.In Episode 75 of the Business Leaders Podcast, BBC Deputy Chief People Officer Sarah Gregory explains why taking a seat on the
Matthew Blain – Putting people first in a performance-driven world
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 78SUMMARYMatthew Blain – Putting people first in a performance-driven worldMatthew Blain is a senior HR leader whose career spans some of the UK’s most recognisable institutions – and one of the most demanding ownership environments in business.In Episode 78 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, he reflects on m
Levi Roots – The power of perseverance
Levi Roots is a hugely popular entrepreneur, musician, chef and TV celebrity who won £50,000 on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den… then never looked back.In Episode 74 of Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders Podcast, he tells Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi about the challenges of arriving in the UK as an 11-year-old from Jamaica – and the influence of his mother and the Windrush Generation.H
Dr Jessica Lautz – Leadership lessons from a woman in a man’s world
INTRODUCTION• Dr. Jessica Lautz is a prominent American economist and researcher in the field of housing.• She is Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at the National Association of Realtors – and has an office in Washington DC.• The NAR represents more than 1.5 million estate agents and real estate professionals across the USA, and is America’s largest trade association• Dr Lautz
Ben Dorks – From local entrepreneur to global tech CEO
Episode 68Ben Dorks – From local entrepreneur to global tech CEOSUMMARYBen Dorks – From local entrepreneur to global tech CEOBen Dorks has taken Nottingham-based Ideagen from a £100m local software company to a £1bn international tech business. He left school with just a handful of GCSEs. But his drive, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit have built him a career as a hugely successful internationa
Caroline Wayman - Leadership under pressure
Episode 67Caroline Wayman – Leadership under pressureSUMMARYCaroline Wayman is an accomplished, high-profile leader who – as Chief Executive of the Financial Ombudsman Service – lead the drive to compensate bank customers caught up in the national Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) scandal.Over ten years, her team dealt with two million PPI complaints, forcing the banks to hand over £38bn in compe
Dr Marcellus Baz BEM – Building relationships and making a difference
Episode 66Dr Marcellus Baz BEM – Building relationships and making a differenceSUMMARYDr. Marcellus Baz BEM is an award-winning social entrepreneur, youth mentor, and the founder of Switch Up and the Marcellus Baz Foundation. Honoured with a British Empire Medal and an honorary doctorate from Nottingham Trent University, Baz has dedicated his life to empowering young people affected by crime, viol
Dr Anino Emuwa – Why women leaders face unconscious bias
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 65Dr Anino Emuwa – Why women leaders face unconscious biasSUMMARYDr Anino Emuwa is an entrepreneur, academic and thought leader. She is also a passionate advocate for women in leadership. In Episode 65 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, Dr Anino talks to Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi about the uncons
Anton Roe – How the best companies grow their own future leaders
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 64Anton Roe – How the best companies grow their own future leadersSUMMARYAnton Roe first joined the fledgling MHR payroll software company as an apprentice, on a £27-a-week Youth Training Scheme. More than 30 years later, Anton is now the company’s CEO – and MHR software pays the salary of more than three million people across Britain.I
Rob Barker – The importance of rational optimism
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 63SUMMARYRob Barker – The importance of rational optimismRob Barker is an entrepreneur, adviser and investor in the international fitness industry. He started his career as a sales rep with Precor – one of the world’s largest suppliers of gym equipment – rising to the rank of President.He then led the team that sold Precor to American f
Sarah Ellis – Making ‘squiggly careers’ better for everyone
Episode 62Sarah Ellis – Making ‘squiggly careers’ better for everyone SUMMARYSarah Ellis is co-founder of the pioneering Amazing If company that is revolutionising the way in which people view their careers. She and her business partner Helen Tupper have written two Sunday Times best-selling books about their innovative Squiggly Careers theory. They also host the hugely popular Squiggly Careers p
Salma Tuqan – Cultural leadership at Nottingham Contemporary
Episode 61Salma Tuqan – Cultural leadership at Nottingham ContemporarySUMMARYSalma Tuqan is Director of Nottingham Contemporary – one of Britain’s most prestigious galleries outside of London. She has worked with arts organistions all over the world, and for eight years was inaugural Curator of Middle Eastern Art at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. During Episode 61 of the Nottingham Business
Marvin Cooke OBE – From apprentice engineer to European Vice President in the car industry
