The Leadership Enigma

Edwin Brenninkmeyer is the CEO of Oriens Aviation and this episode was filmed on a Pilatus PC24 jet at Biggin Hill. The Pilatus PC24 can carry 8 passengers and 2 pilots although it can be flown by a single pilot. Edwin started the company back in 2015 as he is passionate about aviation having qualified as a pilot at 17 years old. Edwin comes from a family of 6 generations celebrated within the fashion and retail industry as the original founders of C&A and now their business interests reach across multiple horizons.His upbringing provided him a strong belief in doing business ethically and this is at the foundation of his leadership. He studied an executive MBA at Oxford where he describes the benefits of studying with such a diverse group of people from all over the world.Oriens Aviation started working with a Swiss manufacturer Pilatus and is now a one stop shop for those flying privately creating a high customer service and cost effective model. Edwin's philosophy is entrepreneurial in spirit as he is always looking to scale and be intentional about standards and customer centricity. He is passionate about doing business with a strong purpose, sharing what he has learned in the aviation industry with a wider community. The private aviation industry can be an easy target for those who believe the industry as elitist and unsustainable in a world full of excess. Edwin explains that pre pandemic, 90% of people who could afford to fly privately chose not to, yet the pandemic pushed many of those people into using private services which increased usage and commitment. The vast majority of those flying privately (especially in the US) are middle management and not top executives as businesses understand the importance of time saving and increased productivity.Private aviation is heavily regulated and Edwin is passionate in trying to help the world understand the realities of the industry and myth bust. For example, emissions are minuscule. Aviation is 2% of global emissions and private aviation is 2% of that. The industry continues to strive to become even more sustainable. Electric aviation is underway and predictions are that by 2035 we will start to see the technology make a real impact on the industry.Customer centricity is a particular focus for Edwin, especially within the high net worth community. His belief is that the purpose of business is to create a community of value and good rooted in 'unreasonable hospitality' whilst also providing a positive experience for the body mind and spirit of those working within the business. Edwin as CEO is focused on creating a culture where 'to work is to create and to create is being human.' A key focus in on being the favourite supplier as opposed to just being the best supplier.Safety is paramount for Edwin and the industry so trust is at the heart of all his customer relationships. 'It's a people business' as Edwin explains and congruence between what is said and done is critical.As CEO Edwin is learning everyday and explains his role as culture creator and visionary to explore where the business can go next. His management team are all entrepreneurs and value creators in their own right.Edwin is a humble and value driven leader who hopes he can help shape and define the aviation industry for a better future.

Sir Max Hill KC is the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom. Max was called to the Bar in 1987, appointed a Recorder 2004, Queen's Counsel 2008 and knighted by The King in the 2024 New Years Honours list.The role of DPP is the highest non political appointment as the most senior prosecutor in the country, acknowledged by the Prime Minister but politically independent. As Head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Max was responsible for the the most high profile criminal cases, leader of over 8,000 staff nationally and ensuring consistency of approach in the courts across the country.This episode is a fascinating and rare 'peek behind the curtain' of the criminal justice system.Max studied law as a student, attending Oxford University before arriving at The Inns of Court School of Law to qualify as a barrister and specialise in court advocacy and criminal law. Max has both prosecuted and defended during his career which he explains assisted his ability to empathise and understand the independence and importance of both roles.Max explains to younger lawyers, 'be careful not to take too much credit for the cases you win unless you are ready to take full responsibility for the cases you may lose.' Max had to transition for independent practitioner to leading almost 8,000 people nationally. He used his experiences of running large and complex cases with multiple stakeholders as a basis for his personal approach to leadership.Max was part of the prosecution team (with Victor Temple QC) for the trial into the Preddie brothers aged 12 and 13 years old accused of the murder of 10 year old Damilola Taylor, tragically killed in November 2000, stabbed with a broken bottle and died on his own in a stairwell in Peckham. This was a tragic and horrific case that caught the attention of the national press and conscience.One of the greatest challenges for an advocate is an ability to communicate with an eclectic audience, from High Court judge, to victim and from witness to jury members. His advice is having a core understanding that your way of doing things is better than trying to inauthentically replicate someone else.Max was first introduced into the world of terrorism during the Real IRA activity in London and Birmingham in 2001. This led to him being involved with the trials post the events of 7/7 where 52 Londoners lost their lives during a series of 4 explosions, followed by 21/7 where London was again the target of four suicide bombers all of which failed as only the primary fired within the devices without the main charge detonating.Max was instructed as part of a three strong barrister team tasked to prosecute all the suspects from 21/7 and also prosecute those who assisted them. Max was also asked to represent the Metropolitan Police at the Inquest into the deaths of the 52 Londoners from the 7/7 bombings.Many of Max's roles have required significant senior stakeholder engagement with multiple agencies, navigating politics, bureaucracy and intense media and public scrutiny.The leader is always a role model for the organisation and Max tells the compelling story of how he decided to connect with thousands of people within the Crown Prosecution Service which turned into the ultimate listening exercise.Enjoy this incredible episode.

Lisa Bodell is the CEO of Future Think, award wining author and one of the world's Top 50 Keynote speakers on issues such as creating simplicity and killing complexity. This episode was filmed in New York City during the 'Future of Everything' Festival. Lisa always thought of herself as a helper and was naturally creative from an early age. She grew up in Michigan, studied business and wanted to go into marketing and advertising. However, she wanted to find a path where her ideas would be heard and mattered. At this point, the entrepreneur emerged and Lisa decided to do her own thing, start her own business and create a platform for ideas and collaboration. Lisa's books became a global calling card for her thought leadership and ability to help others learn and master new skills and capabilities. Time is a non renewable resource that we never get back and this became the catalyst for Lisa's focus on simplification. In a society fixated with more, Lisa is intent we also see the value in less. This requires focus and an ability to get rid of things. What will you stop doing is a wonderfully powerful question for all leaders although fear is something that holds all of us back. Stopping and saying 'no' is a critical ingredient for innovation. Simplicity is not about being more productive, its the front end of innovation and gives people the space to do what matters. It's also not about getting rid of everything, it's about getting rid of unnecessary complexity, the invisible waste, the work without the benefits. This is all about getting to the work that matters and not being more productive. As a leader, are you defining what meaningful work is? Grooves and ruts look and feel the same. Grooves are productive, ruts are a waste of time. Lisa speaks all over the world and I asked her in this episode what she wanted to talk about that she doesn't usually talk about in order to make this episode truly memorable. She decided to connect simplicity to wellbeing so we can feel that we are doing what we were born to do.Lisa explains that much of our daily workload is based around meetings and emails, therefore within our control to change, yet most will not. As Lisa says during her keynotes, many of us 'survive another meeting that should have been an email.'Technology has amplified the issue of complexity and the ease to create meeting after meeting. If you could kill off any 2 rules at work, what would they be? Many of the answers she hears are not even rules, they are just historical methods of working.Lisa's top tips include (1) for leaders to mandate the right for people to get rid of things that they feel are unnecessary, and (2) model the behaviour.All businesses fear becoming irrelevant, especially during great technological change. To be relevant we must change, we must innovate and people need time to think. People want to leave a legacy, not shareholder value. Simplicity is not a productivity exercise it's a about helping people to get to the work that they were hired to do in the first place and be their best self. Simplicity is also a foundation for a high performing culture. In an age of Generative AI, time is something to harness and allow people to think more. As Lisa explains. 'thinking is a daring act'. Perhaps now, we have more time to be human which is actually the basis of our leadership capability. www.futurethink.com

Giuseppe Stigliano is the global CEO of Spring Studios in New York which was the venue for the Wall Street Journal 'Future of Everything' Festival. We filmed this episode on the rooftop of the studio overlooking The Hudson river and surrounding area.Giuseppe is Italian and moved to Milan to study marketing working in multiple businesses with early experiences of leadership.He now travels between London and New York in his role as CEO for Spring Studios. He has an entrepreneurial spirit so the NYC location is a multiple use site including an event space, studio business, private members club and more making it a unique agency with a core business focused on luxury, fashion and lifestyle.Giuseppe is an entrepreneur by background, an author with Philip Kotler (the grandfather of marketing) adjunct professor and keynote speaker who also holds a Phd in marketing and economics. Giuseppe believes that the more you curiously explore opportunities and relationships the more life has to offer.He is currently redefining retail in a landscape of significant digital transformation and specialises in helping people navigate the 4P's of marketing (product , price, place & promotion) with a mindset shifting from making people want things to making things people want.Is the High Street dead? Giuseppe says no, if you can make it absolutely compelling for people to leave their sofas and online lives. Some of the biggest shifts for a retail business is the role of 'Figital', a three dimensional world of the physical, digital and the virtual. The plethora of data allows business to target the right message to the right person at the right time. Gen AI is changing the landscape again as it can create new ways of using what we already have available to us. However, Giuseppe also reminds us that AI will give us back time and can never compete with the truly human centred capabilities such as curiosity, empathy and creativity, simply more time for us to be human.Marketing is key for every business. This is also changing. Supply exceeds demand so the competition is high. Marketing has historically been focused on making people want things but now the sheer amount of data available allows people to consider what do we need to create for the people based on the insights we have. Gen AI can now help the smallest of businesses to master the data analytics.Giuseppe is always learning as a leader. He is a believer that the next generation of employees require servant leaders but also recognises that no one size fits all. Leadership has to flex to the context of the businesses growth and maturity. Giuseppe understands the importance of allowing smart people who are more expert that the CEO to be allowed and fully empowered to operate as they see fit. A leader must know when to get out of the way.www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppestigliano/

