In this episode of Talent Talks, Julian Buschmaas speaks with Ffion Bartley, Global Head of Learning and Development at Cambridge Consultants, about learning culture, leadership, AI, and the human skills people need in a changing workplace. 

Ffion explains why learning often requires discomfort, how teaching can deepen expertise, why learning needs to become part of delivery, and why managers play such an important role in whether people strategies succeed. 

The conversation also explores AI in workplace learning, including Ffion’s useful analogy of treating AI like an intern: highly capable at execution, but still dependent on human context, judgement and oversight. 

Who is this episode for? 

• L&D and talent leaders 

• Senior leaders in professional services and technology 

• Managers responsible for developing people 

• HR leaders thinking about AI, skills and workplace learning 

Chapters 

0:00 – Why discomfort and learning are connected 

0:32 – Introduction to Ffion Bartley 

3:03 – Looking beyond training to solve the real problem 

4:22 – Lessons from Ffion’s best and worst boss 

6:02 – Stretch opportunities, discomfort and psychological safety 

8:02 – Why L&D professionals need to understand the business 

12:33 – Building a learning culture at Cambridge Consultants 

16:30 – Making learning part of work and delivery 

20:04 – How AI is changing workplace learning 

23:43 – Treating AI like an intern 

25:30 – The human skills people will need in an AI-driven workplace 

34:05 – Why people strategy succeeds or fails through managers 

35:20 – Employees watch what leaders do, not what they say 

About Ffion Bartley 

Ffion Bartley is Global Head of Learning and Development at Cambridge Consultants. 

Her career has included teaching, training, charity, fintech and professional services. At Cambridge Consultants, she focuses on building a learning culture that supports highly technical teams while connecting development with business performance. 

About Talent Talks 

Talent Talks explores how leaders think about talent, learning, leadership and the future of work. 

In 2026, the podcast focuses on AI and the human side of work, including culture, re- and up-skilling, purpose, impact and the human skills people need as technology changes how work gets done. 

Connect 

be/impact: https://beimpact.co.uk/ 

Julian Buschmaas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianbuschmaas/ 

Ffion Bartley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ffionbartley/ 

Cambridge Consultants: https://www.cambridgeconsultants.com/ 

Cambridge Consultants on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cambridge-consultants/ 

In this episode of Talent Talks, Julian Buschmaas speaks with Kolja Heskamp of torq.partners, about learning, talent, culture, and the future of professional services in an AI-driven world.  

Kolja shares how his experience across finance, private equity, investment banking, and scaling businesses shaped his approach to talent, including his belief in backing overlooked people based on their drive, motivation, and potential rather than simply their CV.  

The conversation explores how to build a learning culture, why teaching should be a condition of progression, how companies can make people more valuable even if they eventually leave, and what AI means for junior talent and the traditional professional services pyramid. 

Who is this episode for? 

-L&D and talent professionals building cultures of continuous learning 

-Senior leaders in professional services rethinking talent development and progression 

-Consulting and finance leaders navigating AI's impact on junior roles 

-Early-career professionals looking to build the human skills that will matter in an AI-driven workplace 

Chapters 

0:00 – Introduction 

8:55 – The company of the overlooked 

18:15 – Why learning is a predictor of performance and retention 

26:35 – Why teaching should be part of progression 

36:40 – AI and the changing professional services pyramid 

42:15 – Building the firm of the future 

46:06 – Quickfire questions 

Practical takeaways 

● Hire for drive, motivation, and learning ability rather than relying too heavily on polished CVs. 

● Build teaching and knowledge-sharing into progression and promotion. 

● Create enough space for people to learn, even when utilisation and client pressure are high. 

● As AI replaces repetitive junior tasks, deliberately create opportunities for people to develop communication, judgment, negotiation, and other human skills. 

● Build organisations where people become more valuable through their time there, even if that eventually means they leave. 

About the host 

Julian Buschmaas is the CEO and co-founder of be/impact and the host of Talent Talks. 

He works at the intersection of learning, talent, AI, social impact, and the future of work. 

Connect 

Be/Impact - https://beimpact.co.uk/ 

Connect with Julian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianbuschmaas/ 

Connect with Kolja on LinkedIn - https://de.linkedin.com/in/kolja-heskamp-2a110520 

torq.partners - https://www.torq.partners/ 

In this episode of Talent Talks, Julian Buschmaas speaks with Will Hayllar (Global

Managing Partner at OC&C Strategy Consultants), about the future of consulting,

leadership, and talent development in an AI-driven world. He has spent 25 years in

consulting and now focuses on building a strong, future-ready firm that combines

analytical rigor with human-centered leadership and learning. The conversation

explores how firms can balance analytical excellence with the human skills that matter

more than ever: critical thinking, influencing, judgment, and relationship-building.

Who is this episode for?

-Senior leaders navigating AI's impact on teams and talent

-Consulting & professional services leaders rethinking apprenticeship and partnership

models

-L&D and talent professionals focused on building human skills

-Early-career professionals looking to future-proof their careers

Chapters

0:00 – Introduction

3:45 – The shift from advisor to leader

8:20 – Learning from mistakes

14:05 – How AI is changing the apprenticeship model

20:30 – Why human skills matter more in an AI era

26:15 – Why firms still need juniors

31:40 – Preparing the next generation

36:55 – Closing thoughts

Practical takeaways

● Don't treat AI as only a tooling or technical issue.

● Invest in human skills early: communication, persuasion, judgment, and

structured thinking.

● Update apprenticeships so knowledge can flow in multiple directions.

● Great leaders make themselves replaceable by building others up.

● Keep hiring juniors, but redesign what they learn and how they contribute.

About the host

Julian Buschmaas is the CEO and co-founder of be/impact and the host of Talent Talks.

He works at the intersection of learning, talent, AI, social impact, and the future of work.

Connect

Be/Impact - https://beimpact.co.uk/

Connect with Julian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianbuschmaas/

Connect with Will on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-hayllar-a6532636/

OC&C Strategy Consulting - https://www.occstrategy.com/en

In this episode of the Talent Talks podcast, Julian Buschmaas is joined by Simon Piesse from North Highland to explore how organisations can think differently about talent, learning and AI.

Rather than viewing AI simply as a way to replace work, Simon explores how it can be used to supercharge the talent organisations already have, helping people work more effectively while creating opportunities to develop new capabilities.

The conversation also looks at the importance of practice in turning learning into real capability. Training can introduce a skill, but applying it in real situations is what helps people become confident and effective.

Julian and Simon also discuss the importance of “showing your workings” when using AI.

As AI becomes increasingly involved in decision-making and professional work, understanding how an outcome was reached becomes an important part of quality assurance, accountability and trust.

• How AI can supercharge talent rather than replace it
• The gap between learning and doing, and why practice matters
• Building capabilities before organisations urgently need them
• The importance of understanding how AI-supported decisions are reached
• What “showing your workings” could mean for quality assurance
• How organisations can prepare people for a changing world of work

About Simon Piesse

Simon Piesse is a leader at North Highland, working with organisations on transformation, talent and the future of work.

About Talent Talks

Talent Talks is hosted by Julian Buschmaas, CEO and co-founder of be/impact. The podcast explores the intersection of learning, talent, AI, social impact and the future of work, bringing together leaders and thinkers to explore how organisations and people can adapt to change.

As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, what skills will matter most?

In this episode of Talent Talks, we sit down with Ivan Gladkow, Head of Enterprise Sector (UK&I) at SPS, to discuss how AI is changing leadership, learning and development, and the future of work.

Whether you're a CEO, Managing Director, Partner, HR leader, L&D professional, or responsible for developing people in your organisation, this conversation offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

• Why soft skills become more valuable as AI becomes more capable
• The difference between AI literacy and AI capability
• How to identify and develop AI champions within your organisation
• Why learning by doing outperforms online-only training
• How to measure the real return on investment of training
• Practical leadership lessons for navigating AI transformation
• Building a culture of curiosity and continuous learning

As AI automates routine work, communication, collaboration, empathy and leadership become even more valuable.

Successful AI adoption isn't driven by technology alone. Organisations need people who are willing to experiment, learn and help others embrace change.

Online learning has its place, but capability is developed through coaching, observation, real-world experience and repetition.

This episode is ideal for:

• CEOs and Managing Directors
• Consulting Partners
• HR Directors
• Heads of Learning & Development
• Talent Development professionals
• People leaders
• Professional services firms
• Enterprise organisations
• Anyone preparing their organisation for the future of work

Ivan Gladkow is Head of Enterprise Sector (UK&I) at SPS, where he works with enterprise organisations to improve performance, develop talent and drive organisational transformation.

Throughout the conversation, Ivan shares practical examples from leading teams, implementing learning programmes and helping organisations adopt AI in meaningful ways.

Connect with Ivan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-gladkow-mba-a744769/

Connect with Julian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianbuschmaas/

In this episode of Talent Talks, Julian speaks with Mike Drolet, Chief Operating Officer at Six Degrees, about leading through change, building trust, and helping people stay valuable in an AI-shaped workplace. They explore why leaders need to listen before acting, how to turn learning into real behaviour change, and why adaptability, communication, and personalised development matter more than ever.

In this episode of Talent Talks, Julian speaks with Peter O’Connor, CEO of Target Group, about what it takes to build teams that stay and thrive. They explore leadership, communication, learning, AI, and why helping people flourish matters more than ever.

In this episode of Talent Talks, Julian speaks with Yv Corbeil, Managing Director & CCO, ExCo member at Niji, about how AI is changing creativity, careers, and team performance. They explore the shift from AI literacy to AI capability, why curiosity is becoming the most valuable skill, and how leaders can create cultures where people experiment, learn, and thrive.