This week I am joined by Chris de Bruin, CEO at Acenda, the large Australian life business. Chris is a serial CEO, having transformed a number of businesses. He's very much a strategic thinker and problem solver.

Among his key messages is the fact that deep thoughtfulness is required by all CEOs to judge timing, what to change, what not to change, how to develop as a master of influence and successfully manage multiple stakeholders. 

If you think it's about control, forget it. Get the right talent on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. Decide quickly, don't wait. Then implement your plan fully and do so always with dignity.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The CEO is a "final assembler" of vision, not the holder of hierarchical power. Treating the role as a craft of influence rather than a title of control enables the CEO to take successfully take everyone on a shared journey of transformation.

CEOs must establish a brutal honesty about the numbers, or they will map a journey from a starting point that doesn't exist.

Acting quickly on weak leadership or toxic personalities provides the economic resources needed for 'empathetic exits,' ensuring that those who leave are treated with the care they deserve while the remaining team focuses on the road ahead"

BEST MOMENTS

"If you think it's about control, forget it."

"Decide quickly, don't wait. Then implement planfully and always with dignity."

"Using digital as a disruption vector is not a strategy, it's just one part."

ABOUT THE GUEST

Chris J de Bruin is a global transformational leader with over 25 years of experience at the intersection of financial services and technology. As Group CEO of Acenda, he leads a premier life insurance and retirement platform uniting the heritage of MLC Life Insurance and Resolution Life Australasia.

Prior to this, Chris was Chief Executive of Consumer & Business Banking at Westpac, where he spearheaded the group’s multi-billion-dollar digital transformation. His career spans leadership roles at Standard Chartered, where he co-founded Africa’s first digital bank. He guided development of industry leading solutions at Zafin and Deem Finance and a former McKinsey Associate Principal.

He is a specialist in driving "step-change" economics through radical digitization and customer-centric innovation.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjdebruin

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition, or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges, and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC, and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

DESCRIPTION

This week, it is great to be joined by Dominic Kovacs, CEO of Colossyan. He stands out as the youngest CEO on my podcast, and yet, in a few short years, he has transformed himself, his business and the learning sector using tech and AI. 

Dominik is humble about his learning. Yet he has achieved much his transformation maxes on internal locus of control, using culture to drive sustainable growth and a mathematical approach to problem solving. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Technical founders who take the CEO role out of responsibility, not ego, can become exceptional leaders when they treat CEO as a craft to be learned, not a title to be worn.  

Deep-tech companies must flip the script from “build first, validate later” to continuous customer validation, or they will ship beautiful products that nobody truly needs.  

Continuing to develop a product  that the market and regulators aren’t ready for is folly. 

Cultures that worship speed and ignore quality eventually pay in lost customers and credibility.  

Transformer CEOs, treat customers as long‑term partners. They protect their experience over short‑term speed or vanity releases – is what turns painful product mistakes into deeper trust, better design, and stronger, more sustainable growth.  

When you reward teams for quality, provide ownership and develop a “don’t hurt the customer” culture you turn values from posters on the wall into products and experiences clients truly trust.  

A strong team and culture will move mountains through setbacks and hypergrowth.  

The next generation of CEOs will win by embedding AI into workflows, not as shiny tools but as invisible “cog wheels” that keep knowledge fresh and training effortless at scale.

BEST MOMENTS

“You've founded and been the CEO for two companies, and yet you haven't hit your 30th birthday yet.”

‘I took on the role for basically doing everything I can to create like a stronger position for all of us who are already part of the business.’

“Transformation is never linear. There's always hiccups, potholes or cliff edges."

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominikkovacs

https://www.colossyan.com

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition, or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges, and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC, and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Welcome to another episode of transformer CEOs. Matt Stephens has led two of his own companies in consulting and employee insight Quest Agency and Inpulse. He's worked with hundreds of CEOs globally, some of them transformers. So brings both perspectives through his own work. Matt has transformed how CEOs value employee insight data and use it to drive performance. He also brings a distinct societal generation, political and even spiritual angle to leadership by transformer CEOs.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Annual engagement surveys alone are not effective. Short, frequent “how do you feel and why?” pulses expose what’s really driving performance and risk.  

Emotion is hard data. When CEOs track feelings and the reasons behind them team-by-team, they can link them directly to engagement, attrition, sickness, and output.  

Most issues are relational. Better conversations between managers and teams fix more than new programmes and expensive initiatives do.

True transformation demands CEOs go beyond “did we make more revenue?” to a richer definition of winning that includes engagement, growth of people, client impact, retention, and the health of the culture. 

Transformer CEOs start with self‑awareness. If you can’t read and regulate your own emotions, you can’t authentically lead anyone else.  

BEST MOMENTS

“To be a transformer, you've got to know how to sell…You have to know how to influence people.”

“We can't walk on eggshells, because eggs are going to get cracked here, because we're talking about issues that are challenging, difficult, personal, real.”

“You can think you're a leader, until you realise no one's following you.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-stephens-a210051

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition, or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges, and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC, and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Patrick Svensk is CEO of PodX and chairs three other companies. He's a straight-talking senior media executive who's transformed multiple companies as well as the industry. I loved his ability and willingness to flip between CEO and chair roles depending on need, his take on what it makes for a great transformer CEO in media and his total disregard for career planning and politics, but deep passion for great ideas wherever they come from, and entrepreneurship.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Instead of waiting for head-hunters create your own roles - pitch bold ideas directly to owners.

Your growth as a leader is accelerated by finding a true mentor and an industry with high levels of growth and change.

Ensure consistency in communication across all levels so the core strategic message remains focused and is understood by everyone.

Become agile, lower fixed costs, don´t be afraid of outsourcing and focus on high-margin products.

Build sustainable businesses by identifying future leaders early and providing equity-based incentives that mirror the success of founders.

BEST MOMENTS

“Two CEOs at 27 - One is impressive. Two is something special.”

‘We transformed into a company that generated new ideas and formats and sold those into production.’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Patrick Svensk is a Swedish media and entertainment leader with 35+ years’ experience as CEO, President, CoB, managing director and NED of several international entertainment, media, online gaming, SaaS and B2C and B2B digital businesses. Including Kinnevik (TV3), Hallstedt & Hvid, Kanal 5, Zodiak Media Group, MTG and Bright Group, several of which are Nasdaq listed. He founded SkyVentures  and is the co-founder and CEO of PodX Group, backed by Qarlbo.

He has held non-executive positions for Betsson, Squid, Readly Group and several others. Today, he serves as non-exec chairman of Thunderful, Scrive Group and Hacksaw.

Patrick has led a major shift in European TV production – selling off in-house studios and technology, cutting fixed production headcount and building an IP-first model that relied on format development and flexible, freelance production teams. Today, he is transforming the world of podcasting.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricksvensk

https://podx.com

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

This week, Erik is joined by serial investor and entrepreneur, Peter Lindholm. He was the CEO of the unicorn company, Frontier Car Group, and is now chair of Unaric, a Software Group integrating SaaS companies into AI powered platforms. 

Peter speaks openly about scaling from 3 to 5000 employees, the AI juggernaut coming down the tracks towards all CEOs, especially those with large white-collar populations, his preference to reward with equity rather than bonuses, and his non-negotiable trait of obsession for all key hires.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Scaling from 3 to 5,000 demands constant reinvention of leadership, structure, and talent; what works at 10 fails at 100 and breaks at 1,000.

As organisations scale, great CEOs move beyond gut-let decision-making and let data drive the business. Instinct is relied upon only when data is incomplete or something feels way off.

Long-term value is built by aligning leaders through equity, not short-term bonuses. It turns them into true owners who think and behave accordingly.

AI means cost advantages will be competed away, forcing CEOs to transform business models, not just automate.

Obsession is the one non-negotiable trait for transformation.

BEST MOMENTS

“The earlier you make those tough decisions in terms of how you change the organisation, the better off you will be.”  

“Most of the good talents have… a group of people they like to work with. They kind of follow them everywhere.”  

ABOUT PETER

Peter Lindholm is a Swedish serial entrepreneur and investor who has built and scaled technology companies across the globe and raised more than $400M in capital. He is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Unaric, a London-based software group acquiring and integrating Salesforce-native SaaS companies into unified, AI-powered platforms.

Prior to Unaric, Peter co-founded and served as Global CEO of Frontier Car Group, scaling the business across 15+ markets to a $2B+ revenue run-rate and unicorn valuation.

He started his career at Kinnevik, taking leadership roles across portfolio companies in Europe, Latin America, and Africa.

He is an active angel investor and LP, with 30+ early-stage investments including Revolut, Klarna, Nothing, Monese, and BVNK, and is the founding investor behind Femcare, a Nordic women’s health platform transforming access and quality of care.

DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you. At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition, or lose their top talent –  or all three. The financial fallout can be severe. 

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan. It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges, and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings. It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader". After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC, and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win. This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

This week, I'm excited to introduce you to Peter Hörwing, CEO of Chart Learning Solutions. Peter is a serial CEO, who has transformed a number of organisations and now runs his own virtual company from his yacht.

What really stood out for me is Peter´s strong link between the CEO's values and the company's values, the importance of surrounding yourself with great talent and then delegating. As well as the impact early life experiences in sport, in the military shaped him as a CEO.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Make time your ally, you can´t do it all fast. Build in deliberate reflection time (not just meetings) so your subconscious can work and let big strategic answers emerge.

Start every transformation by cleaning house and developing or hiring great people. Strip out bad contracts, address non‑performers, reset pricing, and stop activities that don’t fit the future story.

Delegate but also follow up. Peter clearly communicates what needs to be achieved then gives teams freedom on the how. Then, follows up relentlessly to maintain momentum.

Design culture on purpose and in line with your values. Peter actively shapes culture around respect, openness, and trust, while flexing for local norms in Finland, Malaysia, and India) so the transformation sticks, not snaps.

BEST MOMENTS

“Most important is working with people, setting the vision for people, getting the team together.”

“When you transform yourself, or companies, focus on one or maybe two things, even though you actually need to do 10 things.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

Peter Hörwing is a World Sailing Champion and ex Royal Marine. He is the founder and CEO of Chart Learning Solutions, a performance improvement powerhouse that helps organizations reach new heights in Leadership, Sales, Customer Service, and drive lasting transformation. 

With +600 award-winning courses, the best-in-class AI-optimised ChartGo LMS, combines technology and expert coaching to deliver results that stick. Both corporates and individuals receive a fully tailored, self-paced, pocket-friendly learning experience.

Whether you're looking to strengthen your company, advance your career or boost organizational performance, Chart Learning Solutions delivers. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterhorwing/

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you. At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition, or lose their top talent –  or all three. The financial fallout can be severe. 

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan. It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges, and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings. It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader". After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC, and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win. This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

This week, I am delighted to be joined by Mark Cuddigan, CEO at THIS™ a leading plant protein business. Mark is a serial CEO, having transformed and built a number of businesses in the food sector. He leads with the heart.

His key messages include the amazing transformative effect of focusing on culture and freeing up employees to be part of something great. Mark felt he wasn't really ready for ceoship, but thanks to great mentoring, it turned out that he was. Mark explains how he discovered that kindness is the most important quality for a transformer CEO.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

For Transformer CEOs, leading with kindness  and genuinely caring about people and how they experience work, creates the psychological safety and loyalty required to deliver the hardest transformations.  

When a CEO relentlessly prioritises culture by resetting the mission, values and behaviours, they take businesses from low trust to a place where people feel proud and energised.  

Freeing people beats directing people. When leaders stop seeing themselves as chief problem-solvers and become chief liberators, they give teams autonomy, clarity and purpose and create something far bigger than any one CEO.  

Mentoring is the multiplier of transformation. CEOs that actively build internal talent and grow their successors create sustainable change.  

When you are kind and empathetic and see your people as humans first, employees second, performance improvement follows.

Tying the business mission to a cause that genuinely matters, e.g. improving children’s nutrition turns ordinary jobs into life-changing work and employees into people who are passionate about their roles.

BEST MOMENTS

"The fact that Ella's (Kitchen´s) core mission was around children's health and nutrition. It wasn't to make money, inspired me."

"Noone's ever ready to be promoted, and if they are, they're being promoted too late."

"What is better in business than promoting someone and then seeing them shine?"

GUEST BIO

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-cuddigan-87575421

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

LINKS

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to Transformer CEOs with me, Erik Schmidt. As well as hosting this podcast, I advise Chairs, CEOs and investors on driving performance in tough environments. Today I’m joined by one such CEO - Erwin Wieffering, CEO of SafetyKleen, who has led multiple transformations. 

Today, we talk about the necessary craziness and resilience of a transformer CEO, achieving that vital balance between work, health and family, and why you cannot win without hiring great talent who truly share your vision.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Embrace a little constructive craziness in service of a clear North Star. A degree of audacity is part of the transformer CEO´s job profile. 

Multi‑year transformations are marathons; build habits, routines and support systems that allow you to get knocked down, course‑correct and keep the organisation’s energy high.  

Design your diary, travel and role so that your family and wellbeing aren’t permanently in the red. If you don´t, your credibility and the quality of your decisions suffers. 

Spend disciplined time with sales and service teams on the frontline. 

Test, learn - then scale. Resist the temptation to roll out one-size‑fits‑all models at speed; instead, prove concepts in test beds, support roll‑out with dedicated “SWAT” capability, and don´t try to transform by committee. 

BEST MOMENTS

"Every week I'm sitting either in a truck or I sit in the car with a sales guy.”

"Less is more always works. Put a few people with good brains in a room and they actually make it work...it´s very hard to transform by committee."

"To be a transformative CEO - don't go in and try to manage something, go in with a purpose, and actually know where you want the north star to be."

GUEST BIO

In 2021, Erwin Wieffering became Group CEO of SafetyKleen International market leader in parts cleaning, waste collection, and environmental advisory services across 90+ branches in 15 countries.

Previously, he was President EMEA of Britax Römer, and the 1st Global CMO at Verisure, where he shaped its global marketing and commercial strategy.

Erwin served at Procter & Gamble, in various leadership positions across different geographies, for 18 years. He holds a Master’s in General Management from Nyenrode Business University.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

This week, Erik is joined by someone he has had the privilege to work with directly -  Alexander Lacik the  President and CEO of Pandora - the world's largest jewellery business by volume. Alexander has successfully led the global transformation of Pandora that has been named as the most successful turnaround in Danish corporate history. 

He talks vividly about the cultural transformation, his three-phase transformation plan: brand momentum, strategy clarity, and product innovation. As well as the power of balancing seriousness with humour.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Relentlessly reduce the noise until you find the one critical thing. In a “car crash” business with 47 priorities and a divided executive team, Alexander forced Pandora down to a single governing objective – restore brand heat. 

Focus on the few metrics that truly create growth. For Pandora, traffic was the strongest driver of like‑for‑like growth, so incentives, from store staff to the board were aligned with that.

Culture and organisation design are not a side project for HR. You will have to strip a lot back and rebuild.

In a low‑trust environment, a high say–do ratio is vital. Rebuild investor and employee confidence by under‑promising and over‑delivering.

Be explicit about whether the business needs steady‑state management or a hard turnaround, and appoint a CEO whose wiring fits that brief.

BEST MOMENTS

‘When I came through the door, it was like the house was on fire. Yet, people were debating which paint we should be painting the fence with. And I'm like, “No, get hold of a hose or leave”.’

‘There are many drivers in any business, but I asked what is the one thing that I need people to be focused on? and then how are we going to incentivise people to do that thing?´

ABOUT THE GUEST

Alexander Lacik has 30 years of experience in

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

LINKS

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

Today, I am joined by Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, former CEO and Chair of LEGO Group and a real titan of the toy industry. He has just stepped away from executive roles at LEGO and is embarking on five buckets of new activity. His learning mindset and academic roots still shape his leadership today, bringing a distinctive mix of curiosity, authenticity and a truth‑to‑power willingness to confront conflict head‑on.

Jørgen shares how he neither wanted nor felt ready for the CEO role, yet, through a special partnership with LEGO’s owners, was able to build a powerful board and exec team. Then, built a culture of empowerment, execution and energy that fuelled sustained organic growth.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

LEGO’s journey began as a tough financial turnaround from near bankruptcy, moved into productivity rebuilding then, into strong organic growth. It included painful missteps. 

Leaders must be visible in the fight, burn bridges to old ways, show real courage in conflict, and empower with tools, not just slogans.

Shifting from mediocrity to a resilient, playful, high‑accountability culture is central to LEGO’s sustained performance.

Discipline came from building robust execution systems e.g. S&OP, product processes and incentives tied to economic value and brand promises.

BEST MOMENTS

“I think a big secret of my becoming a CEO, and my CEO style, is that I didn't want to do it.”

‘I learned the hard way that you don't create a performance culture by giving a talk. It's rolling up your sleeves and then being the first.’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Jørgen Vig Knudstorp is the former CEO of the LEGO Brand Group and is widely credited with leading its turnaround and 10x growth. 

An academic by training, he studied Economics and Management in Denmark and at MIT, worked at McKinsey. He joined LEGO in 2001, becoming CEO in 2004 at the age of 35. After stepping down as CEO in 2017, he chaired the LEGO Brand Group alongside the 4th‑generation owner until 2023 and remained a special advisor to the family until 2025. 

Today, he serves as chair, deputy chair or board member at organisations including BrainPOP Education,  the LEGO Foundation, IMD, Starbucks and Nike.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

If you're a CEO, Chairman or investor this is a destination podcast for you.   At some time, all companies get out of step with their consumers, fall behind the competition or lose their top talent –  or all three.   The financial fallout can be severe.   

The Transformer CEO podcast meets global leaders who have taken on the brief to transform their company from ugly duckling to swan.  It explores their corporate and personal journey, their leadership values, their challenges and successes along with their mis-steps and learnings.   It inspires those about to start, re-assures those already underway and offers a benchmark for those who feel they have concluded. If you want to know what it takes to succeed in tough environments, you'll not want to miss Transformer CEOs.

HOST BIO

Erik is described by CEO and Chairmen as "exceptional", "undoubtedly one of the top global HR leaders" and "a strong strategic thinker and amazing change leader".  After 35 years working with some of the most successful companies on the planet including Diageo, GE, LEGO, HSBC and Pandora, he focuses in the podcast on sharing the unique character of corporate leaders who take on some of the biggest challenges and win.   This is also a critical topic in his consulting work where he partners with CEO’s, Chairmen and Investors as Founder & Managing Director of Erik Schmidt Consulting & Advisory (erikschmidt.co.uk) to help companies achieve out-performance.

https://www.erikschmidt.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-erik/

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/