Welcome to the first episode of our brand new podcast series, 'HR Heroes'.

This series is focused on shining a light on the inspiring people leaders driving real change in their organisation and beyond.

In this debut episode, Becky Finnegan, Associate Director at Annapurna, is joined by Peter Zielonka for a discussion on his career journey.

Peter opens up about his early days working in London to leading international change programmes, and the key moments that shaped his path.

He also emphasises the value of diverse teams, the impact of great mentors, and the importance of simplicity when it comes to effectively with people at all levels of a business.

If you're passionate about HR, leadership, or just love hearing how others have navigated the challenges in their careers, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Tom Walsh, Executive Search Manager at Annapurna, sits down with Glenn, SVP of Sales, EMEA at Kollective Technology, to uncover what it really takes to scale a high-performing sales team using the MEDDIC methodology.

Having spent nearly 13 years at Kollective Technology, Glenn has gone from being a member of the sales team to leading revenue functions across EMEA and uses his experience to share insights on:

✅ Avoiding the "Super IC" trap and making the shift to true leadership

Glenn also explains why he believes MEDDIC is much more than just a framework, emphasising its crucial presence for creating a high-performing, results-driven sales culture.

Whether you’re a seasoned sales leader looking to fine-tune your strategy or an aspiring manager preparing for the next step, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways to improve your approach.

🎧 Tune in now to learn all you need to know about sales strategies.

Welcome back to part two of our conversation with Ralf Hellebrand, Head of Division IT Transformation at Vodafone, hosted by Charley Lucas, Interim IT Manager at Annapurna.

In this episode, they dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities organisations face in 2025 and beyond, with a strong focus on how artificial intelligence is driving transformation.

Ralf explores how changing motivations and increasing complexity, both in business and everyday life, are pushing organisations to rethink their structures. He explains how AI can help solve many of these challenges by improving efficiency, engagement, and decision-making.

They also discuss the growing influence of IT in industries that weren’t traditionally tech-driven, the dangers of siloed working, and why integrating teams is key to successful transformation.

Drawing from his extensive experience, Ralf shares real-world examples of businesses that have successfully leveraged AI to reshape processes, enhance transparency, and strengthen collaboration between employees and leadership.

Tune in to discover how AI is shaping the future of work and what organisations must do to stay ahead.

Charley Lucas (Interim IT Manager at Annapurna) continues his latest podcast series with leaders in the IT space by sitting down with Ralf Hellebrand (Head of Division IT at Vodafone) for an insightful discussion on ‘Gliding Through Transformation’.

In this episode, Ralf delves into the growing pressures of today’s accelerated and unpredictable business climate and its impact on leading transformations.

Ralf highlights that business stability has diminished compared to decades ago and emphasised the need to master the skill of managing the “known unknowns” in order to execute successful transformations.

During the discussion, Ralf’s fascinating and unique hobby became apparent – gliding planes, which surprisingly has a lot more in common with transformation leadership than you’d initially think.

Drawing a unique analogy, Ralf explained that just as gliders rely on unpredictable natural forces, transformation leaders must navigate uncertain environments.

Whether you work in IT, are leading (or preparing to lead) your organisation through a complex transformation, or are simply intrigued by the art of gliding, this episode is packed with actionable insights and practical advice.

In this week’s episode, we are thrilled to be joined by Estelle Hollingsworth, who was the Chief People Officer at Virgin Atlantic at the time of recording and is now the Chief People Officer at McArthurGlen Group.

Estelle is a firm believer in the idea that employees perform at their best when they feel happy, secure, and valued - a belief that challenges the traditional idea that high performance comes solely from pressure and resilience.

She shares her perspective on why prioritising employee happiness isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ but a strategic advantage that leads to stronger business results.

Estelle also uses her experience to elaborate on other key areas surrounding leadership and HR professionals such as, the role of leadership in shaping workplace culture, the power of emotional intelligence, and how organisations can create environments where people thrive.

Whether you’re a leader, HR professional, or simply passionate about the future of work, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

In this episode, Cristina-Gabriela Nita (Senior Tech Director) talks to Charley Lucas (IT Contracts and Senior Appointments Manager at Annapurna) about a phrase that she has coined herself, BizDecSecAIOps.

The BizDevSecOps methodology has now been around for a number of years with the aim of optimising the software development lifecycle through the efficient collaboration between the business, development and ops teams.

The evolution of AI and the opportunity that it presents to businesses can be intertwined within this as a way of encouraging business leaders and employees to embrace AI's capabilities.

In this week's episode, we are delighted to be joined by Rui Casias (CEO at Funcom) to discuss the role of the CEO in one of the most exciting and fast-paced industries in which to work, the gaming industry.

Funcom are one of those organisations that you may not have heard of themselves but you'll definitely know the games they build and develop, which include the Conan series and the highly anticipated, Dune Awakening.

In this fascinating conversation, James Ballard (Co-Founder at Annapurna) speaks to Rui about what the role of leadership and how to navigate some of the continued challenges with an ever-growing remote workforce.

Rui began at Funcom as a programmer and has earned his stripes through working his way up to his current role as CEO. Rui talks about navigating his role as a CEO, what we should be looking for from our next generation of hires and what the future of the gaming industry looks like, amongst a plethora of other conversations.

In this episode, Charley Lucas, IT Contracts and Senior Appointments Manager at Annapurna, talks to Cristina-Gabriela Nita, Senior Tech Director, about AI and the opportunity that it presents to businesses when used correctly.

One of her key messages is that AI shouldn't be feared or seen as a job stealer. Instead, she encourages business leaders and employees to embrace AI's capabilities, seeing it as a tool to revolutionise the way we work.

Throughout the episode, Cristina-Gabriela, emphasises the need to remember that AI is not new, it's simply that the advancements of the existing technology are accelerating at unseen speeds. Despite this rapid evolution, AI will always be governed by human oversight with GDPR and other logistical barriers ensuring human control is still essential.

Beyond the scope of AI, Cristina-Gabriela also discusses her own journey as a woman in tech, sharing experiences that shaped her career and led to who she is today.

Listen to the full episode now to get invaluable insights into the world of AI through the eyes and know-how of a seasoned tech expert.

This week's episode is rather special as we look back to 2020 when the late Professor Peter Saville (Chairman and Founder at 10x Psychology) sat down virtually to chat with James Ballard, Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Annapurna.

In this exclusive session, Professor Peter Saville introduces 'Workplace Psychology'.

James Ballard (Co-Founder at Annapurna) talks to Peter about his life, his experiences as a serial entrepreneur, an industry-changing academic, and some of his own personal interests and anecdotes from an amazing career.

Peter's impact on business is so enormous it's unquantifiable. The psychometric tests he's written and designed have likely helped millions around the world find the right fit, in the right job at the right company. His status as a legend within the HR industry has been well and truly earned. 

Continuing the new series of ERUPT, and the first episode of the series in 2025, we open up the conversation on 'Start-up Stories: When To Bring in a CRO/ CCO?'

Tom Walsh (Executive Search Manager at Annapurna) is joined by Angeley Mullins (CMO & CCO) for a fascinating discussion on the key stages start-up organisations go through and where the focus should be to excel.

Falling back on her own experiences, Angeley describes the mistakes most founders make when it comes to progressing through the start-up stages, how essential getting your first hires right is, and the importance of building teams that work well together, not against one another.

Listen now to hear from an established CMO & CCO on the timeline of a successful start-up.