4-Quarter Lives

In this episode of 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox speaks with Michael King, Managing Director of Senior Response, one of the UK’s first and only client contact management services dedicated to the over-50s market. Established in 2001 Senior Response manages client contact communication, by phone, SMS, email, post, and webchat on behalf of clients. Michael shares his professional journey, starting from his early career with Capital One to his eventual role at Senior Response, a company he first encountered as a client. He explains how Senior Response sets itself apart by employing older agents who can relate to their customers’ life experiences, providing a more empathetic and effective service. He and Avivah discuss the challenges companies face when marketing to older demographics, highlighting the need for tailored approaches that account for their specific life stages. He emphasizes that businesses should recognize the role of adult children in purchasing decisions and adapt their strategies accordingly. The conversation also touches on the importance of flexibility in work environments, particularly in a sector known for high turnover, and how Senior Response maintains high retention by offering adaptable shifts and a supportive culture. Michael King joined Senior Response Ltd in 2018 as Managing Director. He is an experienced Senior Contact Centre Professional with a history of working across multiple industries and businesses, including Dixons Carphone, the Post Office, BNP Paribas and Capital One. His experience includes Contact Centre Operations, Business Process Improvement, Sales Operations, Customer Retention, and Stakeholder Management. He has a degree in Accounting and Business Management from Long Island University. Some Useful Links: * Senior Response website  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

This week on 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Tina Backhouse, the General Manager in the UK of Theramex, a global speciality pharmaceutical company focused on supporting the health needs of women at all stages of life. They discuss the particular health needs of women, particularly as they age, the need for women to monitor key health metrics post menopause, the specific risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia and osteoporosis and the need for research to take better account of different ethnicities and age groups. Tina describes how Theramex addresses these and other health issues, the changing health concerns for women pre- and post-menopause, the value of DEXA scans, other preventative screenings and the increased importance of fitness, diet and exercise habits from the late 40s onwards. They discuss the role of supplements and of HRT treatment. Tina Backhouse has over 25 years’ experience in global senior leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry, launching innovative products across a diverse range of therapy areas in both large and small pharma companies. She joined Theramex to lead the UK Women’s Health business in 2020, helping establish Theramex in the UK as the largest supplier of HRT & Menopause Products. She is passionate about there being equality of healthcare for all women in the UK, and that women have choice in their healthcare options. Some Useful Links: * Theramex UK website * Theramex International website * The British Menopause Society website  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

This week on 4-Quarter Lives Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Nick Viner, co-Founder and Director of Circle Square — a membership community for individuals over 50 focused on positive ageing, personal growth, and purpose in the third quarter of life. Nick shares his insights into creating a vibrant community for people moving into new life chapters, offering a rich programme of curated events, trusted services and a career transition programme. He talks about what motivated him to create Circle Square and who it is for. He emphasises the importance of building a gender-balanced community for social interaction, sharing of wisdom, and adding value to society, and discusses the challenge many face in finding friendships and purpose after their careers end, which Circle Square helps to address. Currently focused on the UK, the aim is to build local chapters globally, starting in New York, and to expand their Planning Your Next Chapter coaching programme worldwide.In his previous career, before launching Circle Square in 2017, Nick spent 20 years at The Boston Consulting Group, helping clients around the world on strategy, business development and leadership. Shifting to the not-for-profit sector, he established and built a $50 million ground-breaking new cultural and community centre in London, called JW3, for the Jewish community and for London as a whole. He is currently Chair of Jewish Museum London, and has served as a trustee or Board member of charities with a strong commitment to education and the arts including Alexander Haus eV, the Architectural Association, the Institute of Imagination, JW3 and WAC Arts. He is a non-executive Director of independent publisher, Profile Books, and a Board member of several grant-giving foundations. Nick studied law at Cambridge and has an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is married with 4 children and 3 grandchildren.Some Useful Links:* Circle Square website* Circle Square’s Planning Your Next Chapter Programme Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

This week on 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Lindsey Beagley, Senior Director of Lifelong University Engagement at Arizona State University. They discuss the growing interest of universities to re-design themselves for the new age of longevity, engaging with people throughout their lives rather than just as the outset. Lindsey describes how Arizona State University is doing so in its various programmes, and in particular their ground-breaking Mirabella University Retirement Community on the ASU Tempe campus – integrating a continuing care retirement community into a university campus. She talks about how older adults involved in the Mirabella program are eager to help young people as well as to continue their own learning, and how this desire to mentor and support younger generations has influenced the program's design and success. Lindsey Beagley currently serves as Senior Director of Lifelong University Engagement at Arizona State University. In this role, she launched Mirabella at ASU, a University Retirement Community on the ASU Tempe campus. She serves on the global council of the Age-Friendly University Global Network and on the board of directors for Heirloom Communities, intergenerational residential housing for low-income older adults and youth aging out of the foster care system. Beagley holds a master’s degree in public administration and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership and Innovation with a focus on intergenerational learning in college classrooms. Some Useful Links: * https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/08/08/longevity-boom-boost-higher-ed-opinion * https://www.mirabellaasu.org/*  https://learning.asu.edu/*  https://www.universityretirementcommunities.com* The Nexel Collaborative: https://thenexel.org/*  Age Friendly University Global Network: www.afugn.org * Heirloom Communities: https://www.heirloomcommunities.com/ Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

In the latest episode of 4-Quarter Lives Podcast, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with former private equity partner Graham Heddle about the opportunities to use AI as a tool for personal reinvention.  They discuss Graham's own journey of career transition and how he harnessed the power of AI, particularly ChatGPT, for personal growth and exploration. Graham shares his insights on using AI as a co-intelligence tool, facilitating deep self-reflection, and finding new purpose after leaving a long-term career. Graham now divides his time between the charity and commercial sectors. He is Senior Advisor to recruitment firm ZRG, Chair of the Trustees at the charity Goods for Good, an ambassador at Brave Starts and Strategic Application Consultant at The Fore amongst other interests. While creating this diverse portfolio, he has been investigating AI and exploring its productive applications in both business and personal life.  Following 10 years in banking with Barclays, working in the UK, Germany and France, Graham Heddle spent 23 years as a partner at Primary Capital, a private equity firm based in London. Graham was both chair and non-executive director on several of the firm’s investments and a member of the investment committee. Graham’s first love was modern languages and after A Levels in French and German, he went on to complete his first joint honours degree in German and Spanish, with Portuguese and Dutch, at Nottingham University, then spent a year living and working in Brazil and Venezuela. He also has an MBA from INSEAD and enjoys giving guest lectures on the ups and downs of private equity investment and his current favourite subject: “how not to choose a career”. Some Useful Links:  * ZRG Partners website * Goods for Good website  * Brave Starts website * The Fore website * A Brief Guide to AI and How To Use It (with Appendices on Prompting)  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Anne Thevenet-Abitbol of French food giant, Danone.  Anne shares her insights on ageing, digital communication and the necessity of generational collaboration in today's workplace. She talks about the philosophy behind ageing without becoming 'old' and how personal and professional growth doesn't stop at any age. They discuss how she navigates the challenges of constant digital interaction and maintains authenticity and relatability in her communications. And Anne describes her journey from focusing on gender balance to advocating for generational balance, promoting a workplace where all ages are valued. After 12 years in the advertising industry, in 1998 Anne Thevenet-Abitbol was recruited as Foresight and New Concepts Director of Danone by Franck Riboud, president of Danone, to work alongside him on any subject likely to move the Group forward. She is often presented as an “ideas agitator”. In this atypical role, she suggests ideas, initiates and leads projects or areas of development. She intervenes on various marketing, social or societal subjects. She is an internal creative resource for all teams seeking an alternative perspective on their subjects and she also develops her own projects. Since 2010 she has designed and led the multi-company EVE Program to help women progress in organizations. Following this in 2012 she launched the OCTAVE Program, also inter-company, which aims to get generations to work better together and better integrate the impact of new technologies. And, more recently, she launched Nold – Never Old - a media platform and brand aiming to talk to an invisible generation of people who feel they are “too old to be young, but too young to be old”, and to change perception on ageing. Some useful links: * Website for the Octave intergenerational program * Nold Never Old website (French) * Nold Never Old Instagram * Nold Never Old Facebook * Website for The EVE program  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

In the latest episode of 4-Quarter Lives Podcast, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox delves into the fascinating world of longitudinal studies with George Ploubidis, Professor of Population Health and Statistics at University College London. George offers invaluable insights into how these studies shape our understanding of health, economic circumstances, employment, family life and wellbeing across the life course. They discuss how large-scale, population-based surveys like the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohort studies provide crucial life course data across generations, informing social policies and public health interventions. George reveals surprising findings such as the deteriorating health of Generation X compared to baby boomers, despite overall improvements in living standards.  He argues that making longitudinal data freely available to researchers worldwide, reveals the huge value of open access for scientific advancement and policy development. George Ploubidis is Professor of Population Health and Statistics at the UCL Social Research Institute and Director of the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies. He joined the Centre for Longitudinal Studies in 2014 as the Centre’s Chief Statistician, and in 2016 became CLS’s inaugural Director of Research. Prior to joining UCL George held posts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Cambridge. His research interests relate to socioeconomic and demographic determinants of health over the life course and the mechanisms that underlie generational differences in health, well-being and mortality. His methodological work in longitudinal surveys focuses on applications for handling missing data, causal inference and measurement errors. Some Useful Links: * George’s UCL website * Recent keynote: The future of ageing: A cross generational life course perspective  * Centre for Longitudinal Studies website (for all info CLS related). * CLS Data Access page (with information on how to access CLS data). * UK Data Service (where the data can be downloaded from). * Forbes Article by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox: The Battle Over Gen Z Minds, Sad, Bad or Mad?  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

