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“We try to get our people attached to the learning rather than the outcome. It's not a failure, if you decide to kill your project. In fact, we celebrate that.” In this episode we are delighted to welcome Nic Umana, Global Agile Innovation Human Intelligence Director at Mars. Having worked at Mars for more than two decades, the self-proclaimed "chaos pilot" has gained a wealth of experience within the company, which she now brings to her role by putting people at the heart of innovation. In this entertaining conversation, we delve into Nic's approach to innovation and get an inside look at the agile innovation model recently implemented at Mars. In addition, we also discuss the challenges of implementing agile innovation across a global organization, and learn how to strike the perfect balance between data-driven decision-making and human-centered innovation. So put on your headphones and get ready for an insightful journey into activating human intelligence for global agile innovation. The episode at a glance: Getting to know Nic: Who is Nic? (00:01:53) Nic, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:03:39) Human Intelligence: How to explain the job of a Global Agile Innovation Human Intelligence Director in a way that granny and grandpa will understand? (00:07:19) What's the deal with the self-proclaimed Chaos Pilot? (00:08:04) What's the secret of balancing the need for data-driven decision-making with the importance of keeping humans at the center of innovation? (00:09:18) What are the benefits of this approach, both for people and for the organization? (00:12:04) In light of recent developments driven by artificial intelligence: What's the role of humans in the innovation process evolving? (00:14:37) What are the key skills and attributes when building teams, considering future changes in skill requirements? (00:17:12) Will AI, or at least data-driven approaches, strongly influence human decision-making in the future? (00:18:47) The “Either-Or” game (00:22:26) Human Intelligence Cont’d: Nic on the challenges and lessons learned in implementing agile innovation across a global organization, and how to adapt to different cultures and working styles (00:27:50) How might other global companies embrace human intelligence and the process age of innovation? (00:32:05) Is the question of return on innovation a question that was asked at the top management level at Mars? (00:36:12) Closing: Nic’s 3 actionable key recommendations from this episode (00:38:47) Looking back: Nic’s Innovation Rockstar moment (00:41:09) ** FEEDBACK WELCOME We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@innovationrockstars.show with your feedback, comments, or questions. ***HUNGRY FOR MORE? Be sure to check out our website at www.itonics-innovation.com/podcast or browse through our Innovation Rockstars channel on all major podcast platforms. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovation-rockstars/message

“You can only be at the top of your game when it comes to creating accurate prediction models with a large amount of up-to-date data. And that's what we do, because the risk industry is all about predicting the future.” In this episode we are joined by Dr. Christoph Nabholz, Chief Research Officer and Head of the Research, Engagement & Sustainability Team at the Swiss Re Institute. Get ready for an insightful conversation as we delve into how Swiss Re is leveraging its technology and data expertise to tackle emerging risks. We kick things off by taking a snapshot of the biggest hurdles facing innovation in the insurance industry, giving you an inside look at how Swiss Re is driving its own transformative change. Things get even more exciting when we dive into the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in risk modeling. We'll explore the immense potential of AI to revolutionize the way insurers approach risk, and how a robust, high-quality, and up-to-date database is the key to unlocking this potential. Curious to learn more? Then tune in! The episode at a glance: Getting to know Christoph: Who is Christoph? (00:01:59) Christoph, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:03:57) The Swiss Re & Swiss Re Institute What exactly is reinsurance? And what is it good for? (00:05:27) What are the biggest challenges facing the reinsurance industry in terms of innovation, and how are companies working to overcome them? (00:07:53) What exactly is Swiss Re Institute (SRI) and how does it contribute to Swiss Re's business? (00:11:14) What does a typical day of a Chief Research Officer look like? (00:13:33) The “Either-Or” game (00:14:50) Digitalization and Innovation within the New Risk Landscape What does "today's risk landscape" in the context of reinsurance actually look like? (00:17:48) What is needed to mitigate these new risks successfully - i.e. move from protection to prevention? (00:23:27) What models and data are behind risk prevention and mitigation? (00:26:10) Identifying and assessing trends and