The Next GenCast

Today, I’m delighted to welcome Dr Ben Maruthappu, a young leader who has transformed from being a junior doctor to globally recognised entrepreneur.Ben is the co-founder and CEO of Cera, the UK's largest health tech company, which supports over two million patients a month with innovative, home-based care solutions. His work has led to many accolades already, including being named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30, an MBE, and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2024.In this episode, Ben shares his remarkable story—from personal experiences that sparked his idea to transform the social care sector, to the lessons he’s learned scaling a business in an extraordinarily short space of time. He also dives into what it takes to persevere when you have an idea, lessons he learnt from working alongside Simon Stevens for a year, and offers some fascinating insights into the future of AI in transforming healthcare. Get ready to be inspired by the story of a visionary leader who has reshaped the landscape of healthcare, and is definitely one to watch in the healthcare technology space. *Highlights:00:01:44 - Ben Maruthapu's Journey from Junior Doctor to Entrepreneur00:06:02 - The Importance of Mentorship and Relationships00:08:40 - Early Signs of Entrepreneurial Spirit00:15:29 - Becoming Simon Stevens Fellow00:17:13 - Insights on Policy and Politics in NHS England00:26:18 - Introduction to Cera and Its Mission00:38:03 - Key Learnings from the Early Days of Cera00:42:09 - Best and Worst Aspects of Being a CEO00:45:49 - Balancing Work and Family Life00:46:37 - The Future of Technology in Healthcare00:48:02 - The Transformative Potential of AI in Healthcare*Social mediaBen on LinkedInFollow Ben on TwitterCera

I’m thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast with you. This time, I had the honour of sitting down with Dr Raj Patel MBE.I worked with Raj when he was Interim National Medical Director of Primary Care for NHS England. Before that he was Medical Director for the North-West, and has held numerous senior clinical leadership positions in his career.But it was after reaching what he thought was the pinnacle of his career, that things took a turn for the worst.Imagine working across the road from a doctor, being asked to counter-sign his cremation forms for years - and one day realising that there were just too many forms for this to be normal. We’re talking about none other than Dr Harold Shipman, one of the most prolific serial killers in modern history. Not only did Raj experience the chilling reality of this discovery, but in this episode he reveals the personal and professional battles he encountered as he helped uncover the truth.From humble beginnings in Leicester to becoming a trailblazer in medical leadership, with stints as a TV doctor, advisor to the Department of Health, and stand up comedian along the way, Raj’s journey is nothing short of fascinating. *Highlights:Early Life and Influences (4 mins)Challenges and Triumphs in Medical School (8 mins)The Grueling Early Years as a Junior Doctor (9 mins)Transforming General Practice (11 mins)The Unveiling of Dr. Harold Shipman (22 mins)The Tribunal and Its Aftermath (29 mins) Personal and Professional Impact (31 mins) A Shift Towards Patient Safety (35 mins) Leadership Lessons and Personal Growth (37 mins)NHS England and Greater Manchester (40 mins)Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic (44 mins) Reflections and Future Roles (45 mins) Quick Fire Questions (47 mins) *Social mediaRaj on LinkedInFollow Raj on Twitter

I am SO excited in this episode to speak to Tara Mohr, an expert in women’s leadership and well-being, and an author, educator and certified coach. Her book, Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create and Lead, is one of my favourite books, and I am constantly recommending it to people.It provides real, practical tools to help women quiet self-doubt, identify their callings, “unhook” from praise and criticism, unlearn counterproductive "good girl" habits, and begin taking bold action.In this episode, Tara explains what she means by "playing big", and sheds light on why being more loyal to our dreams than our fears can shift our life's trajectory.We tackle the pervasive influence of the inner critic, debunk myths around imposter syndrome, and offer practical strategies to harness the wisdom of our inner mentor...and much more.*Highlights:(3 mins) - Empowering women to play big(9 mins) - Navigating work and motherhood(19 mins) - Managing the inner critic(33 mins) - Harnessing your inner mentor(44 mins) - Unhooking from feedback(52 mins) - Improving communication and visibility(55 mins) - Top 3 tips *ResourcesPlaying Big, by Tara MohrThe Inner mentor visualisation *Social media@tarasophia

This episode is with the wonderful Dr Nnenna Osuji, Chief Exec of North Middlesex University Hospital Trust and consultant haematologist.From her multicultural upbringing in Scotland and Trinidad to her academic journey in medicine and haematology, Nnenna's path is one of resilience and continuous learning. In this episode, Nnenna opens up about profound life lessons and the challenges she faced, including imposter syndrome and being the only person of colour in many leadership settings. Drawing from her rich cultural background and the influence of her parents, she emphasises the critical importance of mentorship, support networks, and the balance of striving for excellence with being a present mum.*Highlights:Leadership journey (2 mins)Defining moments and influences (9 mins)Lessons for younger self (11 mins)Leadership qualifications and learning (13 mins)The importance of sponsors (18 mins)Imposter syndrome (20 mins)The journey from medical consultant to CEO (26 mins)Self care and motherhood (33 mins)Balancing work, family and leadership (40 mins)Book recommendations and leadership tips (47 mins)*ResourcesFour Thousand Weeks, by Oliver BurkemanThe 100 Year Life, by Lynda Gratton and Andrew ScottBrene Brown*Social media@nosuji01LinkedIn@NextGGP/ @nishmanek

This episode is with Dr Agatha Nortley-Meshe, a practising GP and Regional Medical Director for Primary Care, for NHS England. She has extensive experience in urgent care, having previously been Medical Director the London Ambulance Service, and Clinical Governance Lead for Croydon NHS 111. As one of very few black female leaders in a senior NHS leadership role, Agatha opens up about how hard it can be to shake her imposter syndrome, and how important it is for leaders from minority groups to have their seat at the table.*Highlights:Early influences (3 mins)Becoming a GP (7 mins)Advice to her younger self (9 mins)Her journey and choosing opportunities (11 mins)Proving herself as a minority woman (19 mins)Advice to other minority leaders (22 mins)Reflections on her role at NHSE (32 mins)Juggling, credibility and balance (37 mins)Self-care and personal passions (39 mins)Quick fire (41 mins)A secret surprise (52 mins)*Social media@a_nortleymeshe@NextGGP/ @nishmanek

This episode is with Ben Francis MBE, the founder and now the CEO of Gymshark, the global gym brand that is worth billions.Gym Shark started here in the UK in Birmingham, when Ben was in his 20s and working for Pizza Hut.This is a conversation I have looked forward to for such a long time- there is no one like Ben in the UK, that has built such an iconic company in his 20s. His net worth is over billion dollars, and at the age of just 31 has been named the UK’s youngest billionaire.His story has a real rags to riches theme and on paper he’s the epitome of success…and yet he talks so openly about realising when to step back as a leader, constantly learning from others and working on his weaknesses, and being fully transparent about all of this in the hope that it might inspire other young leaders.*Highlights:Where it all started (3 mins)Key influences and inspiration (5 mins)Leadership lessons (11 mins)Choosing to step back (13 mins)Taking feedback (16 mins)Working on public speaking (18 mins)Culture and values at Gymshark (23 mins)Managing a team (26 mins)Work-life balance (28 mins)Does money bring happiness? (30 mins)Quick fire (31 mins)*Social media@Benfrancis1992@NextGGP/ @nishmanek