Workplace Challenges – Page 10

Jeff Kofman

The founder and CEO of Trint, an AI transcription platform used by major global brands, unusually for an entrepreneur Jeff is also a former Emmy-winning journalist and war correspondent. He's reported from over 40 countries for ABC, CBS, and CBC News before turning to tech. Drawing on his experience in news and war zones, he considers lessons in resilience, leadership, innovation, and the transformational impact of AI across industries.

Baroness (Martha) Lane Fox

Martha co-founded Lastminute.com, where she and her business partner, Brent Hoberman, came to epitomise the new breed of internet entrepreneurs in London. She also co-founded and chairs Lucky Voice, a private karaoke bar group, and is the President of the British Chambers of Commerce.

Rob Law

The suitcase that children ride on was rejected by manufacturers and retailers, struggled, was derided on Dragons’ Den, and almost went under, but Rob’s vision, as well as his brilliant, innovative design won through. As well as inventing a whole new market sector, the award winning product has sold millions and Trunki is now synonymous with children’s luggage. Rob considers the lessons in leadership, brand, customer insight, and innovation as well as looking at how global markets and online retail has changed his business.

Ben Legg

Former Google and Coca-Cola executive Ben explores how businesses can navigate disruption, leverage AI effectively, and build resilience in an era dominated by tech giants. He provides insights on strategy, the future of work, and the geopolitics of technology, helping leaders make decisions and adapt to key trends. With a focus on innovation and strategic growth, he challenges organisations to take risks, analyse consumer behaviour, and thrive in an AI-driven world.

Dr Leroy Logan

After spending three decades in the police force and seeing the structural inequalities within the system, Leroy has become a leading voice on improving working environments for BAME officers and enhancing the quality of service to non-white communities. He is one of the founders of the Black Police Association and author of Closing Ranks, a memoir and call to action to increase initiatives and support for vulnerable and underprivileged youths. More widely he examines themes of change, personal and team resilience, and leadership.

Andrew Parker, Rt Hon Lord Parker of Minsmere

Andrew has held two of the most sensitive and respected leadership roles in British public life. He ended a 30-year career in national security and intelligence by heading MI5, after which he served as Lord Chamberlain, the non-executive Chair and de facto head of the Royal Household. He explores the pressures of leadership, the tough decisions, and importantly, the importance of building a diverse, open team with accountable, values-driven leaders and shared, clear goals and purpose. 

Beau Lotto

Scientist, researcher and entrepreneur Beau examines how the human brain percieved the world, and why if differs so dramatically from the reality. He considers the implications of this difference and looks at the effects of our assumptions, our resistance to change, the power of doubt, and the connection between understanding perception and good leadership.

Orlando Machado

A veteran of commercial data, digital transformation and AI applications across industies, Orlando sees his mission as bringing data to life and realising its true value. He looks at the opportunities data and AI presents businesses, from driving revenue and improving customer experience, product development to process improvement, and as-yet unexplored new innovations.

Colin MacLachlan

SAS veteran turned writer and broadcaster, Colin has gone from undertaking life-or-death missions to sharing his lessons and experiences in books and on TV. With over twenty-five years working in high-risk, high-pressure situations, he reflects on his insights into elite leadership, resilience, teamwork and risk management.

Bronwen Maddox

The ex-Wall Street and City analyst joined The Times as US Editor before taking over as CEO of Prospect magazine and Director of the Institute for Government. Now head of the world renowned Chatham House think tank, Bronwen helps business and policy makers navigate the geopolitical waters. As well as analysing the trends shaping anything from finance to defence, she explores how to govern a divided country and how to solve the big problems besetting Western democracies.

Christian Majgaard

Christian was responsible for all brand, products and campaigns throughout the Lego business – including licensing and theme parks. He also led the entry into games and film-based merchandising with franchises like Star Wars and Harry Potter. In presentations he argues branding is about business development, not communications. Drawing on Lego as his case study, he maintains that there’s no such thing as a mature market, only tired marketers.