SUMMARYMarvin Cooke OBE – From apprentice engineer to European Vice President in the car industryMarvin Cooke OBE was Vice President of Manufacturing for Toyota Europe – responsible for more than 20,000 staff and the production of 800,000 cars, at factories in Britain, France, Poland, Turkey and the Czech Republic. He started out as an apprentice engineer. Today he is Professor of Entrepreneurship
David Edwards – Leadership and luxury in the watchmaking industry
Episode 59SUMMARYDavid Edwards – Leadership and luxury in the watchmaking industryDavid Edwards is Managing Director of Seiko UK. He has been a senior leader in the British watchmaking industry for more than a quarter of a century, with brands including Seiko, TechnoMarine, Swatch and luxury Swiss timepieces Richard Mille.In Episode 59 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ podcast,
Dan Maher - Leadership in the construction industry, where public and private sectors meet
Episode 58SUMMARYDan Maher – Leadership in the construction industry, where public and private sectors meetDan Maher has spent more than four decades in and around the construction industry.He is now MD of both Via East Midlands and Arc Partnership, two companies providing services for Nottinghamshire County Council. But he started his career as a teenage apprentice at Sheffield City Council.In E
Sue Hayes – modernising a 174-year-old financial institution
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 57SUMMARYSue Hayes – modernising a 174-year-old financial institutionBanker Sue Hayes is the first woman CEO of the Nottingham Building Society in its 174-year history.She arrived in Nottingham via senior leadership roles at GB Bank, Aldermore Bank, Barclays and Santander.In Episode 57 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leader
Bal Bansal – Global technology strategist and local community leader
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 56Bal Bansal – Global technology strategist and local community leaderSUMMARYBal Bansal – Global technology strategist and local community leaderBal Bansal is Director of Global Technology Strategy at IHG Hotels & Resorts – a company with 6,000 hotels and 350,000 staff, around the world.He is an innovator and digital transformer. Bu
Wendy Whewell and Polly Harrold - Leadership roundtable: How small businesses can become more sustainable
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 55Leadership roundtable: How small businesses can become more sustainableSUMMARYSmall and medium businesses account for half of Britain’s turnover, 60 per cent of UK employment and 99 per cent of all our business enterprises. They also generate around half of Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions.But according to research by Santander, bus
Sean Bowles – Keeping calm and building resilience in a frontline construction business
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 54Sean Bowles – Keeping calm and building resilience in a frontline construction businessSUMMARYSean Bowles – Keeping calm and building resilience in a frontline construction businessSean Bowles is a Managing Director at construction company Morgan Sindall – an organisation that employs 3,000 staff and turns over one billion pounds ever
Pete Markey – Why Marketing can be a force for good
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 53Pete Markey – Why Marketing can be a force for goodSUMMARYPete Markey is Chief Marketing Officer of Boots UK. He has also been hailed as the finest marketer in Britain.He has held leadership roles with a clutch of stellar brands, including TSB, AVIVA, The Post Office, RSA and More Than. He has also won five national Marketer of the Ye
Alison Swan Parente MBE - Founding the School of Artisan Food, at the age of 60
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 52Alison Swan Parente MBE - Founding the School of Artisan Food, at the age of 60SummaryAlison Swan Parente MBE is founder of the pioneering School of Artisan Food and the Welbeck Bakehouse.She set them up as second career, sixteen years ago, when she was 60.In Episode 52 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, Al
Nadeem Raza - Leading a management buyout, then floating on the stock exchange
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 51Nadeem Raza - leading a management buyout, then floating on the stock exchange.SUMMARYNadeem Raza is CEO of transport technology company Microlise.He joined Microlise in the 1980s as a young software engineer and over the next three decades worked his way up through the company. In 2008 he led a management buyout – and in 2021 the com
Nick Beighton - The e-commerce pioneer who turned ASOS into an international success story
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 50Nick Beighton - The e-commerce pioneer who turned ASOS into an international success storySummaryNick Beighton transformed ASOS into a global e-commerce powerhouse. When he walked through the front door to take up the role of Chief Finance Officer in 2009, the company was a fledgling online fashion retailer, with 200 staff and £160m o
Ajay Sethi, Mr Tweezerman UK - The public face of a global beauty brand
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 49Ajay Sethi: Mr Tweezerman UK – the public face of a global beauty brandSummaryTweezerman is one of the world’s best-known beauty accessory brands – and Ajay Sethi is MD of Tweezerman UK.Ajay set up his business in the back bedroom of his family home, exactly twenty years ago. He became a joint venture partner with Tweezerman in 2018.I
Matt Wallace - Building your own business... and knowing the value of a good podcast
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 48Matt Wallace: Building your own business – and knowing the value of a good podcastSummaryFifteen years ago, entrepreneur Matt Wallace was an iMovie hobbyist in a university press office, trying to persuade his boss of the value of video.Today he runs his own company, Janno Media – making videos, creating podcasts and live streaming fo
Darren Cassidy - Leading digital transformation in a global brand built on paper and print
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastEpisode 47Darren Cassidy: Leading digital transformation in a global brand built on paper and printSummaryDarren Cassidy has been with global print tech giant Xerox for 33 years – in 18 different roles.He’s now the company’s MD in GB and Ireland – and President of its operations in Western Europe.But in Episode 47 the Nottingham Business School
Andy Bostock - Leadership and career development insights from KPMG
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastAndy Bostock - Leadership and career development insights from KMPGEpisode 46SummaryAndy Bostock manages more than 1,000 staff as a senior partner with one of the world's Big Four audit companies KPMG. He also leads the annual audits of some of the biggest local councils and hospitals in the Midlands (of the UK). In discussion with Honorary Vis
Leadership roundtable: The future of business education
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastLeadership roundtable: The future of business educationSummaryTo mark the opening of Nottingham Business School’s new Postgraduate and Executive Education Centre, three experts come together to discuss the future of business education.They are, the President of the European Foundation for Management Development Professor Eric Cornuel, the Chief
Mary Storrie - Turning a tragedy into something positive
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast. Episode 44Mary Storrie – Turning a tragedy into something positiveIntroduction• Mary Storrie is CEO of international charity The Rosie May Foundation.• She and her husband Graham set up the Foundation after their daughter Rosie May was suffocated at a Christmas party near their home in Bottesford, Lincolnshire, in December 2003.• A 17-year-ol
Lorna Holder - How successful leaders reinvent themselves
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastLorna Holder – How successful leaders reinvent themselvesEpisode 43Introduction…• Lorna Holder is the Managing Director of the Full-Spectrum and Tuareg Productions companies.• She was born in Jamaica, raised in Nottingham, and became the first black fashion graduate of Nottingham Trent University in 1975• Lorna started h
Charlotte Henshaw MBE - Learning from your failures
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastCharlotte Henshaw MBE – Learning from your failuresEpisode 42IntroductionCharlotte Henshaw was born and brought up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.She was born with the condition bilateral tibial hypopplasia, which meant her lower legs were underdeveloped.When she was 18-months-old, her parents decided to have her legs amputated.Charlotte started
Rob Swann - From trainee to MD, leadership in an SME
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastRob Swann – From trainee to MD, leadership in an SMEEpisode 41IntroductionRob Swann joined SME Termate as an engineering apprentice in 1989, when he was 16.Termate manufactures electrical insulating products at its factory in Nottingham, for customers all over the world.Rob graduated from Nottingham Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent Unive
José Luiz Rossi - Staying relevant in a rapidly changing world
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ PodcastJosé Luiz Rossi: Staying relevant in a rapidly changing worldEpisode 40IntroductionJosé Luiz Rossi was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro in the 1960s and started his career as a mechanical engineer.He is currently MD of Experian in Britain and Ireland – and previously ran the company’s operations in Latin America.In 1986 he created a consultanc
Brendan Donnelly - Manufacturing on the side of a mountain
Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast. Episode 39.Brendan Donnelly: Manufacturing on the side of a mountain – small business leadership in a remote corner of England. IntroductionBrendan Donnelly and his wife Cherry own the Coniston Stonecraft slate-carving company, based in Victorian workshops, in the foothills of Coniston Old Man.The mountain stretches 2,600ft above them. They l
Penny Briscoe OBE - Beyond the podium with the Chef de Mission of ParalympicsGB
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders’ PodcastPenny Briscoe OBE – Paralympics GB team leaderEpisode 38IntroductionPenny Briscoe will lead Paralympics GB at this summer’s Paris 2024 games, as the team’s Chef de Mission.She was previously Chef de Mission at the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 games, when the team finished second in the overall medals table.Early in her career, Penny represented GB as
Kathryn Wasteney - Leadership, fraud and the importance of being nosey
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastKathryn Wasteney - Leadership, fraud and the importance of being nosey| Episode 37IntroductionFraud now accounts for 40 per cent of all crime in Britain, making forensic accountancy an increasingly important business.Forensic accountants have played a crucial role in exposing hundreds of financial frauds - including the Enron Scandal and Bernie Ma
