In this episode of TBLI Radical Truth, we sit down with Eva-Lotta Sjöstedt — founder of KUNO Leadership Community, former international CEO of global brands including IKEA and Georg Jensen, and one of the most compelling voices on the urgent need to transform how we think about leadership, purpose, and value creation in the 21st century.
Her radical truth: you cannot be a great leader in 2026 by optimising for profit alone. Purposeful leadership — aligned with all stakeholders, sustainability, technology, and globalisation — is not an ethical choice. It is a business imperative.
In this episode:
- Why the current leadership framework is no longer fit for purpose — and what needs to replace it
- What purposeful leadership actually means — and how it connects economic growth with positive impact on the world
- How to build trust at scale — within organisations, across industries, and for the next generation of leaders
- The three forces every leader must integrate today: sustainability, technology, and globalisation
- Why "humans before machines" remains the most important principle in the age of AI and digital transformation
- Lessons from 30+ years leading global organisations across Japan, Europe, China, and the US
- How KUNO's philosophy and storytelling methodology help leaders unlock their purpose and align their organisations
The key insight: In a fast-changing world, it is no longer enough to aim to be the best in the world. Leaders must aim to be the best for the world. That requires a new value proposition — and a new kind of trust.
⏱️ Episode Guide:
- 0:00 — Why the current leadership framework must be transformed
- 0:X:XX — What purposeful leadership actually looks like in practice
- 0:X:XX — Building trust at scale: lessons from 30 years of global leadership
- 0:X:XX — Sustainability, technology, and globalisation: the three forces reshaping leadership
- 0:X:XX — Humans before machines: leadership in the age of AI
- 0:X:XX — The KUNO philosophy and why storytelling is its core methodology
- 0:X:XX — The next generation of leaders: what they need and how to develop them
👤 About Eva-Lotta SjöstedtEva-Lotta Sjöstedt founded KUNO Leadership Community in 2019 to build a global sense of trust for the next generation of leaders, drawing on 30 years of experience as an international leader, CEO, and board member. Kunolc She has served as CEO for global brands including IKEA — where she led digital transformation across 38 countries — and Georg Jensen, with experience spanning Sweden, Japan, the Netherlands, and Europe. LinkedIn She currently sits on the boards of Metro AG in Düsseldorf, Elisa Corporation in Helsinki, and is Chair of the ESG Committee at Alliance Pharmaceuticals. Kunolc She holds an Executive Leadership Programme qualification from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is the author of The Movement of Trust, published in 2021. Entity 247
Whether you are a CEO, a board member, a next-generation leader, an impact investor, or anyone who believes business must be a force for good — this episode is essential listening.
Note: Please update timestamps marked 0:X:XX once confirmed.
ABOUT TBLI RADICAL TRUTHReal experience. Real results. No greenwashing. TBLI Group is the world's leading ESG and impact investing network — educating, advising, and connecting investors for 25 years.
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