Meet the CEO from Positive Momentum

Avsnitt

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  E86: Jenny Burns, CEO of Magnetic 25.08.2026 31min

  Jenny Burns is CEO of Magnetic, a business that helps organisations unlock growth through human-centred innovation, strategy, design and delivery. Like Positive Momentum, Magnetic is a B Corp. Her career spans 25 years in big, complex organisations — WH Smith, Telefónica O2, Centrica British Gas, RSA Insurance and Barclays — and she and Paul go back to their RSA days together. She's a keynote speaker and facilitator, hosts the Human AI series in London and New York, writes The Accidental CEO, and is a Fulham fan. What we cover Why the CEO job was accidental — and how being told she'd never get there became the fuel Loving the work: why work-life balance looks different when you genuinely enjoy the job, and why pressure doesn't tip into stress Hiring for the culture you actually run: framing problems rather than directing, and being honest in recruitment about an environment with few frameworks and a lot of empowerment Adult conversations when someone isn't flourishing — and why that isn't about talent Courage in leadership, and the risk conversation with regulated clients: financial services says it can't take risks, while healthcare is life-or-death and still innovates Selling Magnetic two years ago and buying it back four weeks before recording — a bold, personally costly call The hardest part of the job: people decisions in a business where you hired every single person, and why Magnetic has an alumni who still come back for the annual book launch Why talented people leaving a small business isn't failure Retail as a leadership apprenticeship: store manager at 19, 60 part-time staff, around £5m turnover, and learning early that motivated employees drive what goes through the till Building executive teams: knowing your own gaps at 50, diversity of thought as non-negotiable for an innovation business, and senior women working three or four days a week Women in business: from a gender-balanced retail career to rooms full of white men at Barclays Capital; why board quotas helped but executive teams are still where the gap sits  Why AI needs a female voice — bias built in from past data, and the human-centred leadership the transition will demand The AI adoption inversion: consumers moved first this time, businesses are catching up, and the tension between what people use at home and what's authorised at work The blind spot: CEOs and CTOs obsessing over back-office efficiency while missing that customers now discover brands in a chat window rather than a search engine or a shop GLP-1 weight-loss drugs quietly disrupting food, retail and how we socialise Jenny's three tips for aspiring CEOs Get the right team around you — the role can be lonely, so build trust, and run it as a team rather than a series of one-to-ones. Never underestimate the time communication takes. The formal moments matter less than the informal ones — you're on stage even when you're making a cup of tea. Never take yourself too seriously. You're never the smartest person in the room, and no one wants a boring CEO.
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  E85: Helen Pain, CEO at Royal Society of Chemistry 30.06.2026 38min

  Helen Pain, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, reflects on three decades at one organisation, what it really means to lead through a crisis you didn't see coming, and why the secret to an effective exec team isn't talent - it's alignment. A thoughtful conversation about purpose, protecting your Saturdays, and why the CEO role might not be what you think it is; with Positive Momentum Partner, Julie Heneghan. 
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  E84 : Rob Davies, CEO of BCN Group 11.06.2026 35min

  Rob Davies, CEO of BCN Group, gets honest about imposter syndrome, the human cost of growth, and what it really takes to lead when the business you've built is being disrupted by the very technology you sell. A candid conversation about alignment, AI, and why the hardest moments in leadership are rarely the commercial ones.
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  E83: John Doyle, CEO at Monex USA 09.02.2026 35min

  Host Matt Crabtree speaks with John Doyle, CEO at Monex USA. 
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  E82: Arun Narayanan, CEO at Stem, Inc. 26.01.2026 42min

  Host Matt Crabtree speaks with Arun Narayanan, CEO at Stem, Inc. 
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  E81: Paul McCorquodale, CEO at Grid Edge 12.01.2026 43min

  Host Julie Heneghan speaks with Paul McCorquodale, CEO at Grid Edge.
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  E80: Russell Haworth, CEO at Acclaro 15.12.2025 42min

  Host Matt Crabtree speaks with Russell Haworth, CEO at Acclaro 
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  E79: Heber Alves, CEO at Improve International 24.11.2025 31min

  Host Julian March speaks with Heber Alves, CEO at Improve International. 
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  E78: Rachel Corp, CEO at ITN 31.10.2025 31min

  Host Julian March speaks with Rachel Corp, CEO at ITN. 
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  E77: Philippe Gijsels, Chief Strategy Officer at BNP Paribas Fortis 25.07.2025 45min

  Host Matt Crabtree speaks with Philippe Gijsels, Chief Strategy Officer at BNP Paribas Fortis and Co-Author of The New World Economy in 5 Trends.
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  E76 : Kathy Caton MBE, Founder & CEO of Brighton Gin (Brighton Spirits Company) 04.07.2025 24min

  Host Sarah Beauvallet speaks with Kathy Caton MBE, Founder & CEO of Brighton Gin (Brighton Spirits Company)
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  E75 : Jamie Credland, CEO, World Media Group 20.06.2025 48min

  Host Matt Crabtree speaks with Jamie Credland, CEO, World Media Group 
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  E74 : Dario Aganovic, Hubexo 06.06.2025 44min

  Matt Crabtree speaks with Dario Aganovic, CEO at Hubexo
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  E73 : Mark McIlquham, Acrisure UK 23.05.2025 40min

  Julian March speaks with Mark Mcilquham, Acrisure UK
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  E72 : Lyndsey Simpson, 55 Redefined Group 09.05.2025 48min

  Matt Crabtree speaks with Lyndsey Simpson, 55 Redefined Group
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  E71 : Tim Nixon, Teneo - Management Consulting 14.03.2025 43min

  Phil Rance and Matt Crabtree talk with Tim Nixon, Teneo - Management Consulting
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  E70 : Mark Perry, CEO at VIVID 28.02.2025 35min

  Mat Lowery talks with Mark Perry, CEO at VIVID
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  E69: John Lewis, CEO at char.gy 14.02.2025 40min

  Mat Lowery talks with John Lewis, CEO at char.gy
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  E68: Ollie Whiting, CEO at La Fosse Associates 31.01.2025 31min

  Mat Lowery talks with Ollie Whiting, CEO, La Fosse Associates
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  E67: Lindsey Rix-Broom, CEO at Canada Life UK 17.01.2025 41min

  Matt Crabtree talks with Lindsey Rix-Broom, CEO at Canada Life UK