The Xec. Podcast on Leadership

This episode of The Honest Truth... series will focus on misogynoir and authentic leadership with host Mahalia Johnson joined by special guests Ronke Lawal, PR and Communications Consultant, Ariatu Public Relations, and Claire Quansah, founder, Quansah Consulting. The conversation aims to enable open and honest conversations about what it’s like being a Black female leader, the journey it takes to get there, and the maintenance.

In the fourth episode of The Honest Truth... host Shanil Nayee and special guest Sara Thornhurst, founder, Inclusive Public Relations, explore why there is a lack of transparency and avoidance when discussing stress, imposter syndrome, overworking and more. The frank conversation explores why wellbeing can no longer be allowed to be an afterthought in the world of PR, comms, and marketing, as well as what can be done to rid the taboos surrounding mental health.

In an industry largely led by white men (according to the CIPR in 2020 92% of PR professionals in the UK described themselves as 'white'), how do pros from minority backgrounds navigate conversations around diversity? In the second episode of The Honest Truth... series special guests Julian Obubo, Manifest, and Jo Ogunleye, Google UK, join hosts Mahalia Johnson and Shamina Peerboccus to talk diversity, inclusion, and progress (or not) three years after the summer of BLM.

How do you bring your ‘authentic self’ to work? Special guests Missive’s Whitney Simon (The Xec. class of ’22) and Delphi’s co-founder Ellie Thompson share insights with host Shamina Peerboccus in the episode of The Honest Truth... series on leadership.

The fifth and final episode of the series features a conversation with special guest Claire Johnson-Tusińska, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Johnson&Johnson MedTech and Kenon Man. Claire shares her experiences and challenges of being an introverted leader.

In the penultimate episode of the series hosts Ben Roberts and Anaïs Merlin discuss what it's like leading as a young person with special guest Kristian Foged, CEO and founder of Simply Thought. Kristian shares his journey as a young leader and the challenges he faced founding his own consultancy and how COVID has shaped his leadership style.

Episode three looks to the future and the next generation of leaders with Whitney Simon and Scarlett Zhao. In this episode the hosts are talking to Arun Sudhaman, CEO and editor-in-chief at PRovoke Media. Arun shares his views on trends he's seeing in the PR and comms industry today and the skills the next generation will need to progress in the industry.

Episode two is hosted by Whitney Simon and Maria Adediran and takes an international focus. In this episode the hosts talk to special guest Bidemi Zakariyau Akande, founder of LSF PR. Bidemi shares how she and her team in Nigeria adapted to the new ways of working in light of the global pandemic and how she learned to be a better leader.