Talent Smart Podcast

Season 2 Episode 26 - Dennis Akkerman - “Get Naked!!.. to be a great leader”

We were very excited to interview Dennis Akkerman, the founder and managing director of Orbis Business School. He has over two decades of experience in leading major transformations in more than 25 countries. He has worked with multinational companies including; Citibank, HSBC, Shell, and Coca-Cola, as well as entrepreneurs and SMEs.
In his first book, The Naked Leader, Dennis shares a unique, structured and practical transformation approach which every (aspiring) leader and entrepreneur can follow. He believes that leadership is a work in progress. Being is always becoming, and that insight will make all the difference.
In this episode we explore Dennis’ book, “The Naked Leader” and his challenge to conventional leadership wisdom. We uncover what inspired him to write this book, and what key message that he hopes readers will take away. We take a few moments to focus on Dennis’ personal journey, where he experienced a life awakening time; his business ran out of money, he went through a divorce, was miles from home, and we uncover how did these experiences make him a better leader?
We discuss the emphasis in the book about self awareness as a key leadership trait, why do so many leaders struggle with this, and how can they overcome it. We also discussed the importance of asking the right questions (sometimes the uncomfortable questions) and how can leaders apply the principles from The Naked Leader (eg be truly present) in fast-paced, high-pressure environments?
Dennis shares with us his one simple yet powerful leadership “hack” that any aspiring leader can start implementing today, together with the one lesson from The Naked Leader that he wishes every leader in the world would internalise.

Season 2 - Episode 25 - Ian Pears - "Navigating Technology, Security, and Digital Transformation: Insights from a Distinguished Leader in Defence and Maritime Sectors"

Ian Pears is the former VP of Information Security at Carnival Cruises (P&O, Cunard..etc).
During 30 years in the Royal Navy, Ian worked extensively in the design, management, and delivery of Information Warfare capability. With two commands served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as supporting Naval operations he also stood up the Royal Navy’s nascent Cyber Defence capability; Ian had a number of Joint posts including; sponsor of the UK Strategic current/future space capability, and acted as Chair of the NATO MC3CaT reporting directly to the NATO Military Committee.
He left the Royal Navy in 2022 having spent the latter 15 months as Chief Digital and Information Officer.Post Navy, Ian became Chief Technology Officer at the UKs Joint Maritime Security Centre in 2022, with a remit to support the organisations mandate to deliver Maritime Domain Awareness across UK Government. 
In this episode, Ian shares with us how he prepared for his career development in holding the roles such as; Chief Digital and Information Officer of the Royal Navy, to CTO for the Joint Maritime Security Centre, and more recently as VP of Information Security and Compliance at Carnival Group. We discuss what it is really like transitioning from a military environment to the private sector and it’s unique challenges.
I asked Ian about the challenges in protecting maritime assets, and information in today’s complex threat landscape.  We also discussed his experience in both defence and commercial sectors, how do approaches to cybersecurity and risk management differ, and what can each sector learn from each other.
We explore the evolving cybersecurity threats facing the travel and hospitality industry, especially given the high-value customer data you handle.
I asked Ian about his tenure as Chief Digital and Information Officer for the Royal Navy, and what were the key drivers behind the transformation, along with what lessons were learned.
Finally, we look at how to inspire and lead teams to drive excellence and innovation, even when facing significant challenges. Ian offers some amazing advice for those aspiring to leadership roles in technology, digital transformation, and cybersecurity.

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Andrew Phillips – “Executing the perfect product journey”

Up until very recently, Andy was the New Product Development Director at Dyson. He's a proven senior director with 25+ years of experience driving product development, business transformation, and operational excellence in global technology and innovation-driven organisations. Trusted by the C-suite to lead major transformation initiatives, blending strategic vision with tactical execution to drive process, organisational, and technological change. Experienced in scaling operations, supporting rapid growth, and leading turnaround efforts.With a strong foundation in both management consulting and industry, Andy brings a fresh perspective on leading and transforming complex operations.
In this episode, we explore the "perfect product journey," and what does success look like at each stage whilst ensuring that the customer needs remain at the centre of the product journey.
Andy shares with us his approach to identifying market opportunities, uncovering un-met customer needs, and how do you validate an idea, during the discovery phase before committing significant resources to it.
In addition, Andy describes how to foster collaboration between cross-functional teams to bring a product to life. Along with how you ensure that quality and innovation aren’t compromised under tight deadlines or budget constraints, and how do you decide when to pivot, enhance, or sunset a product as part of its journey.
Finally, we look at what trends or shifts will influence product journeys in the next few years. Andy offer some advice to aspiring product leaders on building the perfect product journey.

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Craig Randell – CIO of HotelPlan – “The Future of hospitality and the impact of technology”

Craig is currently serving as the Group Director of IT at Hotelplan Group, overseeing technology strategy and operations for some of the UK's most respected travel brands. His leadership has been pivotal in enhancing operational efficiency and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Recognised for his strategic vision and ability to lead Global cross-functional teams, Craig has been instrumental in implementing agile methodologies, enhancing cybersecurity measures, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. His expertise encompasses IT governance, project management and delivering technology solutions with evolving business needs.
In the episode, we asked Craig what are the biggest shifts you’re seeing right now in how travellers interact with technology across the entire journey (from mobile apps to in-destination experiences), also how is he seeing technology bridge the gap between the booking stage and the actual adventure.
We also spent some time looking ahead at what emerging technologies will have the biggest impact on the hospitality and adventure travel sectors, together with how to balance investing in cutting-edge innovation while ensuring it aligns with the core guest experience and commercial reality.
Craig also gave us an insight into what role will data and AI play in shaping the next wave of personalised, immersive travel experiences, and also how sustainability and digital innovation working hand-in-hand—particularly in the context of adventure travel and global exploration.
Craig shared with us an amazing idea of using virtual and augmented reality to create travel experiences for those who may not be able to physically go to places; whether due to cost of differability restrictions.
Finally, Craig shared some advice for other tech leaders in hospitality who are trying to push boundaries without losing sight of what makes travel magical.

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Jessica S Hall - "Building World-Class Products in an AI Era"

Jessica S. Hall is the Chief Growth Officer at OpsCanvas, leading product strategy, market positioning, and go-to-market execution. A seasoned product and design leader, she has extensive experience in guiding companies through digital transformation and building customer-centric products.
A TEDx speaker and Co-author of The Product Mindset, Jessica has led multimillion-dollar product redesigns, built global teams, and developed AI-driven strategies that drive business growth. A sought-after speaker and coach, she excels at aligning product, marketing, and sales to fuel innovation and revenue.
In this episode, we talk with Jessica about the AI-Driven product revolution and how has AI fundamentally changed the way we build and scale world-class products today. We explore balancing AI and human-centred design and how to ensure that products remain intuitive, ethical, and user-centric.
Jessica also gives us her insight into how to Leverage AI for a competitive advantage, sharing some strategies to integrate AI into products in a way that provides real competitive differentiation and the challenges in AI-First Product Development.
We also discuss the role of data and how AI and product roadmaps are changing as organisations seek to build and scale AI products at pace.
As AI continues to evolve, Jessica offered some advice into what product leaders should be preparing for in the next few years.

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Charlotte Bemand – Secrets to strategy in a fast paced digital world

Director of Digital Product and Business Partnering at HBK - Hottinger Brüel & Kjær, Charlotte Bemand is an accomplished executive with extensive experience working across global FTSE 100 corporations, family-owned enterprises, multinational organisations, and the public sector.
She specialises in strategic development, transformation, and scaling delivery, with a focus on new market entry, M&A due diligence, and integration.Key highlights of her career include:
Leading the development of a digital strategy to 2030 at HBK, building digital product teams, and establishing a digital business partnering model.
Driving transformation projects at Carnival UK, including technology optimisation, product operating model and cultural change initiatives.
Serving as a Programme Director for the NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme across England, overseeing the mobilisation of primary care networks and improving vaccine uptake strategies.
Board Trustee roles advocating for change and accountability, leveraging her skills in strategic planning, program management, and change management.
Charlotte is recognised for her compassionate leadership style, excelling as a facilitator, collaborator, and coach who empowers teams to deliver impactful outcomes.Endorsements & Recommendations:Charlotte has been praised for her ability to navigate complex organisational change with clarity and empathy, achieving both commercial results and practical insights. She is known for her tenacity, intellect, and unwavering commitment to making a difference.
In this episode, Charlotte shares with us a little bit about her career journey and what led her to specialise in strategy, together with giving us her thoughts on how to define strategy and what does it mean in today’s fast paced world?
Charlotte offers some fascinating insights into how to balance innovation with practicality when shaping an overall strategy and how to meet the challenge when aligning digital transformation with organisational goals. In addition, we discussed how to gain organisational buy-in for digital strategies, particularly in a more traditional or legacy business.
We looked at how one can measure success when implementing a digital strategy and the key metrics to focus on.
Looking into the future, we discussed how digital strategy evolving as businesses become more data-driven and customer-centric
Finally, Charlotte shared with us the biggest lesson that she has learned as a strategy leader ..so far.