Thierry Malleret

After serving as Chief Economist at a Russian bank, and founding the WEF Global Risk Network, Thierry now produces the Monthly Barometer – focusing on predictive analysis for private investors. In Around the World in 40 Minutes, he looks at how economic, geopolitical, societal, environmental and technological risks conflate, and how investors and business leaders should respond. He predicts a wave of investment in clean technologies.

Bernard Marr

Futurist, author and strategic advisor, Bernard helps organisations navigate the future of business, technology and work. With a focus on AI, digital transformation, data strategy and leadership, he distils complex trends into practical insights for some of the world’s leading companies and governments.

Inma Martinez

In a career that has consistently seen her at the forefront of new innovations, Inma combines having worked in finance and telecoms with leading projects in everything from media streaming to mobile data, space, AI, and connected living. An entrepreneur, researcher, author, commentator and advisor she also serves on the Innovation and Commercialisation and the Future of Work task groups of the multi-governmental Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence.

Professor Mariana Mazzucato

Mariana focuses on connections between growth, industrial economics, finance and innovation. In her widely-acclaimed books The Entrepreneurial State, The Value of Everything, and Mission Economy, she examines the relationships between innovation and the public and private sectors, the nature of value in modern economics and the conflcit between value-creation and value-extraction, and how governments and businesses can create economies fit to tackle the big challenges of society and build a better world.

Brian McBride

Brian first entered the world of business selling photocopiers for Xerox in Glasgow, before joining IBM. He was then hired by Michael Dell to run Dell’s operations in UK and Northern Europe. Brian continued to build his career in the digital and tech industries, first as the Managing Director for T-Mobile where he launched 3G in the UK before then moving to Amazon as UK CEO where he was responsible for building-up its UK operations. He went on to chair Asos, serve as President of CBI, and chair Trainline.

Patty McCord

The author of Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility spent 14 years at Netflix experimenting with new ways to work, motivate, reward and structure. Patty was responsible for the famed Netflix culture deck becoming a reality. The summary of company values and employee freedoms went on to influence businesses around the world.

Conor McNicholas

Having transformed the NME from weekly music stalwart to a brand stretching from TV to tours, Conor moved to help companies including Barclays, Argos and Adidas to produce exciting new content, overhaul their internal structures, and connect with consumers who should now be seen more like an audience.

Hamish McRae

Hamish established his reputation for insight into global changes with his book The World in 2020. It stood out from other efforts to anticipate the future because it explored many forces for change, from globalisation and natural resources to technology, demographic shifts and geo-politics. In his follow-up What Works - Success stories from around the world he looks at what we can draw from diverse examples of innovation from mobile telephony in Africa, sports education in Australia and New York philanthropy.

Paul McVeigh

International and Premier League player Paul helped Norwich City win promotion to the top tier of the English game. Since hanging up his boots he has published The Stupid Footballer Is Dead examining the mental as well as physical demands of the modern game. He’s also turned full-time consultant, taken his Masters in sport psychology, and taken on a performance psychology role at Crystal Palace. Drawing on experience of one of the most demanding leagues in the world, Paul speaks to audiences about understanding the choices you have, how to deal with pressure, and working to defined...

Deborah Meaden

Deborah built three businesses before taking on her family’s holiday parks empire, working from the shop floor upto MD. She concentrated on service, kept the most profitable locations and later sold the business to Parkdean Holidays before joining the Dragons' Den panel. Deborah refutes the idea that the customer is king. She prefers to treat them as respected friends: “We should care about their opinions and deal with their problems, but accept the limits of the relationship.”

Thomasina Miers

After winning MasterChef, Thomasina looked back to her time spent in Mexico to inspire her Wahaca chain bringing the diversity, verve and colour of Mexican street food to the British restaurant scene. Under her leadership the company have placed sustainability at the core of their creative, modern culture.