Meet The Leader

Kat Bruce is an eco-entrepreneur who founded NatureMetrics, one of the world's leading nature technology companies measuring the very tiny traces of DNA that organisms leave in the air, water and soil. She's also a former jungle explorer who has undertaken expeditions in the Amazon, working in research stations, riding down tributaries on balsa rafts she's made herself. She shares how such experiences have helped her to be a better leader: to be reflective to find new solutions, to understand different people's unique roles in a team, and to make tough choices quickly. She also shares the potential environmental DNA provides, and why more leaders than ever are understanding the need to leverage data in new ways to tackle their environmental impacts. This episode was recorded at the Sustainable Development Impact Meeting in the World Economic Forum's New York City office during UN Week September 2023.

Forget snacks and gym memberships: Today's worker wants to know you value their family. When Reshma Saujani founded Moms First -- a movement to drive paid leave for families --she already had a successful non-profit under her belt in Girls Who Code. But she quickly learned that advocating for moms and parents uncovers a host of structural barriers that hold back both women and families. In a special conversation recorded at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, she shared how leaders will need to focus on their teams' families to stay competitive and to bridge a host of gaps - including gender pay gaps and labor shortages coming down the line. She also shared how a special AI-powered tool her organization built -- PaidLeave.AI -- is helping thousands better understand leave benefits in New York State and showing how new technologies can expand opportunity in surprising ways.

Leaders from various sectors discuss prioritizing long-term vision, ethical tech deployment, human-centered workplaces, intergenerational equity, and rebuilding trust in leadership during a compilation episode recorded at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting.

What's next for the year ahead? Is a much-promised "soft landing" for certain economies possible? And what new impacts can we expect from inflation? Meet The Leader caught up with International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva at the Annual Meeting in Davos to get her take on what's ahead, including how upcoming elections and other global challenges could make some moves especially tricky in 2024. She discusses the findings of a new IMF report exploring how AI will impact jobs in different economies around the world in the decades to come -- and how leaders can get prepared now. She also shares the mindsets and approaches that can help leaders stay nimble in what could be an unpredictable year -- along with what gives this "die hard" optimist hope.

New approaches to partnering and collaboration will be key to tackling climate action. This will require new mindsets, new systems and connecting with people and groups you might have otherwise overlooked. To better understand how collaboration is evolving, this week's episode talks to Chief Procurement Offers, leaders who do more than acquire goods and services, but who increasingly work across the business and hold a holistic perspective, exposed to everything from the bottom line to changing trade rules, innovations and shifting geopolitical contexts. They share methods they use to collaborate in new ways -- practices any leader can put to work to push climate action forward. In this episode: Rachael De Renzy Channer, Global Head of Sustainability, Egon Zehnder Andrea Fuder, Chief Procurement Officer, Volvo Group Björn Stenecker, Chief Procurement Officer, Vattenfall Dan Bartel, Chief Procurement Officer, Schneider Electric

Diane von Fürstenberg, fashion designer, discusses her life, the creation and success of the wrap dress, and the importance of living and designing one's own life. They also talk about finding inspiration in difficult times and the leadership inspiring change in a village.

Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO, discusses topics including the role of semiconductors, rebuilding supply chains, materials dependence, technological gap in chip technology, and the significance of research and development in the technology industry.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discusses the transformative effects of AI in science, healthcare, and education. The podcast also explores the potential of digital technology on various sectors of the economy and the need for global regulations on emerging technologies. Nadella reflects on leadership changes and emphasizes the importance of conceptual thinking in navigating complexity.

Top leaders share their insights recorded at past Annual Meetings in Davos, Switzerland. They talk about maximizing time, building solutions, effective listening, trust building, collaboration, seeking new perspectives, and the importance of empathy and authenticity in leadership. They also discuss the qualities and challenges of leadership, including courage, vision, and pushing civilization forward.

Swami Sivasubramanian, VP of Data and AI at Amazon Web Services, discusses the importance of democratizing access to AI training, the skills gap in finding AI talent, and the transformative impact of AI on businesses. He also shares various initiatives and resources offered by AWS for developing AI skills, as well as the potential applications of generative AI. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of leadership buy-in and managers' involvement in upskilling efforts for AI, and the challenges and hard work involved in the innovation process.