The Innovation Brief

Innovation Without a Playbook, with Dirk Ploss, Beiersdorf

Innovation Without a Playbook, with Dirk Ploss In this episode of The Innovation Brief Podcast, hosts Wil Benton and Gabi Matic speak with Dirk Ploss, digital pioneer and Associate Director Early, Innovation at Beiersdorf, about what three decades of building at the edge of the possible actually looks like, and what it teaches you about innovation, transformation, and getting things done. Dirk shares how his early career in advertising shaped a resilience that carried him through founding startups, leading e-commerce transformation before the term was widely understood, and driving innovation inside one of the world's most recognisable FMCG companies. The episode also explores: • Why emotional transformation is the hardest layer of any digital or business transformation • What founding four startups (and watching two of them fail) teaches you that success never could • How large corporations can move faster than startups when aligned around a shared goal • Building teams that tell you the truth, and why that is the most important thing a leader can do • Why most productivity systems fail, and the DIRK framework Dirk is writing his next book around • What it means to operate without guarantees, and how to keep building anyway • The difference between doing the right thing and doing things right At its core, this conversation is about what innovation actually demands of the people who practise it: not just tools or frameworks, but character, the capacity to tolerate uncertainty, hire well, and stay curious when the path runs out. So, as organisations face pressure to transform faster than ever before: how do we build the resilience, the honesty, and the long-term thinking that real innovation requires? Follow Dirk Ploss: linkedin.com/in/dirk-ploss [http://linkedin.com/in/dirk-ploss] To Listen Elsewhere: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ppEcvpGYruz6VdXu21A96 [https://open.spotify.com/show/3ppEcvpGYruz6VdXu21A96] Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-innovation-brief/id1831453913 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-innovation-brief/id1831453913] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InnovationBrief [https://www.youtube.com/@InnovationBrief]  Contact Us Thanks for tuning in to The Innovation Brief, the podcast for the people building, funding, and governing innovation - inside corporates, governments, and ecosystems across the globe. Bi-weekly conversations with the leaders shaping the future. Find out more: Website: https://www.innovationbrief.co [https://www.innovationbrief.co/] Email: hello@innovationbrief.co [hello@innovationbrief.co]  Follow us on social media: Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/posts/?feedView=all] Subscribe on Substack: https://innovationbrief.substack.com/ [https://innovationbrief.substack.com/] The Innovation Brief is produced by Metta. Metta focuses on research into innovation & entrepreneurship, programme design and delivery, and ecosystem building for more sustainable and resilient futures. Learn more about Metta: https://www.metta.partners [https://www.metta.partners/] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/]  Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mettatalks

Thomas Boermans: AI, RISK, & the FUTURE OF POWER | Inside Smart Energy at E.ON

How To Drive Better Energy Decisions: From A to Z In this episode of The Innovation Brief Podcast, hosts Matt Briggs and Gabriella G. Hernandez speak with Thomas Boermans, Head of Trend Intelligence at E.ON, about how innovation leadership is evolving inside one of Europe’s largest energy companies. Thomas shares how foresight has shifted from trend-spotting to becoming a core part of strategic decision-making. This includes supporting everything from setting strategic objectives to navigating disruption in the energy sector innovation space. The episode also explores: * Smart grid technologies and how smart grids are reshaping energy systems * How ethical AI supports foresight without replacing human judgement * The role of data governance implementation and data governance tools in enabling better decisions * What new innovation leadership looks like in complex organisations * How social impact and humanitarian innovation are increasingly tied to energy transformation * Bridging the gap between theoretical foresight and practical, daily strategic application * Building resilient, future-focused organisations with The Innovation Brief mindset At its core, this conversation is about transformative work: how organisations can move beyond reacting to change and start actively shaping what comes next.  So, as energy systems, technology, and society continue to evolve: how do we make sure the decisions we’re making today are truly aligned with the future we want to build? Follow Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-boermans-07701a5/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-boermans-07701a5/] Head of Trend Intelligence at E.ON SE, Advisory Board Member at Themis Foresight To Listen Elsewhere: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ppEcvpGYruz6VdXu21A96?si=8cc299071e374f8d [https://open.spotify.com/show/3ppEcvpGYruz6VdXu21A96?si=8cc299071e374f8d]Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-innovation-brief/id1831453913 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-innovation-brief/id1831453913] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InnovationBrief [https://www.youtube.com/@InnovationBrief] Contact Us Thanks for tuning in to The Innovation Brief, the podcast for the people building, funding, and governing innovation - inside corporates, governments, and ecosystems across the globe. Bi-weekly conversations with the leaders shaping the future. Find out more: Website: https://www.innovationbrief.co [https://www.innovationbrief.co/] Email: hello@innovationbrief.co [hello@innovationbrief.co]  Follow us on social media: Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/posts/?feedView=all] Subscribe on Substack: https://innovationbrief.substack.com/ [https://innovationbrief.substack.com/] The Innovation Brief is produced by Metta. Metta focuses on research into innovation & entrepreneurship, programme design and delivery, and ecosystem building for more sustainable and resilient futures. Learn more about Metta: https://www.metta.partners [https://www.metta.partners/] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/]  Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mettatalks

