Enter the Boardroom

Peter Norris is Chair of the Virgin Group. Formerly, he was CEO of Barings Bank during its fateful collapse in the mid 1990s. Listen to this episode to hear about: Three moments that shaped how Peter behaves in the boardroom (00:59) Why Peter took responsibility for a fraud he didn’t commit (11:23) The one question every board should ask when the numbers look too good to be true (14:27) How fraud gets stronger every day it goes undetected (16:11) The moment Peter Norris knew Virgin Atlantic might not survive (18:01) What a Chair should do when their company is facing extinction (19:07) The four buckets Virgin Atlantic focused on to survive COVID (22:15) The Richard Branson PR disaster (23:50) How Virgin Atlantic saved itself with no shareholder and no government support (24:54) Peter’s thoughts on Brexit (29:15)⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(33:04)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Claire Bassett, experienced public sector leader and non-executive who chairs The Property Ombudsman and the Serious Fraud Office. She talks about what to know before joining an arm’s length board, why the most supportive chairs also challenge hardest, how prioritising and stopping work can add value, handling politicisation and media storms, and practical prep for ALB interviews.

Simon Calver is best known for his time as CEO of LoveFilm. He was then CEO of Mothercare plc. Tune in to this episode to hear about: The three choices that most shaped LoveFilm’s growth journey (01:23) How LoveFilm's board dealt with a hostile merger (05:53) Why Chairs should never be an investor directors (09:16) The most empowering thing a board can say to a CEO (11:16) How Simon knows if a business is customer-centric (13:25) Why appointing a customer NED is the worst thing you can do for your customers (15:45) The problem Mothercare was facing when Simon joined as CEO (17:51) Why boards should stress-test assumptions (23:24) The cautionary tale of the CEO couldn’t speak to his Chair (25:30) What the first item on every board agenda should be (27:26) How to fix a broken founder-board relationship (28:42) ⚡The Lightning Round ⚡ (36:42)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Rachel Carrell is CEO of KoruKids, a UK-based childcare company which has delivered 4 million hours of childcare. Previously, she was CEO of DrThom. Listen to this episode to hear about: The most difficult board discussion Rachel has had (00:55) How to guide a founder without overstepping (03:35) Why sharing your experience is more valuable than giving advice (06:49) Three most significant boardroom moments from Rachel’s Koru Kids journey (09:16) The benefits of a PR crisis (11:36) Why emotional support is an important governance tool (15:27) How industry outsiders add value on boards (17:33) Why board members shouldn't stay high level (22:46) The 3 different buckets of board value (25:58) The positives of having only investor directors on your board (28:48) Why boards need to think more about supporting parents (34:43) ⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(37:41)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Adam Warby, Chair of Ocado Group and CEO Emeritus of Avanade, is a seasoned tech-led services leader. He discusses stepping in after founders, CEO succession and the pitfalls of stringing candidates along. He recounts being removed from a board, debates where a chair’s authority really comes from, and explains what success should look like for Ocado’s retail and platform businesses.

Sim Scavazza is NED at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Vice Chair of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Deputy Chair of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West NH Integrated Care Board. Listen to this episode to hear about: Leading through a 50% cost reduction (01:05) The human side of cutting costs (03:36) Common mistakes when communicating redundancies (09:36) Creating shared culture after a merger (12:58) The importance of time discipline in high-pressure moments  (17:20) Where boards get inclusion wrong (23:34) How Sim built a portfolio career in the NHS (29:24) How to approach an NHS board interview (33:42) The financial reality of NHS board roles (35:17)⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(39:47)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Neil Johnson OBE is Group Chair of QinetiQ. Formerly, he was CEO of the RAC, and began his career in the British Army. Listen to this episode to hear about: The three boardroom experiences that most shaped Neil as a board member (01:450) What trade union battles taught Neil about leadership under pressure (04:03) Bringing military command experience into the boardroom (09:47) Prioritising time with people on the ground over board papers (13:47) Firing the chair: inside the RAC boardroom crisis (17:00) How disengaged boards lose touch with reality (24:09) Imposter syndrome at board level (29:38) Deep dive: Neil’s time as Chair of Qinetiq (30:52) Why chairing a board is like managing a football team (34:09) ⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(38:38)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Maria Molland is former CEO and Board Member of Thinx, the feminine hygiene company, acquired by Kimberly Clark. She is an Executive in Residence at Frazier Healthcare Partners. Tune in to hear Maria's thoughts on: Her first days as CEO (01:15) Lessons from her 90-day plan as a new CEO (05:37) Making the case for HR investment early on (10:54) Where the board misallocated investment when scaling (16:35) A framework for deciding where to invest (20:09) The trade-offs of taking capital from a strategic partner (23:08) The benefits of having someone with the CEO’s ear (28:54) What surprised Maria most on the path to exit (30:58)⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(34:18)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Lubomila Jordanova is co-founder and CEO of Plan A, recently acquired by Diginex, Co-Founder of Greentech Alliance and Advisory Board Member at the European Investment Bank and Chloé. Tune in to hear her thoughts on: The best and worst moments that shaped Lubomila’s boardroom approach (03:00) How and when to create a board with complex stakeholders (04:44) How external board positions have helped Lubomila navigate her own board (11:27 The biggest challenges Lubomila has faced with her board (13:27) How geopolitics impacts board discussions (15:24) How boards can create a safe space for founders to raise personal issues in the boardroom (18:53) Deep dive: one board discussion that changed the direction of the business (25:12) How boards should evaluate a partnership strategy (27:04) The key relationships founders and CEOs need to build (30:43) The biggest mistake boards make on sustainability (40:23) ⚡The Lightning Round ⚡(42:39)Host: Oliver CummingsProducer: Will FeltonEditor: Penelope CoumauMusic: Kate MacAudio: Nick KoldEmail: podcast@nurole.comWeb: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Sir Ian Cheshire, seasoned leader who chaired Land Securities and led Kingfisher, shares boardroom tales. He discusses where boards add value in crises. He covers practical AI pilots and supplier strategies. He explains stress-testing for inflation, liquidity playbooks, handling takeovers and activist pressure. He also contrasts public-sector roles and the shift from executive to non-exec.