Steven Cooper, CEO at Fairstone, on the First 100 Days as CEO

Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium: How Great CEOs Stay Ahead of the Curve

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, joins Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, to explore what it takes to succeed as a CEO in today’s fast-changing business environment. As organisations navigate increasing complexity and constant change, the demands on CEOs continue to evolve. In this episode, Mike shares insights from his leadership journey, reflecting on stepping into the top role, building high-performing teams and staying focused on long-term strategy. Drawing on his experience as CEO of enfinium, Mike discusses the challenges facing chief executives today, along with the importance of continuous leadership development, self-awareness and maintaining an external perspective. Discussion points include: * Mike’s career journey and pathway to becoming a CEO * The surprises and challenges of stepping into a first CEO role * Navigating the critical first 100 days and balancing learning with decisive action * Early wins and key lessons learned from mistakes * How CEOs can communicate effectively and keep teams focused amid constant change * The role of feedback, data and independent perspective in leadership effectiveness * Approaches to self-development as a CEO and developing the leadership team * Advice for first-time CEOs on maintaining strategic focus and avoiding operational overload A must-listen for CEOs looking to sharpen their leadership impact, strengthen strategic focus and lead with confidence through complexity.

Claire Ainscough, CPO at Ocado on Leading People and Culture

Claire Ainscough, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Ocado Group joins Bridgette Hall to explore what it takes to lead the people agenda in a fast-moving, technology-driven business. As organisations navigate rapid advances in automation, robotics and digital innovation the role of the Chief People Officer continues to evolve. In this episode Claire shares how people leaders can shape culture, design organisations for speed and innovation and ensure the workforce is equipped for the future in a business operating at the intersection of technology and large-scale operations. Drawing on her experience at Ocado Claire reflects on her leadership journey, the realities of stepping into the CPO role in a complex global business and how People functions can drive strategic impact while supporting high performance across diverse teams. Discussion points include: * Claire’s leadership journey and what attracted her to Ocado * How the CPO role balances day-to-day leadership with long-term strategic impact * Designing organisations and cultures that support innovation, pace and high performance * Workforce planning, skills and reskilling as automation and robotics evolve * Attracting and retaining critical engineering and digital talent * What the high-performing People function of the future will look like A must-listen for senior people leaders looking to build high-performing organisations, navigate technological change and shape the future of work.

The Future of Executive Leadership and High Performance

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast Andrew Darfoor, SID, Post Office & Board Mentor at Criticaleye, and Jodene Young, Chief People Officer at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), join Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, for a discussion on the leadership trends shaping today’s executive teams and what it takes to build high-performing leadership at the top of organisations. In this episode, Andrew and Jodene explore how executive leadership is evolving in response to shifting expectations around performance, culture and capability. The conversation looks at changing C-suite dynamics, the growing influence of the Board in shaping leadership strength, and how senior teams can better navigate tension, align effectively and prepare for the future. Drawing on their experience across complex, regulated and high-performing environments, they reflect on how definitions of “high performance” at executive level are changing, and what organisations need to do to build leaders who can thrive amid sustained uncertainty and change. Discussion points include: * The key leadership trends currently shaping executive teams * How the definition of high performance at executive level has evolved over the past five years * The tensions between growth, cost and culture – and how the C-suite can navigate them * What effective CEO–CPO–CFO relationships look like in practice * Where organisations should focus leadership development investment for maximum impact * Whether capability building is primarily a learning, leadership or cultural challenge * The role of the Chair and Board in developing executive capability * What will define exceptional leaders in the next five years, and the capabilities currently being underestimated A must-listen for senior executives, Board members and people leaders focused on strengthening leadership capability and building high-performing, future-ready organisations.

Cyber Resilience — How Secure Are You, Really? (ft. Jon Rigby)

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast Jon Rigby CBE, Senior Cyber Advisor and former Chief Cyber Officer at Liberty Specialty Markets, joins Jacob Ambrose Willson, Senior Editor at Criticaleye, to explore what it truly takes for organisations to build cyber resilience in an increasingly complex and unpredictable threat landscape. With over 40 years experience across the Royal Air Force, intelligence, cyber operations and commercial advisory roles, Jon offers a unique perspective on how cyber risk is evolving and why many organisations still underestimate its scale. He explores common misconceptions about cyber attackers, the realities of attribution and state involvement and why cyber must be treated as a strategic business risk rather than a technical issue. The discussion also looks at how Boards can move beyond a tick box approach and where organisations most often fall short in understanding and managing cyber risk. Discussion points include: * Who is behind today’s cyber attacks and how targeting models differ * The reality of state sponsored cyber activity and the challenge of attribution * Why Boards often fall into a box ticking approach to cyber risk * How organisations can better quantify and understand cyber impact * The importance of independent challenge and realistic testing * Why cyber resilience depends on preparation, rehearsal and culture * Common blind spots that lead to failure during live incidents * The role of third parties in expanding organisational risk exposure A must listen for senior leaders seeking to strengthen cyber resilience, elevate Board level understanding and lead with confidence in managing evolving cyber risk.

Building Beyond Borders – Leadership and Expansion Strategy (ft. Nick Burns)

Criticaleye's Inspiring Leaders Podcast Nick Burns, CEO of Reward Gateway | Edenred, joins Criticaleye’s Senior Editor Bridgette Hall to share his perspective on what it takes to deliver successful international expansion in today’s complex business environment. Reflecting on the growth story of Reward Gateway and its £1 billion merger with Edenred, the podcast explores how leadership teams can scale across multiple geographies while navigating strategic, operational and cultural challenges. Nick also shares insights on the role of M&A, investor influence and how executives can align stakeholders around ambitious global growth plans. Discussion points include: * The evolution of Reward Gateway and the key milestones in its growth journey * Lessons from leading a major cross-border merger and integrating businesses at scale * Why organisations expand beyond domestic markets and the strategic rationale behind international growth * How leadership teams determine which geographies to enter and when * The role of M&A versus organic growth in international expansion strategies * How to assess and manage cultural and operational integration risks * The role of private equity investors in shaping and accelerating expansion plans * How leadership teams align around high-stakes decisions and differing risk perspectives * Balancing the demands of leading a business while driving international growth * The importance of external advisors and support networks during complex expansion programmes * Key advice for leadership teams embarking on their first major international expansion