Innovation at the Frontlines of Global Hunger with Sandra Raad, UN WFP Innovation Accelerator

Sandra Raad has spent a decade building innovation capacity inside one of the world's most complex humanitarian organisations. Her verdict? Innovation is not a silver bullet - and in a world where 318 million people face acute hunger, that clarity matters. In this episode, Sandra (Head of Innovation Network at the United Nations World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator) joins Innovation Brief co-hosts Gabriella G. Hernandez and Stephanie Shaar to talk about what innovation actually means when lives are on the line - not the shiny tech version, but the unglamorous, human-centred, politically aware work of making new ideas stick inside large institutions under extreme pressure. Sandra explains what WFP Innovation has built over the past decade: an award-winning community of 600 internal champions, AI-enabled supply chain tools that generate millions in savings, and programmes designed from the ground up for people living in fragile, conflict-affected environments.  At WFP, innovation is fundamentally about doing more with less - stretching every dollar further, compressing delivery timelines from weeks to hours, and finding smarter pathways to reach more of the 318 million people facing acute hunger today. She also talks honestly about what innovation cannot do - replace political will, resolve structural inequality, or prevent crises. In a humanitarian context, innovation is a powerful enabler, but it works alongside structural change, not in place of it. We also go somewhere most innovation podcasts don't: the emotional weight carried by people doing this work, why protecting innovators' mental health is a leadership responsibility, and how Sandra herself navigates hope and resilience when the world feels relentlessly difficult. If you work in innovation, impact, or humanitarian response - or if you simply want a more honest conversation about what it takes to make ideas matter - this one is worth your time. Learn more and get involved: * UN WFP Innovation Accelerator:  https://innovation.wfp.org/ * Support WFP via the Share the Meal app - it costs less than $1 to feed one person for a day: https://sharethemeal.org/ * Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-raad/ Contact Us Thanks for tuning in to The Innovation Brief, the podcast for the people building, funding, and governing innovation - inside corporates, governments, and ecosystems across the globe. Bi-weekly conversations with the leaders shaping the future. Find out more: Website: https://www.innovationbrief.co [https://www.innovationbrief.co/] Email: hello@innovationbrief.co [hello@innovationbrief.co]  Follow us on social media: Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/posts/?feedView=all] Subscribe on Substack: https://innovationbrief.substack.com/ [https://innovationbrief.substack.com/] The Innovation Brief is produced by Metta. Metta focuses on research into innovation & entrepreneurship, programme design and delivery, and ecosystem building for more sustainable and resilient futures. Learn more about Metta: https://www.metta.partners [https://www.metta.partners/] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/]  Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mettatalks

Leaps of Faith: Entrepreneurship, Empathy and Ecosystems with Alejandro Ortega, StartLife

