Better Under Pressure: Recent Episodes

Sara Milne Rowe

In a world that’s becoming more complex and uncertain, learning how to channel pressure in a healthy way to turn it into a force for good is vital. How we deal with pressure in our personal and professional lives will impact the outcome of anything we do.

In this podcast, Sara Milne Rowe, author of The SHED Method and founder of Coaching Impact, explores how we experience pressure both in our personal and professional lives. Leaders from all walks of life join her to discuss what pressure means to them, how they deal with it, what they do because of it and how they lead others through it.’

"What I'm hearing in this, Paula, is you've always had some way of switching off the day."

Try to track down Paula Fry, Global Head of Fixed Income and FX Trading Liquidity at Bloomberg LP, and she is as likely to be in New York, Singapore, Dubai or Paris as she is in her London office. A 30-year veteran of the financial sector (with a sabbatical running her own vintage fashion business along the way), Paula has built a deep skill in handling pressure. Case in point: her ability to switch off at the end of the day. In many of the conversations I have with clients, that is one of the hardest things for them to do. Paula shares two rituals that travel the world with her. "It's like taking a bit of home away with me," she says.

It makes sense. As I've said before, rituals, however small, are a way of staying in devotion to what matters to you, and harnessing your energy in a way that works for you, wherever you are in the world.

There's a lot more wisdom and advice in our conversation, including Paula’s passion for what I'd describe as her legacy: supporting women to talk openly about perimenopause and menopause in the workplace.

Legacy releases the pressure of uncertainty by grounding you in your personal purpose. It's a way to explore the next phase of impact, allowing leaders to expand, try new things, and unleash bold ideas. This shone out of Paula throughout our conversation and I was left feeling she has more to cause! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Each month, Better Under Pressure explores how leaders really experience pressure, respond to it, and lead others through it, for positive impact.

Save, share, and follow me, Sara Milne Rowe, for more on leadership, performance and impact for good.

It's role reversal time at Better Under Pressure.

This month, leadership coach Nicky Brown puts me in the hot seat, asking me what I've learnt from my 60+ conversations with leaders around the world on the Better Under Pressure podcast, and from two decades of coaching at Coaching Impact.

This conversation gave me the time and the context to reflect on what I see and hear when I'm with leaders, and to explore how pressure shows up in our lives — the positives and the negatives, and what people do when they're deep in it.

Over 50 minutes, we got into:
- Why people interpret pressure differently, and why that matters for teams
- Why, for me, pressure is an action-oriented energy
- The role of Spirit and Discipline in managing stress
- Short-term vs. long-term pressure, and why the long-term becomes toxic without the tools to manage it
- The difference between performance and a performative act
- My own pressure point: a love of control. (Yes, I'm outing myself!)

Over the years, a lot of people have asked me for more of my take on it all, and Nicky gave me the chance, so thank you.

Each month, Better Under Pressure explores how leaders really experience pressure, respond to it, and lead others through it — for positive outcomes.

Outline 📍
00:00 Intro

01:45 Sarah steps into the hot seat

02:37 How would you describe pressure?

07:01 What does long-term pressure feel like?

10:46 How do you still perform under pressure?

11:43 The classroom moment that shaped Sara’s leadership

21:08 Spirit, discipline & self-belief under pressure

23:41 Insight 1: Lessons learned

26:15 How do you stop pressure becoming toxic?

29:43 How do you prepare for pressure before it arrives?

34:45 How do you turn pressure into fuel?

36:36 What practices help you become better under pressure?
40:08 Insight 2: Lessons learned

44:51 What will pressure look like in the future of work?

47:30 How do leaders handle uncertainty?

49:00 Two things Sara would pass forward for performing under pressure

51:34 Why learning to shut down matters

52:54 AI, leadership & the future

54:20 Final reflections

55:15 Outro

Why slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.

"I love to work at pace. I talk at pace. I am all like go, go, go," says @Caroline Frankum, the former Global CEO of Kantar's Profiles division, "but sometimes you really need to slow down to go faster – and in times of pressure, slowing down the process is really important."

"Pressure is always going to be there. It is really about how you deal with it in a structured way," she adds, "and that sometimes means pausing – which is the thing I had to learn."

Caroline's approach to pressure has been shaped by personal experience (more on that in our conversation) and senior leadership roles at Kantar, Hall & Partners, the Mirror Group, ITV, UKTV, Disney and Sky.

"You have to find the thing that works for you to get your mind into a calmer state. Then you are in a place where you can make a confident decision. Until you get there, you will react rather than respond."

I loved talking to Caroline, she really is a powerhouse and there is a lot more to our conversation. Listen here.

Each month the Better Under Pressure podcast explores how leaders really experience pressure, respond to it and lead others through it for positive outcomes.

Please save, share and follow me, Sara Milne Rowe, for more on leadership, performance and impact for good.

Outline 📍
00:00 Intro
02:55 Do you need pressure to be better?
05:40 How to Slow Down When Everyone Around You Wants Speed?
09:53 How great leaders share self-regulation with their teams?
11:42 How childhood silence shaped powerful leadership awareness?
18:22 How do leaders recognise when pressure becomes stress?
19:59 Insight 1: Lessons learned
23:13 What is the very worst pressure that you have been under?
29:24 The biggest future pressures for leaders & how does purpose help navigate them?
36:18 What two things can help you become better under pressure?
39:00 Insight 2: Lessons learned
42:48 Did the doctors ever hear the impact their words had years later?
47:13 Outro

"As long as my values system and my integrity are reconciled at the end of each day, I'm OK."

So says the extraordinary Dr Bijna Kotak Dasani MBE, investment banker, entrepreneur, investor and venture capitalist, in conversation with me on my Better Under Pressure podcast.

Bijna has appeared in many top 50 and top 100 lists, from the World's Top 100 Women Executives to Top 50 Women to Watch. In 2025, she was named Venture Capitalist of the Year in India. Yet she sees awards differently from most: "It is nice to be appreciated, but it is a bigger responsibility to honour that."

Throughout her career, Bijna has focused on her personal impact and what she can contribute to make a better world, and she does it her way: "I am very clear on who I am, what I represent, and what works for me and what doesn't."

For me, this conversation is about clarity, ownership, accountability, and how to achieve it. I hope you enjoy.

Follow Dr Bijna on:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/bijna
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thedrbijna
X: https://x.com/drbijna

Outline 📍
00:00 Intro

02:30 What pressure comes with growing recognition and a rising reputation?
10:00 Spirit & Discipline: A No is a Full Sentence
13:17 How do high performers decide what deserves their energy and what gets a no?
16:46 Insight 1: Lessons learned
20:04 What are the biggest pressures facing women in business today?

24:00 How can women build allyship, shift the system, and claim their own agency?
28:42 How do you manage your emotions?
30:54 What is the first sign you need to go into airplane mode?

34:15 Insight 2: Lessons learned

36:34 What's the worst pressure you've ever been under?
39:22 Was there a moment you realised enough was enough?

43:00 What 2 pieces of advice would you pass forward to people listening?

45:43 Outro

‘I’m at my best when the pressure is high. And I need to be prepared for it, I tend to approach it as a positive rather than a negative’, says my guest on this month’s Better Under Pressure podcast, Thomas Dubaere, CEO, AccorHotels Americas. Thomas’s approach to pressure has been honed over a 20-year career in the hospitality industry with Accor, working in multi-layered, highly networked stakeholder environments across multiple countries and cultures.

In this conversation, Thomas talks about his relationship with pressure: from why confidence plays such an important role, to how he distinguishes when pressure turns into stress, and how he works with his teams to plan for high-pressure meetings. I found this such a refreshingly open conversation and hope you do too!

Outline 📍
00:00 Intro
02:14 How would you describe your relationship with Pressure?
04:30 How have you evolved your relationship with Pressure?
11:21 Can you share an example of how you notice and manage pressure?
19:43 What are your go-to habits that help you stay physically fuelled under pressure?
24:05 How do you set boundaries with your team when work and travel blur together?
25:28 Insight 1: Lessons learned
29:08 What’s the number one thing that pulls you into unhelpful pressure?
32:30 How do you balance family life and leisure alongside work?
38:01 Where do you get your biggest energy from?
39:50 What advice would you give for keeping pressure positive during long-term goals?
44:55 Insight 2: Lessons learned
48:37 What part of your SHED practice is most important for keeping pressure positive?
54:21 What 2 pieces of advice would you pass forward to be better under pressure?

What a Purpose-led CEO Can Teach Us About Managing Pressure

This week’s Better Under Pressure conversation is with an inspirational leader who has been, at times, so immersed in her role that she felt she had merged with it. Does that sound familiar? That feeling when you become what you do… your identity slides into your role and before you know it, the boundary between you and the work has dissolved?

Clare Reddington, CEO of Watershed – the Bristol-based organisation focused on cultural cinema, talent development and creative technology – knows this feeling well.

In this episode we explore how purpose drives Clare’s leadership style and carries her through pressure, how she recognises her personal signs of overwhelm, and what she does about it (hint: nature plays a big role).

Outline 📍
00:00 Intro
02:37 How do you experience pressure?
04:55 How do you tap into that sense of stewardship and purpose in your own leadership?
10:03 What’s the practice that helps you hold and lead all of this?
14:00 How do you meaningfully track balance and belonging in your organisation?
17:16 How do people respond to having unlimited time off and that level of flexibility?
22:59 Insight 1: Lessons learned
25:53 What are the first signs you notice that indicate you need to take a rest?
33:25 Insight 2: Lessons learned
36:07 What was the worst pressure you have ever felt?
40:00 How do you support a team member caught in extreme pressure in the moment?
42:18 What 2 pieces of advice would you pass forward to be better under pressure?
46:21 Outro

As regular listeners to Better Under Pressure know, I often draw connections between the principles found in sport and those that underpin leadership and performance coaching, identifying habits that are highly transferable to the business world and everyday life.

No surprise then that I loved this conversation with Dr. Ara Suppiah, Chief Medical Officer for LIV Golf (and keeping players like Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Anna Nordqvist on course) Known as “the elite athlete’s secret weapon”, this episode is packed with high-performance insights and tips that I hope you’ll find useful and can apply to your own life when pressure shows up!

Outline 📍
00:00 Intro
02:36 When did you first experience pressure?
06:25 How did you learn to manage that feeling of pressure?
14:22 What is important around the relationship between your mind and your body in pressure?
24:17 Insight 1: Lessons learned
26:52 What does ‘slowing the ball down’ look like for leaders under pressure?
35:44 How do you now manage your temper?
39:12 How do you train top athletes to control their temper?
44:48 How do you turn pressure into an energy that allows you to be better?
52:59 Insight 2: Lessons learned
56:30 Do you think the male and female body handle pressure differently?
01:03:03 What 2 pieces of advice would you pass forward to be better under pressure?
01:04:53 Outro

I love this episode because, in addition to discussing pressure, difficult deals, and making no money for two years, we also explore what happens when you decide to trust the universe and how to navigate moments of uncertainty.

I'm talking to Joti Balani, a remarkable leader who walked away from corporate success to build something extraordinary in the world of AI.

She has over 25 years’ experience in technology & design, leading AI and Automation projects for Fortune 500 enterprises and government agencies. But she walked away from that predictable career with prestigious titles to start again from scratch, founding and building Freshriver.ai - what she now calls an organism rather than a company – that is attracting top talent who are seeking meaningful adventure in the AI world.

Alongside this, Joti speaks at global industry, academic, and social impact events, such as CES and Fintech Connect, and is a member of the Infrastructure Masons NYC Chapter, collaborating with Data Center Industry leaders to ensure AI is sustainable and carbon-neutral as it grows exponentially.

This episode explores how she navigated the pressure of reinvention and how invisible forces can align when you truly commit to your purpose, as well as the role of what I call spirit and discipline in creating a meaningful future.

So, this episode is for you if you're wondering:

Can I leave corporate life and create something transformative?
How can I stay grounded if I’m pioneering an unknown path? Or
What if my next chapter is about impact, not just income?

When I ask most guests on Better Under Pressure when they first experienced pressure, they normally say it was from either parents or school in exams or on sports day, but when you’re born into a notorious cult where you’re raised knowing the world is ending and you are one of god’s endtime soldiers, the pressure is on a whole other level. Petra Velzeboer managed to escape from the cult in her early twenties, and started a family and working, only to find the latter not too dissimilar to those original pressures of the cult - which is why - to use her phrase - she crashed. So it’s no wonder that, when she managed to very consciously extract herself from that second cycle, Petra became a psychotherapist and champion of mental health support with her organisation - PVL - combatting psychologically toxic cultures and promoting mentally healthy work environments.

Working out the things that don’t count so much in your day or your week can be tricky. It’s very easy to fall into the trap that everything is a priority. In Alice Dyson’s case – as CEO and founder of the dynamic entertainment and production company, Framewood Media, it’s particularly tough.

Welcome to The Better Under Pressure podcast, I’m Sara Milne Rowe and in this episode I’m talking with Alice Dyson.

A pioneering female leader in the music industry, Alice is a champion of innovation in media, storytelling, and entertainment. Previously the Director of the British Phone-agraphic Industry, she’s been involved in everything from releasing films with Helena Bonham Carter to recording the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in St Paul’s Cathedral. She is also deeply passionate about sport, health and science - all of which has led to her creating Geo-genomix—a pioneering initiative to help people achieve better health outcomes through personalised insights. Today she shares, amongst other things:

💪 How - despite a chronic autoimmune condition - she’s learnt to channel pressure into opportunity;

💪 What she means by ‘Navigating the Nos’

💪 What helps in her pursuit of making it into the England over-45 masters hockey squad.

Let’s find out how she manages her energy to be… Better Under Pressure.

This episode of BUP is special: In the summer of 2019 Claire Danson, European Triathlon Champion collided with a tractor while she was out training, her future instantly transformed from professional triathlete to life in a wheelchair. As performance coaches, at Coaching Impact we work with many athletes and leaders in the sector, but my conversation with Claire goes down as one of the most inspiring I’ve had on this podcast. Claire’s story of resilience and reinvention as a para-athlete offers profound insights into our relationship with pressure. Do listen, Claire is deeply inspiring and is full of practical tips to apply whatever pressure you might be under.

How was Richard’s relationship with business pressure shaped by his relationship with his mentally and physically disabled sister.

What can we learn from that kind of family tie?

Richard Medcalf found himself on a relatively smooth academic path through school and university before becoming the youngest ever partner at a top strategy firm. After over a decade in an elite strategic team at tech giant Cisco, he took the strategic decision to found Xquadrant and set himself the mission of helping the world’s top CEOs and entrepreneurs become world-changing forces for good. Over 25 years of strategic knowhow have made him excellently placed to write his book, “Making TIME for Strategy” and I’m delighted that today he is Making TIME for us.

In our conversation we discuss what his life with his sister taught him, how much he values bringing humour into business and thankfully he won’t be sharing his Freddie mercury impression!

Today’s episode is a fascinating conversation with a remarkable woman: Major Rosie Wild. Rosie is a British Army Officer and Professional Athlete who, following major injuries and a knee operation, went on to win the Sword of Honour at Sandhurst—the first woman to do so since men and women were integrated into the same platoons.

In 2020, Rosie became the first woman in history to pass the Pre-Parachute Selection Course (P Company), qualifying to serve in the airborne forces at 16 Air Assault Brigade, where she deployed on numerous operations, including the evacuation of personnel from Kabul.

Rosie is an accomplished and competitive triathlete. After she came 15th in the London Marathon and 2nd at Ironman Copenhagen, the British Army began supporting her in training and racing as a Professional Triathlete. In September 2024, Rosie competed in the Ironman World Championships, where, out of a field of almost 1,400, she placed 30th.

In our conversation, Rosie shares:

Why she isn’t lit up by goals
How she uses complacency
And why winning has become all about being willing to lose.

Today I’m talking to Dr. Mindy Lane, a sub-specialist surgeon in the United States with 25 years of experience. Her understanding of how to thrive under high-stakes pressure in the operating room has enabled Mindy to also become an accomplished EK-WESS-TREE-UN.

In the OR, she was able to lead her team with steady hands and a clear mind to save lives. In the dressage arena, she harnessed the pressure—and her horse, Fjurie—to achieve the highest levels in national competitions. As Mindy says, the principles of calm, control, and precision apply in both hospital and horse riding.

She now specialises in bridging the gap between industry and medicine. Her goal is to make a significant impact on global health through innovative solutions.

Whether it’s in the operating theatre, the arena, or the boardroom, Mindy believes that being "better under pressure" isn’t just a skill—it’s a way of life.

In our conversation, Mindy shares:

When a winning strategy doesn’t work anymore
How a data-driven scientist deals with gut instinct
And what happened when she saw in her daughter a side of herself she didn’t like

Today I’m talking to Professor John Amaechi CBE, an organisational psychologist and founder of APS Intelligence, where he is the Leadership Transformation expert.

His book, The Promises of Giants, was a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, in which he draws on his early life in Stockport, his rise to becoming the one of the first Britons to play professional basketball in the NBA and his career since – working with organisations to build authentic and ethical cultures.

John is Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School, a non-exec director of a FTSE 250 company, and in 2023, received the Sport Industry’s Integrity & Impact Award. Oh, and he’s also passionate about Star Wars.

He was hugely influenced by his mother, and he lives his life inspired by her words, that “the most unlikely of people, in the most improbable of circumstances, can become extraordinary.”

In our conversation, John shares…

What he means by sustainable high-performance…
Why he is deliberately hard to get hold of and what, as a former elite sportsman,
And he hates about going to the gym.

Today I’m speaking with Rupal Patel, a woman who has had an unconventional career, as suggested by the title of her best-selling book, From CIA to CEO.
As a CIA analyst and field agent, she advised four-star generals, earned War Zone Service Medals, and was recognised by the CIA Director for “superior support to the President.” She then transitioned into the business world.
Rupal’s trailblazing business work has been featured in USA Today and Business Insider, and in 2023, she was named one of the “Most Influential Women of the Year.”She is committed to developing the next generation of leaders and change-makers through her pro bono work for Virgin Startup, and through her roles as Entrepreneur in Residence at London Business School and Alumni in Residence at the University of Chicago.
In our conversation, Rupal shares…
- What can be gained from riddles over dinner,
- The creative benefits of leaving things to the last minute,
- And what she discovered by ‘leaning into the laziness.’

Today I’m talking to Alina Addison, ex-accountant, ex-investment banker, executive coach, and now author.

Alina left Romania as a young adult. Soon afterwards, she went into accountancy with PwC before joining Rothschild & Co. There, she became the first woman to be promoted to Managing Director and Head of Trading—all while working four days a week.

In her book, The Audacity Spectrum, Alina combines personal experience with extensive research to share her mission. She wants to ignite audacious leadership in people through a bold mix of courage, care, and nonconformity.

In our conversation, Alina shares…

What she learnt from being that boarding school toddler,
Why her life changed thanks to a friend’s audacious question, and
How she ended up completing two degrees in two countries—at the same time!

Welcome to season 2 of Better Under Pressure!

I’m very excited to be kicking it off today in the company of none other than my business partner, Simon Scott.

Formerly a Royal Marine Commando Officer and diver, who was awarded the Sword of Honour, Simon found that his time in the Marines satisfied both his desire for challenge and his fascination with explorers like Ernest Shackleton. After 11 years, he left and has since been coaching leaders in various industries, and increasingly in sport. He has supported people like Alex Danson, who captained GB Hockey to Olympic gold, worked with Dave Brailsford at INEOS Cycling, and is currently on the training ground with Steve Borthwick and his coaches at England Rugby.
He is also an active trustee of the Adaptive Grand Slam charity, which trains and enables disabled adventurers in extreme expeditions.

In our conversation, Simon shares what he learned when given a can of beans without an opener, how his father, a rowing coach, helped him become a runner, and what he believes makes up an explorer’s mindset.

Today I’m talking to award-winning actor, comedian, and writer, Hugh Dennis. Best known for BBC1’s critically acclaimed sitcom OUTNUMBERED, he has also played an emotionally tortured Bank Manager in the BAFTA-winning show FLEABAG, Toby in the sitcom, NOT GOING OUT, and was an ever-present panellist on BBC 2’s long-running weekly satirical show MOCK THE WEEK.

Hugh has also been a regular for over 25 years on BBC Radio 4, both writing and presenting their Friday night comedy THE NOW SHOW.

In our conversation, Hugh (whose real name is Pete, by the way) shares…
- Why he thinks allowing a bit of self doubt is a good thing.
- How his job at Unilever helped keep him grounded
- And what having a bishop for a father taught him about performance.

Today I’m talking to Genevieve Shore, a serial non-executive Director who has held Board level positions within organisations across several industries, territories and cultures. Her credit roll of organisations includes Santander, Arup, Moneysupermarket, Lego Education, STV and the RFU.

With her sporting background - having played international Rugby for England and winning the World Cup in 1994 - it’s no surprise that Genevieve is currently Chair of the Women’s Premier 15 Ltd. At the same time, she also chairs the North Highland Initiative - a non-profit organisation established because of King Charles III's commitment to support the people and businesses of the North Highlands.

In our conversation, Genevieve shares

What she means by positive pressure
Her experience of toxic workplace bullies
And how teamwork in the changing room trained her for the boardroom.

Today I’m talking to Calum Clark, ex-international Rugby Union player turned high-performance psychologist.

Having started on the rugby trail aged just 15, Calum turned professional three years later and spent fourteen years playing at the highest level He turned out for three different Premiership clubs as well as England. In that time he experienced the highs of winning 3 Premiership titles and 2 European Cups and the lows of career-threatening injuries, disciplinary setbacks, and various off-field issues. Realising there was a lack of professional support, guidance and expertise to help navigate such things, he completed the first of two Psychology MScs alongside the final years of his playing career. He then became Head of Player Development and Wellbeing at Saracens, before going on to become their Head of Psychological Performance, with a number of his clients, including Ben Earl, going on to excel at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

In our conversation, Calum shares…
- The importance of drilling - as an individual and as a team.
- How we all need a north star…
- And which pressure was worse - playing for England or finishing his Psychology thesis.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome back Mollie Pearse, Meta’s Head of Marketing for EMEA, for round two of our insightful conversation on "Better Under Pressure."

Mollie's journey from entrepreneurial beginnings to leading teams at top organizations like IMG, Octagon, HSBC, and LinkedIn before landing at Meta showcases her remarkable leadership and dedication to 'audience-first' marketing principles.

Outside of work, Mollie's passion for pushing boundaries shines through her pursuits in ultra-distance sports, where she explores the depths of human potential while raising funds for charity.

As our discussion unfolded, it was clear that there were too many valuable insights to fit into one episode, so we're back for more!

In this episode, Mollie delves into:

The challenging decision to step back from a 24-hour endurance race and the importance of listening to one's body and mind.
Her approach to fostering a sense of belonging within teams, grounded in shared human experiences and authentic connections.
A pivotal interview experience where she embraced her unique strengths and dared to 'play her game.'

If you missed our initial conversation, be sure to catch up before diving into this one!

Connect with Mollie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-pearse-09842b28/?originalSubdomain=uk

Today I’m talking to Mollie Pearse, Meta’s Head of Marketing for EMEA. Having started her career as an entrepreneurial businesswoman and quickly learning the power of true ‘audience-first’ marketing, she has since led teams at IMG, Octagon, HSBC and LinkedIn before arriving at Meta.
Mollie inspires her teams to think differently about commercial goals, enabling them to surpass expectations. When she isn’t doing that, she’s out exploring the limits of human potential by running, swimming and cycling ultra-distances to expand her comfort zone and raise money for charity.
As I spoke with Mollie, it soon became abundantly clear there were far too many nuggets to squeeze into a single 50 minute podcast, so we broke it into two conversations.
In this, our first conversation, Mollie shares…
- How hating sport as a child helped her gain power over her environment…
- What she learnt from swimming in open water through jellyfish…
- And why we should all have our Personal Board of Directors.

Today I’m talking to Tendai Wileman, Chief of Staff and Director of Organisational Change at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust. Tendai grew up in Zimbabwe and went to university in South Africa, before completing an MBA at Warwick Business School. Over two decades, Tendai has held various corporate and operational roles in healthcare, and has spent the last 10 years leading large-scale change within and across functional and organisational boundaries.
She is a sponsor of the LGBT+ network at Guy’s & St. Thomas’ and is passionate about diversity and inclusion, believing strongly that ‘that which unites us all, is greater than that which separates us’.

In our conversation, Tendai shares…

Her desire to keep learning and saying ‘Yes’ to the Discomfort Zone
Finding the balance between the external and the internal
And the questions she asks her NHS team when they are all under pressure

In this episode, I’m talking to Neil Mullarkey, a unique communication expert. You may recognise him from his performances in 'Whose Line Is it Anyway' and two 'Austin Powers' movies. He still performs most Sundays with the Comedy Store Players, Europe's top improv troupe, which he co-founded with Mike Myers. But he now travels the world bringing the skills of theatre and especially improv, focusing on creativity, collaboration and leadership to clients including EY, Deloitte, Vodafone, Accenture and Unilever.

His new book, In The Moment, was published by Kogan Page in June 2023. https://neilmullarkey.com/inthemomentbook
Mike Myers describes it as ‘a creative masterclass for every moment.'
Matt Brittin (President of Google, Europe, Middle East, Africa) says, ‘Neil’s model and how he applies it in different ways is really simple yet powerful. In a world that's more volatile and uncertain than ever, businesses need leaders who can be agile, adaptive, innovative. Neil's always promoted this brilliantly , but without the business jargon. ’

Visit http://neilmullarkey.com/ (And, yes, Mullarkey is his real name)

In this episode, I’m talking to Emma Dagnes, Chief Executive of Alexandra Park and Palace, an iconic public building towering over north London that is over 150 years old, was the original home of BBC Television and is now home to world sporting events, indoor and outdoor concerts and festivals, a theatre and even an ice rink. It’s also where I have pushed buggies and walked with my family and my dog over the last 25 years.

Of Emma’s 25 years working across entertainment, recreation and leisure, both in the public and private sectors, the last twelve have been at the Palace - helping to lift the organisation to be a recognised and respected cultural destination. Before becoming CEO, she led the growth of the trading subsidiary as Managing Director and then became Deputy CEO of the Charity, overseeing an award-winning restoration that cost £27 million.

In our conversation, she shares
- How she learned that her dyslexia was a superpower
- Why the original Alexandra Palace Theatre was worth its multi-million restoration
- And the impact of seeing your purpose play out every day.

In this episode, I’m talking to Edith Bardin – Global Insights Manager at Shell. The word Global is very apt when referring to Edith. Born in Luxembourg - and consequently speaking 5 languages - her two decades building ‘global consumer insights’ expertise have taken her all sorts of places, including northern Europe, the UK, Canada and even Mauritius. She now is a worldwide authority on everything from decoding consumers’ minds in retail, entertainment and packaging - to embracing the evolving landscape of air travel and, most recently, e-mobility.

In our conversation, Edith shares...
- What she discovered about her efficiency at work after she’d had children.
- What doing a charity swim taught her about herself.
- And how it affected her growing up as ‘an unexpected triplet’

In this episode, I’m talking to Tom Hall, Vice President and General Manager of LEGO Education International.

Having previously held leadership positions at Pearson and Penguin Random House UK, Tom is experienced in leading global teams through complex change management programs and creating partnership ecosystems.

As a trustee of AQA, the UK’s leading assessment provider, and a former board member of the British Educational Suppliers Association, it’s no surprise to learn that Tom is passionate about the impact education can make for individuals and society around the world and is dedicated to using LEGO Education solutions to deliver STEAM learning to empower teachers and students.

In our conversation, Tom shares…
What he does in order to check out on Friday feeling calm
What it’s like leading in a cultural melting pot
And why you’re only as good as the system you’re operating in.

Connect with Tom👇
LinkedIn: Hall Tom
Twitter: @tomjhall

In this episode, I’m talking to Tom Sherrington – education consultant and author. With 30 years' experience as a teacher and school leader, Tom is now teaching teachers, through his ground-breaking series of WalkThru books – which, at the last count, are being used in 50 countries around the world. Everywhere from Brighton to Brazil, from Norwich to New Zealand. Tom also coaches through his blog, teacherhead.com, which has thousands of followers.

Tom is in demand worldwide and works with hundreds of schools and colleges providing training and consultancy support to improve the quality of teaching. As such, he is a regular keynote speaker at many education conferences and festivals.

In our conversation, Tom shares:

*What the students did to him as a supply teacher

*What an exhausted colleague did when the next class was arriving

*And why - when he couldn’t see the wood for the trees - Tom went to see the trees… in the wood.

