The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast

In this special feature, three of our Heidrick & Struggles colleagues—Kathryn Bardi, Christina Cary, and Sean McLean—sit down to talk about neurodiversity: what it is and what it means for leaders, particularly CHROs and chief people officers, looking to make their organizations more inclusive. The three offer their advice to a leader or manager who wants to make a positive difference but isn’t quite sure where to start; discuss what it takes to create a workplace that accommodates neurodiversity; and share their thoughts on how leaders should think about remote work when it comes to our neurodivergent colleagues.

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A recent study from Bitget Research found that countries in the Middle East saw a 166% increase year-on-year in daily crypto traders in 2024 alone, with the UAE clearly emerging as one of the fastest-growing markets for cryptocurrency adoption worldwide. Ben Grolimund, the general manager of the UAE at Rain, the first fully regulated virtual assets brokerage and custodian in the Abu Dhabi global markets, sits down with Heidrick & Struggles’ Mikhail Kozlovskiy and Guy Shaul to talk about what’s been driving the Middle East crypto landscape, how he is adapting his business strategy and leadership style in response, and his view on the depth of talent in that area.

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Ujjwal Kumar, group president of Teradyne Robotics, sits down with Heidrick & Struggles’ Jerry Gorss to discuss the changing status quo of the industrial robotics sector and manufacturing generally. Kumar shares his outlook on how the next 12 months will impact the industry, particularly its leadership needs. He also shares what he believes are the key characteristics a successful robotics and automation leader of the future must have, how he thinks about the balance on his teams between specific areas of expertise versus general all-around performers, and how AI and software expertise affects his overall talent strategy.

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José Perdomo Lorenzo, chief strategy officer of Deutsche Telekom Group, sits down with Heidrick & Struggles’ Lukasz Kiniewicz to discuss Lorenzo’s primary strategic goals for Deutsche Telekom Group over the next five years, particularly in the context of fiber optic network expansion. Lorenzo also shares how he thinks about balancing AI with data privacy concerns, the role ESG concerns are playing in Deutsche Telekom’s overall strategic plan, what he feels leaders in the field need to be aware of right now, and more.

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Avik Dey, the CEO of Capital Power, sits down with Heidrick & Struggles’ Sean McLean to discuss Dey’s journey leading the company in its growth and expansion plans across Canada and the United States as well as accelerating its current strategic drive to net zero. Dey, who has seen the energy industry from multiple viewpoints, including in board, executive, operational, investing, and senior advisory roles, shares what he thinks are Canadian leaders’ areas of expertise as well as areas of growth, and offers advice for other Canadian leaders looking to compete internationally for the best talent against that backdrop. Finally, he discusses how he and his team prioritize where to focus, what to learn, and which expertise to bring onto the team regarding the drive to net zero.

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In this next episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Charlie Moore speaks to Kabir Nath, the CEO of Compass Pathways. Compass Pathways is a company dedicated to studying investigational psilocybin treatment in treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anorexia. Kabir Nath, whose career has spanned approximately 30 years in the biopharmaceutical and medical device industry, was previously the senior managing director of the global pharmaceutical company Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. In this conversation, Nath shares what attracted him to the biotech space and what it’s like to take over the helm of a company from founders, and how he’s collaborated with them during the transition. He also discusses his perspective on healthcare accessibility, evolving an organizational culture as the business grows, what new skill sets or capabilities he is looking for in talent, and how he manages investor relations. Finally, he shares how he is preparing the leadership team for the organization’s continued transformation over the next few years.  

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In this next episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Lee Hanson speaks to Cynthia Lo Bessette, the head of Fidelity Digital Asset Management, about her journey from starting as a young lawyer to leading digital asset investments and solutions at Fidelity. Lo Bessette shares the skills and capabilities that helped her make the transition, as well as her insights into people management, building and managing diverse teams and fostering innovation and engagement. Finally, she shares her advice to other legal leaders who might have aspirations to move into a business role

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In this next episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Carlos Gómez-Arnau speaks to Inaki Berenguer, managing partner at LifeX Ventures, a global fund investing at the intersection of AI and science, and the co-founder and former CEO of CoverWallet, an insurance tech start-up. Berenguer discusses the leadership challenges he’s encountered managing a fund focused on AI and science, highlighting the importance of competitive salaries and growth opportunities to retain top tech talent as well as the significant impact of AI on healthcare. He also explores the implications of AI on career longevity and productivity and how leaders should balance scientific innovation with business scalability.

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In this next episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Christina Cary speaks to Mita Mallick, the head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta, a California-based software company that provides ownership and equity management. In this conversation, Mallick, who has also had a long career as a multicultural marketer in the beauty and consumer goods space, discusses her new book, Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace. She explains how leaders can develop an understanding of inclusion by reflecting on what it feels like to be excluded, the importance of sponsorship, how companies’ commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion are evolving, and how leaders should think about inclusion in a hybrid world. 

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In this next episode of The Heidrick & Struggles Leadership Podcast, Heidrick & Struggles’ Dr. Laryssa Topolnytsky speaks to Dr. Ardeshir Mehran, a psychologist, behavioral researcher, business leader, leadership coach, and founder of the Human Work Studio, about mental health and well-being at the leadership level. In the conversation, Dr. Mehran explores some of the science around the links between emotional well-being and peak performance as well as the neuroscience for feeling better, living better, and leading better.

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