In this episode of the Innovation Brief, hosts Gabriella G. Hernandez and Gabriela  Matic sit down with Alejandro Ortega, Programme Manager at StartLife, co‑founder and Managing Partner at Deep Impact Venture Partners, and co‑creator of Inspira Diaspora.  Alejandro shares his journey from feeling like an outsider in Costa Rica to launching startups, moving to the Netherlands, and now shaping agritech, foodtech, and cleantech ecosystems across Europe and Latin America. Together, they explore what it really means to take a leap of faith as an entrepreneur, the cultural and structural barriers faced by founders from Latin America and the Caribbean, and why “founder mining” – backing people, not just polished startups – could unlock the region’s true innovation potential. They explore: * How personal history, family values, and a pivotal moment of loss pushed Alejandro to leave a comfortable tech job and commit to impact‑driven entrepreneurship * Why programmes like StartLife are critical in reducing the “valley of death” for early-stage founders, from validation and mentorship to infrastructure and long-term support * The limits of copying Silicon Valley in emerging markets, and what European ecosystems can learn from Latin American resilience and resourcefulness * The role of diaspora communities - from Latin America & the Caribbean to the Balkans - in opening doors, sharing networks, and building new models of capital and cross-border collaboration * The tension between chasing quick financial returns and building long-term, values‑driven impact, and why conviction matters more than hype Whether you’re a founder, ecosystem builder, investor, or part of a global diaspora looking to give back, this conversation offers a candid, hopeful look at how we can build more inclusive, human‑centred innovation ecosystems. Connect with Alejandro via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleortega/ Learn more about StartLife: https://startlife.nl/ Learn more about Deep Impact Venture Partners: https://deepimpact.earth/ Contact Us Thanks for tuning in to The Innovation Brief, the podcast for the people building, funding, and governing innovation - inside corporates, governments, and ecosystems across the globe. Bi-weekly conversations with the leaders shaping the future. Find out more: Website: https://www.innovationbrief.co [https://www.innovationbrief.co/] Email: hello@innovationbrief.co [hello@innovationbrief.co]  Follow us on social media: Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/posts/?feedView=all] Subscribe on Substack: https://innovationbrief.substack.com/ [https://innovationbrief.substack.com/] The Innovation Brief is produced by Metta. Metta focuses on research into innovation & entrepreneurship, programme design and delivery, and ecosystem building for more sustainable and resilient futures. Learn more about Metta: https://www.metta.partners [https://www.metta.partners/] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/]  Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mettatalks

Culture, Code, and Climate: AI, Industry, and the Future of Sustainability with Pina Schlombs, Siemens

In this episode of the Innovation Brief, co-hosts Gabriela Matic and Gabriella G. Hernandez sit down with Pina Schlombs, Sustainability Lead & Senior Thought Leader on Industrial AI at Siemens Digital Industries Software, to explore what it really takes to transform heavy industry in a world of tightening regulations, ambitious climate targets, and rapidly evolving AI.  Drawing on her experience across Siemens and Volkswagen, Pina explains why what most people consider “innovation” is actually optimisation - and why true transformation starts with rethinking operating models, not just adding new tools. This episode unpacks how digital backbones, data-driven decision-making, and AI-powered design are enabling Siemens and its customers to cut emissions, meet regulatory demands, and create new commercial opportunities. Pina shares concrete examples, from eco-design guidelines embedded directly into R&D workflows to AI systems that propose product design changes while balancing cost, manufacturability, and environmental impact. Throughout the conversation, we dig into the human side of change: culture, talent, and leadership. Pina contrasts organisations that “play not to lose” with those that “play to win,” and reflects on the role of networks like the Sustainability Circle in helping leaders navigate complex decisions, build new capabilities, and move faster - without losing sight of responsibility. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why digitalisation has become a critical lever for sustainability in heavy, high-impact industries * How to think about footprint vs. handprint when assessing the true impact of AI and digital infrastructure * What differentiates genuine innovation from incremental optimisation, and why that distinction matters now * How culture, talent, and cross-functional collaboration enable (or block) large-scale sustainability transformation Connect with Pina via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pinaschlombs/ Follow Siemens Digital Industries Software: https://www.linkedin.com/company/siemenssoftware/ Learn more about the Sustainability Circle: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sustainability-circle/ Contact Us Thanks for tuning in to The Innovation Brief, the podcast for the people building, funding, and governing innovation - inside corporates, governments, and ecosystems across the globe. Bi-weekly conversations with the leaders shaping the future. Find out more: Website: https://www.innovationbrief.co [https://www.innovationbrief.co/] Email: hello@innovationbrief.co [hello@innovationbrief.co]  Follow us on social media: Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovation-brief/posts/?feedView=all] Subscribe on Substack: https://innovationbrief.substack.com/ [https://innovationbrief.substack.com/] The Innovation Brief is produced by Metta. Metta focuses on research into innovation & entrepreneurship, programme design and delivery, and ecosystem building for more sustainable and resilient futures. Learn more about Metta: https://www.metta.partners [https://www.metta.partners/] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mettatalks/]  Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mettatalks