Cambridge Executive Business Insights

Making AI work: How organisations turn strategy into results 07.07.2026 43min

In this episode, Professor Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Mark Bloomfield, founder of Turbulence and AI adviser to global organisations, about how leaders can adopt AI with purpose. They explore why the greatest opportunity lies not simply in improving efficiency, but in reimagining how organisations innovate, solve problems and build competitive advantage. Drawing on examples from businesses around the world, Mark explains why successful AI adoption starts with identifying organisational "friction points", creating space for experimentation, and empowering people, rather than replacing them. The conversation also examines responsible AI, organisational change, simulation, trust and the principles of frugal AI: achieving more with less through thoughtful, human-centred innovation. A practical and thought-provoking discussion for leaders seeking to harness AI strategically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI in sustainability 23.06.2026 40min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Munish Datta, Director of Sustainability at Specsavers, about how AI is transforming the way organisations measure emissions, manage supply chains, and build resilience to climate risks. Drawing on real-world examples from Specsavers and beyond, Munish explores how AI can improve carbon accounting, enhance supply chain traceability, support climate adaptation, and accelerate progress towards a more circular and regenerative economy. He also discusses the importance of human oversight, ethical governance, and developing the skills needed to use AI responsibly. From sustainability reporting and supply chain transparency to the future of regenerative business, this conversation offers valuable insights for leaders seeking to harness AI to create environmental, social, and business value. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Frugal AI in the energy sphere 09.06.2026 35min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Philippe Rambach, Chief AI Officer at Schneider Electric, about the role of AI in creating a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. Drawing on Schneider Electric's experience deploying AI at scale, Philippe explains the concept of "frugal AI", using the simplest, most efficient technology to solve real-world problems. Together, they explore how AI can optimise energy demand, support smarter buildings and grids, reduce carbon emissions, and help organisations balance innovation with sustainability. From AI-powered energy management to the future of electrification, this conversation offers valuable insights for business leaders, policymakers, and anyone interested in the intersection of AI, energy and climate action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rethinking banking with AI: building an AI fluent culture 26.05.2026 34min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Oscar Barlow, Head of AI Advocacy at Starling Bank, about how one of the UK’s leading digital banks is embedding AI across its organisation and customer experience. Oscar shares how Starling’s agile, technology-first culture has enabled rapid AI adoption, from AI champions and internal enablement programmes to customer-facing tools like spending intelligence and AI-powered scam detection. The conversation explores regulation, trust, AI fluency, agentic AI, and what the future of banking could look like as humans and AI increasingly work side by side. A fascinating discussion on innovation, culture, and the next era of financial services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Frugal Innovation to Machine Consciousness 12.05.2026 42min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Dr. Daniel Hulme, CEO of Satalia and Chief AI Officer at WPP, about the future of artificial intelligence, from real-world business applications to the possibility of machine consciousness. They explore how AI is transforming industries like marketing, why constraints can drive innovation, and what leaders need to do to stay ahead, while also tackling bigger questions around ethics, superintelligence, and what an AI-driven future means for humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How AI is Reshaping Influence, Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Decision-Making at Board Level 28.04.2026 40min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Nick Ford Young, co-CEO of Boldspace, about how AI is transforming marketing and communications. They explore “agentic” workflows, the balance between automation and human creativity, and why judgment remains essential in an AI-powered world. Nick shares how Boldstream integrates data, strategy and real-time insights to reshape decision-making and learning. The conversation also tackles risks, such as bias and over-reliance, and what the future holds for agencies, brands and talent. A thoughtful look at how AI can augment, not replace, human ingenuity in modern business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Technology, Impact, and Global Equity 14.04.2026 33min

This episode features Anusha Dandapani, Chief of Data and AI at the UNICC AI Hub (United Nations International Computing Centre), exploring how the UN is building scalable, responsible AI across its global system. She shares insights on creating shared AI infrastructure, overcoming fragmented systems, and shifting from experimentation to institutional adoption. The conversation highlights “frugal AI” - focusing on social impact over cost alone - and reveals surprising cost drivers like governance, data preparation, and workforce upskilling. Anusha also discusses balancing innovation with trust, embedding responsible AI practices, and preparing organisations for emerging agentic systems, offering practical lessons for leaders aiming to build purposeful, efficient AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Case For Frugal AI in a World of Giant Models 31.03.2026 39min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Firas Ben Hassan, Head of Agentic AI Solutions Hub at Allianz Technology. Firas shares his journey from fraud detection data scientist to leading Allianz’s agentic AI initiatives, including AllianzGPT. He explains the concept of frugal AI - using simpler, more efficient, and more explainable models instead of defaulting to the largest systems. The conversation explores responsible, human-centred AI in financial services, regulatory guardrails, levels of AI autonomy, and how organisations can balance innovation, efficiency, and trust in an era of rapidly advancing AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The future is assistive: frugal AI, accessibility, and inclusive innovation 17.03.2026 49min

In this episode, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Neil Milliken, former Global Head of Accessibility and Digital Inclusion at Atos, about the powerful intersection of AI and accessibility. Drawing on 25 years in assistive technology, Neil explains how today’s generative AI builds on foundations laid by early speech recognition systems and how AI can make work inherently assistive—from automated note-taking to large-scale compliance analysis. The conversation explores how inclusive design can drive mainstream innovation, the risks of bias in AI-powered recruitment and decision systems, and why accessibility should be embedded at the design stage, not treated as an afterthought. This is a thoughtful discussion on building AI that is inclusive, responsible, and impactful at scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Frugal AI in practice: smarter, leaner and more responsible intelligence 03.03.2026 49min

In the first episode or series 2, Jaideep Prabhu speaks with Serish Gandikota, Elizabeth Osta, and Arjuna Sathiaseelan about ‘frugal AI’ - a smarter, leaner approach to building and deploying artificial intelligence. As AI development becomes increasingly resource-intensive, reliant on vast compute power and energy the Frugal AI Hub at Cambridge Judge Business School is challenging the ‘bigger is better’ mindset. The conversation explores why many GenAI pilots are failing in enterprises, the importance of measuring real value and impact, and how AI can be made more accessible, especially in regions with limited infrastructure and among communities underserved by today’s dominant language models. From corporate boardrooms to the Global South, this episode outlines a practical vision for AI that is sustainable, inclusive, and designed to thrive under real-world constraints. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journey To Regeneration: Best Bits 27.02.2026 20min

In this best of episode, Chris Marquis shares some of his favourite moments from Journey To Regeneration. During the series we explored how technology and impact investing are reshaping the business landscape, from disruptive innovations to sustainable models. Visionaries like Ronnie Cohen highlighted the power of tech to drive massive change, while leaders like Heidi Renata, Lisa Ferguson, and Ana Costa stressed the importance of patience, collaboration, and integrating environmental and social values. We heard actionable insights from Juliet Scott Croxford on individual wellness, and from John Elkington on the mainstream rise of sustainability. The message is clear: start with small steps, champion positive change, and make your business—and your life—a force for good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journey To Regeneration: Best Bits 25.02.2026 16min

Professor Chris Marquis shares some of his favourite moments from the first series of Cambridge Executive Business Insights, Journey To Regeneration. Chris features thought leaders passionate about sustainability, regeneration, and business’s role in shaping a better world. You’ll hear practical advice from Vincent Stanley of Patagonia on connecting with and defending the places we love, and strategies from Lindsay Hopper for leveraging coalitions and trade bodies to drive meaningful change. Andrew Winston challenges us all to ask whether we and our organizations are truly making the world better, while Elizabeth Whitlow invites listeners to reconnect with food—and the soil it grows in. You'll discover actionable steps for everyday impact, from what we wear, as shared by Lindsay Hooper, to the transformative power of regenerative agriculture, explored by Andrea Ili. Kate Williams shares the philosophy behind 1% for the Planet, emphasizing progress over perfection, and Nigel Topping urges businesses to track exponential changes within their industries for resilience and innovation. These highlights offer a rich blend of thought-provoking perspectives and practical wisdom, setting the stage for Series 2’s focus toward frugal AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shifting Cocoa Farming From Exploitation to Regeneration 09.12.2025 39min

In this episode, host Christopher Marquis is joined by Douglas Lamont, CEO of Tony’s Chocolonely, the Dutch chocolate company born when journalists exposed widespread child labour in West Africa’s cocoa fields and set out to prove a fairer model was possible. Douglas breaks down how Tony’s rebuilt its supply chain around five core sourcing principles—paying a living-income price, long-term contracts, full traceability, strong farmer cooperatives, and improved farming practices—and how these have dramatically reduced child-labour risks, lifted farmers out of poverty, and cut incentives for deforestation. The episode also dives into Tony’s Open Chain Initiative, which invites other brands to adopt the same ethical sourcing model in pursuit of a 5% market share tipping point for industry-wide change. Douglas discusses Tony’s mission-lock structure, the UK’s Better Business Act, and how stronger company law and bold leadership can shift businesses from extractive to regenerative models. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reimagining Accountability: The Future of the B Corp Movement 02.12.2025 44min

In this week’s episode, host Christopher Marquis is joined by Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, to discuss the evolution of the B Corp movement and what it reveals about the changing expectations of business in the 21st century. They explore the rise of B Corps in the UK, now numbering around 2,700 companies employing more than 200,000 people, and consider insights from B Lab UK’s Take 10 report, which brings together evidence on how certified companies are approaching environmental and social performance. Chris outlines the aim of the Better Business Act, an initiative to amend the UK Companies Act so that every company has a legal duty to align shareholder interests with those of workers, communities, and the environment. He also reflects on the updated global B Corp standards and what raising the bar for responsible business may mean worldwide. In this episode, we cover: How B Lab UK has grown and how the B Corp community has evolved Key findings from the Take 10 report The goals of the Better Business Act and why governance reform matters How updated B Corp standards and assurance processes aim to strengthen accountability Why conversation, expectation-setting, and community play a central role in driving change Together, the discussion offers a thoughtful look at how governance, standards, and collective action might help embed environmental and social purpose more deeply into the DNA of business. Take 10: Celebrating 10 Years of the UK B Corp movement: https://bcorporation.uk/act-and-learn/campaigns/10-years-of-b-lab-uk/ Introducing B Impact: A better way to measure and manage impact: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/programs-and-tools/b-impact/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shaping Sustainable Choices 25.11.2025 40min

In this week’s episode, host Christopher Marquis is joined by Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, to explore how the company is experimenting with ways to support more sustainable consumer choices. Positioned within a payments network that reaches 150 million merchants and billions of cardholders, Mastercard has a vantage point on everyday spending that can help inform how incentives and information are designed. They discuss a recent pilot at University College London, created with Rewild, that linked item-level purchases to emissions data and offered rewards for lower-carbon food options. Early findings suggest that such incentives can influence purchasing decisions, offering useful insights into consumer behaviour. Ellen also highlights practical trials, from reusable cup systems in European cities to tap-and-go transit technologies, that aim to lower friction for more sustainable actions. A key theme throughout is Mastercard’s inspire, inform, enable framework, including tools like the Carbon Calculator and campaigns with public figures such as Gareth Bale, which seek to address the “say–do gap” by matching clearer information with convenience and rewards. Together, these examples demonstrate how practical tools can facilitate a transition from sustainable intentions to more sustainable everyday choices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Follow Journey To Regeneration 19.11.2025

We hope you've been enjoying Journey To Regeneration from Cambridge Judge Business School. For more episodes of Journey To Regeneration with Professor Chris Marquis, follow the new feed here - https://podfollow.com/journey-to-regeneration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Green Swans and Regenerative Business 11.11.2025 50min

In this episode, host Christopher Marquis is joined by John Elkington, author, advisor, and originator of the “triple bottom line.” John revisits how that idea took off in the 1990s, and why he later issued a “product recall” to refocus leaders on truly integrating people, planet, and profit. The episode explores his concept of “Green Swans” - system-positive shifts that outpace incremental change. From renewables and EVs to greener cities, John shows where technology, policy, and strategy are already bending the curve toward regeneration. He also reflects on the B Corp movement and how sustainability is spreading across the C-suite, uniting impact, risk, and return under one agenda. John leaves us with practical advice: get out into the world - visit farms, factories, and front-line communities where the future is being built. By seeing what’s possible, leaders can move from theory to transformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sustainability and Circularity 04.11.2025 33min

In this episode, Chris Marquis explores regenerative business practices with Juliet Scott-Croxford, President for the Americas at Brompton Bicycle. Discover how the iconic folding bike company transforms urban mobility through their mission of "urban freedom for happier lives," connecting environmental sustainability with mental health and community design. Juliet reveals Brompton's rejection of throwaway culture through product longevity, repairability, and their innovative Brompton Renewed program—refurbishing second-hand bikes with seven-year guarantees. They discuss how Brompton views bicycles as systems interventions that create ripple effects across city infrastructure, public policy, and transportation narratives. As a newly certified B Corp, the company embeds ESG metrics into leadership accountability, demonstrating how purpose-driven governance drives innovation. This conversation illustrates that regeneration extends beyond environmental concerns - it's about creating systems that support dignity, mobility, and joy in urban life. A compelling example of how businesses can actively restore and enhance the natural and social systems they depend on for long-term success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Regenerative Business Pioneers - Natura 28.10.2025 40min

In this episode, Chris Marquis welcomes Ana Costa, Vice President for Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at Natura &Co, a pioneering beauty company rooted in Amazon conservation. They explore how Natura's Amazon origins have shaped their belief that regeneration is essential, not optional. Ana reveals how the company embeds regenerative practices across their entire value chain—supporting over 10,000 small-scale Amazonian producers, restoring biodiversity, and integrating social impact into core business operations. They discuss how Natura's unique approach to connecting local and global impact: investing in traditional knowledge systems and forest economies while influencing international standards through UN partnerships, B Corp networks, and climate coalitions. The company demonstrates how profitability and collective wellbeing can align through net-positive growth models and ecosystem restoration investments. Ana shares Natura's evolution from sustainability to full-spectrum regeneration, including groundbreaking governance innovations like their Integrated Profit and Loss Statement and stakeholder governance commitment. This conversation provides a practical blueprint for companies seeking to align purpose with power, showing how traditional businesses can adopt regenerative practices that restore natural and social systems while driving long-term success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Indigenous Business Wisdom and Regenerative Practices 21.10.2025 39min

In this episode, host Chris Marquis explores regenerative business practices with two inspiring leaders - Heidi Renata, co-founder of Innovate HQ and Māori entrepreneur, and Lisa Ferguson from The Nature Conservancy. Both guests emphasise that regenerative practices aren't new concepts—they're ancient wisdom being reapplied to modern challenges. Key themes include the importance of building trust, moving at the "speed of trust" rather than quarterly timelines, and recognising that true leadership means bringing others with you rather than controlling from above. te ao - Māori world/worldview curious wahine-preneur - this is more of a playful made up word versus a real one, which simply means, woman entrepreneur Ōtepoti – Dunedin, NZ marae – (verb) to be generous, hospitable, (noun) courtyard - the open area in front of the wharenui, where formal greetings and discussions take place. Often also used to include the complex of buildings around the marae. whānau – (verb) to be born, give birth, (noun) extended family, family group, a familiar term to address a number of people – the primary economic unit of traditional Māori society Manaakitanga – hospitality, kindness, generosity, support – the process of showing respect, generosity and care for others. Kotahitanga – unity, togetherness and solidarity, collective action Whanaungatanga - relationship, kinship, sense of family connection - a relationship through shared experiences and working together which provides people with a sense of belonging. It develops as a result of kinship rights and obligations, which also serve to strengthen each member of the kin group. It also extends to others to whom one develops a close familial, friendship or reciprocal relationship. Tikanga – customs, practices and procedures i.e. the right way of doing things according to Maori values and traditions Mātauranga – knowledge, understanding and wisdom whakapha ngaungatanga - building authentic relationships rooted in genealogy and lineage mokopuna's mokopuna - our children and our grandchildren's experiences Mātauranga Māori – a Māori practice, much like a living operating system, which is holistic, adaptive, and respects relationships. Maori knowledge and ways of knowing Tauiwi - non-Maori entities whenua – primarily means land or earth i.e. the land that sustains life. wairau – spirit, soul or essence of a person or thing Te Tiriti – the Treaty”, specifically Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi). Te Tiriti - New Zealand’s founding document, was meant to be a partnership between Māori and the British Crown. Although it was intended to create unity, different understandings of the treaty, and breaches of it, have caused conflict. From the 1970s the general public gradually came to know more about the treaty, and efforts to honour the treaty and its principles expanded. te reo Māori - Māori language Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices