Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers

AI is transforming the world of business, creating new opportunities for growth, innovation, and social good. But organizations are still finding it challenging to strategically harness the power of AI and apply it to their specific goals. On episode 31 of Chambers Talks, former EY Global Chairman and CEO Carmine Di Sibio talks with John about how the firm is leveraging AI to create long-term value for its people, clients, and the world. Listen for more on #AIatWork, the evolving role of the CEO, and the art of directness.

Ajay Banga was chosen as The World Bank’s 14th President in 2023 by President Joe Biden. On the first Chambers Talks episode of 2024, Ajay joins John to talk about where the world is heading and how The World Bank’s new mission under Ajay’s leadership will help us get there. The two discuss the impact of digitization on the world, specifically in developing nations, visions for the future, how innovation can shape the future of our global economy, and more.

Confronted with a dramatic decrease in traditional mail due to the advent of digital communications, French postal service company, La Poste Groupe, was faced with the reality of disrupting or getting disrupted. By embracing the new digital frontier via startup partnerships, portfolio diversification, and digital education for employees, France’s oldest company has managed to not just survive but thrive in this new era. On episode 29 of Chambers Talks, La Poste Groupe CEO Philippe Wahl talks with John about France’s digital revolution and how La Poste Groupe’s greatest asset – trust – enabled its transformation.

Tech has the power to solve market problems – but CEOs need to ensure they identify the appropriate and realistic product market fits and not get distracted by hype cycles. For episode 28 of Chambers Talks, John speaks with someone who has done this incredibly well in the world of augmented reality: Peggy Johnson, CEO of Magic Leap. Through her unique expertise in engineering and passion for explaining technical topics to non-technical business leaders, Peggy and her team successfully shifted business models and are leading the future of AR for the enterprise. Peggy shares predictions for what comes next, actionable insights, leadership lessons, and more with John and his listeners.

If you’re looking for a prime example of the American Dream, look no further than President & CEO of Broadcom, Hock Tan. 50 years ago, Hock arrived in America with a plan to get a great education and never stopped pursuing his own American Dream. From working at General Motors and PepsiCo, to leading several semiconductor companies, Hock knows the value of staying open to new, exciting opportunities. Today, he is taking that mentality and applying it to Broadcom, where, as Hock shares on episode 27 of Chambers Talks, innovative ideas and “moonshots” abound.

Over the past five years, big changes have taken place at IBM. Under the leadership of Chairman & CEO, Arvind Krishna, IBM has renewed its approach to innovation with acquisitions, investments in emerging tech, and ultimately ignited an exciting new energy throughout the organization. IBM is no stranger to reinvention and in the next episode of Chambers Talks, Arvind talks with John about his advice for navigating current disruptions, the remarkable potential of new technologies, and more.  

John is joined by friend and fellow tech disruptor Raj Subramaniam to discuss stepping into the role of President and CEO of the iconic FedEx. The greatest companies can often be the most difficult to change, yet over the past 50 years FedEx has continuously evolved to meet the needs of the world around us. From the company’s legacy of innovation and its commitment to finding significant points of differentiation for its customers, Raj shares how FedEx will leverage its vast physical network and emerging technologies to continue leading market transitions for years to come.

Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, joins John on the podcast to discuss what “tech for good” truly means in practice. With a solid internal innovation engine, a knack for executing strategic acquisitions, and a plan for engaging in more public-private partnerships, Dr. Su and her team are hyper-focused on finding opportunities to use emerging technologies, like AI, to tackle the world’s toughest challenges. Dr. Su highlights the importance of communication, describes how she really feels about feedback, and outlines exactly how organizations can do their part to address the issues of diversity and inclusion in all industries, including the tech industry. 

John is joined by three of his JC2 Ventures mentees – Vijay Balasubramaniyan of Pindrop, Mike Fong of Privoro, and Bipul Sinha of Rubrik – to talk about one of today’s hottest topics in tech and business: Cybersecurity. As technology becomes more advanced, organizations and their leaders find themselves under increased pressure to fortify their cyber infrastructure. On episode 23 of “Chambers Talks: A Podcast Series with John Chambers”, John, Vijay, Mike, and Bipul discuss the importance of addressing the full cybersecurity life cycle, the biggest issues and trends facing the industry today, and the technologies that are driving the future of cybersecurity. 

John invites Börje Ekholm, CEO of Ericsson, on the podcast for a discussion about the future of connectivity and how 5G will change the world. By staying close to customers, employees, and stakeholders, Börje and his team are executing a long-term vision to develop digital infrastructure that will “make the unimaginable possible”. Börje emphasizes the importance of remaining flexible and pivoting in the short-term, along with other valuable leadership lessons, like reinventing a company again and again, and how to work with startups and other external partners to drive innovation.