Leading with James Ashton
James Ashton
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others.From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.
Meta
Nicola Mendelsohn oversees the vast $100bn-a-year advertising business at Meta, the social media giant known until recently as Facebook. She is one of the most senior women in UK tech, now heading to New York to take up her new role. Business is booming for Meta, which also includes Instagram and Whatsapp, as it plots a push into virtual reality worlds. But so are critics’ voices, especially after damaging leaks suggesting the group knew its products contributed to violence and ment
JoJo Maman Bébé
Laura Tenison is the always-on founder and CEO of JoJo Maman Bébé, the children’s clothing, gifts and maternity wear chain which brightens dozens of UK high streets. The business now stretches to 88 shops, a strong online presence, 900 employees and an annual turnover of £70m. Laura joins James Ashton to discuss: The life-changing car accident that led to the foundation of her business in 1993; Rolling up her sleeves to join her warehouse workers during the Covid-19 pandemic; Th
Under Armour
Patrik Frisk is CEO of Under Armour, the US sportswear brand worn by top boxer Anthony Joshua, rugby star Maro Itoje and taekwondo champion Jade Jones that goes head-to-head with Nike and Adidas every day. Frisk joined UA in 2017 to help get it back on track after sales growth stuttered. He oversees a global team of 15,000 and annual revenue of $5bn. He joins James Ashton to discuss: Taking the helm from UA’s long-serving founder Kevin Plank, who created his first T-shirt in 1996;
Royal Navy
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin is First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, overseeing more than 30,000 personnel and a fleet of aircraft carriers, assault ships, submarines and more designed to protect UK interests at sea. He joins James Ashton to discuss: The new investment and recruitment needed to tackle changing threats abroad; Taking life threatening decisions and fulfilling our duty in Afghanistan; His career so far, including three command tours of Iraq; The importance of n
S4 Episode 15 - RFU
Bill Sweeney is chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, English rugby’s 150-year old governing body that oversees half a million regular players and strives for elite international success. Sweeney joins James Ashton to discuss: Bringing back the fans and steadying the finances in the wake of the Covid-19 closedown; Making your own luck on and off the pitch; Instilling a team ethic in the athletes who brought back a record medals haul from the Rio Olympics in 2016 when he le
S4 Episode 14 - Marks & Spencer
Katie Bickerstaffe is joint chief operating officer at Marks & Spencer. She is part of the top team tasked with reviving the retailer’s clothing and home business while capitalising on the appeal of its expanding food operation and the shift towards shopping online. Bickerstaffe joins James Ashton to discuss: Her quest to make daily improvements to the business that still frustrates customers; Career confidence and experience gathered at Dixons, Dyson and SSE; How she makes a fo
S4 Episode 13 - Mars Petcare
Poul Weihrauch is global president of Mars Petcare, the largest division of the family-owned food empire still best known for its chocolate bars and chewing gum. Selling brands including Whiskas and Pedigree, the business also runs thousands of pet hospitals and comprises a workforce of 85,000 operating across 55 countries. Weihrauch joins James Ashton to discuss: Keeping up with demand as pet ownership boomed during lockdown; Concerns over rip-off vets' fees; Navigating his way
S4 Episode 12 - National Trust
Hilary McGrady is director-general of the National Trust, keeper of the nation’s treasures including the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, Sir Winston Churchill's family home Chartwell in Kent and Scafell Pike in the Lake District. With 5.5m members and more than 50,000 volunteers in normal times helping to keep stately homes, parks and coastline open and maintained, everyone has a view of what the boss should be doing. McGrady joins James Ashton to discuss: Her plan for recov
S4 Episode 11 - Arts Council England
Darren Henley is chief executive of Arts Council England, the public body that distributes £700m every year to support galleries, theatres, museums, dance studios, music venues and libraries. He joins James Ashton to discuss the challenge of restarting the arts post-pandemic and their importance on the world stage. Henley’s background is in radio, having risen from weekend newsreader to managing director during 22 years at Classic FM. After leading reviews of music and cultural ed
S4 Episode 10 - M&C Saatchi
Moray MacLennan is chief executive of M&C Saatchi, one of the most famous names in advertising. He joins James Ashton to discuss taking over the reins at the start of 2021 at a critical time – after a boardroom exodus and accounting crisis rocked the business. MacLennan joined Saatchi & Saatchi in 1983 and followed the brothers Maurice and Charles when they set up their breakaway agency M&C in 1995. He made his name overseeing key accounts British Airways, Silk Cut and Famous Grou
S4 Episode 9 - Royal Air Force
Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston is Chief of the Air Staff, the leader of the Royal Air Force, defender of the UK skies. He joins James Ashton to talk about managing the fast-changing defence threat to the UK and leading through the toughest times when lives are lost. In 35 years of service, Sir Mike has flown at seven miles a minute in some of the most dangerous parts of the world. Now he’s trying to speed up the RAF’s adoption of new technologies – including unmanned aircraft –
S4 Episode 8 - Snoop and Homeserve
Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia and Richard Harpin join James Ashton to discuss starting a business in a pandemic, coping in a crisis, long-term ambition and being kind to yourself. Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia is the founder and executive chair of Snoop, a banking app designed to help consumers save money on bills and day-to-day spending that recently raised £10m via crowdfunding. Dame Jayne-Anne spent six years at Norwich Union, before founding Virgin Direct and then Virgin One, which was acqui
S4 Episode 7 - Tech Nation and Global Scaling Academy
Stephen Kelly and Chris Yeh join James Ashton to discuss what UK tech leaders can learn from Silicon Valley – and vice versa. Plus, how to harness the sector’s current growth spurt and the relentless reinvention of successful bosses including Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Airbnb’s Brian Chesky and Marc Benioff of Salesforce. Stephen Kelly is chairman of Tech Nation, the state-backed organisation that supports the growth of the UK’s most promising technology firms. Set up in 2014, Tech Nat
S4 Episode 6 - Barnardo’s and DLA Piper
Javed Khan and Simon Levine join James Ashton to discuss tough decision-making caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, prejudice at work and inspirational role models. Javed Khan is chief executive of Barnardo’s, one of the UK’s largest charities which supports over 350,000 vulnerable children, families and carers each year. With roots going back to 1867, Barnardo’s today has 700 shops, 8,000 staff and 14,000 volunteers looking after children who have suffered from abuse or violence. The i
S4 Episode 5 - Fortnum & Mason and Love Your Imposter
Ewan Venters and Rita Clifton join James Ashton to discuss retail under pressure, tackling self doubt, the importance of kindness and knowing when it’s the right time to move on. Ewan Venters is chief executive of Fortnum & Mason, the Queen’s grocer which was founded in 1707 and is famous for its luxury hampers, teas and preserves. In charge since 2012, Venters has boosted online delivery and opened new stores in Hong Kong and Heathrow Airport, but the Covid-19 pandemic has dealt tr
S4 Episode 4 - British Council and Alzheimer's Society
Sir Ciarán Devane and Kate Lee join James Ashton to discuss communicating in a crisis, diplomacy at work and when personal and professional lives collide.Sir Ciarán Devane is chief executive of the British Council, the organisation which projects the UK’s image on the world. Since 1934 it has aimed to forge trust and understanding with other countries through arts and education programmes, and is the number one specialist English language teacher. Last year the British Council reache
S4 Episode 3 - Health Education England
Navina Evans joins James Ashton to discuss life leading a key division of the NHS, the challenge of attracting and retaining a giant workforce, why she kept treating patients after becoming chief executive - and overcoming workplace sexism even after rising to the top.Navina Evans is chief executive of Health Education England, a unit of the NHS that plans, recruits, educates and trains the health workforce of the future.Currently there are more than 160,000 NHS students including do
S4 Episode 2 - Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and Welcome to Yorkshire
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others.From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.This time, hear from Claire Horton, chief executi
S4 Episode 1 - Be the Business and the CBI
LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others. From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.
Tony Danker joins James
S3 Episode 6 - Canal & River Trust
In another lockdown episode, Richard Parry joins James Ashton to discuss safeguarding staff and visitors, developing new income streams and swapping commercial for charitable leadership at the helm of one of the UK’s largest not-for-profit organisations. Richard Parry is chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, the charity that looks after 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales. He became leader in 2013, a year after the organisation was created to replace the state-r
S3 Episode 5 - London Metal Exchange
In another lockdown episode, Matthew Chamberlain joins James Ashton to discuss trading through the crisis, swapping an investment banking career to become CEO and respecting tradition at his 143-year old organisation. Matthew Chamberlain is chief executive of the London Metal Exchange, a City institution since 1877 that last year traded $13.5 trillion of metals including aluminium, copper and zinc. After financial roles at Citibank, Perella Weinberg and UBS, Chamberlain joined the
S3 Episode 4 - St John Ambulance
In another lockdown episode, Martin Houghton-Brown joins James Ashton to discuss battling Covid-19, dealing with the latest financial pressures, reorganising for the future and finding time and space to switch off.Martin Houghton-Brown is the chief executive of St John Ambulance, the medical charity that has been saving lives since 1877 and gives vital support to the NHS.In 2018 it gave first aid training to 382,000 people in schools and workplaces and treated 104,000 people taken il
S3 Episode 3 - Bupa
In this special lockdown episode, Evelyn Bourke joins James Ashton to discuss leading through crisis, working closely with the NHS, the future of healthcare and early career failure. Evelyn Bourke is the chief executive of Bupa, the private healthcare insurer and provider with 33m customers and clinics, dental centres, hospitals and care homes in major markets such as the UK, Australia and Spain. Founded in 1947, the private company does not have shareholders and reinvests profits
S3 Episode 2 - PwC and Great Ormond Street Hospital
Kevin Ellis and Matthew Shaw join James Ashton to discuss trust in business, audit quality, shattering hierarchy and lifelong learning. This episode was recorded before the coronavirus lockdown. Kevin Ellis is UK chairman and senior partner of PwC, the largest of the professional services firms which advises on tax, company audit, restructuring, technology and deals. PwC employs 22,000 people. Last year revenues rose to £4.2bn. Ellis joined the firm in 1984, specialising in insolve
S3 Episode 1 - Macmillan Cancer Support and Rhodes Trust
Lynda Thomas and Elizabeth Kiss join James Ashton to discuss supporting the NHS, funding future leaders, career pivots and imposter syndrome. This episode was recorded before the coronavirus lockdown. Lynda Thomas is the chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, one of the most trusted charities in the UK. Macmillan is famous for its 6000 nurses who care for thousands of people coping with cancer. It also campaigns for better NHS cancer provision. In 2018 the charity raised £231m
Best of Leading Season 2
In advance of some new episodes, here is a compilation of our best nuggets of leadership advice so far.Put together before the coronavirus crisis, it features leaders of arts institutions Royal Albert Hall and English National Opera, clothing and food brands Amanda Wakeley and Leon, big employers Anglian Water and University of Liverpool, digital challengers Trainline and Pharmacy2U and the RSPB wildlife charity, among others.Bosses talk about the importance of having a vision, manag
S2 Episode 9 - England Athletics and British Land
Chris Jones and Chris Grigg join James Ashton to discuss battling adversity, Olympic legacy and fixing company culture. Chris Jones is chief executive of England Athletics, the sporting organisation that supports over 1500 affiliated running clubs which count more than 180,000 registered athletes between them. England Athletics recruits and supports coaches, officials and other volunteers with the aim of broadening participation in the sport. Jones joined in 2006 as head of strate
S2 Episode 8 - Pharmacy2U and Metropolitan Thames Valley
Mark Livingstone and Geeta Nanda join James Ashton to discuss their biggest challenges, merger tactics, building a team and getting lucky. Mark Livingstone is chief executive of Pharmacy2U, the online prescription delivery company that despatches 1.2m medicines direct to patients every month. Livingstone has led the Leeds-based company since 2016 when it merged with ChemistDirect.co.uk, his previous venture. In a career spent growing start-ups, he was chief executive of the Scoot b
S2 Episode 7 - Trainline and Havas Creative Network
Clare Gilmartin and Chris Hirst join James Ashton to discuss fostering creativity, staying resilient and reinventing yourself at Harvard. Clare Gilmartin is chief executive of Trainline, the fast-growing rail and coach app that processes more than £3bn of tickets every year across 45 countries. This year she led the technology company onto the stock market, 22 years after it was set up by a Virgin Trains-led consortium. Trainline is headquartered in London and employs 600 people.
