What next? Leadership conversations for a better future
University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
11 episodes
3 weeks ago
How do we rebuild confidence in the future - and in our collective ability to shape it? How do we reconnect economic growth with social progress, fairness, and stability? And how do we harness innovation without widening inequality or navigate political tensions without retreating from cooperation?
Responses to these questions demands new thinking - ideas that challenge assumptions, acknowledge what isn’t working and offer credible paths forward for business, finance and government.
That’s the focus of our new podcast series, hosted by CISL CEO Lindsay Hooper, and Investec Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer Marc Kahn.
You’ll hear from leaders, innovators and critical thinkers who are grappling with the toughest challenges of our time - and bringing forward important new thinking and practical action. From industrial transformation and AI to philanthropy’s catalytic role, the voices of the next generation and the shifting geopolitics of power, we ask how today’s leaders can bridge divides, unlock innovation and steer economies toward long-term stability and opportunity.
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How do we rebuild confidence in the future - and in our collective ability to shape it? How do we reconnect economic growth with social progress, fairness, and stability? And how do we harness innovation without widening inequality or navigate political tensions without retreating from cooperation?
Responses to these questions demands new thinking - ideas that challenge assumptions, acknowledge what isn’t working and offer credible paths forward for business, finance and government.
That’s the focus of our new podcast series, hosted by CISL CEO Lindsay Hooper, and Investec Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer Marc Kahn.
You’ll hear from leaders, innovators and critical thinkers who are grappling with the toughest challenges of our time - and bringing forward important new thinking and practical action. From industrial transformation and AI to philanthropy’s catalytic role, the voices of the next generation and the shifting geopolitics of power, we ask how today’s leaders can bridge divides, unlock innovation and steer economies toward long-term stability and opportunity.
The Tech Reckoning: Who Shapes the Next Economy? with Thomas Lingard
What next? Leadership conversations for a better future
32 minutes 28 seconds
1 month ago
The Tech Reckoning: Who Shapes the Next Economy? with Thomas Lingard
This episode looks at the power shifts created by AI and digital systems - asks where real agency still lies.
Hosts Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn sit down with Thomas Lingard, who previously founded Unilever’s Global Advocacy team to influence international public policy on sustainable development and who now heads the Centre for Future Generations, to explore where the real opportunity and agency exist to ensure that emerging technologies are used in the best interest of humanity.
The discussion probes how digital power is concentrating, why regulatory systems are struggling to keep pace, and what it would take to steer emerging technologies toward societal benefit rather than narrow commercial gain. Thomas highlights the leadership capacities that now matter most: ethical judgement, systems intelligence, and the confidence to question deterministic narratives about technology.
The episode asks a central question: how do we build an economy where technology strengthens society - and who has the responsibility and agency to shape that path?
In partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Investec.
Key Quote:
“Leadership in this space needs to include a capacity for imagination — the humility to accept we don’t know what the future will be, and the courage not to give in to deterministic narratives.” — Thomas Lingard
Key Takeaways
1. AI’s trajectory is not inevitable: The future of AI isn’t fixed - and treating it as inevitable is itself dangerous. Leaders need the mindset and imagination to challenge “it’s just going to happen” narratives.
2. Governance capacity is not the critical gap: AI is advancing faster than our institutions, policies and public understanding. Leaders must invest in the skills, insight and oversight needed to make informed decisions in an environment of rapid technological change.
3. Concentration of power is the real near-term risk: Before any long-term speculation, AI is already deepening inequality, reinforcing information disorder and centralising control in a small number of companies.
4. Europe can lead by aligning innovation with values: Europe’s advantage lies in combining innovation with strong public-purpose governance. Europe can shape a model that protects democratic agency while enabling technological capability - but only if it chooses to design for that future
Credits
Presented by:
Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
Produced by:
Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
In partnership with: Investec
Listen and Subscribe:
Available on all major podcast platforms. Visit the Leadership Hub on the CISL website or Investec Focus for more episodes and insights.
Disclaimer:
The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge, or Investec, and should not be taken as advice or a recommendation.
What next? Leadership conversations for a better future
How do we rebuild confidence in the future - and in our collective ability to shape it? How do we reconnect economic growth with social progress, fairness, and stability? And how do we harness innovation without widening inequality or navigate political tensions without retreating from cooperation?
Responses to these questions demands new thinking - ideas that challenge assumptions, acknowledge what isn’t working and offer credible paths forward for business, finance and government.
That’s the focus of our new podcast series, hosted by CISL CEO Lindsay Hooper, and Investec Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer Marc Kahn.
You’ll hear from leaders, innovators and critical thinkers who are grappling with the toughest challenges of our time - and bringing forward important new thinking and practical action. From industrial transformation and AI to philanthropy’s catalytic role, the voices of the next generation and the shifting geopolitics of power, we ask how today’s leaders can bridge divides, unlock innovation and steer economies toward long-term stability and opportunity.