In this episode, I’m talking to Lara Milward, a NeuroLeadership Coach and athlete who has co-founded businesses in Leadership and Fitness. She has worked in gender equality with Shine for Women and is a mentor for Resurgo. The official coach of Virgin’s Strive Challenge, Lara practises what she preaches - moving every day to challenge both mental and physical muscle and believes we all need to treat our mental muscle just like our physical muscle; giving it challenge, fuel, rest and recovery.

In our conversation, Lara shares...

The power of a starting gun,
What happened when she tried her first mountain climb up the Matterhorn
And what she learnt about herself from witnessing her child in intensive care

Today, I’m talking to Marcia Gay Harden. An actress with 40 years’ experience on film, TV and Broadway, Marcia has won many awards including an Oscar and a Tony in a career that lists cult films like Miller’s Crossing, Pollock and Mystic River. She’s featured in (and been nominated for) many of her performances in TV shows like, The Newsroom, Uncoupled and - one of my personal favourites - The Morning Show.
Outside acting, her book, The Seasons of My Mother: A Memoir of Love, Family, and Flowers details her bond with her mother as they travelled the world, and how they dealt with her mother's Alzheimer's disease.

She is a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ and is on the advisory board of Hearts of Gold, a New York charity that supports homeless women and their children.

In our conversation - which is longer than normal by the way - Marcia shares:
- Why her children go mad when she takes her work home
- What the young Marcia would do when her father was coming home
- And why, for her, the key to freedom is preparation.

In this episode, I’m talking to Daniel Priestley, entrepreneur, author and speaker.

Since the age of 21, he has started, bought and sold multiple businesses in training, publishing, IT services and tech.

He’s written best-selling books like Key Person of Influence, Oversubscribed and Entrepreneur Revolution - and is known for his work on entrepreneurship and business development, offering practical advice to entrepreneurs on scaling their business, personal branding and becoming influential within their industries.

In our conversation, Daniel discusses...

The pressure of going through a buy-out
What it’s like when your business goes from zero to a million in 12 months
And why it should all be ‘fun and games’.

In this episode, I’m talking to Charlotte Cox, President Emea at Pentland Brands. With over 20 years of commercial experience - during which time she has had leadership roles for sporting brands like Canterbury of New Zealand, Mitre and Speedo – Charlotte has won regional awards such as Business Woman of the Year in 2019 and was a Future is Female European winner in 2020.

Charlotte’s ambition is to get more people to support their mental and physical well-being by increasing participation in sports and outdoor activities. She’s also been instrumental in the development and delivery of the Pentland Brands global diversity and inclusion strategy.

In our conversation, Charlotte shares…

What stopped her from picking up the telephone as a child
How team sports show up in business
And how she managed to reel in one of her colleagues with fishing

In this episode, I’m talking to Amanda Brennan, a coach and trainer of actors in Film, Television and Theatre. She runs an MA course in Screen Acting at Central School of Speech & Drama and is the author of two books, The Energetic Performer, published in 2016, and The Craft of Screen Acting, due out in 2024. Amanda has also produced films that have been screened at the Raindance, Sundance and London Film Festivals. She has most recently coached actors in TV shows like The Crown and Sex Education as well as forthcoming films like The Yellow Tie starring John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson.

In our conversation, Amanda discusses…

What she learnt from standing in the rain for half an hour
What she can tell from looking at someone’s feet…
And why the training for actors can be applied to all of us /everyone to perform better under pressure.

In this episode, I’m talking to Andy Salmon CMG and CBE who was a Royal Marine for 36 years.

A former Commandant General Head of service, his front-line work included the Falklands War, Sierra Leone, the Kurdish humanitarian crisis in Northern Iraq, the Civil War in Angola and lastly as Commanding General of Coalition Forces handing over Basra in 2009. Between 2011 & 2013 he built the crisis-management centre for NATO and was responsible for finding forces for their global operations including Afghanistan.

Since retiring, he has founded Journey Through Conflict, a multi-media theatre company that creates performances to help alleviate suffering in people from myriad conflicts. He also takes elements of the performance into businesses to coach them in co-creating journeys to success.

In our conversation, Andy reveals:

Why he used to carry around a crash helmet without having a motorbike,
Why he believes in ‘Enforced Rest’
And what memorable tactic he used to make sure his troop was awake before a big attack.

In this episode, I’m talking to Laura Try, a business founder who left it all behind to become an extreme adventurer. Having owned a beauty salon for nine years, Laura made the decision, aged 29, that her values no longer served her, and she wanted something different. Very different. The hunger for experiences and challenge meant firstly entering multi-day adventure races, then rowing 1,800 miles around Great Britain and, most recently, an attempt to be the fastest women’s boat rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

In our conversation, Laura discusses

What she means by Type-2 fun,
How you get around different personalities in a boat race,
And what she learned from trying to ignite a Bow Drill fire.

In this episode, I’m talking to Tamsin Addison, a member of the Irish Equestrian team for over 10 years now, who has enjoyed international wins on multiple horses, was placed in the top ten in the last European championships and became a Paralympian at the Tokyo Olympics

Starting her career as a psychologist and undertaking a PhD on Pain in Sport, Tamsin was at the same time diagnosed with parosteal sarcoma in her right upper arm. Determined not to let bone cancer hinder her passion for horse riding, Tamsin became the first person in the world to regrow an arm bone.

After working in the corporate world for 20 years, she was tempted to ride for her country and didn’t look back. She now runs her own business rehabilitating horses after injury or surgery and combines that with competing at national and international equestrian events.

In our conversation, Tamsin reveals:

Why she changed her phone passcode to a specific number in the future
The mental and physical toll it took to re-grow her right arm
And what happened when someone told her that her horse was watching Netflix

Today, I'm having a conversation with Adam Garfunkel, a true pioneer in the world of sustainability. With an impressive 35-year career dedicated to creating positive change, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

As a former campaigner and communications advisor, Adam has been at the forefront of driving sustainable practices across various industries. Now, as the co-owner of Junxion Strategy, an international consultancy firm, he is on a mission to help leaders shape the success stories of the purpose economy.

Beyond his remarkable professional accomplishments, Adam's personal life is equally fascinating. Married with two daughters, he calls north London his home, where his family roots run deep. When he's not working towards a sustainable future, Adam finds joy in indulging in delicious food, cheering on his favourite football team, and cold-water swimming adventures.

During our conversation, Adam shares:

What he learnt from Mr Patni while working in a vegetarian Indian restaurant.
The importance of striving for something magnificent that makes the world a better place.
What he gets from plunging into open water at three degrees above zero.

Today I’m talking to Lesley Paterson, a professional triathlete who’s represented Great Britain and has a dozen medals as well as a film producer with an Oscar-winning film under her Belt.

Having started competing in triathlons aged just 16, Lesley combined her competing with a degree and then a master's in Drama. Her triathlon career has not been without setbacks, having contracted Lymes disease in her 30s and, famously winning one triathlon with a shoulder she had broken just the day before. That particular experience dovetails neatly with her passion for drama and her most recent triumph as screenwriter and producer of the multi-award-winning Netflix film, All Quiet On The Western Front – made despite (or perhaps because of) countless pressures.

In our conversation, Lesley also shares… What she learnt as a child from being the only girl playing rugby with 250 boys The importance of physically connecting with the land, mud and dirt. *Why she was glad she had done her one-arm swimming training.

