Leaders with Ambition

One of the best quotes taken from the latest episode of the Leaders with Ambition podcast comes from Nicky Acuna Ocana’s guest, Sue Staunton, who states that "it’s not a question of whether you’re going to encounter unexpected roadblocks along your professional journey. You absolutely will! The only question is, are you prepared to embrace them?'".

Sue Staunton’s highly successful career has been built on openness and flexibility – a formula that has led her to James Cowper Kreston, where she is Joint Managing Partner & Head of Life Sciences. An esteemed leader within a sector that was decidedly male-dominated not so long ago, Sue embodies what it looks like not only to scale the heights but also to very deliberately bring others along. Ensuring everyone feels like part of a team and has access to advancement opportunities is a central corporate and cultural value at James Cowper Kreston and aligns perfectly with Sue’s passions – including her focus on creating space for diversity.

In this podcast you’ll learn about how attending Oxford shaped Sue’s career landscape and ambitions as well as how her time at Grant Thornton influenced what was to follow. “It’s really important not to be rigidified in your plan about what you want to do and how you want to do it,” she says. “You should be open to diversions along the way.” An expert at navigating unexpected twists and turns, Sue is here to share career highs, lows, words of wisdom – and to celebrate the evolving journey!

Confident, not cocky. It’s a description that  perfectly describes Host Nicky Acuna Ocana’s guest, Peter Skinner on this episode of Leaders with Ambition.

Having moved through the ranks of many of the UK’s most influential law firms, Peter has at every juncture taken the opportunity to stretch himself and bring others along as well. Currently Head of Business Development & Marketing at Wedlake Bell, he is sharing with us  insights into his professional journey and lessons learned along the way (including those picked up through bumps in the road).

Peter gives a big  shout-out to the mentor who shaped his understanding of what it means to  effectively manage people, providing them the permission and safety to try new things. It is, he says, about creating a supportive workplace culture that honours authenticity, diversity and the freedom to fail.

Peter also welcomes his teams to challenge the boss and ask for his time when they need it. Having made amazing inroads as a Europe board member for the Legal Marketing Association, Peter tells us about his commitment to advancing education, networking  and live events that reflect his passion for ongoing growth and development. For this BDM leader, each and every day offers an invitation – for him and  those around him – to learn, evolve and engage. “Create the right environment  and the people who work beside and with you will perform and deliver,” he says.  “It makes a learning environment that people very much want to be in.”

Susanne Pugsley’s highly successful career trajectory has been defined by the professional and personal commitments she has consistently honoured.

In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, we learn how this dynamic mentor and pioneer in the area of legal marketing carved out a niche that was anything but foregone. As she explains to Host Nicky Acuna Ocana, the first critical career decision Susanne made was to change course when her vision of becoming a Lawyer proved not to be the right fit. We learn about what it looks like to stay nimble, adapt to evolving opportunities and always remain true to oneself.

Host Nicky Acuna Ocana's guest on this episode of the 'Leaders With Ambition' podcast shares great leadership insights as he is a leading expert on U.S. expat employment tax accounting. It’s a niche that Doug Michael, a Partner at Anderson & Brown, cultivated organically.

As Doug explains to Nicky, 'our paths are all individual, but staying open and stepping up are universal ingredients for success'. For Doug, that meant modelling his work ethic and desire for excellence on his parents, both of whom were teachers, and developing the confidence to make a detour when his course of study at university wasn’t a good fit.

A transition into the study of philosophy offered no clear-cut job trajectory, but it did provide critical thinking skills that helped Doug progress through a variety of leadership roles within the international accounting sector.

You’ll learn about Doug’s journey into team-building based on confidence, trust, empathy and honesty. He also reflects on the pivotal role that early mentors played in illuminating the path beyond a “menial” entry-level job at PwC and the lessons that toxic workplace cultures have to teach.

This conversation, which is full of actionable advice, wraps up with Doug’s take on both career highlights and challenges. He also offers up several pieces of crystal-clear advice that we can all put to use in growing our lives - personally and professionally!

If you enjoyed this discussion, please click here to find previous episodes of Leaders with Ambition.

​Host Nicky Acuna Ocana’s guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition has had an impressive and fascinating career in Marketing and BD. Starting out as a creative with a love of words, Eddie Bowman explored several sectors early on (including a stimulating and fun experience working for the advertising giant Ogilvy & Mather) before migrating into the world of Big Five accounting and ultimately legal services.

All throughout, as a marketing leader, he was learning lessons daily about how to align teams and make projects happen. His skillsets proved a perfect fit for his role as business development marketing lead at Simmons & Simmons – a fantastic partnership from which he recently stepped down after more than six years. In this episode, Eddie reflects on a variety of topics, including how to combat Imposter Syndrome, lead with quiet, inspiring authority and build trust among peers up and down the firm.

He also shares career lowlights, highlights and thoughts on the traits that are critically important to achieving one’s full potential – in order to derive meaning from as well as success on the job. That certainly describes Eddie’s track record over a long career, but he also has no problem humbly admitting that there were times when he fell short.

“Pursue with rigour and desire each new opportunity and I promise you, the other benefits that you need will follow,” says Eddie. We look forward to seeing where this dynamic leader lands next!

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Change, challenge and growth are all central drivers in the career of Adam Soames, featured guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition. In many ways his 27-year career in professional services reflects perfectly the very things that he avidly loves about team sports: collaboration, creativity, hard work and hard play! With his MBA and executive coaching certification, Adam is well known for bringing a fresh, motivational style, most recently as Global Head of Business Development & Strategy at Hogan Lovells.

The insights he acquired through his world travels early in life and the tireless entrepreneurialism his parents modelled have contributed to Adam's success, working in high-profile roles leading transformation across highly competitive business development and marketing environments within accounting, consulting and legal.

This lively conversation with host Nicky Acuna Ocana highlights the importance of networking, mentoring and – above all else – continually challenging ourselves to stretch and grow. A lifelong learner, Adam has keen advice for young Business Development and Marketing professionals, especially those looking to garner trust in a legal context: “It’s quite tough when you first go into law,” he says, “but the beauty of it is that lawyers respect specialists … and when you’ve demonstrated what you can do and deliver, they really let you get on with things.”

Adam revisits career accomplishments as well as lessons learned while navigating bumps along the way. The episode wraps with Adam sharing six pieces of wisdom – including seeing challenges as opportunities, staying agile when circumstances demand that we adapt and always remembering “the first rule of selling in any world – but particularly professional services: If you don’t ask, you don’t get!”

​Rob Fowler’s career has been defined by grit, tenacity and a powerful commitment to paying forward the mentoring that  has guided him at every juncture of his career, from the braveness of attending law school without a training contract to his current role helping to  shape the leadership agenda at Taylor Wessing as Head of Talent Acquisition.

As he shares with Host Nicky Acuna Ocana on this episode of Leaders with Ambition, Rob has incorporated a passion for growth and inclusivity into every role he  has played – within both legal and business environments.

He offers thoughts about how to advance meaningful, inclusive leadership agendas, the power of networking at every stage of you career and why we all should consider authenticity  a non-negotiable.

By enhancing our personal brands through education and  awareness, Rob believes, we are also bringing along the wider business brand. You’ll get an inside look at the role ongoing development plays within Rob’s  Talent Acquisition Team as well as a front-row seat on some of the successes and challenges that have shaped his career.

The episode wraps up with a list of development  resources and words of wisdom for anyone in search of the confidence and  support to make a leap – whether in the realm of law, business or diversity and inclusion.

Host Nicky Acuna Ocana’s guest on this  episode of Leaders with Ambition epitomises resilience, both personal and  professional. Sheetal Sanghvi, a Partner specialising in Innovation Reliefs at  RSM UK, has risen through the ranks over the past two decades through a  combination of adaptability, hard work and openness to support.

Her story of perseverance, which starts with the loss of her father at a very young age, will inspire you to meet challenges with optimism, knowing that “you can only achieve if you have experienced failure” When her lack of technical expertise was an impediment, she sought education.

When her career in corporate tax seemed hindered, she pivoted. And when a broken ankle (suffered during the RSM company football tournament!) side-lined her in recovery, she used it as an  opportunity to reassess and re-orient her career path.

“I know that whatever comes my way I can deal with, personally or professionally,” she says. That’s self-evident in the super-sized confidence that Sheetal brings with her into any situation. She shares career achievements as well as challenges  and wraps up with valuable advice.

By her example Sheetal is showing younger  women – especially Asian woman – that they, too, can bring their authentic  selves to work and find a niche that they love. “And if you do that,” she says, “you never have to work a day in your life.” Sheetal is certainly a testament  to that!

​Cultivating and nurturing relationships with contacts as early as possible in our careers is key to the kind of success and longevity enjoyed by Nicky’s guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition.

Kristina Kicks, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory, entered a traditionally male-dominated sector that she has navigated successfully, thanks to her work ethic and the robust network she has cultivated throughout her career.

Having decided early on to specialise in insolvency, Kristina never stood down from challenges. To the contrary, she fundamentally believes that there is something positive to learn from every challenge.

This engaging conversation highlights how Kristina has balanced her commitment to family and friends with a robust career path, including nearly two decades of steady advancement and leadership roles at Grant Thornton.

She shares career peaks as well as insights into how best to manage the inevitable stumbling blocks, thoughts on the importance of diversity and her dedication to serving professional organisations supporting the growth of newcomers and established peers alike.

Words of wisdom from this pioneering role model will undoubtedly resonate, as will Kristina’s fundamental commitment to fairness and a values-driven approach that has helped her and the teams she leads to reach ever greater heights.

​Careers are long and so are memories! Host Nicky Acuna Ocana’s guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambitions is Owen Williams whose career demonstrates why it’s so important to cultivate – and maintain – healthy work relationships.

Over the course of his busy and highly successful career, Owen has been afforded the opportunity to circle back repeatedly to former employers to take on exciting new roles.

​As Director of Marketing & BD at Simmons & Simmons, Owen’s skill sets are an amalgamation of leadership and growth opportunities at multiple firms.

The common denominators throughout his career:

He and his teams are all about working hard and to the highest standards, delivering on-time and generating good will. As a leader, Owen’s focus is on hiring the right people, supporting creativity and growth – then getting out of the way.

At this stage in his dynamic journey, Owen can clearly see the many workplace mentors who have shaped his path and is gladly paying it forward, providing guidance to others coming up through the ranks. Learn about Owen’s career highlights as well as the challenges he has encountered while driving change within the professional services space. He also offers words of wisdom for those who aspire to greater leadership roles and opportunities.

Above all, Owen leaves us with a vivid example of the power of networks to build meaningful, fulfilling careers in which professional relationships are rich and recurring. (Hint: Don’t burn bridges!)

“Careers are long. And memories are maybe even longer,” says Owen. “So it’s vitally important to maintain healthy relationships and leave on good terms.” The dividends are real!