Opening Bid Unfiltered

Ola Källenius is a Swedish business executive who has served as CEO of Mercedes-Benz since 2019, becoming the first non-German to lead the legendary luxury automaker. Kallenius joined Opening Bid Unfiltered with Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi to chat about the future of the auto industry, his decision to massively increase the AMG brand's presence, leaning into tech-heavy car interiors, and playing a role in a driverless-car future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 CEO and former Ferrari team principal and Lamborghini chief, traces his rise through motorsport leadership. He discusses turning F1 into global entertainment, attracting younger fans with Drive to Survive and sensory experiences. He covers U.S. expansion, new manufacturer entries like Cadillac, media deals such as Apple, and the 2026 regulation reset shaping F1’s future.

A legend in the world of autosport, from an executive standpoint. That’s where we find Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. After rising through the financial and sporting ranks at Ferrari, he served as their Team Principal from 2008 to 2014, notably leading the Scuderia to a Constructors' Championship in 2008. Following a transformative stint as CEO of Lamborghini, where he oversaw the successful launch of the Urus SUV, he took the reins as CEO of Formula 1 in 2021. In his current role, Domenicali has been the chief architect of F1’s global expansion, successfully navigating the sport into a record-breaking 24-race calendar and spearheading the massive 2026 technical regulations reset. Domenicali drove up to the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast mic with Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi to chat about the surging sport that is Formula 1. The F1 brand has gotten a huge lift from the successful Netflix show ‘Drive to Survive and ever increasing amounts of Corporate America sponsorships. With seemingly all eyes on the sport – especially now with Cadillac added to the grid – Domenicali has his work cut out for him to keep the growth as hot as Lewis Hamilton's lap time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joey Logano, multi-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and new part-owner of Huntersville Ford, talks racing, team leadership, and running a dealership. He explains why he invested in a local Ford, how race R&D influences street cars, and the people skills behind building honest, high-performing teams. He also reflects on life after the track and his evolution as a driver.

Songyee Yoon, venture capitalist and HP board member who blends AI, gaming, and strategy, joins to unpack this AI moment. She explains why AI is now practical, how agents and swarm intelligence might evolve, and why democratizing tech and workforce retraining matter. She also outlines what VCs seek in AI startups and how legacy firms can reinvent with AI.

Brittany Kaiser, data rights activist and Cambridge Analytica whistleblower turned CEO of AlphaTON Capital. She discusses AI-driven privacy risks and how social platforms were built to extract personal data. Topics include AI coaxing harmful behavior, the need for privacy guardrails and confidential compute, concerns about training on children’s data, and building vertically integrated privacy-first infrastructure.

Richard Simmons, Tony Horton, and Billy Blanks – you may know them as the larger-than-life faces of the fitness industry from the past 40 years. You know them in large part because they all came into your home through televised fitness classes and around the clock infomercials. One person from the fitness world you probably haven't heard of is Mark Mastrov, although his impact is no less than those public-facing names. Mastrov is now a 68-year-old fitness industry pioneer who co-founded 24 Hour Fitness in 1983 and transformed it from a single gym into a global powerhouse with over 420 clubs and 4.5 million members before selling it in 2005 for $1.6 billion. Born in Oakland, California, Mastrov identified a critical market gap—gyms weren't open 24/7—and revolutionized the fitness industry by opening up accessibility. After selling 24 Hour Fitness in 2005, Mastrov went on to gain control of Crunch Fitness and founded UFC Gym with the likes of Dana White. He even became an owner of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. In January 2026, Mastrov teamed up with LongRange Capital to repurchase 24 Hour Fitness and continue its rejuvenation campaign post-2020 bankruptcy. Mastrov joined the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi to discuss the future of fitness and how to build a successful business time and again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The past 12 months have been anything but electric for some vehicle makers. Both Tesla and Ford have seen sales struggle. Meanwhile, the Trump administration let incentives for new EVs end last year – a further blow to the industry. Enter an upstart like Aptera Motors, which is attempting to scale up production of its first solar-powered vehicle (SEV). Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down with Aptera Motors Co-Founder and CEO Chris Anthony to discuss the state of the industry, the future of transportation, and how he got his start fixing pinball machines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dennis Woodside, CEO of Freshworks and former Google and Dropbox executive, shares his take on AI as a growth lever, not a threat. He discusses AI enhancing systems of record and Freshworks’ market focus. Security, trust, and AI risk management are covered. He also talks about AI’s effect on engineering, hiring, and upskilling.

Chairperson of Snap Inc., Michael Lynton, and Bloomberg Senior Advisor, Josh Steiner, unpack the high-stakes mistakes that shaped their careers. Lynton reflects on the decision to greenlight The Interview, the fallout from the Sony Pictures hack that followed, and what leaders can learn from failure. Together, they explore why confronting mistakes, rather than hiding from them, can be the key to stronger leadership and long-term success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices