There was no shortage of challenges for leaders in 2025, as they navigated a year filled with uncertainty and change. Leaders’ skills were tested as they steered their organizations through changes in the global economy, geopolitics, AI transformation, succession planning, and board relationships.

In this final Redefiners episode of the season, hosts Marla Oates and Simon Kingston take a look back at 2025, highlighting how guests from the year are navigating these challenges. Hear from former CEO and current Chairman of Coveo Louis Têtu and Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti on AI transformation; World Bank President Ajay Banga on culture change; Russell Reynolds Associates CEO Constantine Alexandrakis, Pets At Home CEO Lyssa McGowan, and former President and CEO of Marvel Entertainment Peter Cuneo on stepping into the CEO role; Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman and former chair and CEO of MTV International Bill Roedy on leadership; plus insights from RRA leadership advisors in the Leadership Lounge.

If you’d like to hear more, check out all the episodes of Redefiners and Leadership Lounge.

Redefiners and Leadership Lounge will return with more conversations with global leaders in January 2026, so be sure to follow and subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss an episode!

Happy holidays!

Creating leadership impact isn’t about one defining moment—it’s about the ripple effects your leadership generates over time. In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe sits down with Shannon Knott and Erin Marie Collins to unpack what meaningful impact looks like today, and how leaders can sustain it.

They explore:

• Why impact extends beyond results to the experience others have of your leadership.
• The key skills—curiosity, adaptability, and an understanding of your purpose—that enable long-term influence.
• How to evaluate whether your leadership is truly landing across stakeholder groups.
• Why reflection and feedback loops are essential to maintaining credibility and trust.

“Leaders who can sustain real impact do so because they’re able to stay curious. They continually learn and adjust. They treat leadership less like a position and more as a practice.”

— Shannon Knott, Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates

Four things you'll learn from this episode

1. Impact is intentional: define it consciously and test it objectively through feedback.
2. Curiosity sustains relevance: stay adaptable and open to learning at every stage.
3. Feedback fuels evolution: build a trusted “cabinet” to give unfiltered perspectives.
4. Purpose anchors action: a clear sense of values helps leaders maintain credibility and trust.

In this episode, we cover:

(01:35) How you define leadership impact and why it extends beyond results to lasting influence

(04:10) The skills that sustain long-term impact

(07:25) Why leadership must shift from mastery and control to influence and judgment as careers progress

(09:42) Practical ways to assess whether your impact is landing across teams and stakeholders

(12:10) How reflection, feedback, and purpose create a rhythm for sustained leadership effectiveness

(14:38) What inspirational leaders do differently to remain authentic and effective over time

A closer look at the research from this episode:

Edelman Trust Barometer 2025

Russell Reynolds Associates Global Leadership Monitor, H2 2025

Roughly 1.2 billion young people will reach working age in developing countries over the next 10-15 years. However, current projections show that only 420 million jobs are expected to be created by that time, meaning millions of young people will be left without a clear path to employment.

World Bank President Ajay Banga joins Clarke Murphy and Marla Oates on Redefiners to talk about what the Bank is doing about it, and why job creation is so critical to both developing countries and the global economy. Ajay talks about what he’s doing to transform the 80-year old institution into a faster, more efficient, and more impactful partner in development, including partnering more with the private sector to increase investments in emerging markets. He also discusses what he calls the Decency Quotient and how leaders can tap into that in order to lead people with a hand on their back, not in their face.

We’ll also hear from Rebecca Hart, a leadership advisor in our Atlanta office, who will discuss why the most successful leaders prioritize curiosity over having all the answers.

Four things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to get everyone aligned with a bold mandate, mission and vision and how to deal with challenging feedback
2. Why job creation is a critical piece in global development
3. Why the private sector is critical to international development
4. What the Decency Quotient is and why it matters for leaders today

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes:

• Music with a Mission: Former MTV International Chairman and CEO Bill Roedy on Leading with Purpose
• Leadership Lounge: Built to Last or Built to Learn: How Leaders Can Develop Resilience
• Action Creates Hope: A Conversation with IRC President and CEO David Miliband
• Leadership Lounge: From Firefighting to Future-Building: How Leaders Can Master Perpetual Transformation
• Thriving Through Adversity: How WTO’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is Solving Global Problems
• Leadership Lounge: Beyond Handshakes: How to Build Trust and Transform Executive Team Performance

Board directors operate in an environment of high complexity and volatility. The question isn't whether crises will occur—it's whether directors have the skills, judgment, and relationships to navigate them effectively.