Viv Anderson MBE is our special guest for Episode 200 filmed in front of a live audience at Capco in central London in support of the amazing charity Leadership Through Sport & Business, which Viv is a patron. Viv has played for a number of teams including Manchester United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. He was the very first player signed by Sir Alex Ferguson and played for Brian Clough winning the Football League, European Cup, League Cup, FA Cup and made British sporting history by becoming the first black player to play a full international for England.This is an amazing insight into Viv, his family, the Windrush generation and how he went on to become a trailblazer for diversity in the beautiful game. His big break came via a scout from Sheffield United which in turn led to a scout from Manchester United asking him to trial as a young schoolboy. Manchester United rejected Viv which he explains was devastating however that prompted him to try for his home team, Nottingham Forest which in turn led to his debut at 17 yers old.The Nottingham Forest years meant that Viv played for the iconic Brian Clough. Viv shares some incredible stories about life under Clough as a young black player in the 70's and 80's and how Clough helped him to build the personal resilience to cope and still play whilst dealing with overt racism. We discuss the state of diversity in football and football leadership in the modern game and concede that there is still much to do.When Viv found out that he had been selected for England, Brian Clough was again a supporting influence in his life whilst also keeping him grounded and humble.Viv also remembers being signed and playing for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Alex Ferguson was a passionate but hard task master. Alex Ferguson's early years were not easy but he knew how to man manage each and every player which led to him becoming the serial winner that we know today. Both Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson had clear non-negotiables with their superstar players.Viv outlines how senior players had a positive impact on his career including Brian RobsonWe also have a few surprises for Viv, with messages from Stuart Pearce and Marlon Harewood.For more information on Leadership Through Sport & Business (LTSB) www.ltsb.charity

Sarah MacDonald operates in a world that has been dominated by men since 1209. She is a Canadian-born conductor, organist, pianist, and composer, living in the UK, and she holds the positions of Fellow and Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral. This episode is a glimpse into a world few know about but many have experienced including during the Queen's funeral and the King's Coronation. Sarah has recently been appointed to the role of President of the Royal College of Organists, where she is the third woman to hold this role which is the highest position offered within this niche world. The world of cathedral music is steeped in history and tradition and is celebrated globally especially during Christmas. As a young girl growing up, Sarah was not allowed to sing in the choirs so she discovered that being female would not preclude her from conducing so she decided to become an organ scholar at Cambridge University and essentially never left. In the cathedral tradition, all roles were male for hundreds of years. In fact it was only in the late 19th century that female students were allowed to study at Cambridge University. In this incredible episode Sarah explains the history and nuance to working, studying and leading at Cambridge University where she became the University Organist, a role founded in 1670 and Sarah is the first female in that role. The role of religion is an obvious element to the world of cathedral music and Sarah explains that it is a community of all faiths and none as they promote inclusivity for all. We discover how Sarah balances her intense search for perfection with teaching her students to experiment, make mistakes yet strive to be the very best they can be in high stakes performances. www.sarahmacdonald.live

Mark Julian Edwards is the strengths explorer! As leaders always learning, should we focus on our strengths or our development areas? Mark suggests it should be our strengths. All the research shows if we fully develop our strengths, we are going to be 3 time happier and more productive. This episode is all about how we identify our latent talents and complimentary strengths and partnerships. The context and success of our work is about how we combine abilities to leverage the sum of the parts. Micro organisations and start-ups tend to play to peoples’ strengths more readily than large scale organisations This suggests that competency frameworks are problematic as we are not always great at everything. It is the leader’s role to set the tone as how an organisation will identify people’s strengths and combine them. Mark explains that our strengths are fairly set by our mid 20’s, it can still morph but it is more about how we increase our awareness of how we partner, collaborate and add value with others. Mark explains that some of the happiest leaders he meets and works with are those who truly understand who they are, what they are good at and are content to identify and work with people who are better than them. A leader’s happiness is directly linked to their ability to be genuinely happy for others to thrive and succeed. Mark took a turn in his career when he finished a project in Majorca and then reflected on what next? He identified his own core strengths as connection, creativity, humour and play. Based on these he decided to embark on a photo portrait book titled ‘Faces of Majorca’ interviewing and photographing 59 locals. This project led to a series of accolades including writing for Lonely Planet, exhibiting at various photographic festivals, travel show presenting and more. It’s about our ability to be vigilant and see the strengths in others and tell people about them. In this episode Mark also helps me understand my results from The Clifton Strengths Finder diagnostic tool that he asked me to complete prior to recording this episode. Mark also outlines that a strengths based culture is where everyone is aware of their own strengths but also aware of how best to apply them for the work and how best to combine talents to drive results. www.thestrengthsexplorer.com Ted X Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig9uXAhXm2I

Jennifer Sundberg is the co-Chief Executive of Board Intelligence a technology company helping thousands of businesses make better decisions. Jennifer was originally a strategy consultant, and her light bulb moment came when she was asked to be a ‘fly on the wall’ during a client’s board meeting. The client was riding high, but the storm clouds were gathering as regards future challenges. During the three hours she observed the board, they never got to the heart of the matter. It wasn’t based on the wrong people being on the board, she realised it was because they simply didn’t have the right information in front of them within the reams of paperwork. All the information they had was backward looking. Jennifer realised that all boards are drowning in information partially based on habit and convention, much of which doesn’t matter, so they struggle to find the signal through the noise. Together with her business partner, Pippa, she started Board Intelligence to try and help boards leverage better and more appropriate information on which to base their strategic and critical decision making. Jennifer is genuinely bemused as to how she became a successful entrepreneur as she in her own words ‘doesn’t fit the stereotype’. However, she also realises that her intellect and insatiable curiosity drove her to choose this path. Jennifer is motivated to promote and empower women on boards. She outlines that we have seen great changes. From 5% of women on boards to 40% and from half the FTSE 100 boards being male only to none today. Jennifer’s first client was EasyJet which propelled her business into numerous discussions with boards. At this point they had no idea of the technology angle that they were set to embark on. Board Intelligence moved from a very analogue and paper driven approach to a business that today is a fully developed technology business. This change in business model was based on the realisation that very similar questions were being asked by CEO’s and Boards. They started to build up a question bank and then using technology packaged them up into a technology platform called ‘Lucia’. This created the ‘Question Driven Insight Model’ Today, Board Intelligence is helping executive teams and boards focus on the conversations that matter, avoid wasted time and effort and do less harm with the right data and information. Badly informed boards make bad decisions. Board Intelligence will help people manage the big audacious and knotty problems all businesses now face. Jennifer’s new book ‘Collective Intelligence’ is based on her desire to help more and more people leverage the collective in making better decisions and cascade it through entire organisations by building three critical capabilities. In this episode, Jennifer explains those capabilities/habits that are necessary. They are. 1. Critical thinking: 2. Clear communication: 3. Focus: It is every leader’s responsibility to empower the level below them. As one CEO told Jennifer, ‘The important decisions are not made in my boardroom’ as he was aware that it was his people working day to day who were making the most critical decisions. Too much power concentrated in one person makes us stupid. www.boardintelligence.com Collective Intelligence is available on Amazon

Ralph de la Vega is the former Vice Chairman of AT&T Inc. and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions and AT&T International. Ralph had a 42 year career at AT&T and is now living in Florida.  His father was in the food distribution business and he came from a strong and religious tight knit family in Cuba. Once the Castro Regime took over they nationalised all food production and distribution and his fathers business was taken over by the regime, food was rationed and small kids were being indoctrinated in schools to turn on their parents if they held views that were against the revolution. Ralph's parents decided to leave Cuba for the USA when he was 10 years old and in doing so they had to turn over all of their possessions to the Government. Once they arrived at the airport as a family of four (both parents and his younger sister) they were met by the militia who said to them five words that Ralph will never forget, "only the boy can go."Ralph's parents made the heart wrenching decision to send Ralph by himself to the USA which is where he stayed alone without his family for four years. When he arrived he spoke no English and had not a dollar to his name. From this incredibly humble start Ralph became the Vice Chairman of a Fortune 10 company, AT&T. Ralph credits his Grandmother for helping him reach his potential as when she arrived in the USA she told him "don't let anybody put limitations on what you want to achieve." His mantra to young adults is to dream big. Ralph tells me that his early years of adversity meant that when it came to his oversight of the merger with AT&T Wireless for $41bn, that was easy!Ralph has learned his leadership skills over four decades with over 200,000 employees and operations in 200 countries. The best leader is one who can take a group of talented individuals and get them to do things that they thought were impossible to do. Inspiring people is always more powerful than coercing and pushing. Followership is  important especially in a large organisation. Ralph hopes that as an immigrant to the USA he can inspire others to achieve their dreams and potential. Ralph is very proud that in his career he worked with Steve Jobs in launching the iPhone, connectedTesla cars for Elon Musk and launched the Kindle with Jeff Bezos worldwide, yet his favourite memory is that 24 of his previous employees that he directly led have gone on to become CEO's of their own companies. This is an episode packed full of anecdotes and stories from a senior leader who believes in helping talented people fulfil their dreams as he is now the sponsor of the De la Vega Entrepreneurship Award which is in its 4th year. This episode also includes Ralph's fond memories of working and sharing the stage with Steve Jobs who was a great practitioner for promoting simplicity. Ralph is the author of "Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity to Advantage in Business and Life." available from Amazon. Ralphdelavega.comWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com