Today I’m talking to Dr Mandy Lehto, a former investment banker who, as Director at a global investment bank, worked in Fixed Income Sales covering hedge funds and central banks. She has a doctorate from Cambridge University and, since leaving the banking world, has coached senior executive women around the world, as well as becoming a columnist for Psychologies magazine and having work published in the Times, Forbes, Psychology Today and The Huffington Post among others. She’s also the magnificent host of “Enough, The Podcast” for recovering perfectionists and overachievers like her.

In our conversation, Mandy shares… - The impact of what her father said to her when she was eight, - Who controls her first thoughts - And what it’s like to be - by her own admission - a hardaholic

In this episode, I am talking to Lee Georgs, Chief Operating Officer at Eighteen48 Partners, a London-based Private Investment Office serving families and endowments. She’s worked in the global financial services industry for almost three decades, starting in Private Banking and Wealth Management in New York with Citibank and JP Morgan. She moved overseas in 2006, to become Director of Global Accounts for RGP in Hong Kong, before ending up in London and M&A Project Management at Credit Suisse. She stepped into the COO role, first at Redington in 2017 (where she also served as Executive Board Director) and then, six years later, at Eighteen48 where she is now.
An Ambassador for The Diversity Project (the U.K.’s Investment Management Industry Diversity body), Lee is also an LGBT Great Ally as well as a volunteer with Speakers for Schools (an organization dedicated to encouraging young people to pursue careers in Financial Services) and GAIN (Girls are Investors).
In our conversation, Lee shares…
🔵 The importance of showing the messiness of life
🔵 What she learnt when she was 5 and how that still shows up for her.
🔵 And why - for Lee - it’s always about the people!

In this episode, I’m talking to DaeWha Kang. Based in London, DaeWha is a Korean designer, architect, and artist with a passion for creating beauty and timelessness in his work.
In 2014, he founded DaeWha Kang Design, which has since taken on a wide range of projects, from the regeneration of a Christopher Wren church to a concert hall in central London, and even a fine arts museum in Saudi Arabia. Focusing on improving well-being through design, DaeWha's studio lives by the statement "beauty built with wisdom."

During our conversation, he also shares:
- What it’s like to lead a team when none of you know what you’re doing…
- The importance of finding your positive sparks
- And what made him get up rather than give up...

In this episode, I’m talking to Louise Hughes, an experienced General Counsel, who has worked for over 20 years within the entertainment industry. She began her legal career at the leading law firm Wragge & Co (now Gowlings), moving to the legal team at Penguin Books Limited in 2003, where she worked for 13 years supporting the children and adults’ divisions in publishing, marketing and licensing.

Louise is currently Group General Counsel and a leadership team member at The Blair Partnership, a leading literary and entertainment agency, representing J.K. Rowling and the management of the Wizarding World franchise. Day to day, Louise is actively involved in developing business strategy, deal-making, operations, innovation and governance across The Blair Partnership, Pottermore, and associated companies.

Louise is also a mum of two, a keen runner, a dog lover, and a legal trustee on the Board of CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Association).

During our conversation, she shares:

➡️ How her 11-year-old daughter pinpointed pressure for her.

➡️ What it’s like to be known as the Calm in the Storm,

➡️ And how being one of 11 children helps her under pressure.

In this episode, I have an engaging conversation with Ben Ryan, the Director of Elite Performance at Brentford FC. With a background in teaching, professional rugby, and being the most successful men's rugby sevens coach in the world, Ben has a wealth of experience in handling pressure.

His book, Sevens Heaven, recounts his incredible journey coaching the under-resourced Fiji 7s team to their first-ever Olympic Gold in 2016. This achievement led to numerous accolades, including his face being featured on Fijian banknotes and coins, as well as being named a Fijian tribal chief.

During our discussion, Ben shares valuable insights on:

Recognising when others are feeling the pressure
The concept of "finding the trampolines" and what it means
How he had to make a life-changing decision in just 20 minutes

In this episode, I’m talking to Rachel Osborne, CEO of Ted Baker. Rachel was appointed to that role just as Covid hit the UK, and prior to that she had been CFO at Debenhams Retail Limited.

Having originally studied veterinary medicine at Cambridge, Rachel chose instead to qualify as a chartered accountant at KPMG. She now has over 30 years of financial experience with consumer-facing brands like Domino’s Pizza, Vodafone, and John Lewis. She has also previously held senior positions with Sodexo, Kingfisher and PepsiCo.

In this conversation Rachel shares:

What she‘s learnt from leading businesses in distress
The advantages of a board that’s positively challenging
And why she’s become grateful for ships in the night

In this episode, I’m in conversation with Tacita Small – founder of The Small HR Company, an HR Consultancy that supports businesses in the creative and entertainment industries with all aspects of HR and People needs.

As a senior HR leader, Tacita worked in-house for over two decades with many instantly recognisable brands such as Westfield, Ralph & Russo, Apple, Ministry of Sound, Freemantle and BBC Worldwide to name a few.

In our conversation Tacita shares:

Why she’s happy answering emails on the beach
The uncomfortable pressure of not being herself
And what her son said that ignited her desire to set up her business.

In this episode, I’m talking to David Shelley, a trailblazer in the world of publishing. With over two decades of experience, David has worked with some of the biggest names in literature, including J.K. Rowling, Dennis Lehane, and Mitch Albom. Starting out at Allison & Busby, he quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the CEO of Hachette UK, the second-largest consumer publisher in the UK.

David's expertise in the industry is unparalleled, having overseen the publication of countless crime and thriller novels, as well as ebooks and audiobooks. He's a visionary leader, driving innovation and growth in an ever-changing landscape.

During our conversation, David shares:

How he makes work not feel like work
How he uses storytelling in times of pressure
And, what he does to pull back from strong feelings

In this episode, I’m talking to Myriam Coupard, who has worked all over the world leading and shaping creative businesses. A customer-centric entrepreneur at heart, she’s launched, run, reshaped and grown successful companies in France, the UK, China and Singapore. Myriam trained as a professional dancer in Contemporary Dance in Paris, specialising in the Martha Graham technique until that career was cut short following unsuccessful knee surgery.

Following that, she dedicated many years to Ascential PLC and more specifically to Cannes Lions, the organisation behind the renowned film festival, where she worked across a breadth of Executive roles leading teams through organizational transformation and change. She is currently Managing Director of the UK and EMEA for The Marketing Academy. She is a tireless champion of creativity and its ability to change people, organisations and the world.

In this conversation, she shares:

The power of detangling emotions from facts
Her non-negotiables when it comes to putting herself first
And, why her body decided to take her out of the exciting promotion awaiting her in Singapore

In this episode, I’m talking to Matt Chavlovich, a former prolific goalkeeper and captain in professional football (soccer) in the US, he is now a speaker, advisor, and transformation coach. In his 30-year career, Matt has been a leader in the world of sports and the world of business. He has held leadership positions in organisations ranging from the MLS and Hasbro to Adidas and the American Cancer Society.

In our conversation, Matt shares:

The transferrable skills of sport in business,
Why he has no time for regrets,
And how the 14-year-old Matt dealt with adults telling him not to come home if he’d lost a match.

In this episode, I’m talking to Sigga Sigurdardottir, a global exco level Chief Customer Officer and digital change agent who has been pioneering customer-led digital transformation and innovation globally in the financial services industry over the last 20+ years. She has championed partnering with start-ups, fintech and digital players throughout her career, delivering outstanding experiences for consumers.

She spent 14 years leading digital transformation and change for American Express, working in 4 different continents. She then spent 4 years as Santander UK’s Chief Customer and Innovation Officer moving the organisation to greater customer focus and innovative delivery methods. That was followed by 3 years as Chief Customer Officer at Tesco Bank, improving the NPS significantly and driving profitable growth of the lending business. She has just joined Experian as MD of the consumer business for the UK.

Sigga sits on the Women in Fintech Powerlist and on the board of Autotrader Group PLC and Frumtak Ventures. Known for her passion for innovative leadership and diversity and inclusion, Sigga has been named in Marketing Week’s top 50 Customer Experience professionals, recognised by Empower as a top ethnic minority advocate and acknowledged by the FT and HERoes as a champion for women in business.

In our conversation today, Sigga shared:

When her tendency to shield others from pressure became a problem,
Why she chose to step away from her job for six months,
The impact of what she wrote on a piece of paper back in her 20s.

In this episode, I’m talking to Sebastian Bates, founder of The Warrior Academy, an award-winning global martial arts organisation which has so far been responsible for developing the character of 25,000 children across three continents. Social enterprise and philanthropy are a part of Sebastian’s charity work at the Bates Foundation. He is also a two times best-selling author in the field of character development and anti-bullying.

Having studied six styles of martial arts for 25 years and competing in four of them at a national level, Sebastian is a former international professional fighter. He is also an experienced wingsuit base jumper with over 500 jumps worldwide to his name. He was part of an elite group of extreme sports athletes pushing forward human flight until July 2014, when during a wingsuit base jump in Switzerland, his parachute collapsed when he was 50 feet from the ground.

He survived the fall but not without devastating damage to his lower body, prompting surgeons to say that he would never walk again. Unsurprisingly, Sebastian defied the odds by rebuilding his body piece by piece through a gruelling rehabilitation process and made a full recovery. He is now on a mission to inspire a generation to make a global impact.

In our conversation, he discusses,

Why he is thankful for negative thoughts,
How he translates pressure into performance
And, what happened when he came upon a group of gamblers in Thailand

In this episode, I’m talking to Tendi Sherpa - who has been guiding people to the summit of Everest and down again now for 18 years. After initially training to be a Buddhist monk, he started work as a porter for treks around Nepal aged just 13, carrying around 43 kg for up to 15 hours a day for over 3 weeks at a time – and wearing flip-flops while he did.

A year later, he climbed his first mountain in the Himalayas alongside his father, also a sherpa, and got his first chance to climb Everest aged 19. In 2004, by age 20, Tendi summited Everest for the first time – an experience that secured what he calls his “dream to become a professional mountain climber and guide”.

Over the last 18 years, he has summited several mountains in the Himalayas and Mount Everest, specifically, 14 times – including doing it twice in one week! He was in the middle of an Everest expedition when the 2014 avalanche killed 16 sherpas including several of his friends and in 2015 when an earthquake halted that one.

He has now summited mountains on 5 continents and is constantly raising money through the Tendi Sherpa Foundation to bring education to the people of his village. I met him on a trek in 2018 to raise funds so they could build a village school.

In our conversation he discusses,

How resilience was nurtured in him from the age of 5,
Why his Buddhist education supports him on the mountain
And why he will happily turn back and start again

In this episode, I’m talking to Rachel Joyce - an award-winning novelist and playwright. Over the course of a 20-year career as an actor, performing leading roles for the RSC, National Theatre and Cheek by Jowl, she was always writing. Alongside radio drama, she also wrote the Sunday Times and international bestsellers, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. Her latest novel, Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North completes the trilogy. Rachel is also the author of the bestsellers, Perfect, The Music Shop and Miss Benson’s Beetle.

Her books have sold over 5 million copies worldwide and have been translated into thirty-six languages.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and is now a major film - for which Rachel wrote the screenplay - starring Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton, due for release in April 2023,

In this conversation she shares:

Why she found herself crying on the beach
What helps her feel 30ft tall and 30ft wide
And the power of an unspoken contract

Zani Mashinini works at The South African Reserve Bank. Leading a team of HR specialists.

Prior to that, she worked for organisations like Unilever, Pearson, Bank of New York and the South African National Treasury.

As well as a leader in the field of HR, Zani is also a speaker, coach and mentor who thrives on creating organisational transformation programmes that improve the workplace experience for all.

She has been awarded a Master of Management from The Wits Business School and recently received an Excellence Award for her contribution to the Human Resources industry.

During our conversation, Zani shares

Why the phrase NO CHOICE became a source of power

What she means by ‘bad day behaviour’ and

How a tea bag helped her change

Duro Oye is the Founder & CEO of 20/20 Change - a multi-award-winning social enterprise leading the way to a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the UK. It empowers young black professionals to flourish in the workplace.

Duro designed the award-winning ‘I AM CHANGE’ 10-week programme which focuses on developing young people’s self-awareness, vision, persistence, and dignity. He’s also a qualified mindset coach with a degree in Graphics and Advertising, a diploma in Documentary Filmmaking and is a fellow at the Acumen Academy. All this after - and probably as a result of – almost a decade of criminality - between the ages of 12 and 21.

Duro is a passionate storyteller and uses documentary film to enable marginalised youth to frame their own narrative. Since producing his first independent film in 2013, he has gone on to produce the documentary films ‘County lines: Teenage Drug Runners’ for the BBC & two seasons of ‘Gangland’ for Channel 5. In our conversation, Duro describes

The exact moment when he turned his back on crime.
Why he felt it necessary to support Manchester United
And how he turns difficult conversations into a game

Chloe Cameron is Chief People Officer for the Pax8 EMEA region. Previously, she’s worked in global corporations and small start-ups and occupied various leadership roles across marketing, business operations and most recently people. She came into a career in tech via a History degree from the University of Cambridge.

As Chief People Officer for the Pax8 EMEA region, her role is to ensure the company keeps humans at the heart of its growth. Chloe is responsible for developing the vision and strategy to maintain and scale an inclusive, high-performance culture built on servant leadership, psychological safety and genuine community.

She sees her mission as nothing short of empowering every Pax8er to engage in the best work of their lives.

In 2021 she received the CompTIA Advancing Women in Technology Leadership Award.

In our conversation, Chloe shares what she means by taking rest seriously, loudly and proudly, and what pressure looks like in moments of both scarcity and abundance and confesses she is a recovering rescuer.

She also shares an experience of how the pressure of a single episode rang in her ears for months after!

Abi Stephens is a renowned TV Sports Presenter who has been track-side, pitch-side and ring-side the world over, hosting major sporting tournaments, including the Olympics and World Cups, for the likes of Discovery, BT Sport and ITV.

When she’s off camera, Abi is a Leadership Performance coach drawing on her rich experience performing live under pressure to help leaders in sport and business elevate their impact and influence, particularly under the spotlight.

Whether interviewing high-profile athletes or coaching business executives, Abi manages to draw out their most compelling stories so that they and the world learn and benefit from their experiences. An athlete herself, Abi has completed 6 marathons, including the prestigious Boston marathon.

In our conversation, Abi shares how she’s learnt to be present in pressure and to let go, when she decided to stop listening to the voice that said she needed a thicker skin, and how she found a source of professional strength through personal trauma.

