Jess Butcher MBE, CEO and founder of Scrollaware on her transition from tech entrepreneur to social advocate for digital balance. The award-winning consumer tech entrepreneur, (most notably with AR pioneer, Blippar), a Fortune "Most Powerful Female Entrepreneur", BBC's 100 Women and three times TEDx speaker, calls for an urgent, more ethical approach to societal tech-addiction.  She argues that consumers, educators, legislators... and now business must take action to address the rapid society-wide growth of overwhelm, distraction, negativity, polarisation and loneliness . She shares evidence of the growing shoots of digital defiance among Gen Z and Gen Alpha and cites marketers and advertisers from KitKat to Heineken who are already leveraging cultural changes to shift the conversation.  She declares this the next CSR frontier, with the potential for businesses to work together to reprioritise the IRL embodied lives of both their staff and customers. 

Teresa Barreira, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Publicis Sapient on the role of human values in the AI integrated business. The former Chief Marketing Officer of Deloitte Consulting, with senior leadership roles at Accenture and IBM argues that the shift from human-first AI strategies to AI-first approaches is redefining human roles and enhancing productivity in the workplace. But she says it’s the opportunity to build a culture of exploration and learning that AI can offer, by automating up to 90% of tasks and freeing humans to focus on high-value activities. A hybrid work environment is one which places value on human failure and reflection and where humans and AI can collaborate seamlessly.

#Business #AI #FutureOfWork

Todd Irwin, founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Fazer on de-positioning, a strategic approach to outperform competitors by solving hero customer pain points better than anyone else. The musician and artist turned brand strategist who has advised Fortune 500 companies, SMEs and startups for three decades, argues for a shift in thinking from differentiation to problem solving, and simply being better. An expert in delivering competitive brand strategies to visionary leaders seeking growth, he argues that creativity is downstream of positioning, and solving problems reminds us that when people grow, brands grow, and when companies grow, we all grow. 

Veronika Kryuchkova, Global Head of Capability Building for the Reckitt Marketing Academy, joins Rishad to explore how we can thrive in a world that’s becoming more human and more machine.

She reveals why high-agency professionals, those who combine belief, action, and ownership, will dominate the future of work. Veronika reframes career growth for the new era: it’s no longer about climbing the ladder but designing your own Capability Stack, the intentional blend of core, human, and future capabilities that compounds like an investment portfolio. And she makes a bold case for continuous micro-reinventions as the growth engines of fulfilling careers. Her message is clear and timely: in a human-machine age, those who thrive will treat their careers as investments to grow, not contracts to protect.

#FutureOfWork #Advertising #Business

Christian Godden, Head of Strategy at Malmo FF on the role of community in driving international partnerships and long-term development for Sweden's most successful football club. The former strategic Director and Partner at BBDO in the Nordics, advising global brands on marketing and communications, explains Malmo FF’s unique model of competing in human currency rather than financial resources. Owned by its 14,110 members, it puts community engagement at the heart of its business, with initiatives like educational programs and job placement services. It is community and relationships, he argues, that work harder for the club than data-driven strategies in brand building and societal development.

#Sports #Business #Communications

Dr Katie Best, leadership coach and consultant on how to solve 10 of the toughest leadership problems. Her titular book addresses common leadership challenges, clustered into three main areas: managing oneself (avoiding burnout, making good decisions, increasing influence), managing teams (cultural issues, employee performance, staff engagement), and leading change (strategy implementation, hybrid working). With an academic background at The LSE and King's College London Business School, she explains how making good decisions, handling burnout, managing cultures in teams, is ultimately all about good communication and listening, especially in a hybrid workplace. Finally, she argues the case for her own model of SOLVE: State your problem, Open the box, Lay out your solution, Venture forth! and Elevate your learning. #Leadership #FutureOfWork

Ross Benes, Senior Analyst at EMarketer on the impact of media deregulation on entertainment quality. Deregulation, he argues, has led to an increase in trashy content like infomercials and reality TV, but marketeers should recognize its value which millions find meaningful. The author of 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America who has been quoted by publications such as Marketplace, Bloomberg and LA Times, explains how despite the rise in sports fees, the increase in sports programming has led to more exposure for lesser-known sports. We also discuss trend of media personalities moving from online platforms to traditional media, exemplified by Bari Weiss's acquisition by Paramount.

#FutureOfMedia #Entertainment #FutureOfBusiness

Omar Imtiaz, Distinguished Enterprise Architect at Salesforce on the transformative impact of AI on human work. With a background in computer science and IT, Omar argues the importance of the shift from technology-driven to human-centered transformation with AI enhancing human capabilities rather than replacing them. Advocating for a collaborative approach where AI and humans work together, he reminds us that meaning, purpose and emotional engagement is the future of the workplace, unleashing a completely new generation of creativity.

Omer joins us in his personal capacity. The opinions shared are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Salesforce. Nothing here is confidential, proprietary, or advice; it’s a general discussion of industry topics.

#AI #Creativity #Futureofwork

Joe Marchese, co-founder of Human Ventures and Casa Komos Brands Group on the importance of The Attention Economy. The founder of TrueX and former president of advertising revenue for Fox Networks Group who oversaw billions in annual revenue across Fox Broadcast, FX, National Geographic and Fox Sports, including the Super Bowl and World Series, lays out a more effective advertising strategy as the industry shifts from impression-based metrics to real engagement. The value of human relationships and trust in a business world increasingly influenced by AI, he says, must place cultural adjacency and experiential marketing at its core. It is integrity through a human lens, he argues, which will become critical in the marketing of the future.#Business #Human #Marketing

Dr. Mohan Gundeti, pioneer in pediatric robotic and laparoscopic surgery on his innovations in digital surgery, AI, and telerobotics. The first surgeon to perform reconstructive bladder surgery in a child argues for the future of robotic surgery in minimally invasive surgeries, including pediatric patients as young as four months. The use of AI and machine learning to diagnose health conditions and enable remote surgeries, he says, could potentially reduce kidney failure in children and increase global health equity. As a student at the Leadership in Society Initiative at the University of Chicago Graham School, he also argues the case for personal enhancement by training himself for marathons and practicing gratitude.

#Medicine #Robotic

Nick Restrepo, Vice President of Sales at World Emblem, on his journey into heat applied decorations in the garment industry.  Today creativity and personalization driven by AI is spreading everywhere. Using the evolution from traditional sewing to heat-applied dimensional branding as an example, Nick argues the impact of technology, particularly AI, in personalization and streamlining the process. His insights in leadership stress humility, transparency, and client relationship-building, but time, he concludes, is the ultimate currency.

Rick Yvanovich, visionary business coach and serial entrepreneur, on his journey from an accountant to transformational business coach. The author of Business as Unusual, How to Thrive in the New Renaissance, and trusted advisor to driving growth and change around the world argues that being an architect of change, is about blending purpose and performance. He calls for personal accountability in leadership and as a team member, making the choice to shape your life and aligning your own sense of purpose in your organization's success. 

Chris Hirst, award-winning author of No Bullshit Leadership, No Bullshit Change and Indispensable: the No Bullshit Guide to Career Success on leadership and teamwork in the workplace. The former Global CEO at Havas Creative and former CEO at Gray, London who was ranked in 2018's Evening Standard power 1000 list as one of advertising industry's most influential CEOs, argues that leadership is about movement and change while early career development is about attitude, not aptitude. Strategic self-interest and ‘warming the room’ is what builds great careers and strong relationships with bosses focussed on enabling their entire teams to succeed.

#Leadership #CareerGrowth

Michael Walrath, CEO of Yext, on the shift from an internet built for humans to one built for machines. The founder of Right Media which was acquired by Yahoo for $850 million, and Moat which was acquired by Oracle, argues the importance of structured data for AI-driven search and discoverability. Google, he says, will still be important, but will soon no longer be the entire oxygen of the internet. As AI blows this space apart, marketers, he urges, must quickly adapt by focusing on data architecture and leveraging new AI tools like ChatGPT and TikTok. However, he believes that the future is bright, if only for marketers who understand the scope of this exciting tectonic shift.

Anders Indset, leading business philosopher and author of The Singularity Paradox, places the emergence of Artificial Human Intelligence at the center of a broader reflection on what it means to be human in a world of accelerating technological change. Recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the most influential voices in technology, economy, and leadership, he is the founder and chairman of Njordis Group, a venture firm committed to enabling positive progress for humanity.

As the commercialization of humanoid robotics gathers pace, Indset warns of the societal and existential consequences of systems that are increasingly capable of replicating human thought and behavior. In a landscape shaped by exponential transformation, where risks and possibilities unfold simultaneously, he argues for a new mindset: organizations as learning systems, guided by innovation and shaped by ethical cultures rooted in trust, change, and friction.

Steven Gaffney, author and expert in change management and honest communication on his nine-step formula for effective leadership. Coaching and advising high-achieving teams with Fortune 500 clients like Amazon, Marriott and Allstate Insurance and the US government and military has led him to highlight the need for deep listening and addressing emotions. Leaders must create emotionally safe environments he argues. Encouraging honest feedback, maintaining consistency and appreciating employees' hard work fosters a workplace culture centred on achievement and achievers versus performing and performers in a world of ambiguity and change.

#Business #Management

Kudzi Chikumbu, tech executive at TikTok, venture capital advisor and digital influencer on the rise of the portfolio career. He argues that the creator economy is much more than just a side hustle, but a talent pipeline which is already enabling the best creatives to leverage their talent and use social media to express their authentic creativity. The role of human differentiation in the AI age, he argues, will remain crucial as the need rises for creativity, inspiration, and identity to work alongside the machines of the future.

#Tik-Tok #ContentCreators #SocialMedia

Steve Fisher, futurist and innovation leader at Revolution Factory and The Human Frontier Institute on the future of AI and human potential in the workplace. The author of The Startup Equation, host of The Think Forward Show and Off World Podcast discusses his new book, Super Shifts, which argues the importance of designing the future rather than simply reacting to it or resisting it. He says the rapid systemic changes driven by AI and other technological advancements must be seen as an opportunity to reimagine and reinvent if we are to embrace the Age of Intelligence. 

#Startup #AI #HumanIntelligence

On a special crossover episode between Career Lab and What Next, Renetta McCann joins Rishad Tobaccowala to explore the monumental shifts redefining where, when, and why we work. Drawing from insights in Rishad’s new book, Re-Thinking Work, they unpack the five forces reshaping the future of employment—from generational mindset shifts and the rise of AI to the gig economy and the lasting effects of the pandemic. Together, they dive into how "unbundled and distributed work" is evolving into a competitive advantage, enabling greater flexibility and unlocking global talent in today’s ever-changing landscape.

#Leadership #FutureOfWork #Business

James Root, Senior Partner at Bain & Company and author of "The Archetype Effect" on the need to de-average talent management systems. A former adman, his six worker archetypes, Giver, Operator, Artisan, Explorer, Striver, and Pioneer, each based on a different set of motivating priorities, provide a deeper insight into the real needs of the workforce.  He argues that leaders need to understand individual motivations and align them with job roles to get the best from their individuals and their teams in terms of productivity, engagement and business results.

#Business #Productivity #Workforce