trends: Where do you collect what kind of data, and how do you get from trend to impact? (00:29:08) What role does artificial intelligence play in the reinsurance industry for the early detection of emerging risks? (00:33:25) How does Swiss Re manage to balance the need for innovation with the need for stability, operational efficiency and risk management? (00:35:01) Closing Christoph’s 3 actionable key recommendations from this episode (00:40:17) Looking back: Christoph’s Innovation Rockstar moment (00:43:55) ** FEEDBACK WELCOME We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@innovationrockstars.show with your feedback, comments, or questions. And if you're hungry for more inspiring innovation stories, be sure to check out our website at www.itonics-innovation.com/podcast or browse through our Innovation Rockstars channel on all major podcast platforms. Get ready to be inspired and take your innovation game to the next level! ***LISTEN - LIKE - SHARE You like our show? Then leave us a rating or a review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Google Podcast and share it with colleagues and friends and whomever! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovation-rockstars/message

“I would describe myself as a friendly disruptor. And the people I probably give the most trouble to are those who are very set in their ways and their fixed mindset zone where innovation is hardly possible.” Today we are joined by Tom Kegode from the Lloyds Banking Group. Calling himself a “friendly disruptor”, Tom is an expert in harnessing human innovation and the power of community to create a more inclusive workplace. With Tom, we'll explore how to make work a place of passion, the importance of communication, and tools to make hybrid working as impactful as possible for both sides. Tom also reveals why the best ideas don't come from behind a desk and talks about new approaches to brainstorming. For example, using a walking tour as an idea generator, because getting out of the environment can really help to spark creativity. Want to learn more? Then let's jump right in. The episode at a glance: Getting to know Tom: Who is Tom? (00:01:31) Tom, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:03:47) Reimagining the concept of work Who does Tom give the most trouble to as “Professional Troublemaker, and how? (00:06:49) Tom gives an example of a traditional way of 'doing things' being disrupted by innovation (00:08:19) Why do we need hybrid work? (00:10:10) Work-life balance discussion: Why would you balance your work if you actually have fun doing your work? (00:14:09) The “Either-Or” game (00:16:36) Toolbox for High-Impact Hybrid Work Tom gives insights into the toolbox and provides some concrete examples for the implementation of high-impact hybrid work (00:18:17) What can be done to foster creativity and innovation in a hybrid setting? (00:22:17) How can organizations ensure that innovation efforts are integrated with day-to-day business operations, rather than seen as separate or competing priorities? (00:25:36) The best ideas never come from behind a desk, but… (00:26:33) Closing Looking ahead: Tom’s vision for the evolution of hybrid work and innovation in the workplace (00:28:42) Tom’s actionable key recommendations from this episode (00:32:50) Looking back: Tom’s Innovation Rockstar moment (00:34:21) ** FURTHER LINKS ** FURTHER LINKS Tom’s book recommendation “The Joy of Work” to be found at: https://www.amazon.de/Joy-Work-Business-Bestseller-Culture/dp/1847942393/ref=asc_df_1847942393/?tag=googshopde-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=500890759604&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9296860145188081686&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1004234&hvtargid=pla-864167176756&psc=1&th=1&psc=1 ** FEEDBACK WELCOME If you would like to give us feedback on this episode or know someone who also has some thrilling stories or insights to share from the world of corporate innovation (maybe yourself?), just shoot us a note at info@innovationrockstars.show. ***LISTEN - LIKE - SHARE You like our show? Then leave us a rating or a review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Google Podcast and share it with colleagues and friends and whomever! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovation-rockstars/message

“When starting a collaboration with a start-up, you should ask yourself the following three questions: Is it the right company, with the right technology, at the right time?” In this episode, we catch up with Kelly Van Dyke, Director - R&D External Innovation at PepsiCo. Her mission: Identify new technologies to disrupt the CPG category through strategic partnerships and business opportunities, and to drive product innovations that truly delight consumers. This highly entertaining conversation focuses on PepsiCo's start-up collaborations. In addition to an introduction to the company's tripartite collaboration strategy, including a brief look at the partnerships between different areas of R&D, we also return to the PepsiCo Positive (pep+) Journey: A sustainable approach to creating growth and shared value with a focus on sustainability and human capital. Want to learn more about PepsiCo's projects with startups? Then grab your headphones and tune in! The episode at a glance: Getting to know Kelly: Who is Kelly? (00:00:53) Kelly, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:01:54) PepsiCo Global R&D: What is one thing that most people probably don’t know about PepsiCo? (00:04:24) PepsiCo's tech and corporate scouting groups: What’s their purpose, and what do they focus on? (00:06:04) What is the size of each team? (00:07:40) What is the mission of the external innovation team? How does it contribute to the bigger picture? (00:08:25) PepsiCo External Innovation: A walk-through the 4 stages of PepsiCo’s framework for open innovation: “Want”, “Find”, “Get” & “Manage” (00:09:23) Sneak peek into PepsiCo’s ecosystem: How do you operate? How do you reach out to external companies? (00:12:22) Kelly’s most important lessons learned in collaborating with startups (00:14:37) About recent success stories of external collaboration (00:20:43) PepsiCo’s current (technology) needs and opportunities (00:22:20) Closing: Kelly’s #1 do and #1 don’t about innovation (00:24:00) Looking ahead: What are your biggest challenges at the moment? (00:26:27) Kelly’s actionable key recommendations to take away from this episode (00:28:35) Looking back: Kelly’s Innovation Rockstar moment (00:29:36) *** FEEDBACK WELCOME If you would like to give us feedback on this episode or know someone who also has some thrilling stories or insights to share from the world of corporate innovation (maybe yourself?), just shoot us a note at info@innovationrockstars.show. ***LISTEN - LIKE - SHARE You like our show? Then leave us a rating or a review and share it with colleagues and friends and whomever! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovation-rockstars/message

“AI can be like a trusty sidekick to a superhero. I can provide support and assist with the heavy lifting, but the superhero is the one calling the shots and using their creativity and imagination to save the day.” Have you ever done a full interview with an AI? We have! In this unconventional episode of INNOVATION ROCKSTARS, we take on a very special interview guest: ChatGPT - one of the largest language models currently available, developed by OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence research institute based in San Francisco. Besides the somewhat controversial core question "ChatGPT conquering our (work) lives - Will creative jobs be replaced first?", we discuss with ChatGPT concerns about the singularity, the ability to be creative, and the limits of AI. We also take a look at the supporting role of AI in driving innovation and ask our interview guest for the secret sauce of innovation success. Want to know the answer? Then tune in! The episode at a glance: Who is ChatGPT? (00:02:11) ChatGPT, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:02:56) AI & Creativity How exactly were you trained? What and how much data was used, and what algorithms? (00:04:50) Why do people tend to focus on the more dystopian scenarios when it comes to the increasing impact of AI on our lives? (00:06:22) Can AI systems have creativity and imagination, or are they limited to the data they are trained on? (00:08:06) How does ChatGPT define creativity? (00:09:25) Will AI replace creative jobs first? (00:10:32) What does it take for an AI to be truly creative? (00:13:01) AI & Innovation What role will AI play in innovation? (00:14:25) How can AI help solve real-world problems? (00:16:44) What about scenarios where AI is already being used to solve real-world problems (00:18:50) What are the real secrets to innovation success? (00:21:38) AI & The Future of Industries and Work How is AI impacting different industries in the near future? (00:23:25) How is AI helping companies stay ahead of the competition? (00:24:38) How will AI impact the job market in the next 5–10 years? (00:26:00) What skills will new jobs require when working with AI? (00:27:10) What should companies and individuals consider who are just starting to explore the potential of AI? (00:28:26) Closing ChatGPT’s about the top 3 dos and don'ts in innovation? (00:30:04) Looking ahead: What are the biggest challenges facing AI today, and how are they being addressed? (00:31:49) Looking back: ChatGPT’s Innovation Rockstar moment (00:33:36) If you could ask us, humans, just one question, what would it be? (00:35:00) *** FEEDBACK WELCOME If you would like to give us feedback on this episode or know someone who also has some thrilling stories or insights to share from the world of corporate innovation (maybe yourself?), just shoot us a note at info@innovationrockstars.show. ***LISTEN - LIKE - SHARE You like our show? Then leave us a rating or a review and share it with colleagues and friends and whomever! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovation-rockstars/message