Laura Desmond: The Future of Advertising, AI & Leadership

Laura Desmond: The Future of Advertising, AI & Leadership

Laura Desmond joins MENTOR to share the leadership lessons that shaped her journey from rising through the advertising industry to becoming CEO of Smartly and one of the most respected figures in global media and marketing. Having led some of the world’s biggest agency businesses at Publicis Groupe and Starcom MediaVest Group, Laura reflects on the defining moments, risks and reinventions that helped her navigate decades of transformation across advertising, technology and leadership. She explains why great leadership starts with purpose, why the hardest problems always reach the CEO, and how embracing innovation before the rest of the industry became one of the defining themes of her career. Laura also opens up about the realities of operating at the top level — from managing pressure and making high-stakes decisions to balancing ambition, culture and human connection in an increasingly digital world. The conversation explores the future of advertising in the age of AI, the shift from smart targeting to intelligent creative, and why trust, storytelling and collaboration still matter more than ever. Honest, insightful and full of practical wisdom, this is a conversation about leadership, reinvention, technology and building winning teams in times of constant change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Piers North: Why Journalism Still Matters in the AI Era

Piers North joins MENTOR to share the leadership lessons that shaped his journey from aspiring journalist to CEO of Reach PLC, the UK’s largest commercial news publisher. Having started his career in journalism before moving into the rapidly evolving world of digital media at Yahoo, Piers reflects on the setbacks, risks and pivotal moments that ultimately led him to the top of one of Britain’s biggest media businesses. He explains why storytelling remains the most important skill in leadership, why redundancy taught him more than success ever could, and how leading a public company means constantly balancing short-term pressure with long-term vision. Piers also opens up about the realities of being CEO — from loneliness and difficult decision-making to managing stress, building trust and staying grounded when everyone around you sees the title before the person. The conversation explores the future of journalism in the age of AI, the challenges facing trusted media, and why accountable reporting still matters in a world increasingly driven by platforms and creators. Honest, thoughtful and full of practical insight, this is a conversation about leadership, resilience, modern media and navigating uncertainty at the highest level.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Kerry Glazer OBE on Reinventing Leadership & Changing the Industry From Within

Kerry Glazer joins MENTOR to share the leadership lessons that shaped her extraordinary journey from NHS nurse to one of the most respected figures in the UK advertising industry. Former CEO of AAR and recipient of an OBE for services to advertising and charity, Kerry reflects on the moments, mentors and challenges that defined her career across nearly five decades. She explains why the best leaders lead with kindness, why shaking up the status quo is essential for real change, and how resilience, empathy and generosity became the foundation of her leadership style. Kerry also opens up about imposter syndrome at the highest levels of business, balancing leadership with motherhood, creating healthier workplace cultures, and the industry-wide work behind Time To, the initiative tackling sexual harassment in advertising. Honest, thoughtful and full of practical wisdom, this is a conversation about leadership, culture, courage and building a career that creates lasting impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Alessandra Bellini OBE: What Tesco Taught Me About Leadership

Alessandra Bellini joins MENTOR to share what it really takes to lead through constant change at some of the world’s biggest consumer brands. From starting as an advertising apprentice in Italy to leading customer strategy at Tesco and spending more than two decades at Unilever, she reflects on the defining moments, mistakes, and leadership lessons that shaped her career. She explains why marketers must think like business leaders, how to build trust and influence at board level, and what she learned navigating COVID, Brexit, and the cost-of-living crisis at Tesco. Honest, thoughtful, and packed with practical wisdom, this is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and keeping your feet on the ground when the pressure is highest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Matt Brittin - What It Takes to Lead at Google

Matt Brittin joins MENTOR to share what it really takes to lead one of the world’s most influential companies. From Olympic-level sport to running Google across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, he reflects on the highs, failures, and defining moments of his career. He breaks down how to build high-performing teams, why owning mistakes matters, and the simple leadership principle he learned from Larry Page: put the best people on the most important work—and get out of the way. Straight-talking and full of insight, this is leadership without the fluff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]