Nottingham Business School Business Leaders

Holly Cooke – Building a business that people can connect with

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast Episode 82 Holly Cooke – Building a business that people can connect with SUMMARY Holly Cooke is the founder and chief executive of The Lonely Girls Club – the fast-growing social enterprise that has transformed a simple friendship group into a nationwide business with more than 160,000 members across eight British cities. The 29-year-old launched Lonely Girls after struggling with loneliness when she moved to London. Now her organisation hosts scores of paid-for events every month, ranging from brunches and walks to theatre trips and football nights. In episode 82 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders Podcast, Holly tells Honorary Visiting Professor Mike Sassi how she started the club as a sideline, while holding down a full-time corporate marketing role. Now she has turned her personal project into a fully-fledged business – and a community of like-minded women. Holly says: “It’s about being able to help people… and pay the bills at the same time.” INTRODUCTION • Entrepreneur Holly Cooke is founder and CEO of The Lonely Girls Club. • She was born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, then studied Fashion Communication at Nottingham Trent University. • She moved to London in 2018 aged 22 – to take up a graduate marketing role – but struggled with loneliness, finding it difficult to make friends in a big city. • In November 2018 she launched the London Lonely Girls Club as a small Facebook group, with a handful of women attending the first meet-up. • The club evolved into “a community based on friendship, support, and connection among women,” with its own membership website and newsletter. • The Lonely Girls Club now has more 150,000 members across eight cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Stoke. • Every month, the organisation hosts dozens of paid-for, social events such as brunches, walks, and creative activities that are designed to generate “meaningful relationships”. • The LGC also aims to address wider social issues around loneliness, particularly among young adults navigating life after education. • In 2025 Holly received national recognition, with a UK Points of Light Award from The Prime Minister’s Office, for her contribution to tackling loneliness and building community. TAKEAWAYS 1. The strongest businesses often begin with a personal experience that people can connect with. Holly says: “The Lonely Girls Club was very much all about my own lived experience.” Leadership takeaway: Authenticity creates trust. 2. Purpose-driven organisations need to be commercially sustainable if they want to survive long term. Holly says: “It’s about being able to pay the bills… and help people at the same time.” Leadership takeaway: Impact and profitability don’t have to compete (with each other). 3. Leaders should test ideas carefully before scaling them across an organisation. Holly says: “I will try it in one city first before going, ‘let’s do that in all eight!’” Leadership takeaway: Sustainable growth comes from learning, refining and stress-testing systems. 4. One of the hardest parts of leadership is learning to trust other people. Holly says: “I have had to learn to let go.” Leadership takeaway: Delegation is essential if an organisation is going to grow. 5. Communities grow when people are represented. Holly says: “People need to see themselves reflected in what we do.” Leadership takeaway: Real connection is often more powerful than polished branding. 6. Listening to feedback is critical to growth and innovation. Holly says: “[For a business] Feedback is everything.” Leadership takeaway: Successful leaders build cultures that constantly learn and adapt. 7. Founders shouldn’t wait for perfection before starting something meaningful. Holly says: “It doesn’t need to look like a big, shiny, incredible thing… to be important.” Leadership takeaway: Small beginnings can create lasting impact. RELATED LINKS Find out more about The Lonely Girls Club here [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.llgc.co.uk%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C7a9d72e444f446ee7e0408deba635fec%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639153133234204097%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=l5jzMpJaiZvYj3MuGitJQf8miPLUr7ta2EGv55aLK3U%3D&reserved=0] Read about Holly Cooke on her LinkedIn pages [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fholly-cooke-4bb06b134%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C7a9d72e444f446ee7e0408deba635fec%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639153133234236631%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=iZhFSoRF5XZWhBOBZM91BugyR6VUkOEqH0SxOF52X%2Bc%3D&reserved=0] Read about the success of Holly’s London Lonely Girls Club here [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-england-london-64963937&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C7a9d72e444f446ee7e0408deba635fec%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639153133234255754%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Q%2Fp%2Fxb29bMVJlqZP%2FHHH0qZABjfciKlVZge4AjBy3ec%3D&reserved=0] Holly also featured in the pages of the Washington Post [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flifestyle%2F2023%2F04%2F12%2Flonely-girls-women-club-friendship%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C7a9d72e444f446ee7e0408deba635fec%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639153133234273433%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Gr3hE3IGKybMkpfRJBwI36A2pUZf%2B9%2BPZWAfwWm6RMQ%3D&reserved=0] If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with the founder of the Lonely Girls Club Holly Cooke, why not listen to previous episodes with… • The co-founder of the Amazing If… company Sarah Ellis [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=7kd4596fx0] • Entrepreneur and CEO of £1bn international software business Ideagen, Ben Dorks [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=jmmmr8musk] • The Global Head of Emerging Talent at Rolls Royce Ellie Long [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast] • The former CEO of the Financial Ombudsman Service Caroline Wayman [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=e68g23kg7v]

Kate Butler – Leaders must be curious

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast Episode 81 Kate Butler – Leaders must be curious SUMMARY Kate Butler is the deputy managing director of Via East Midlands. She is also an expert on the complex challenge of maintaining Britain’s crumbling roads. As a senior executive at Via, she oversees an £87 million turnover and a workforce of 700 staff dedicated – among many other things – to filling Nottinghamshire’s potholes. In episode 81 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, she offers a candid look at the "sharp end" of public service, managing a daunting £400m maintenance backlog amidst tightening financial constraints. Reflecting on a career that has spanned more than a dozen different roles at Nottinghamshire County Council, Kate explains how she transitioned from an international banking graduate training scheme, to become a cornerstone of local infrastructure planning. She tells Honorary Visiting Professor Mike Sassi that effective leadership in the public sector is defined by transparency and the ability to assess competing regional needs. Perhaps her most striking message is that leaders don’t need to be technical experts to succeed in engineering – what they need most is curiosity. "Luckily, I’m incredibly nosy," she says. INTRODUCTION to Kate Butler • Kate Butler is deputy managing director at Via East Midlands, a company with 700 staff and an £87 million turnover. • Via is a Teckal company – an arm's length organisation where local authority Nottinghamshire County Council is sole shareholder and at least 80 per cent of its work is for the public sector. • Kate manages critical infrastructure and roads in Nottinghamshire. • She previously worked for Nottinghamshire County Council. Her project management expertise meant she played a big role in the creation of Via East Midlands between 2014 and 2015. • Kate earned a degree in geography before starting her career on a graduate management training scheme at a London-based. She moved to Nottinghamshire in the early 2000s. • She attributes her success to her being able to maintain enthusiasm, utilise mentors… and be "incredibly nosy”! LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS from Kate Butler 1 A leader need not be a technical expert to manage large, specialised teams: "My background in project and programme management is one of the reasons I was developed into this role." 2 Curiosity is vital for understanding how places work: "I'm incredibly nosy anyway, which I think helps." 3 Maintaining enthusiasm is essential for driving and motivating other people: "My enthusiasm is still here, undimmed, after twenty years." 4 Aspiring leaders should proactively take every opportunity presented to them: "No opportunities should ever be wasted because, at some point, ten years later, you might think – I'm sure I understood something from that!” 5 Mentorship plays a critical role in professional growth: "I've had some mentors in my career… and some managers that weren't so fantastic. You learn as much from them as you do from the good mentors!” 6 Leaders should develop "soft skills" and an interest in the wider political and social landscape. "I'm interested in politics. I'm interested in the way it works… so that helps." 7 Transparency is the best way to handle high public expectations "We’re developing a new customer service strategy which has got communications written right through it..." 8 Leaders must balance the need for immediate reactions with the ability to take a longer view: "I think it's about having a medium to long-term vision..." 9 Celebrating success is most effective when it is shared across an entire team. "It's just a wonderful way to work." 10 A wider purpose can be as sustainable a motivator as financial gain: "I had a good job with a bank… I just felt I needed to do something that would involve more giving back to society." RELATED LINKS Find out more about Kate Butler… • Through her LinkedIn profile [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkate-butler-mba-cmgr-cmci-b3840782%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C771d7a1ee70f4cca25ad08deb0e96e11%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639142713802578971%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=yb9ZJwAekKCGfU9ZAtGJ8mRpfgZgMCzTpmtlSs0%2BiZ8%3D&reserved=0] If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with Kate Butler, listen to previous episodes with… • The MD of Boots UK Anthony Hemmerdinger [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=ct5ekrfzvc] • The Global Head of Emerging Talent at engineering giant Rolls-Royce Ellie Long [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=0n1mrabx9n] • The former Chief Exec of the Financial Ombudsman Service Caroline Wayman [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=e68g23kg7v] • The BBC’s Deputy Chief People Officer Sarah Gregory [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=rbdonr6fjg]

Peter Cheese – Make ‘good work’ your North Star

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast Episode 80 SUMMARY Peter Cheese – Make ‘good work’ your North Star Peter Cheese is long-serving CEO of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development – and one of the UK’s most influential voices on the future of work. His book The New World of Work is often cited as a must-read for anyone in leadership. In Episode 80 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, he offers a stark warning to business leaders: adapt to uncertainty, or risk being left behind. Author of the book The New World of Work, Peter reflects on 14 years at the helm of the CIPD, where he helped shape thinking on skills and workplace culture for more than 160,000 members worldwide. He tells Honorary Visiting Professor Mike Sassi that leadership in 2026 is defined less by certainty and control, and more by humility, adaptability and ethical responsibility. His most striking message is about ‘good work’; that is, work with purpose, fairness and meaning. “Leaders must make ‘good work’ their North Star…” he says, “…guiding decisions not just for profit, but for people and society.” INTRODUCTION • Peter Cheese studied engineering at university but then spent more than 30 years at international professional services company Accenture, joining in the early 1980s and rising to become a Global Managing Director. • During the 1990s and 2000s he helped organisations design international workforce and outsourcing strategies. • In 2012 Peter became Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). • In the next 14 years he transformed the CIPD into a globally recognised authority, supporting more than 160,000 members worldwide and increasing its influence in government policy, workplace standards and skills development. • He published his seminal book The New World of Work in 2021, anticipating AI disruption, labour market shifts and changing leadership demands. • He became a leading advocate for “good work,” ethical AI, and multi-stakeholder business, advising governments and contributing to national debates on employment reform. • Earlier this year he announced he would step down as CIPD CEO, marking the end of a significant era in UK workplace leadership. LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS from Peter Cheese 1. Collaboration is essential in solving complex problems “The more that we can connect and reach out and learn from each other… the better.” 2. Leadership now operates in permanent uncertainty “I think we are now in times of greater uncertainty than any of us can remember.” 3. People are now a core strategic priority “Business leaders are embracing, much more, an understanding of organisation, people and culture.” 4. Humility is a critical leadership trait “We can’t have all of the answers… but we must have the ability to listen and to learn.” 5. AI must be implemented responsibly, not just efficiently “Technology should be used [by leaders] in responsible ways to make sure that the jobs… are good for people.” 6. Leaders must actively shape the future – not react to it “The best way for leaders to predict the future is to help to shape it.” 7. Multi-stakeholder thinking is now essential for leaders “Other important stakeholders include our customers… our suppliers… our employees… the communities… and the environment.” 8. Adaptability and agility are more important, for leaders, than rigid planning “[The crucial skill is} our ability to be agile and to navigate a fast-changing world.” 9. Leaders must be comfortable managing paradox “Leaders need to deal with paradox and uncertainty because that is the reality.” 10. Inclusion and diversity drive better decision-making “If we only ever surround ourselves with people like us… that is not driving innovation, it drives groupthink.” 11. Curiosity and critical thinking are leaders’ most important future skills “Can you think critically… not just take things at face value?” RELATED LINKS • Peter Cheese discusses his 14 years at the CIPD, on HR Grapevine [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hrgrapevine.com%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2026-04-16-ive-put-hr-on-the-map-peter-cheese-reflects-on-14-years-leading-the-cipd&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C02db22e43a744e7134a008de9c94b9e1%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639120359751047155%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aSKK%2B9pDr5fwWECMqWO2H2SH3JWvQqegoqdgInz4cHA%3D&reserved=0] • Peter Cheese talks about the concept of ‘good work’, on the CIPD website [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.cipd.co.uk%2Fcipd-blogs%2Fb%2Fpeter_cheese%2Fposts%2Fa-new-era-of-good-work%23gref&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C02db22e43a744e7134a008de9c94b9e1%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639120359751080496%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=G6QfwwNekW3gO7VzhR55wuhy6Ms%2Fj5D1amK1rJK1oTU%3D&reserved=0] • Peter Cheese talks about HR’s role in a responsible business, to Personnel Today [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.personneltoday.com%2Fhr%2Fcipd-ace-2024-keynote%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C02db22e43a744e7134a008de9c94b9e1%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639120359751115779%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=6md%2FzGMDlErAOSCKb46TMKZ4VHG5Lr1SPgqT4zWqAeA%3D&reserved=0] If you enjoyed this episode NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with Peter Cheese, listen to previous episodes with… • the former VP of Manufacturing at Toyota Europe Marvin Cooke OBE [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=zkf4klnhrx] • the MD of Boots UK Anthony Hemmerdinger [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=7kd4596fx0] • co-founder of the Amazing If company and Squiggly Careers theory, Sarah Ellis [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=7kd4596fx0]

Anthony Hemmerdinger – The dangers of living on past glories

Episode 79 SUMMARY Anthony Hemmerdinger – The dangers of living on past glories Anthony Hemmerdinger is one of the UK retail sector’s most experienced operators. As MD of Boots UK, he leads a business that has been at the heart of the high street for more than 175 years. In Episode 79 of the Nottingham Business School Business Leaders’ Podcast, he reflects on a career spanning more than three decades with brands including Boots, Asda and Marks & Spencer – and on his journey from Saturday shop floor assistant to Managing Director. Speaking to Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi, he discusses the future of the high street, the importance of human connection in retail, and the challenge of modernising heritage brands without losing their identity. He also shares his leadership insights, talking about clarity, honesty and the day he turned up at a store just after staff had been told about redundancies. Reflecting on the pace of transformation in retail, he says: “If we do not change… if we do not evolve… we will not be here!” INTRODUCTION • Anthony Hemmerdinger was appointed Managing Director of Boots UK & Ireland, in November 2024. • He oversees around 2,000 Boots stores and more than 50,000 employees, leading the company’s strategy across health, pharmacy and beauty retail. • He has more than 30 years’ experience in UK retail, having held senior roles at major high-street brands including M&S, Sainsbury's, and Carphone Warehouse. • He spent 17 years at M&S, working in a range of roles before moving into wider retail leadership positions. • From 2016 to 2022 he worked at Asda, becoming Chief Operating Officer and overseeing store operations across the chain during the Covid-19 pandemic. • In September 2022 he joined Boots as Retail & Operations Director, responsible for store operations, logistics and transformation projects. • His promotion to MD in 2024, made headline news as Boots accelerated its store refit and healthcare expansion strategy. • Anthony began his retail career with a Saturday job at Boots as a teenager, in Manchester. He now lives in Sheffield with his family. SIX LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS from Anthony Hemmerdinger 1. Leaders must maintain direct contact with staff and customers… human interaction is key: “Making that connection with customers, with patients, with colleagues… is the single most important lesson that I’ve learned. I will be disappointed if I don’t spend at least a day a week out in stores talking to colleagues, talking to customers.” 2. Good leaders will communicate not only decisions but also the reasoning behind them: “The fundamentals of change… [involve not only] giving clarity to the team about what you want to change, but [also] crucially why.” 3. Leaders need to keep learning – and stepping outside their comfort zones: “Be curious… listen more than you speak… and as soon as you start feeling a little bit comfortable, go and find something that stretches you again.” 4. Leaders must adapt quickly in times of crisis – as the Pandemic showed: “We literally were having to reinvent overnight the way in which we ran and operated our stores… the speed of decision making, the boldness of decisions that we had to take.” 5. Organisations must not rely on past success: “It is dangerous just to live on past glories. You have to be prepared to break some things to move it forward. If we do not change, if we do not evolve… we will not be here!” 6. Effective leadership involves absorbing information from others and understanding different perspectives: “Listen more than you speak… soak up as much as you can, expose yourself to different environments and challenges.” RELATED LINKS Find out more about Anthony Hemmerdinger… • On the Boots website [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boots-uk.com%2Fnewsroom%2Fexperts%2Fanthony-hemmerdinger%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C24cbdd8cb69c4088aaaf08de8bf45891%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639102078726093559%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=v%2BB5oDO6fQigSXwN7JykTIIDdD0ZymtlsDt4umWkxZ8%3D&reserved=0] • In this Retail Gazette article [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.retailgazette.co.uk%2Fblog%2F2026%2F01%2Fboots-ceo-steps-down-chair%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C24cbdd8cb69c4088aaaf08de8bf45891%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639102078726139809%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GLS05bSGsqISFYNAcfHn8Ux%2B20IcfeRBIW1nfZkZSdw%3D&reserved=0] • From his LinkedIn [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fanthony-hemmerdinger-48723870%2F&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7C24cbdd8cb69c4088aaaf08de8bf45891%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639102078726179723%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GA5zSFzgvOAgpDzgwAiP%2FFHoMCRidUUfb4QiRnZgRME%3D&reserved=0] If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with Anthony Hemmerdinger you can listen to previous episodes with… • Former Chief Exec of the Financial Ombudsman Service Caroline Wayman [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=e68g23kg7v] • Entrepreneur, chef, musician and TV celebrity Levi Roots [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=frw9d1pglf] • Former head of the RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford KCB CBE [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=4xts6ioh9s] • The CEO of £1bn global tech giant Ideagen Ben Dorks [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=4xts6ioh9s]

Matthew Blain – Putting people first in a performance-driven world

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast Episode 78 SUMMARY Matthew Blain – Putting people first in a performance-driven world Matthew Blain is a senior HR leader whose career spans some of the UK’s most recognisable institutions – and one of the most demanding ownership environments in business. In Episode 78 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, he reflects on more than two decades of leadership with AstraZeneca, Boots, JD Wetherspoon and University College London. As the current HR Director at private equity-backed Exemplar Health Care, he tells Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi about leadership in the age of AI, the realities of private equity ownership and why HR should sit at the centre of any creative organisation. Matthew also reflects candidly on the mistakes that shaped him – including a pivotal early-career moment that changed how he thought about leadership. He says: “Leadership is a service. You’re in the service of your team.” INTRODUCTION • In 1996 Matthew Blain completed his first degree at Nottingham Trent, a BSc in Business and Quality Management. • In the 2000s, he was National Training Manager at JD Wetherspoon, developing his first large-scale leadership experience. • He then worked in HR roles at global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca then moved into senior HR leadership at Boots. • In 2012, Matthew was awarded a Doctor of Business Administration by the Nottingham Business School. • He was appointed Director of HR at Boots in 2015, then Chief People Officer at University College London in 2019. • In 2022, he was appointed HR Director at Exemplar Health Care, a private equity-backed specialist healthcare provider based in south Yorkshire. TEN LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS from Matthew Blain 1. AI is reshaping work – but not in the simplistic “job loss” narrative… “The reality is that AI is also generating a lot of jobs. There are new jobs coming into the workplace.” Leaders must challenge reductive narratives about AI and instead prepare organisations for job transformation, not just automation. 2. AI increases the volume and complexity of human issues… “Whereas at one time in HR you may have received a grievance that was a paragraph or two. It now comes in as 32 pages, fully referenced with case law!” Technology amplifies your staff’s voice, placing greater pressure on leadership judgment, not less. 3. Human leadership matters more, as tasks become automated… “What it has also done… is move even more emphasis onto human contact.” As operational work is automated, motivation, inspiration, and trust become the true leadership differentiators. 4. Modern leaders don’t add value by having the answers… “Leaders no longer have all the answers… the answers are just too easy to put into ChatGPT.” Modern leadership value lies in asking better questions and enabling others, not information control. 5. Calmness is a leadership asset, not a personality trait… “The word that often comes back for me [from my assessments] is calm… calm means reassuring.” Emotional consistency builds psychological safety. Unpredictability erodes trust faster than poor strategy. 6. Leadership is fundamentally about helping others… “Leadership is a service. You’re in the service of your team.” Leaders exist to remove obstacles, unblock progress, and champion people. 7. Authentic leadership can be learned, not innate… “Very little of it [leadership] is authentic. Most of it is a mixture of things we’ve taken from other people.” Leadership identity is constructed through observation, reflection, and adaptation – not fixed personality. 8. Mentorship is powerful – even when informal… “It’s amazing the difference it can make when you’ve got someone that’s just got a guiding hand on you.” Career progression is often shaped by unplanned sponsorship. Leaders should actively encourage mentoring relationships. 9. Private equity is about pace, not the absence of values… “There’s a caricature that private equity companies are not values led… in my experience, that’s just not true.” Commercial intensity and purpose-led leadership are not mutually exclusive in PE-backed firms. 10. Crisis reveals the true strategic value of HR… “Everything we did [during COVID, at University College] … was tested against our mantra of people first.” People-first decision-making creates institutional resilience – and in the case of University College London, enabled our recovery after the COVID pandemic. RELATED LINKS Find out more about Matthew Blain… • Through his LinkedIn pages [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fmatthewblain%2F%3ForiginalSubdomain%3Duk&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7Cd83a1ae400e6467d1d0c08de7b840482%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639084004117631012%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ap8MJBLe%2F10gYAQEOoTIGltu8mSaZKIKk3A8C9E6liA%3D&reserved=0] • Via the website of Exemplar Health Care [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.exemplarhc.com%2Fabout-us%2Fleadership-team%2Fmatthew-blain&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7Cd83a1ae400e6467d1d0c08de7b840482%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639084004117669416%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=8d%2B1dhqzdKLZ7DAVbGOQDR08Wk7zQxSKZXgbaHAI794%3D&reserved=0] • From when he was appointed Executive Director of HR at University College London [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ucl.ac.uk%2Fnews%2F2019%2Fmay%2Fmatthew-blain-appointed-executive-director-human-resources&data=05%7C02%7Celeanor.bradley%40ntu.ac.uk%7Cd83a1ae400e6467d1d0c08de7b840482%7C8acbc2c5c8ed42c78169ba438a0dbe2f%7C1%7C0%7C639084004117699440%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OY3JC1KMd8QXEfG5ivlwq29WntvctmWhE7rEOr1Onic%3D&reserved=0] If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with Matthew Blain, listen to previous episodes with… • The Global Head of Emerging Talent at engineering giant Rolls-Royce Ellie Long [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=0n1mrabx9n] • The former Chief Exec of the Financial Ombudsman Service Caroline Wayman [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=e68g23kg7v] • The BBC’s Deputy Chief People Officer Sarah Gregory [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=rbdonr6fjg] • The former head of the RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford KCB CBE [https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/academic-schools/nottingham-business-school/about-nbs/business-leaders-podcast?wchannelid=1l32jkbyn6&wmediaid=4xts6ioh9s]