I by IMD

In this I by IMD podcast, Rohit Jawa, the former CEO of Hindustan Unilever, outlines how he is reshaping the company’s strategy to meet the evolving needs of India’s growing middle class, leveraging digital transformation, talent development, and a future-focused growth agenda. 

In conversation with IMD’s Jean-François Manzoni, Jawa explains how he is future-proofing the Indian consumer goods giant to take advantage of the nation’s rapidly expanding middle class. 

For nearly a century, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has been flourishing in the Indian subcontinent, growing in tandem with the nation. As India’s largest consumer goods company, the maker of Lux soap, Surf Excel laundry detergent, and Lipton tea has become deeply embedded in the country’s economic and cultural fabric, serving nine out of 10 Indian households and earning its place as the “crown jewel” in Unilever’s global portfolio. 

India is Unilever’s second-largest market after the US, contributing around 10% of the parent company’s turnover. While HUL draws on Unilever’s global R&D and brand strength, it has also become an exporter of talent and innovation, helping shape success in other markets.  

Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at what drives the company’s success. 

In this I by IMD podcast, host Michael Watkins, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, sits down with executive coach Brenda Steinberg to discuss a common challenge: the "post-summer blues."

They reframe this experience not as a slump but as a transition and discuss the importance of acknowledging and processing the seasonal change. For many, returning to work triggers a “survival mode” attitude. Watkins and Steinberg say it's common to feel a sense of loss or "grief" for the holiday break and to fear returning to the "go-go-go" office dynamic. The show provides practical advice for leaders, including the need to create space for team members to reflect on what they learned about themselves over the summer and what their new priorities are. They also delve into the strategic importance of managing one’s energy, a core tenet of leadership, and how personal reflection can be a catalyst for meaningful professional change. 

In this episode of Mike and Amit Talk Tech from the IMD Podcast Network, hosts Mike Wade and Amit Joshi speak with Tomoko Yokoi, Senior Researcher at IMD, about one of AI’s fastest-growing frontiers — Edge AI.

Drawing on over 20 years of experience in B2B and B2C industries, Tomoko explains what Edge AI is, why it matters, and how it could reshape both consumer and business applications in the coming decade.

The discussion unpacks how running AI directly on local devices brings speed, bandwidth savings, and potential privacy benefits, while also creating new opportunities for non-traditional AI players like telecoms companies and hardware producers. Tomoko also explores the likely rise of hybrid AI models that blend cloud and edge capabilities, and the competitive shake-up this could trigger in the AI ecosystem.

From healthcare wearables to next-generation smartphones, mining equipment and future 6G services, this conversation dives deep into the technical, strategic, and regulatory implications AI “at the edge.” 

What it means to be “working-age” is changing, and so too are the ways in which people look at their careers. The traditional “three-stage” life is giving way to a “multi-stage” life, and businesses that fail to adapt to this new reality are in danger of being left behind.

In this special episode of the IMD Podcast Network, we bring together two of the world’s most influential thinkers to discuss the future of work and leadership. Host Andrew Sharman, Adjunct Professor of Risk, Resilience and Safety Culture at IMD and author of Who Cares Wins, is joined by the globally renowned author Lynda Gratton to explore the profound implications of her book, The 100-Year Life.

Lynda and Andrew dive into what it means to live and work for longer. They discuss why leadership must evolve to accommodate ageing populations,” the challenge of transforming organisations to support multi-stage careers, and how “care” is not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity. They tackle tough questions, like how leaders should balance empathy with productivity, and outline the importance of “unlearning” old habits.

Poul Weihrauch explains how family ownership gives him the opportunity to prioritize purpose alongside profit.

In an era where CEOs are under relentless pressure to deliver short-term gains while also addressing long-term challenges like sustainability, Poul Weihrauch considers himself fortunate. As the CEO of Mars – the 114-year-old, family-owned confectionery and pet care giant – he operates with a rare advantage: time.

“We like to say that we act in generations, not in quarters,” says Weihrauch, who joined the firm 25 years ago and steadily rose through the ranks.

Thanks to the Mars family’s long-term outlook and the company’s practice of reinvesting over 90% of its profits annually, Weihrauch has the freedom to prioritize lasting impact over short-term wins. The company evaluates success through four “compass quarters”: strong financial performance, quality growth, positive societal impact, and trusted partners. Notably, 40% of the long term compensation of Mars’ top 2,000 leaders, including Weihrauch, is tied to non-financial goals, an unusual commitment for a company of this scale in a corporate world still dominated by quarterly earnings targets.

AI is a double-edged sword for the environment. Its growth requires masses of energy, water, and rare earth metals. The LLMs of tomorrow may even require the world to bring old power plants, powered by fossil fuels, back online. On the other hand, AI has the potential to accelerate sustainable transformation by providing innovative approaches to energy production and consumption.

So, is AI a groundbreaking innovation or an environmental burden? Might it one day save our planet?

Today on the IMD podcast network, we're bringing you an episode of Mike and Amit Talk Tech, in which our hosts discuss AI and sustainability with Julia Binder, Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation at IMD. To find out more about Mike Wade & Amit Joshi's latest book, "Gain: Demystifying Gen AI for Office and Home", visit the IMD website here or buy it directly from Amazon. 

What got you here won’t get you there. But that’s not all, says Kevin O’Brien, CEO of Gammon Construction in conversation with Professor Ric Roi. You’re also going to need to really unpack the detail of your new brief, marshal the data to spot the opportunities, figure out how to unlock future potential, and bring everyone with you on the journey. 

Richard Baldwin delves into the Trump administration, and what to glean from months of economic madness. Looking ahead, Richard discussed how trade and tariffs will directly impact businesses, from small enterprises to large corporations, and what business leaders can do to mitigate risk potential regional variations and sector-specific impacts. 

Historian-turned-business-professor Martin Gutmann talks to IMD’s Howard Yu about busting the “hero” myth, how Churchill really won WWII, and the silent strategist who conquered both poles while the flashy explorers froze. Along the way he reveals humility as the ultimate power-skill and hands leaders a playbook for quietly, predictably winning. 

Richard Edelman, CEO of the communications firm Edelman, explores in a conversation with Cynthia Hansen, Managing Director of Adecco Group’s Innovation Foundation, why so many people are dissatisfied with authority and institutions.