Maggie Alphonsi MBE - Leadership insights from a World Cup winner
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastMaggie Alphonsi MBE - Leadership insights from a World Cup winner | Episode 36Introduction:Maggie Alphonsi MBE is the First Lady of English Women's Rugby and a pioneer and leader in the international game.She was World Rugby Personality of the Year in 2011 - then won the World Cup with England in 2014. Her tough tackling, all-action style made her
Michael Hayman MBE - Harnessing the power of purpose
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastMichael Hayman – Why our business leaders need purpose | Episode 35IntroductionEntrepreneur and broadcaster Michael Hayman MBE founded London-based Seven Hills, one of the best-known corporate communications consultancies in the countryWith a reputation as a thinker and a leader, he has also been described as one of the best-connected men in Brita
Leadership roundtable: From engineering graduates to business leaders
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders' PodcastRoundtable: From engineering graduates to business leaders. Reflections on leadership | Episode 34Key takeawaysBuilding your business network is important, even while still at uni. Colin says: “Networks are a bit like pensions – it’s never too early to start.” What is the most important skill for business leadership? Chris says: “How to make mone
Tim Moody - Leading across borders at Fujitsu
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastLeading across borders at Fujitsu | Episode 33Key takeawaysInternational leaders need to be curious, to collaborate, and to understand cultural differences.Wherever leadership decisions are being made, it is important that there is a diversity of inputs.If you’re trying to create a team to deliver, having different viewpoints and experiences on th
Neil Benson - A life in journalism
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastNeil Benson – A life in journalism | Episode 32Key takeawaysNeil Benson emphasises the need for leaders to adopt a more humble and wise approach, akin to Yoda from Star Wars, rather than the brash and assertive style of Han Solo.He asserts that there is no natural leader and successful leaders must invest time in learning and developing their lead
David Lloyd - Leadership lessons from 40 years in radio
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastDavid Lloyd - Leadership Lessons from 40 years in radio | Episode 31Broadcaster David Lloyd may now be best known for founding a national radio station Boom Radio. But during a 40-year career he has had executive roles with LBC, Century, Galaxy and Virgin, As he tells Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi in this episode of the Nottingham Busines
Professor Edward Peck CBE - The performance and discipline of leadership
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastProfessor Edward Peck CBE - The performance and discipline of leadership | Episode 30Professor Edward Peck deliberately wears a wristwatch that stopped working years ago. If he wants to know the time, the Vice Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University looks at his phone. He uses the broken watch to remind him that he’s at work – and he can’t al
Errol Gardner - Why modern leadership is as much about EQ as IQ, at EY
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastErrol Gardner - Why modern leadership is as much about EQ as IQ, at EY | Episode 29International executive Errol Gardner has more than 100,000 people working for him – across 150 countries.And last year his side of the business generated more than ten billion pounds, for professional services firm EY (formerly Ernst and Young).But as Vice Chair of
Debbie Hewitt MBE - Resilience, perspective and accountability: Insights from The FA's first female chair
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastDebbie Hewitt MBE - Resilience, perspective and accountability: Insights from The FA's first female chair | Episode 28Inspirational Debbie Hewitt has had a remarkable 40-year career in business. As Chair of the English Football Association and Vice President of world football, she is one of the most powerful people in the game. She is also non-exe
Sat Bains - Be disciplined and choose the path less trodden
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastSat Bains - Be disciplined and choose the path less trodden | Episode 27It’s exactly 20 years since Nottingham chef Sat Bains was awarded his first Michelin star. His Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms now has two Michelin stars and is one of the most respected fine-dining restaurants in Britain. Last night (March 28, 2023), in a ceremony at the Silv
Alan Morris - Adapting from entrepreneur to leader
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastAlan Morris - Adapting from entrepreneur to leader | Episode 26Tech entrepreneur Alan Morris knew he was entering a competitive market when he launched IT outsourcing company Retail Assist, in 1999.But he preferred it that way.“I like the idea of competitive markets, because it means there is a market,” he tells Episode 26 of Nottingham Business S
Sir John Peace CVO - Leadership lessons from the former Chairman of Experian, Burberry and Standard Chartered
Nottingham Business Schools Business Leaders PodcastSir John Peace - Leadership lessons from the former Chairman of Experian, Burberry and Standard Chartered | Episode 25Businessman Sir John Peace says the best leaders are people who can communicate, take risks and adapt to change. But Sir John – who was Chairman at FTSE 100 companies Standard Chartered, Burberry and Experian – believes every trul
Leadership roundtable: Closing gender gaps in the workplace
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastRoundtable: Closing gender gaps in the workplace - Episode 24It’s well-known that girls out-perform boys in GCSE exams. And A-Levels. And university studies, too. Young women are also much better communicators than their male counterparts, say educationalists. Yet Government figures show, on average, women still earn almost fifteen per cent less t
Lucy Marie Hagues MBE - Building better banking at Capital One
Nottingham Business School Business Leaders PodcastLucy Marie Hagues MBE - Building better banking at Capital One | Episode 23Banker Lucy Marie Hagues is a charismatic leader whose business skills have taken her right to the top of financial services company Capital One UK. But she still remembers the day when – as a junior member of staff – she was told her poor attitude was having a negative ef
Iain Blatherwick - Trust and integrity in leadership
Corporate lawyer Iain Blatherwick never intended to be a leader. But when the retiring Managing Partner at his law firm Browne Jacobson told colleagues there were no suitable internal candidates for the job, Iain recognised a challenge. Months later he was elected as the new Managing Partner – and went on to lead a decade of remarkable growth, during which the company’s annual turnover rocketed fr
Selasi Gbormittah - Following my passion from banking to baking
Celebrity baker Selasi Gbormittah is preparing to combine the culinary skills he learned in Ghana with the business expertise he was taught in Nottingham… to open his own bakery. He tells the Nottingham Business School Business Leaders’ Podcast he wants his Selasi Bakery to be up and running, in London, in the next two years. The corporate banker – who attracted thousands of fans as he won through
Professor Lynn Saunders OBE - Leadership lessons from the prison service
Prison governor Lynn Saunders worked every Christmas Day for twenty years. As the woman in charge of Europe’s biggest prison for sex offenders, she believed she had to lead from the front. “My staff in the prison had to go to work on Christmas Day – so I always worked on Christmas Day,” she tells the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast. “As a leader, you must be willing to get y
Dick Stone - Maintaining momentum and navigating change in national radio
Broadcaster Dick Stone started his career as a teenager playing music on local hospital radio in Derby. Two decades later he was running the Smooth Radio stations that broadcast to 10 million listeners nationwide. Now – having taken on managing editor and group editor roles across both the Global and Capital national radio networks – he is in a perfect position to offer leadership advice. “I’m jus
Dr Heather Melville OBE - Creating inclusive cultures and getting the best out of people
Banker Heather Melville remembers clearly the day she told senior colleagues at Royal Bank of Scotland about her idea to set up a women’s network for staff. “One male colleague said: What are they doing? Are they going to be talking about jam and burning their bras?” she tells the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast. More than a decade later, the innovative women’s network now h
David Williams MBE - Leading as an introvert and confronting your fears
Respected lawyer David Williams spent almost three decades working his way up to the role of Chairman at of one of the country’s top 100 law firms Geldards. But, as he tells the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders Podcast, he is constantly having to battle shyness – and force himself to confront his worries. “If I've had success, it's come through challenging myself… putting myself in
Rob Darby - Building a brand at 200 Degrees Coffee
The chief executive of 200 Degrees is proud he only had to make three redundancies during 18 months of the Covid pandemic and lockdown. Because Rob Darby – whose coffee empire employs 200 staff across shops, barista schools and a major wholesale business – guards jealously his organisation’s reputation as a caring employer. “It’s a two-way relationship. Without the staff’s hard work and graft we w
Eileen Richards MBE - Leading from the front in business and recruitment
Successful businesswoman Eileen Richards didn’t have a high-powered upbringing.But thirty years after she walked into a recruitment agency and asked to try as many temporary positions as possible, she is now one of the East Midlands most prominent business leaders.She has also been presented with an MBE by Prince Charles for the help she has given to other aspiring women business leaders.And in th
Ann Francke OBE - Why I champion gender diversity in the workplace
Ann Francke is one of Britain’s most high-profile women business leaders – and a passionate campaigner for gender diversity in the workplace.She has spent almost nine years as CEO of the Chartered Institute of Management, highlighting the business benefits of having more women in senior management.But her campaigning is also fired by her own personal experience as a woman executive in a world domi
Sir Baz North OBE - Making unpopular decisions and embracing change
Air Marshal Sir Baz North faced one of his greatest challenges in the aftermath of the Mull of Kintyre Helicopter Disaster when a Chinook flew into a hillside killing all 25 security officers on board.It was the biggest peacetime loss of life in the history of the RAF.And Sir Baz – who was a Chinook Special Unit Commander in Northern Ireland, where the helicopter was based – tells the NBS Business
Sam Thorne - Adding Nottingham to the cultural map with Nottingham Contemporary
Sam Thorne says Britain can rely on its artists to help guide the country through post-pandemic economic and cultural change.The director of the Nottingham Contemporary believes one of the biggest challenges for modern leaders is dealing with uncertainty. And his experience – he was director at Tate St Ives in Cornwall, before arriving in Nottingham – is that artists are peculiarly well-equipped t
Sarah Walker-Smith - I'm not your average CEO
Sarah Walker-Smith isn’t a conventional company chief executive.She runs one of Britain’s Top 50 law firms, with an annual turnover of more than £70m.But in the middle of the pandemic, the CEO of Shakespeare Martineau decided to sing to her 900 staff.Accompanied by a company partner on the piano, she recorded her own ‘Christmas single’ version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.“It was an a
Dr Peter Homa CBE - How leaders should look after themselves
Healthcare leader Peter Homa believes the most important thing for any leader is to believe in what you’re doing – even if it means walking away from a job to avoid being compromised.As Director General of the Defence Medical Services, Peter has been in charge of health care for every member of the British military for almost two years.But he also spent a quarter of a century running three of Brit
Sir Ken Olisa OBE - Living in a time of opportunity for young entrepreneurs
International businessman Sir Ken Olisa believes post-pandemic Britain offers young entrepreneurs more opportunities than at any point in his lifetime.Sir Ken – Chairman of the Restoration Partners technology merchant bank he founded, and Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Directors – is excited by the business revolution he says is taking place.And he tells the Business Leaders’ Podcast that you
Stephanie Sirr MBE - Why leaders don't have to put on a performance
Theatre executive Stephanie Sirr has seen her leadership role change out of all recognition during the last two decades.“It used to be quite macho… never explain, never apologise,” she says.“Now your people skills and your emotional intelligence are absolutely paramount. It’s no longer about striding around invading small countries.“You’re trying to make something with longevity and relevance. And
Judy Naake MBE - Building the St Tropez cosmetics empire
Judy Naake MBE is best known for the St Tropez fake tan empire that she sold for £70m.But she was also one of the first entrepreneurs to use celebrity endorsements to promote her business.Judy told stars like Victoria Beckham and Cat Deeley they could either pay for their new tan or, if they liked what they saw, they could have it free of charge by allowing her to use their names.Her PR strategy w
Dr Jonathan Sims - Leadership in the construction industry
Jonathan Sims believes green technologies will be a good place to build a career in post-pandemic Britain. And as chief procurement officer with international energy company Engie, in Britain and Ireland, he should know. The Government has decreed its economic recovery plans will be spearheaded by clean technologies. And many big international businesses – including Engie, traditionally a utility
Sara Blair-Manning - Cultural and heritage leadership
Sara Blair-Manning has the job of turning Nottingham Castle into one of the biggest visitor attractions in England.The castle is scheduled to reopen in 2021, after a £30m redevelopment.In this episode of Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, Sara talks to host Mike Sassi about her career – from bingo-caller at Nottingham’s Goose Fayre
Charlotte Cox - Building unstoppable teams in global marketing
Marketing director Charlotte Cox is a woman who has had great success in the world of men’s international rugby union.She famously led the team that developed the Canterbury shirt worn by England in the 2019 World Cup, in Japan. The Nottingham-based global marketeer also helped develop a host of other international kit.Charlotte tells the Busi
Robin Foale - Why integrity is the most important character trait for leaders
Former banking executive Robin Foale enjoyed a hugely successful career with both Barclays and Santander.But, given his time again, he says he would probably follow a different path.He has been inspired by the young entrepreneurs he has met in recent years, as he coaches and mentors at universities, including Nottingham Business School.“If I’d known the
Shamshad Ahmed - Serial entrepreneur who founded a stem cell blood bank
Shamshad Ahmed is a serial entrepreneur. He’s tried everything from importing cotton bath robes to dabbling in discount retail stores.But it was while working in clinical drug trials that he spotted tens of thousands of potentially life-saving stem cells – used to treat conditions such as leukaemia and cerebral palsy – were being thrown away every year.He immediately recognised parents would pay t
