Out of Office

The Co-founder and CEO of chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat, Angus Thirlwell talks about going full circle, from growing up in the Bahamas to owning a cocoa plantation in Saint Lucia 30 years later. He talks about retaining that West Indies link, why low-cost travel was a tipping point for premium chocolate, and how the bigger chocolate players need to be taken to task when it comes to paying cocoa farmers a fair wage.

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As a young boy, his mother pushed him around in a stroller through civil rights marches. That memory and his parents' activism played a key role in shaping the values of the President and CEO of PayPal, Dan Schulman. He tells us about how those beliefs guide his decisions as a business leader, the benefits of starting his day with martial arts, and why he’s partial to blue jeans and cowboy boots.

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This summer, IKEA employees from around the world formed a virtual band and performed together to beat the pandemic blues. On lead guitar was the CEO of Ingka Group, Jesper Brodin. Because that’s how the man at the helm of IKEA leads - with humanity and humility. Brodin speaks about his professional journey, leadership values and how his father, an artist, shaped his views on equality.

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When Steve Palmer started off in the hospitality business, he routinely drank and took drugs on the job, during 18-hour, high pressure kitchen shifts. When he turned sober, he didn't know one person in the industry who didn't drink. He went straight back to work after rehab, using iron discipline not to touch a drop. Almost two decades later, the culture in the hospitality industry is changing. There's less bravado, more honesty. Support groups, like Ben's Friends, which Steve co-founded, provide a constructive haven for those struggling to maintain sobriety, and to break the stigma of talking about the dark side of kitchen culture. 

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The co-founder of guided meditation app Headspace, Andy Puddicombe talks about the years he spent training to be a monk, how he ended up in Silicon Valley, and why he’s on a mission to take meditation to the masses. He also reveals whether he, the embodiment of calmness, ever gets angry.

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Fresh out of college, a job in retail was supposed to be a temporary gig until Celeste Burgoyne got a real job. Twenty years later, she’s the President of one of the most popular retailers, Lululemon. While talking about her career, Celeste tells us how she’s navigating the pandemic, the importance of representation, game night with her two young boys, and why she’ll rarely miss her daily walk.

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Passionate about using business as a force for good, Jane Mosbacher Morris left a career in counter terrorism to launch To The Market, a company that connects businesses to goods made in an ethical way. When the pandemic hit, the company pivoted - and its network of global makers switched from making bags and accessories to producing gowns, gloves and masks. Mosbacher, who has been called a hero of the pandemic, talks about consumerism with a conscience - and how we can make a difference, even with the cup of coffee we choose to drink.

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The President of FILA, North America accepted this role when her predecessor died suddenly in 2019. She had no time to grieve. Jennifer Estabrook soldiered on as she always has since her mother abandoned the family when she was a little girl. Estabrook opens up about her unusual childhood, the subject of both a book and a movie. She talks about how her circumstances have equipped her to become a business executive who can manage most of the curveballs life throws at her.

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A self-made entrepreneur, John Roa was riding high. In his early 30s, his days were packed with power meetings, parties, photo shoots and trips on private jets. It was the quintessential life of a young tech superhero. Until, it wasn't. Roa opens up about his battle with depression, a near death experience and talks about why we urgently need to address mental health amongst entrepreneurs.

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Twenty years after a Hollywood film made her a household name, Erin Brockovich is continuing to fight for water safety. Her new book, Superman's Not Coming, argues the onus is on us, the people, to agitate for change. No magician will solve the water crisis. Erin talks about her activism, the movie, living with dyslexia, the importance of stick-to-itiveness and remembers a song her dad used to sing, which always makes her teary. It was about water.

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