"I grew up on a farm... so I've always had a really strong connectivity to the land. It was always a passion - trying to understand how human beings could live on the planet in a way that was sustainable." So said Keryn James as she joined David Heron on this episode of Outside The Boardroom.

It’s an ethos that has guided Keryn through her career. She’s dedicated over 30 years to leadership in the sustainability consulting sector, starting her career in Australia before taking on roles that spanned the globe. Her expertise in environmental consulting helped her ascend to key positions, including CEO, at ERM, a leading sustainability consulting firm. Keryn now serves as a non-executive director across various sectors, leveraging her experience to guide and grow companies with sustainability at their core.

David and Keryn explore the nuances of leading in different cultural and business environments, and the impact of private equity on business dynamics.

Key lessons you’ll get from this episode:

·     The importance of adaptability and cultural sensitivity in global roles. How do you achieve this?

·     How to navigate multiple cycles of private equity ownership

·     The importance of engaging stakeholders outside formal settings to build trust and facilitate frank discussions during challenging times. What does this involve?

A well-articulated purpose can guide company strategy, influence stakeholder engagement, and drive employee motivation, particularly in sustainability-focused organizations. Join David and Keryn as they unpack this.

Culture trumps strategy every single time. Wayne Levings joins David outside the boardroom to unpack this statement.

Wayne is Chief Client Officer and CEO of North America at Kantar. Wayne shares his extensive journey across global markets, offering unique insights into cultural integration and leadership around the world.

Three key takeaways you’ll get from this episode:

1.       Adaptation and Learning:

Wayne emphasizes the importance of adapting to different cultural and business environments, illustrating his transitions from South Africa to the UK, and later to the US and Singapore. His narrative underlines the significance of flexibility and continuous learning in leadership.

2.       Building a Global Mindset:

His career at Procter & Gamble and subsequent roles involved significant shifts in geographical and operational focus, demonstrating how leaders can benefit from a global perspective and understanding diverse markets.

3.       Navigating Corporate Changes:

Wayne discusses the challenges and strategies involved in navigating through mergers, acquisitions, and organizational changes, particularly during his time with Kantar and WPP. His insights into integrating different corporate cultures and aligning new teams are particularly valuable for leaders undergoing similar transitions.

As Wayne says, "you need to listen, and you need to listen to different voices across organizations."

Effective leadership involves both leading and supporting the team. John Partilla joins David outside the boardroom to explore what this actually involves.

John is a seasoned executive with a deep background in the media and advertising sectors. As the CEO of Screen Vision Media, he has demonstrated strong leadership and strategic vision, particularly highlighted by his steering of the company through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 30 years of experience, Partilla has built his career across various high-profile positions, including roles at Young & Rubicam, Time Warner, Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia), and Dentsu.

The three main takeaways you’ll get from this conversation are:

·     Leadership Adaptability: John Partilla highlights the importance of adapting leadership styles to both lead and support teams effectively, demonstrating how flexibility in leadership is crucial during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

·     Significance of Talent: Throughout his career and especially in his role at Screen Vision Media, Partilla underscores talent as the fundamental driver of success, advocating for investment in talent development and management as key to sustaining business growth.

·     Navigational Skills in Crisis: The episode delves into how decisive action and strong partnership with private equity helped Screen Vision Media navigate through the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic, illustrating the critical need for quick decision-making and strategic agility in leadership.

How do you keep the innate part of your culture and values as you expand?

Nina Spencer joins David outside the boardroom to tell us.

Nina is a seasoned professional, beginning her career at Accenture before moving to fledgling wealth management consulting firm Alpha Financial Markets Consulting. As one of the first ten employees she witnessed the company's growth from its early stages to a significant player in the consulting industry. After 15 years with Alpha, Nina rose to CEO of one of their business lines, Alpha Data Solutions.

The three main takeaways you’ll get from this conversation are:

·     Building Long-term Relationships: Nina emphasizes the importance of sustaining strategic relationships in business. "It’s about really building those longer-term relationships.”

·     Adaptability in Operations: Nina discusses the need for businesses to remain flexible and focus on essential services during fluctuating market conditions. "We need to think about what services clients need even in an economic downturn.”

·     Global Strategic Thinking: She stresses the importance of leveraging global opportunities by considering different geographical markets. "Thinking globally about where we have the most opportunity to realize potential is crucial.”

Nina and David highlights how crucial it is to keep a strong company culture when growing internationally. Strong, yet flexible company values are needed to achieve ongoing growth and success in what we all know is a rapidly-changing business world.

David Heron is joined by leaders from across the PE and corporate world to discuss the best ways to drive growth. They give candid opinions, stepping outside the boardroom, on how they've grown culture and fostered success.