S2 Episode 6 - Entrepreneur First and RSPB
Alice Bentinck and Beccy Speight join James Ashton to discuss campaigning conservation, fashioning leaders from founders and megalomaniac tendencies. Alice Bentinck is the co-founder of Entrepreneur First, a venture that turns talented individuals into entrepreneurs. Since it began in 2011, more than 1,200 people have been through the EF programme, creating 230 start-ups worth a collective $1.5bn. Bentinck began her career at the consulting firm McKinsey and chose founding EF over
S2 Episode 5 - Leon and the Royal Albert Hall
John Vincent and Craig Hassall join James Ashton to discuss putting on a show, screwing up, finding the right mentor and how to tackle US expansion. John Vincent is co-founder and chief executive of Leon, the healthy fast food chain whose hot chicken boxes and plant-based burgers have reinvented lunchtime for city workers since it opened its doors 15 years ago. Leon has more than 50 outlets in the UK and employs 1600 staff. With annual sales of close to £100m, now Vincent is eyeing
S2 Episode 4 - The Crown Estate and Amanda Wakeley
Dame Alison Nimmo and Amanda Wakeley join James Ashton to discuss juggling responsibilities, the power of coaching, trusting your team and putting your name over the door. Dame Alison Nimmo is chief executive the Crown Estate, a diverse £14bn property portfolio that plays landlord to high-end retailers along London’s Regent Street as well as offshore wind farms along the coastline. The estate is owned by the Queen but independently managed and a portion of its profits fund the Royal
S2 Episode 3 - British Swimming and Anglian Water
Jack Buckner and Peter Simpson join James Ashton to discuss learning from the approach of top athletes, developing a winning culture and the power of long service. Jack Buckner is chief executive of British Swimming, the elite aquatics governing body going for gold at the Olympics and other international competitions. Buckner works closely with the home nations’ swimming organisations to find and train the next Adam Peaty and Tom Daley, as well as encouraging mass participation in s
S2 Episode 2 - University of Liverpool and Montessori St Nicholas
Dame Janet Beer is vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool, the 138-year old institution with more than 22,000 students on campus that leads the way researching fields such as advanced materials and infectious diseases. She studied English at Reading and Warwick universities, specialising in late 19th and early 20th century American literature including the novelist Edith Wharton. Initially working at the Inner London Education Authority, she lectured at Roehampton Institute
S2 Episode 1 - O2 and English National Opera
Mark Evans and Stuart Murphy join James Ashton to discuss coping in a crisis, the myth of creativity, keeping connected and standing your round. Mark Evans is chief executive of O2, the mobile phone giant with 33m customer connections and 6,700 staff that range from contact centre workers to network engineers. His mission is to keep up with multiplying customer demand for internet access on the move. That means sinking £2m a day into O2’s network and introducing 5G technology to sou
Episode 9 - Wellcome Trust and Parkrun
Sir Jeremy Farrar and Nick Pearson join James Ashton to discuss taking risks, campaigning voices and making a difference in the world’s wellbeing. Sir Jeremy Farrar is director of the Wellcome Trust, the British medical charity that spends close to £1bn every year to improve global health through research and education funded by a £26bn endowment. Wellcome has spent 25 years unravelling the human genome and has also been involved in breakthroughs that track the inner workings of the
Episode 8 - The Design Museum and Shelter
Polly Neate and Alice Black join James Ashton to discuss delighting visitors, the joy of campaigning, forever fundraising and the importance of self-knowledge. Polly Neate is the chief executive of housing charity Shelter which last year helped 4.7m people struggling with homelessness and bad housing.Shelter has successfully campaigned to improve tenants’ rights and is still pressing for greater provision of social housing.Originally a journalist, Neate joined the charity sector in 2
Episode 7 - Flutter Entertainment and Fairtrade
Peter Jackson and Michael Gidney join James Ashton to discuss digital transformation, personal development, empowering their people and switching from non-executive to CEO of the same organisation. Peter Jackson is the chief executive of Flutter Entertainment, the newly renamed FTSE 100 gaming company whose trading brands including Paddy Power, Betfair and Fanduel. The group employs 8,000 people in 16 offices around the world and last year handled 3bn punters’ transactions. As toug
Episode 6 - First Direct and Northern Ballet
Joe Gordon and Mark Skipper join James Ashton to discuss keeping up with customer expectation, battling budget cuts, riding your luck and the excitement of opening night. Joe Gordon is the head of First Direct, a trailblazing phone bank when it launched 30 years ago. Part of HSBC, today it has 1.5m customers largely transacting on the internet and smartphone and gearing up for the open banking revolution that could see it recommend insurance and energy deals alongside savings accoun
Episode 5 - Royal Society and Port of London Authority
Julie Maxton and Robin Mortimer join James Ashton to discuss the art of problem solving, tracking public opinion, natural leadership insecurity and keeping maritime traditions alive. Julie Maxton is executive director of the Royal Society, which has existed since the 1660s to promote and support excellence in science. Past presidents include Sir Christopher Wren, Samuel Pepys and Sir Isaac Newton. Today among its 1500 fellows are 74 Nobel laureates. In support of the next generatio
Episode 4 - Heathrow and English Heritage
John Holland-Kaye and Kate Mavor join James Ashton to discuss investing in the past, building for the future, being yourself as the boss, changing staff culture and selling the best cake. John Holland-Kaye is the chief executive of Heathrow, the UK’s largest airport through which more than 80m passengers passed last year. It’s no slouch at cargo either, handling about £130bn of goods annually. If all goes according to plan, Heathrow should become significantly larger in 2026 when a
Episode 3 - Business in the Community and The Scouts
Amanda Mackenzie and Matt Hyde join James Ashton to discuss promoting better business behaviour, mobilising a volunteer force, magpieing great ideas and showing some vulnerability. Amanda Mackenzie is the chief executive of Business in the Community - The Prince of Wales’ Responsible Business Network. Its 700 members seek to do business better - whether that is helping the environment, their own staff, or society at large. If they get it right, they might even boost levels of public
Episode 2 - Mind and Direct Line
Paul Farmer and Paul Geddes join James Ashton to discuss staying in touch with the frontline, respecting the past, picking the right mentor and the importance of leaders’ own wellbeing. Paul Geddes is the outgoing chief executive of Direct Line, the £5bn insurance group whose brands include Churchill, Privilege and Green Flag. In a decade at the wheel, Geddes has demerged the business from its former parent company Royal Bank of Scotland, overseen a successful stock market flotatio
Episode 1 - Deloitte and Teenage Cancer Trust
David Sproul and Kate Collins join James Ashton to discuss humanising tough decisions, being elected as leader, retaining a maverick spirit and making staff talk in the lift. David Sproul is senior partner and chief executive of Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting firms that offers a multitude of services to companies including audit, tax, deals advice and consulting. Coming to the end of his time in charge, Sproul has increased sales eight years running, but is among leaders wh
Leading with James Ashton - Coming Monday 29th April
How do leaders learn to lead? In this podcast, journalist James Ashton brings together people from the top of very different organisations in the worlds of business, charity, the arts and beyond to discuss their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names and multi-million-pound enterprises. His two guests swap stories of success and failure, the skills they have picked up, the challenges they face every day and the advice they offer to others.
Find out more