Talent Smart Podcast

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Sarah Milton-Hunt - The Future of Data: Closing the Knowledge Gap to Unlock AI, Efficiency & Value

In this fascinating insight into the world of Data we uncover what do CEOs often misunderstand and when boards talk about “being data-driven,” what do you think they usually mean and what are they often missing.
We talk about a “data knowledge gap” in organisations — how to define that gap, and why is it so dangerous right now. We also ask why do so many organisations still struggle to understand what data they have, where it lives, and how good it actually is.
Sarah explains why data is such a critical prerequisite for meaningful AI adoption and what happens when companies try to “bolt AI on” without fixing their data foundations? Sarah also shares where organisations typically see the quickest efficiency gains once they start using data properly.
Many organisations sit on vast amounts of data but never monetise it. We asked Sarah; what mindset shift is required to see data as a product, not just an asset and what does “data as a product” actually look like in practice.
We explore how do leaders create a culture where data is trusted, used, and challenged (rather than ignored or feared) and what will separate organisations that successfully leverage data and AI from those that fall behind over the next 3–5 years.

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Anna Westerhoff-Mason - Building High-Performing Teams in Startup & Scale-Up Environments

Anna Westerhoff-Mason - Building High-Performing Teams in Startup & Scale-Up Environments
In this insightful episode, we discuss high-performing teams in startup and scale-up environments and we uncover what does that actually look like day-to-day — not in theory, but in reality.  We unpick the importance of Defining culture early and what should leaders focus on first: values, behaviours, or outcomes, together with exploring how much of culture is intentionally designed versus organically formed in the early stages.
We talk about hiring in a start up, what matters more than technical skill when building a high-performing early team. Anna gives an insight into how to maintain your culture as your company grows and why we often see how it starts strong but gets diluted as teams scale.
We also delve into Leadership, trust and psychological safety and the importance of talent retention & sustaining performance and why consistent communications and feedback from leadership is vital.
Anna also gives her three key actions that you can take in the next 90 days to strengthen team performance and culture.

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Lyndsay MacLeod - Building Lean, High-Velocity Global Engineering Teams

What does it really take to build world-class engineering teams at global scale — and sustain velocity without sacrificing quality?
In this episode, we sit down with Lyndsay MacLeod, an award-winning Continuous Improvement leader with 20+ years of experience driving large-scale transformation across engineering, manufacturing and financial services.
This isn’t theory. It’s hard-won insight from someone who has led change across complex, distributed, high-pressure environments.
We explore:
The mindset behind true lean leadership — beyond process and frameworks
How to scale lean principles across dozens (or hundreds) of engineers globally
Building psychological safety and ownership across time zones and cultures
Turning delivery setbacks into growth, not blame
Balancing velocity with long-term code quality and resilience
Communicating lean trade-offs to senior stakeholders and boards
The blueprint for a next-generation global engineering organisation
If you lead engineering teams, oversee digital transformation, or responsible for technology risk and delivery at scale — this conversation is for you.
Lyndsay shares practical frameworks, cultural insights, and leadership lessons that separate high-performing global teams from those stuck in “agile theatre.”
Lean isn’t about going faster. It’s about building organisations that learn faster.
Listen now.

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Claire Talbot – Creating a culture for success

Claire Talbot – Creating a culture for success
We welcomed Claire Talbot. Claire is the VP of IT at Smartest Energy, a people-powered energy company that helps businesses buy, sell and trade energy with confidence. Within this role, she is responsible for the design, development and implementation of their Enterprise information systems, software applications, IT support and infrastructure systems. 
Having studied Computer Science, Claire started her careers as a computer programmer.  Throughout her career she has moved up to a senior role within IT working at board level across a variety of businesses in manufacturing, retail, and utilities.  A strong support of Women in Technology Claire regularly speaks at schools and mentors’ young women starting their career within.
In this episode, we discussed how understanding Your Team Beyond the Workplace is highly beneficial for everyone. Claire talks about the importance of truly knowing your team members, including aspects of their personal and home lives.
Claire explained how cultivating a No-Blame culture, where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities is crucial.
Claire used the metaphor of a good leader being an umbrella; when it rains being a shield and stepping aside when the sun shines.  In addition, she explains that people are your best asset as a CIO – “otherwise, all you have is technology”.

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Nicholas Smith - "How communication skills define careers"

Nicholas Smith - "How communication skills define careers"
 
Nicholas is a highly experienced Chief Operating Officer and Technology Strategy and Transformation Executive, with over 20 years of experience in solving enterprise-wide business and technology problems for large organisations in Financial Services and Central Government. He has a proven track record in driving Operational Excellence, enhancing the Colleague Experience, defining and driving execution of Technology and Organisation Strategy.
 
In this episode, Nicholas shares his secrets to communication and how to build an ethos within your organisation of open, simple and authentic communication that returns amazing results.
 
We learn about how a strategy lives or dies on how well you can articulate it, and how simplicity of message is key to success.
 
Nicholas shares with us his ingredients (and how to implement them) for building an organisation that is underpinned by great communication.
These are:
1) Be ruthless in your hiring strategy
2) Be interested in what you do / your business
3) Work hard (at the right things)
4) Great communications throughout the team
5) People are more than assets—look after them
6) Be the custodian of careers (develop your people)

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Sarah Morris - CX Strategy & Business Value

Sarah is a leader in customer experience, consulting, strategy and operations. Identifying opportunities & driving value in large business transformation within operating models, processes, technologies, data, & insights. She holds a consistent record for delivering results, driving operational excellence & delivering complex transformation programmes, and growing multi-million £ practices. Her industry experience spans across a number of sectors, including: Energy, FS, Public Sector, Retail, Transport & Utilities. She has led multifunctional & diverse teams in UK, EMEA, North America & APAC.
 
In this episode Sarah shares a little about her journey and how she developed a passion for Customer Experience. We uncover what “great Customer Experience” really means in 2026 and how to assess an organisation’s maturity. We explore why CX should be considered a business-critical strategy rather than just a marketing or service function.
We discover what are the essential components to a successful CX strategy and where should businesses start and how important is cross-functional alignment (sales, ops, tech, finance) in delivering a successful CX strategy.
We also debunk the myth that CX is “intangible” and Sarah shares how you demonstrate its ROI in a way that resonates with executives and shareholders, including what financial metrics should businesses track when evaluating CX performance.
In addition, we discuss the importance of customer retention and how CX affects the P&L.

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Andrew Craig – Improve your finances TODAY!

Andrew Craig is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and founder of a personal finance business - Plain English Finance. His stated mission with the company is "to improve the financial affairs of as many people as possible".
In this insightful interview we wanted to know more about what inspired Andrew to write Live Less, Invest & Rest, (plus other two books) and what is the core message he hopes that readers will take away.
Andrew distils personal finance down to just three key rules, and we explore the most common mistakes people are making with their money.
Andrew had some great guiding principals for his business (Plain English Finance), including that investing isn’t just for the wealthy, but for everyone. And he shares some amazing advice for someone who’s never invested before, giving us the first three steps they should take.
We uncover How AI is changing the way both professionals and individuals invest, including what potential risks investors should be aware of when it comes to AI-driven strategies.
We also cover Biotech and why he sees it as an exciting, high-potential sector for forward-looking investors.
We finally discuss Andrew’s personal take on crypto as part of an investment portfolio.

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Greg Ward – from Apprentice to CEO

Greg Ward is a proven international business leader with more than 25 years’ experience driving transformational growth, operational excellence and organisational performance across a wide range of industries – including aviation, security, facilities management, construction, manufacturing and engineering.
As CEO of PTSG, Greg leads one of the UK’s most innovative and ambitious providers of specialist services to the construction and FM sectors. He brings with him a powerful track record of delivering large-impact change, scaling operations and building world-class teams that deliver brilliantly for customers.
Prior to joining PTSG, Greg held a series of senior leadership roles in complex, high-growth businesses. These include serving as Chairman and CEO of Revive Group, where he led successful turnarounds across multiple sectors; and Managing Director of Transguard Group in the UAE, where he oversaw the company’s expansion, growing the business to become the largest and number one facility management company in the region.
Earlier in his career, Greg was Global Managing Director of Manufacturing at Laing O’Rourke, responsible for international factory operations; Operations Director at BAA Heathrow, where he managed multi-billion-pound programmes and thousands of personnel; and Operations Director at Ford Motor Company, where he began his journey as a mechanical electrical apprentice and rose through the ranks.
Greg is a strategic, people-focused CEO with a deep understanding of operational performance and commercial growth. His leadership at PTSG is focused on shaping and protecting the Group’s strong culture, delivering long-term value for customers and unlocking new opportunities for innovation and expansion – both in the UK and internationally.
In this insightful interview, Greg tells us about “the apprentice mindset” taking us back to where it all began for him as a young apprentice at Ford.
We talk about work ethic & going beyond the brief, together with the importance of having a thirst for knowledge and an attitude of Lifelong learning: “always an apprentice”
In addition Greg shares his thoughts on resilience, and why the ability to bounce-back is so important to success.
In his current role as CEO of PTSG, Greg is passionate about staying connected to the shop floor and creates a culture of treating everyone with equal respect.

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Gurps Kharia – "The Transformation Mindset"

Gurps is a global leader within a major bank and motivational speaker, with many years of corporate change management, fitness modelling and body building.
 
We spoke about his Transformation Mindset and how Gurps spent 9 years sculpting his body with incredible discipline, and how that same mindset influenced the way he approached complex business transformation programmes.
 
We then discussed when working with C-suite leaders what the key is to gaining their trust and aligning them behind a transformation roadmap, which may disrupt parts of the business, and how to deal with resistance at the top—especially when the change challenges legacy thinking or executive egos.
 
We uncovered that in major change programmes, the technical plan is often easier than managing the human element. Gurps explains how to read the mood of a team or culture and adjust your leadership style accordingly. I asked him what soft skills have proven to be most critical to driving change when logic and data alone are not enough.
 
We also explored whether the lessons from his fitness and nutrition discipline have helped him to be a better transformational leader.
 

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Andrew Gaule - "Investing and AI,...the future”

Andrew Gaule has over 25 years’ experience leading technology and business transformation, from dotcom and electric vehicles to today’s AI-driven change. He works with corporates and innovative ventures on strategy, investment, implementation, and takes on fractional senior executive roles to help leadership teams trial and embed AI into core processes and business models. Andrew is the author of Purpose to Performance – Innovative New Value Chains, a founding member of Henley Business Angels, and an active investor in early-stage tech ventures.
In this fascinating conversation, we explored Andrew’s background in corporate venturing and innovation delving into the motivations behind his shift toward investing in AI-driven technology business.
We discussed how AI is reshaping the investment world.
Andrew shared some of the keys to his success, including his concepts of the 'four layers of AI in investment' and 'The 5 P’s' which are central to his investment approach.
In addition we looked into what responsibility investors have in ensuring ethical, equitable development of AI technologies.