The Learning and Talent Podcast

Artificial intelligence is no longer a project, an initiative, or a phase of digital transformation. It is fast becoming the environment in which modern organisations operate. 

That is the central message of the Udemy Business Global Learning & Skills Trends Report; a data-rich analysis built from more than 17,000 global enterprises and 85,000 instructors and brought to life in a recent iVentiv interview with Gráinne Wafer, Global Head of Field Enablement at Udemy Business.

For senior executives, the implications are becoming impossible to ignore: AI fluency, not just AI skills, is emerging as the defining strategic capability for the years ahead.

Read Udemy’s report here.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to learn continuously is no longer a competitive advantage, it is a necessity. Yet many organisations still rely on traditional training models that struggle to keep pace with change.So what does it really take to build a learning culture that lasts?In this interview, Laura Medina Escolano, Head of Global Learning & Development at DEKRA, explores the shift from training programmes to habit-driven learning. She shares why curiosity must become a daily behaviour, how leaders shape learning through small actions and why creating a safe environment for experimentation is critical to success.

Earlier this year, we released iVentiv’s 2026 Predictions video which set out a clear direction of travel for Learning, Leadership, and Talent functions based on insights shared from iVentiv’s own Hannah Hoey (Content Director), Kristy Kitson (L&D Strategist), and Richard Parfitt (Marketing Director). Skills-based organisations, AI governance, and evolving learning cultures dominated the conversation, but predictions only really matter when tested against reality.

A few months on, and following Executive Knowledge Exchanges across Paris, Atlanta, New York, and London, a more nuanced picture is emerging. The themes themselves have not dramatically changed but the way organisations are engaging with them has. What we’re seeing now is how the conversation has shifted from what matters to what works.

What if the true unit of value is not the individual at all, but the team? This question sits at the heart of a growing body of thinking around “atomic teams”, explored in a recent conversation between iVentiv’s Hannah Hoey, Charles Jennings, and Tue Krabbe-Juelsbo. Their discussion challenges deeply embedded assumptions about leadership and offers a compelling case for shifting focus from individuals to the management team as the true engine of performance.At first glance, this may seem like a subtle distinction. Most organisations already talk extensively about teamwork. Collaboration is encouraged, cross-functional initiatives are prioritised, and leadership teams are expected to deliver collective outcomes. However, beneath this rhetoric lies a persistent disconnect. As Tue Krabbe-Juelsbo observes: “Across the board, we seem to optimise for individuals, even though we talk about teams.” This contradiction, we’re told, is deeply embedded in organisational systems. HR processes are structured around individual performance, learning programmes focus on personal capability, and success is typically measured through individual metrics. Even when leadership development is framed as team-based, it often remains rooted in individual growth, with coaching and assessment centred on the person rather than the collective.

Scaling leadership in a hypergrowth business is not just about doing more, faster. It requires a fundamental rethink of how leaders operate, how talent functions deliver value, and how organisations balance structure with agility.In this conversation with Richard Parfitt, Marketing Director, iVentiv, and Yulia Denisova, VP Talent & Development at Fanatics, we explore what it really takes to build leadership capability at pace in a business that has grown to 20,000 employees across 200 countries. From redefining prioritisation and decision-making, to introducing structure without bureaucracy, Yulia shares how Fanatics is evolving its talent strategy in real time.The discussion also dives into the role of AI in leadership, the importance of maintaining human connection at scale, and why Learning and Development must shift from control to enablement.

“We as practitioners, we as leaders in this field, need to continue to be comfortable with the fact that technology will continue to disrupt and force us to adapt and think differently.” - Gordon Trujillo, VP, Enterprise Talent Management and Learning & Development, DaVitaThere are moments in history where technology doesn’t just enhance work, it redefines it. For Chief Learning Officers and Talent leaders like Gordon, the rise of artificial intelligence represents one of those inflection points.From the early days of Learning Management Systems to today’s generative AI tools, Gordon Trujillo has witnessed multiple waves of transformation. Yet, as he reflects, today’s shift feels fundamentally different. AI is not simply another tool in the ecosystem. He says that it is fundamentally reshaping how we learn, how we lead, and how organisations operate.For leaders across the iVentiv community, the challenge is not whether to engage with AI, but how to do so thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively.

“We as practitioners, we as leaders in this field, need to continue to be comfortable with the fact that technology will continue to disrupt and force us to adapt and think differently.” - Gordon Trujillo, VP, Enterprise Talent Management and Learning & Development, DaVita

There are moments in history where technology doesn’t just enhance work, it redefines it. For Chief Learning Officers and Talent leaders like Gordon, the rise of artificial intelligence represents one of those inflection points.

From the early days of Learning Management Systems to today’s generative AI tools, Gordon Trujillo has witnessed multiple waves of transformation. Yet, as he reflects, today’s shift feels fundamentally different. AI is not simply another tool in the ecosystem. He says that it is fundamentally reshaping how we learn, how we lead, and how organisations operate.

For leaders across the iVentiv community, the challenge is not whether to engage with AI, but how to do so thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively.

Learning leaders are operating in one of the most consequential moments for the profession. AI is reshaping how work gets done, business strategies are shifting faster than ever, and organisations are demanding clear evidence that learning drives performance.Against that backdrop, one question keeps surfacing: what does modern Learning leadership actually look like?In a recent conversation with iVentiv, William Varsos, Head of Global Learning at Marsh, explored how Learning functions can embed development into the flow of work, align learning more tightly with business strategy, and navigate the growing noise of emerging trends.His perspective offers a grounded view of the future of Learning, one built less on chasing the next big thing, and more on creating cultures where learning never stops.

In today’s fast-changing business environment, the biggest Leadership challenge may not be skills, it may be mindset. In this conversation with iVentiv’s Hannah Hoey, Nikhil Shahane, VP Global Head of People Development at TechnipFMC, explores why adaptability, curiosity, and the ability to let go of legacy ways of working are becoming critical Leadership capabilities.From navigating a “BANI” world to embedding learning in the flow of work, Nikhil shares practical insights on how organisations can shift from skills-focused development to cultivating the mindsets that enable leaders and teams to thrive through constant change. Watch our interview with Nikhil now

In an industry where thousands of frontline employees may be trained in a matter of hours rather than months, hospitality leaders are being forced to rethink how learning, leadership, and communication really work. Many take the view that traditional onboarding, static compliance courses, and one-size-fits-all leadership models simply can’t keep pace with the speed, scale, and expectations of modern hospitality.In this conversation, David Goddard, VP Talent at Levy Restaurants, shares how one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment hospitality brands is developing leaders that deliver even in the most high-pressure environments.