Season 2 - Episode 20 - Gurdeep Grewal – Why Predictability is key to an entrepreneur’s success (An investors perspective)

Gurdeep currently serves as an advisor to several private equity firms and IT services companies around the world. In addition to his advisory roles, he’s also an investor and strategic partner in an AI startup behind two innovative products: ConnectingYouNow.ai (CYN) and Firebreak.ai.
His expertise lies in supporting executive teams to build robust go-to-market strategies and drive consistent business performance—from shaping value propositions and developing pipelines to ensuring revenue realisation. Within the private equity space, Gurdeep offers guidance on acquisitions, particularly in the Design and Engineering sectors.
In this episode, Gurdeep shares his entrepreneurial journey and what inspired his focus on creating business consistency and reliability for investors. He provides valuable insight into the concept of predictability in a commercial setting—why it's crucial from an investor's point of view and how it influences funding decisions.
We dive into the key indicators that signal predictability, explore the hurdles companies often face when trying to convey stability, and examine how predictability plays a vital role in scaling successfully. Gurdeep also outlines the pivotal stages in a business’s growth where consistent performance becomes even more important.
Finally, we look ahead at how advancements in technology and data analytics are transforming how companies enhance their predictability and appeal to investors.

Season 2 - Episode 19 - Brenden Mielke (VP of Product Language Learning, Pearson) - How to evolve a legacy analogue business into the digital world

In this episode, Brenden shares his experience in transitioning legacy businesses to digital.  Including the initial impetus for starting the digital transformation. We discussed some of the biggest challenges when transforming a traditionally analogue business into a digital-first organisation. Brenden shares with us how to assess the digital maturity of a legacy business before creating a transformation strategy and what are the key indicators or signals that a legacy business is ready for digital transformation.
We also tackled how to address resistance to change, especially when long-standing processes and mindsets are entrenched in a legacy business and how important the leadership team are in driving digital transformation.
We explored the role that customer feedback plays during a digital transformation, and how to incorporate the feedback into the product evolution process.

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Russell Hornsby-Clifton (Advisory Board Member, Inicio AI) : Keys to business acceleration and scaling a Fintech business

Russell is an experienced senior leader with a proven track record of successfully building business, managing change, developing individuals and leading global projects. Expert in transforming struggling operations by redesigning and achieving organisational goals. Holder of the Institute of Directors Certificate in Company Direction and full Member of the IoD.
Equipped to deliver effective solutions through unique insights from a diverse career as a CEO and Board Director, Entrepreneur, Regulator, Senior Compliance Executive, Army Officer and Barrister who has operated in over 50 jurisdictions, usually in, incredibly challenging conditions. An Executive Coach with a passion for combining emotional intelligence and behavioural science with military discipline to produce results under fire, leading from the front.
In this episode, Russell shares with us the keys to a successful scale up, especially within Fintech from an early-stage startup to a high-growth business. He discusses what are some of the most common challenges Fintech companies face in the initial stages of growth, and how to overcome these obstacles.
We also discuss the importance of market fit in the early stages of scaling, and what are some indicators that a fintech business is ready to accelerate its growth, together with how fintech companies should approach customer acquisition and retention.
Russell also shares his insights into how fintech companies can structure their funding rounds to maximise growth potential.

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Nicola Wadham – Dealing with technical debt & modernisation within tight budget constraints

Nicola’s career has been within organisations that build or make products; with IT as an enabler and a service. She has worked across multiple sectors including - Oil and Gas, FMCG, Engineering, Utilities and government regulatory bodies. Nicola has been a leader in many types of organisations from the very large enterprises to the very small and a range of sizes and ownership models in between. She focuses on organisation design, IT skills, acquisition and retention, sourcing strategy and governance dimension that are all part of the challenge of delivering IT enabled change. 
During this episode, we explore the definition of technical debt and its impact across the business.  Nicola explains more about how to manage when working with tight budgets and we explore how to decide whether to invest in modernising legacy systems or continue maintaining them, including the prioritisation and capacity question. 
Nicola explains when there are situations where she would recommend delaying a technical debt resolution and why so many modern solutions promise to address technical debt, but do they deliver on their promises, or do they sometimes add complexity?
Nicola was very kind and shared some examples from her own career, where modernisation efforts have gone wrong, either by increasing technical debt or complicating IT management.