This week on 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Adrita Bhattacharya-Craven, the Director of Health and Demography at the Geneva Association. This association is a leading think-tank exploring the issues the insurance industry faces and researching how insurance can contribute to a better world. Not surprisingly the insurance sector is ever more aware of the implications of ageing societies and how insurance products must continually adapt to changing needs. Adrita Bhattacharya-Craven has been the Director of Health and Demography at the Geneva Association since 2020. Her work at the GA focuses on the strategic and long-term research priorities of health and life insurers which is undertaken in collaboration with CEOs and senior executives of GA member companies, academic institutions as well as global organisations. Her work reflects the growing convergence of life and health insurance, against the backdrop of an emerging risk landscape brought about by new disease patterns, ageing, technology and other market disruptors that are central considerations for improving consumer access to risk protection and business sustainability.  Prior to joining the GA, Adrita has worked extensively in global health across the public and private sectors as well as with global multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and UKAID. She specialises in strategic purchasing of healthcare, health market analysis and has closely supported several high-level health financing interventions internationally. She has Masters degrees in health policy planning and financing from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the London School of Economics. Some Useful Links: * Website of The Geneva Association * Report from Geneva Association, with the Global Aging Institute: Financial Wellbeing: Is it Key to Reinventing Life Insurance? * Report from Geneva Association: New Care Models: How Insurers Can Rise to the Challenge of Older and Sicker Societies  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s 4-Quarter Lives Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with serial entrepreneur, renowned speaker and prolific author Peter Hinssen about his ideas on innovation and longevity, and perspectives on reinventing oneself. Peter has a unique background combining technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and storytelling. He believes constant reinvention is key for both companies and individuals to thrive in a rapidly changing world. His "Phoenix" model for organizational reinvention can also be applied to personal reinvention, and he actively seeks out younger perspectives to keep learning and stay future-focused. As he argues, longevity will bring big changes with huge potential, but also significant risks, and demographic shifts will reshape the geopolitical landscape in the coming decades. Peter Hinssen is a serial entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker on the topics of radical innovation, leadership and the impact of all things digital on society and business. After studying engineering and computer science, and a brief corporate stint, he became a serial entrepreneur. He then shifted to teaching, writing and public speaking and has written five best-selling business books, including The Phoenix and the Unicorn (2020), The Day After Tomorrow (2017, The Network Always Wins (2014), The New Normal (2010) and Business/IT Fusion (2008). He has lectured widely, including at the London Business School and MIT, and is a contributing writer for Forbes. His current company, nexxworks, helps organisations become fluid, innovate and thrive in the Day After Tomorrow. Some Useful Links: * Peter Hinssen’s Website * Peter Hinssen's ‘Never Normal’ Newsletter * Peter Hinssen’s LinkedIn Profile * Book – The Phoenix and the Unicorn * Book – The Day After Tomorrow * Nexxworks website  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of "4 Quarter Lives," Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Tim Parr, CEO of Caddis, to explore his multifaceted journey from a serial entrepreneur in the action sports industry to revolutionizing how we perceive ageing through his innovative eyewear company focused on the Q3 demographic. Tim shares his insights on midlife reinvention, the importance of authenticity in marketing, and why embracing ageing can be your next great adventure. He talks about his own transitions, the significance of tone and understanding your audience in brand communication, and the potential of the longevity economy. Tim has both founded new companies and worked with some of the most respected brands in the apparel and sporting goods industries, including Patagonia, L.L.Bean, Filson, Kono and others. After founding cycling brand Swobo he developed his ideas and expertise in brand building. He became GM of Patagonia’s WaterGirl surf business, then established his own brand strategy business to help others build relevant customer brand experience. He brought this expertise to the founding of Caddis, a lifestyle brand specifically addressing the needs of people over 40.  And alongside this he has toured his Bluegrass band across the western USA.  He is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara. Useful Links * Caddis website  Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe