Performance People

What turns a talented squad into a winning team? Rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll joins Georgie Ainslie to discuss the standards, selflessness and honest conversations that helped transform Leinster and Irish rugby. From Michael Cheika’s brutal pre-season to a dressing-room “no bitching” policy, Brian explains why players must take ownership. He also reflects on Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam, the tackle that ended his 2005 Lions tour and his assessment of the World Cup contenders. Brian also draws a parallel between Henry Pollock’s rising profile and David Beckham’s star appeal, explaining why both command respect through their performances and work ethic. He discusses what rugby can gain from personalities like Pollock, and admits he enjoys how much the young England star winds up South African fans.Performance People, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank. FAQs What does Brian O’Driscoll say about building winning teams? Players must take responsibility for standards, challenge each other and put the team ahead of personal disappointment. How did Michael Cheika influence his career? Brian credits Cheika with changing Leinster’s mentality, combining demanding preparation with a belief that they could win major trophies. Does Brian discuss the 2005 Lions tackle? Yes, including his perspective on the incident and the fan’s recording that helped him find closure. Who does he fancy for the 2027 Rugby World Cup? Brian identifies South Africa as the team to beat, with New Zealand and France among the leading contenders, and explains his concerns about Ireland’s chances. ________________________________ The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday. ________________________________ ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025. We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com ________________________________ Connect with Performance People Hit subscribe today for the latest.🎧 Spotify/Apple Music http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________ The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. © Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Could Pilates be the secret to staying stronger, healthier and more mobile for longer? This week on Performance People, Georgie Ainslie is joined by London-based Pilates instructor Sam Deville, founder of the SDP Method, to explore the surprising benefits of Pilates for strength, longevity and mental wellbeing. Sam shares her remarkable personal story of rebuilding her core strength after two C-sections, using just 15 minutes of daily Pilates to help avoid major surgery. Together, they discuss why training smarter becomes increasingly important in midlife, how Pilates develops the smaller muscles we often overlook, and why even elite athletes are embracing it to improve their performance. From the power of consistency to the mind-body connection, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about Pilates.Follow Sam: @samdevillepilates________________________________ The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. © Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Are you still training for the body you had at 20, or the one you want at 80? Top performance coach to elite sport, military and business professionals, Chris Tombs joins Georgie Ainslie to discuss midlife fitness and how to build strength without making every workout a test of survival. Drawing on 30+ years in elite sport, Chris explains his approach to training for women and men in their 40s and 50s. They explore the misconceptions that put women off lifting weights, why strength training deserves space alongside your favourite classes, and how short, focused sessions can fit into an already crowded diary. Georgie shares her obsession with reformer Pilates and admits to returning to exercise expecting to pick up where her younger self left off. Chris explains why that mindset can undermine progress, and how adapting exercises, managing recovery and leaving your ego outside the gym can help you keep going. They also discuss protein, everyday movement, sleep and the habits that support your work in the gym. With practical advice for anyone starting again or rethinking their routine, this conversation asks a useful question: how would you train today if you wanted to be doing it for another 30 years?The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday. ________________________________ Connect with Performance People Hit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Music http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/ ________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. © Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Could your commitment to fitness be leaving you exhausted rather than stronger? This week on Performance People, Georgie talks to Dr Shannon Ritchey, a doctor of physical therapy and creator of the “gentle consistency” approach, which builds strength without burnout. Shannon shares how persistent pain and an unexpected break from exercise made her rethink her own training. She explains why more isn’t always better, what effective effort looks like and how to build a routine you can sustain around work, family and everyday life. They explore why high achievers can struggle to pull back, how chasing exhaustion can distract from progress, and why patience might be the missing ingredient in your training. The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank.________________________________ Connect with Performance People Hit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Music http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/ ________________________________ The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Why are women still being asked to perform in a system built around men? Dr Emma Ross, Co-Founder of The Well HQ, joins Georgie Ainslie to discuss what women should have been taught about their bodies, and why that knowledge matters in sport, at work and throughout life. Having spent a decade as Head of Physiology at the English Institute of Sport, Emma saw how training, equipment and research often overlooked women’s needs. She explains how those gaps affect everyone from Olympic athletes to teenage girls and women navigating midlife. Emma challenges the negative associations surrounding the word “hormonal”, exploring how our cycles can influence energy, mood and confidence, and why understanding your individual experience is more useful than following a universal formula. They also discuss strength training, pelvic floor health, the barriers driving girls away from sport, and why female athletes’ injuries demand a closer look at coaching, kit and playing conditions. Plus, why debilitating symptoms should never be dismissed as something women simply have to tolerate, and how coaches, colleagues and partners can make conversations about women’s health easier.The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank. _______ Connect with Performance People Hit subscribe today for the latest.🎧 Spotify/Apple Music http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/ ________ The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. © Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Orthopaedic surgeon & longevity expert, Dr Vonda Wright, joins Georgie Ainslie to challenge how we think about getting older and explain why building strength is an investment in our future freedom. From lifting her grandson into a tree to preparing for a three-day endurance event in Utah, Vonda has a clear motivation: staying capable of doing the things she loves. She shares how she approaches training, why runners need strength work too, and why losing weight shouldn’t mean losing sight of muscle. Plus, why looking after your health deserves a place in your working diary and why Vonda would rather take her cue from Dylan Thomas than quietly accept decline. Less grace. More rage. In this episode: • Ageing powerfully and protecting your independence • Vonda’s five foundations for a healthier life • Strength training, endurance and finding the right balance • Weight-loss medication and the importance of preserving muscle • Menopause, hormones and changes in physical performance • Why your best workout time depends on you • Social connection and the people you grow older alongside • Making your own health a priority This conversation is for general information and is not personalised medical advice. Speak to a qualified healthcare professional about symptoms, treatment or changes to your exercise programme.The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank. _____ ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025. We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com ______ Connect with Performance People Hit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/ ______The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. © Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

700 kilometres through the Congo Basin. An inflatable kayak. And a firm instruction to be home for Halloween. Adventurer and five-time world-first record holder Ash Dykes joins Georgie Ainslie to discuss the expedition launching Project Six: six missions across six extreme environments, with barely enough time between them to recover. Having crossed Mongolia alone, hiked the length of Madagascar and spent nearly a year following China’s Yangtze River, Ash knows what it takes to keep moving when everything is telling you to stop. He also knows how quickly confidence can become complacency and why the jungle won’t give you much room for either. Ahead of his Congo mission, Ash explains the planning behind the apparent madness, why an inflatable kayak makes more sense than it sounds, and the responsibility of taking a small team into unfamiliar territory. He also revisits his encounters with malaria and heatstroke, and the mental challenge of returning to environments that nearly killed him. There’s ambition beyond the adventure, too. Frustrated with television, Ash is betting on himself and taking his expeditions directly to audiences through YouTube and social media. A conversation about fear, leadership and wanting more from life, with a man who admits he’s scared of dying, but refuses to let that stop him living.The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday. _____ ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025. We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com _____ Connect with Performance People Hit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Music http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/ ______ The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations. This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only. © Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

John Amaechi OBE didn’t pick up a basketball until he was 17. Within a few years, he was playing at the highest level of the sport in the NBA.But John doesn’t see his story as proof of natural talent. Instead, he credits the people and environments that allowed him to discover what he was capable of, and believes far too many people never get that opportunity.Founder of APS Intelligence, organisational psychologist and author, John has spent his second career studying what enables people and leaders to perform at their best.In this conversation with Georgie Ainslie, he challenges the idea of the “natural leader” and explains why extraordinary leadership is built through behaviours that can be observed, practised and learned.They discuss why potential is so often overlooked, how class and stereotypes influence who we see as talented, why leaders need to become better at difficult feedback, and the difference between genuine vulnerability and simply admitting defeat.John also reflects on the extraordinary journey that took him from a small basketball gym in Manchester to the NBA, why he never actually fell in love with basketball, and why retiring from the sport ultimately felt like freedom.His latest book, It’s Not Magic, argues that great leadership isn’t mysterious. The skills can be understood, developed and repeated.This is a conversation about leadership, human potential, identity, feedback and the people who help us become capable of more than we imagined.FAQsWho is John Amaechi?John Amaechi OBE is a psychologist, author, speaker and former NBA basketball player. After retiring from professional sport, he moved into psychology, leadership and organisational consultancy.How old was John Amaechi when he started playing basketball?John says he first picked up a basketball at 17, before eventually moving to the United States and reaching the NBA.Does John Amaechi believe great leaders are born or made?He is unequivocal: great leaders are built. He argues that the behaviours associated with effective leadership can be identified, practised and learned.Why does John Amaechi think potential is often missed?John argues that people make assumptions based on labels, background, class, accent, race, gender or occupation, which can prevent them from recognising someone's underlying ability.What does John Amaechi say about giving feedback?He believes giving useful feedback is a basic leadership skill that too many managers avoid because it feels uncomfortable. Withholding important feedback, he argues, can ultimately harm the person receiving it.What does John Amaechi mean by vulnerability in leadership?For John, vulnerability isn't about collapse or helplessness. It's about knowing and clearly communicating the specific areas where you lack knowledge or expertise, allowing others to contribute.What is John Amaechi's book It's Not Magic about?The book explores the behaviours and skills behind extraordinary leadership, challenging the idea that great leaders possess some mysterious innate quality.Did John Amaechi enjoy playing basketball?Interestingly, he says he never truly fell in love with basketball itself. He loved many of the people and experiences around it, but describes feeling a great sense of freedom when his NBA career ended.#JohnAmaechi #Leadership #HighPerformance #HumanPotential #Psychology #PerformancePeople___Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/_____The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Olympic champion Eve Muirhead is coming out of retirement for one more shot at the Games.Four years after stepping away from curling at the top of the sport, Eve joins Georgie Ainslie to explain why she has returned, what she still wants to achieve and why this comeback will look very different from the first act of her athletic career.Eve reveals how a call from British Curling opened the door to a mixed doubles campaign and why Olympic gold in that discipline feels like “unfinished” business.She also reflects candidly on the pressure that came with being one of Team GB’s leading athletes. Eve discusses hiding a serious hip problem, struggling with her mental health and reaching the point where a clinical psychologist told her that, in a conventional job, she would have been signed off for six months.She explains how getting help allowed her to rediscover the fearless competitor she had been earlier in her career, and why her biggest lesson now is simple: perform for yourself, not for other people.Eve also takes Georgie behind the scenes of her time as Team GB’s Chef de Mission, talks about completing the London Marathon in 3:25, her love of HYROX and CrossFit, and what she has learned from seeing elite sport from both sides.Now she is back on the ice, targeting another Olympic cycle, but with a very different perspective on performance, pressure and success.The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.______ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com_____Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/______The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.