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The Business Leader Podcast
Natascha van Boetzelaer: Insights from a seasoned talent expert
Ep. 92
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In the fast-paced world of digital transformation, Natascha van Boetzelaer shines as a prominent thought leader on all things related to digital talent and organisations.
As a seasoned expert based in the Amsterdam office of global leadership advisory firm, Egon Zehnder, she has been instrumental in guiding both disruptive start-ups and established companies through the intricacies of digital capabilities on a global scale.
With a diverse portfolio of clients, Natascha collaborates with a wide spectrum of talent, ranging from visionary leaders driving transformation in traditional enterprises to trailblazing entrepreneurs leading pure-play ventures. She also partners with domain experts in critical areas like product and technology, growth, artificial intelligence, and data science, enabling companies to stay ahead of the digital curve.
We speak to Natascha about the difference in leadership over the years, the benefit of hiring talent from outside your sector and much more.
Here's what we discussed:
- Could you give us a bit of a summary of your career to this point? (0:15)
- What was it about the entrepreneurial spirit that hooked you, especially in those formative years? (5:37)
- Was disruption something you actively sought out back then? (6:53)
- You mentioned spending a few years in Hong Kong after living in the Netherlands, was this quote daunting, especially with your young family, or was it just an incredibly exciting opportunity you couldn’t turn down? (8:35)
- Did you notice a big difference in leadership style between Hong Kong and the Netherlands? (10:56)
- What kind of differences have you noticed between those leaders that you started with in the early days to the ones you’re placing today? (13:22)
- We’ve spoken to people who believe that hiring someone that’s completely outside of their sector can give their company the edge. Is this something you’ve noticed? (18:07)
- There’s been a lot of talk about a talent shortage in the UK. Is this something you notice in other parts of the world too? (22:15)
- What kind of innovation are you seeing at the moment that really gets you excited and thinking this is going to be big in years to come? (24:40)
- A Goldman Sachs study reveals that 300 million jobs are going to be replaced by AI, but the Institute of Future of Work says 80% of the jobs that will be around in 10-15 years' time don’t exist yet. So from a bird’s eye view of this, as far as where we are heading, how do you view that, are you excited or a little more cautious? (26:34)
- As far as the placement of a person goes, would you prefer candidates to be a little bit more visible in their personal branding, or does it depend on the person? (28:09)
- What's the key improvement that you think some leaders need to really buck up their ideas and really focus on getting better? (31:37)
- The Good News Postcard: what is your favourite part of your job? (34:13)
- What makes a great business leader? (34:59)
Thanks to Amy from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures.
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93. Kelly Hoppen: Bullied schoolgirl to global icon
28:18||Ep. 93She has an unstoppable global brand, her name has become a verb synonymous with class and style, she’s a former Dragon, a renowned presenter and author, and a champion of British enterprise, Kelly Hoppen is without doubt an icon. However, Kelly’s story isn’t one of overnight success. She was relentlessly bullied at school, she’s dyslexic, she suffered from severely low self-esteem, and her father passed away when she was just 16 years old. At 16 and a half, she convinced her stepfather’s friend to let her redesign his kitchen. Around this time, her friend was having an affair with a famous racing driver, so she became the interior designer of his house as a front to their affair… and the rest, as they say, is history. Over the next four decades, Kelly has done work for some of the most well-known names on the planet, from the Beckhams to P. Diddy, and worked with homes, yachts, jets, hotels, restaurants, and more. She’s written over a dozen books and won numerous awards.We met up with Kelly at her studio in West London to talk about how business has changed, building a global brand, being a Dragon, and much more. Here's what we discussed:Do you think you're a competitive person? (01:27)Could you give us an overview of your career? (02:20)Do you think you'd still have the same level of success if you started your business today? (04:27)Networking was a big part of your journey. Did you find that difficult as an introvert? (06:18)How did you find developing your leadership style as you grew the business? (08:28)Are there any practices from around the world that you wish we did more in the UK? (10:07)You haven't taken any external funding. Why is that? (11:23)Did you do any investing before you joined Dragons' Den? (13:48)Why is mentorship so important to you? (14:58)Did you have any mentors growing up? (16:27)What would you have done if you didn't go into interior design? (17:13)You are dyslexic. Do you feel that people's views of neurodiversity have improved? (17:49)How has your business been affected by supply chain struggles caused by Brexit and the war in Ukraine? (20:00)How does the current doom and gloom compare to other global crises you've experienced during the history of your business? (21:43) Are you still actively investing in businesses? (22:56)The Good News Postcard: If you went down a different business career, what would you have done? (24:00)What makes a great business leader? (25:14)What is one fact about you that people can't find online? (27:01)Thanks to Hayden from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures.
91. Michael Yormark: Growing an unstoppable global force
31:41||Ep. 91Roc Nation is an undisputed juggernaut. Since Hip-Hop icon Jay-Z founded the company primarily with the intent of signing pop and rap artists in 2008, Roc Nation has grown into the world’s preeminent entertainment company. Boasting clients such as Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Jess Glynne, and Alicia Keys, the company announced the formation of a game-changing sports management division, Roc Nation Sports, dedicated to sports representation for professional athletes in 2013. Michael Yormark was brought into the company a year later, and together, they’ve gone on to revolutionise the world of sports management forever. Meeting Michael at Roc Nation Sports International’s London HQ, we spoke to him about being a disruptor, taking inspiration from his clients, the importance of leading by example, and much more. Here's what we discussed:Could you give us a snapshot of your working day? (00:10)Could you give us an overview of your career to date? (01:30)What drew you to sports as a career path? (03:48)You did a great job growing the Florida Panthers brand and that’s what caught the eye of Jay-Z. How did you find the experience of growing a winter sport in a warm climate? (05:29)What made you switch over from the organisation side of the business to being a representative of athletes? (08:13)You’ve got big-name clients at Roc Nation Sports International, such as Kevin De Bruyne, Maro Itoje, Romelu Lukaku, and Siya Kolisi. Is there an X factor that draws you to an athlete that you want to represent? (10:23)You've taken a very specific stragetic move to sign Southern African athletes from a variety of sports. What led you to take such a disruptive decision? (12:57)Do you feel that working with high-performance athletes gives you extra drive with regard to your leadership? (16:05)Many leaders find themselves getting frustrated with the team around them for not being as high-performing as them, and not thinking in the same way as them. Is this something you’ve found while building your team at Roc Nation? (18:33)Do you believe that some British companies are missing out on growth potential by not tapping into strategic partnerships? (20:41)Why was it so important for you as an organisation to be vocal about societal issues such as racism, and to encourage your clients to do the same? (24:00)The Good News Postcard: If you had any three wishes, would it be and why? (26:56)What makes a great business leader to you? (29:00)Thanks to Hayden from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures.