Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick

Episodi

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  Success Isn’t the Finish Line: DSM-Firmenich CEO Dimitri de Vreeze 21.07.2026 39min

  DSM-Firmenich CEO Dimitri de Vreeze reflects on selling the DSM materials business he helped build, the leadership lessons behind DSM-Firmenich’s merger and why companies must keep changing even when things are working.
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  Say Yes Before You're Ready: Capital Group CEO Mike Gitlin 07.07.2026 35min

  Capital Group CEO Mike Gitlin reflects on the career decisions that took him from trading Asian markets overnight to leading one of the world's largest asset managers. He discusses why he left T. Rowe Price for Capital Group, the lessons learned from moving his family around the world, why EQ will matter more than IQ in the age of AI and how embracing discomfort, feedback and long-term thinking has shaped his leadership.
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  Choose Impact Over Ambition: Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget 23.06.2026 30min

  Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget reflects on the decision to leave Dow after 25 years to lead Novozymes, and why impact, not ambition, drove the move. She discusses the family values that shaped her, redefining the company as a biosolutions leader, the Chr. Hansen merger and why leadership requires courage, respect and long-term purpose.
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  Leave Without a Plan: BNY CEO Robin Vince 09.06.2026 35min

  After 26 years at Goldman Sachs, Robin Vince walked away without another job lined up. In this episode of Executive Decisions, the BNY CEO reflects on why he stepped off a successful career path, what he learned during the global financial crisis and how that pause ultimately led him to one of America’s oldest banks.
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  Be Willing to Stand Alone: Euronext CEO Stéphane Boujnah 26.05.2026 29min

  Why Euronext CEO Stéphane Boujnah fought a $30 billion deal — and how it defined his career
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  Don’t Stop Trying Things: Reed CEO James Reed 12.05.2026 37min

  James Reed reflects on the decision that defined his career — taking the risk of joining the family business. The Reed CEO discusses failure, purpose and why standing still is the worst decision of all.
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  Stop Trying to Fit In: Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein 28.04.2026 32min

  How Lloyd Blankfein stopped trying to fit in — and learned to lead as himself
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  If It’s Not Right, Leave: Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc 14.04.2026 39min

  Know when to walk away: The decision that shaped Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc
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  Own the Role You Have: Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan 03.03.2026 33min

  Novartis CEO: Commit fully now — and your career may thank you later
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  Decide, Then Deliver: Schneider Electric CEO Olivier Blum 24.02.2026 32min

  Why Olivier Blum hesitated before taking the Schneider Electric CEO job
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  Use the Five‑Year Test: Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson 17.02.2026 34min

  How Jenny Johnson beat family‑name bias to lead $1.5 trillion Franklin Templeton
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  Lead Through Discomfort: Philips CEO Roy Jakobs 10.02.2026 37min

  Philips CEO Roy Jakobs on why discomfort prepared him for leadership
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  Protect the User: Pinterest CEO Bill Ready 03.02.2026 40min

  Why Pinterest CEO Bill Ready’s Boldest Bet Was Shaped Far From Silicon Valley
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  Think for Yourself: Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli 13.01.2026 41min

  A rebellious Danish coder turned entrepreneur, Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli reveals how curiosity, risk‑taking and a breakthrough in AI research propelled him from teenage tinkerer to leading a multi‑billion‑dollar tech company.
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  Learn the Lesson: Canary Wharf Chairman Nigel Wilson 06.01.2026 41min

  In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Sir Nigel Wilson, chairman of Canary Wharf Group, to explore the curiosity-driven career that took him from a council estate in northeast England to the top of U.K. business. Wilson shares how intellectual curiosity—nurtured by family and teachers—shaped his path from a scholarship at MIT to roles at McKinsey, Dixons and ultimately CEO of Legal & General. He reflects on leadership lessons, including his grandmother’s advice to lead with kindness and optimism and why encouragement beats shouting in management. The conversation spans his current work at Canary Wharf and Cambridge Innovation Capital, his passion for growth and innovation and even his personal goals in athletics and family life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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  Learn to Decide: Heidelberg Materials CEO Dominik von Achten 30.12.2025 27min

  Heidelberg Materials CEO Dominik von Achten reflects on his path from law to leadership, why listening to younger voices is vital when navigating rapid change, and how turning a carbon challenge into an opportunity became the defining decision of his career.
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  Know When to Leave: Syensqo CEO Ilham Kadri 23.12.2025 44min

  Syensqo CEO Ilham Kadri shares how her humble beginnings in Casablanca and a passion for science shaped her journey to the C-suite. She reflects on the tough choices behind a global career, why embracing discomfort fuels transformation, and how she navigates leadership’s loneliest moments.
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  Be Yourself: Phoenix Group CEO Andy Briggs 16.12.2025 32min

  Phoenix Group CEO Andy Briggs reflects on how his family values shaped his four-decade career, why purpose-driven leadership matters when making tough decisions and how staying true to yourself is key to building long-term success.
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  Do the Hard Thing: London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher 09.12.2025 39min

  London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher shares how his family’s sporting legacy shaped his career, why embracing tough decisions builds resilience, and how focusing on where you want to go—rather than the obstacles—is key to leadership and growth.
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  Build, Don’t Complain: Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff 02.12.2025 37min

  Veolia’s CEO reflects on how the ground-breaking women in her family unlocked her career ambitions, why she wishes she had trusted her instincts earlier, and why reframing our mindset is key to tackling global sustainability challenges.