Rob Bullock is Executive Producer at Left Bank Pictures, one of the UK’s leading independent drama production companies, where he’s headed the production of a slate of premium drama productions for Amazon, HBO, Sky, and YouTube. He’s currently in production for two new returning dramas on Netflix.

Before joining Left Bank, Rob produced the multiple award-winning show, The Night Manager, for BBC/AMC. He began his career as a graduate trainee at Granada TV, where he later became a producer in the comedy department. After completing an MBA at London Business School, he went on to produce a string of prime-time dramas, including the much-loved Monarch of the Glen series for BBC, Wild at Heart, and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher for ITV. He is the proud father of three teenagers who keep him in line.

During our conversation, Rob shares his strategy for managing the pressure of tough conversations, the importance of connecting with positive people, what he does to protect himself from absorbing other people’s fear, and what he learned from a near-death experience.

Louise Moore is the Managing Director of Michael Joseph, one of Penguin Random House’s biggest commercial publishing lists, specialising in women’s fiction, crime, thriller, cookery, memoir, and lifestyle books. She made her way up the editorial ladder, starting as a PA, and joined the division as an editorial director in 1997, before being made publishing director in 2001. She’s been MD for over 15 years.

Now, Louise leads a talented publishing team that delivers the best commercial fiction and non-fiction. Her authors include household favourites like Jamie Oliver, Nadiya Hussain, Dawn French, Jojo Moyes, and many others. She is also an External Governor at the University of the Arts in London. Last year, she was Head Judge on Channel 4’s Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver to find and publish untapped cooking talent.

In our conversation, Louise talks about how the fear of judgment impacted her physically, the journey she is on regarding her emotions and is, in her words, “still trying to crack,” and the value of locking herself in the loo for five minutes.

Julie Harris has over 30 years of experience working with both B2B and B2C content and tech platform organisations. As an accomplished media, marketplace, and subscription business specialist, Julie has led multi-discipline teams, has a wealth of international experience, including living and working in Asia and positively thrives in high-pressure complex environments, particularly in private equity-owned businesses.

Her executive roles include Global CEO of WGSN Group, the world’s leading fashion and retail trend forecasting company, as well as Immediate Media and Upper Street Events. Currently, Julie is CEO of Comparison Technologies, a private equity-backed comparison and customer acquisition platform business. Julie has built a strong reputation as a strategic and cultural transformation expert, exceeding revenue and profit targets, successfully integrating acquisitions, as well as driving significant shareholder value. She’s also been a Non-Executive Director on the board of Which? the consumer champion since 2015.

During our conversation, she shares the importance of punctuating the start and end of her week, the three questions she asks her team to stay connected during moments of pressure, and what she learned when she lost both her parents within three days of each other.

Helena Maus is the CEO of Archetype, a global communication and marketing agency. She describes herself as an atypical CEO and is passionate about furthering Archetype’s vision to build a model of the agency of the future and driving Archetype’s client charter, in which success is mutual and excellence is pursued relentlessly.

Previously Helena served as CEO at Bite, was partner at the OutCast Agency and held several in-house roles, including chief of staff at Yahoo.

In our conversation, she shares how small moments of humiliation became a source of conveying her truth, How growing up in a government-assisted social housing experiment impacts the way she leads, and what happened when her husband told her to quit.

Anna Rafferty is The Lego Group's VP of Digital Consumer Engagement. She leads the Lego Group's direct engagement with consumers of all age groups, which takes many forms, from magazine, publishing, community management and social engagement to digital products like apps and websites, creator programmes and events. She also takes additional responsibility for Digital Child Safety, Rights and Wellbeing in the company. Prior to her experience in The Lego Group, Anna worked as Digital Director at BBC Studios, Director of Product, Content & Creative at Pottermore, and Managing Director at Penguin Books. She is also Chair of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, a Commissioner for the Digital Futures Commission and sits on the Media, Entertainment & Sports Council for the World Economic Forum. In this episode of the Better Under Pressure podcast, we discuss how Anna 'backs herself' in moments of pressure, the power of procrastination, and why she relates to the song 'Surface Pressure' from the Disney film Encanto.

In this episode of Better Under Pressure, I sit down with Cheryl Giovannoni. Cheryl is the CEO of the Girls' Day School Trust, one of the UK's leading charities, taking on the education of over 180,000 girls in 23 schools and two academies across the UK. She leads an organisation of 4,000 team players who dedicate daily to fulfilling their mission of 'helping girls learn without limits.'

In our conversation, we discuss how her team's helped her identify what she needs when she is feeling under pressure. As well as the significance of having a job she genuinely cares about rather than enjoys and why it's become vital to have a team that can, as she puts it, "turn on a dime."

Fran Boorman is an award-winning business leader, having built and exerted a multi-million-pound turnover business while bringing up two young children. Subsequently, Fran launched groundbreaking Goal 17, a mentor training company known for innovative social impact programs. She was voted the UK's number 1 female business influencer by Global Woman and is featured in Forbes and on the BBC.

Her businesses now partner with some of the biggest global sporting brands, including premier league football clubs and premiership rugby clubs. In addition, she is a non-executive director of several high growth businesses and is currently creating an exciting new technology platform to bring millions of people together in meaningful mentoring partnerships to improve equality. In our conversation, she reveals how she borrows from the lesson she learnt as a semi-professional skier, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who are limitless and how the word "Yes" forced her to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

In this episode of Better Under Pressure, I sit down with Alan Jones, Head Teacher at Fulham Cross Academy in West London. Alan has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, and the last sixteen he's spent as a school leader. I had the pleasure to work with Alan just before the pandemic when he was working at Fulham Cross Girls School, where he invited us to work with the girls on supporting them as they prepared to deal with the pressure of exams.

In our conversation, he talks about the difference between boys' and girls' reactions to dealing with the pressure of exams, anticipating Ofsted and the inexplicable power of an orange tie.

On this episode of Better Under Pressure, I am joined by Nilema Bhakta-Jones, Group General Counsel for Kantar, the world's leading data, insights and consulting company.

Nilema and I first crossed paths at the Courageous Leadership event she founded to fund an education project run by the charity Plan International to continue the education of disadvantaged girls in Zimbabwe, where she was born. She is a qualified Barrister and, in 2020, was named one of the 100 Women to Watch by Cranfield University.

During our chat, she talks about navigating pressure when it feels deeply personal, the strength that she gains from connecting to family legacy and sacrifice, and how the image of a lioness got her through a moment of immense pressure.

In the second episode of "Better Under Pressure", I am joined by Anabel Hoult, CEO of Which?, the UK's most prominent consumer rights organisation. Her experience as a leader across multiple industries, including retail, charity, consumer services and fintech, makes her a natural choice as a guest to speak about pressure and how she handles it.

During our time together, she shares the power of a pen and a piece of paper, what her conversations with herself look like as she heads into high challenge situations, and what it was like to be the first Head Girl in a boys' boarding school.

In this first episode, I’m delighted to be talking with Paula MacKenzie, Managing Director of KFC UK & Ireland, responsible for over 28,000 team members, 960 restaurants and 35 franchisees. She has over 20 years experience in the food and drink industry. In our conversation, she shares what she means by ‘reversing out of her day’ and how she managed the pressure moment of speaking to an audience that was ‘anti the fast-food’ industry.