In this episode of Leadership Lounge, we talk to two of our trusted advisors—Gwenael Quere and Ted Dysart—who share their perspectives on:

• The key skills effective board directors utilize during periods of sustained uncertainty
• When it's appropriate to step in versus trust management to handle critical decisions
• How to balance individual perspective with building board consensus during volatile moments
• The best approach for managing competing demands when serving on multiple boards facing simultaneous challenges

"One key trait is being able to ask the right questions, but also ask those questions in the right way. If a director gets into a meeting and starts asking questions that feel like a trap, the management team will just shut down."

-Ted Dysart

Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates

Four things you'll learn from this episode

1. Staying calm, exercising sound judgment, and leading with empathy are three essential traits needed by board directors to effectively navigate volatility.
2. How to get the balance right between being deeply informed and engaged without crossing the line into managing the business during a crisis.
3. Why you must support your CEO’s wellbeing during prolonged stress. A CEO who can’t think clearly is a risk to the entire organization.
4. Structured post-crisis reflection builds organizational resilience—boards that capture and institutionalize lessons from crisis experiences perform better in the future.

In this episode, we will cover:

(01.50) The key skills board directors should utilize during sustained volatility

(03.31) The art of asking the right questions without creating traps for management

(05.44) How to decide when to step in versus when to let management handle critical decisions

(09.45) Balancing individual perspective with creating board consensus during periods of volatility

(11.16) How to manage time and energy when serving on multiple boards facing simultaneous challenges

(13.42) How directors can remain mentally sharp and objective during prolonged uncertainty

(15.28) Why directors should never let a good crisis go to waste

How does a more than 100-year-old family-owned business continue to evolve and grow across generations to become one of the largest privately held companies in the world? On today’s Redefiners episode, Clarke and Marla are joined by Valerie Mars, former Senior Vice President & Head of Corporate Development for Mars, Incorporated, to talk about how the Mars family grew a small kitchen-table candy company into a $55 billion diversified global food and pet care enterprise.

Valerie talks about the family’s decision to bring in a non-family CEO, how the Five Principles and Mars Compass are used to guide decision-making and nurture a values-driven culture, and what they’re doing to develop the next generation of family leaders.

We’ll also hear from Anuradha Chawla, a leadership advisor in our Toronto office, who will explore when family enterprises should consider introducing non-family management.

Four things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The business and cultural impact of bringing in a non-family CEO to a family-owned enterprise
2. The key traits that make a successful non-family CEO
3. Mars’ Five Principles and the Mars Compass and how they’ve helped guide the company through growth and change
4. How to develop future next generation leaders and how to deal with family succession tensions that may arise

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes:

• Leading with a North Star: Former Decathlon CEO Barbara Martin Coppola's Blueprint for Bold Change
• Leadership Lounge: How can family enterprise leaders stay ahead in a fast-changing world?
• From Chaos to Clarity: How Bain Capital’s John Connaughton Leads Through Volatility
• Leadership Lounge: The Art of Succession: How to Identify Tomorrow's Leaders Today
• Paws, Purpose & Profit: A Conversation with Pets at Home CEO Lyssa McGowan
• Leadership Lounge: Built to Last or Built to Learn: How Leaders Can Develop Resilience

The C-suite is the engine room of organizational success, yet most leaders struggle to build one that truly performs. It's not just about hiring talented individuals—you need the right mix of complementary skills, aligned vision, and chemistry that transforms organizations.

In this episode of Leadership Lounge, we talk to two of our trusted advisors—Danny Ryan and Andres Gil-Casares—who share their perspectives on:

• The biggest mistakes CEOs make when building executive teams and how to avoid them
• Why cultural fit and behavioral alignment matter as much as technical excellence
• How to build C-suites that can drive transformation and adapt to future challenges
• Why leaders who admit mistakes and foster open dialogue create higher-performing teams

"You need to find people that are interested in learning things instead of just knowing things. This means having people on your teams who are interested in asking questions, getting out of the comfort zone, and thinking outside the box."

Andres Gil-Casares

Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates

Four things you'll learn from this episode

1. Avoid the echo chamber—hiring executives who think like you can create dangerous groupthink; prioritize diversity of thought over comfort and familiarity.
2. Balance technical excellence with cultural fit—the most damaging hires have strong credentials but undermine company values, causing talented people to leave.
3. Create psychological safety for fast learning—C-suites that can admit mistakes, test quickly, and iterate outperform those focused on appearing perfect.
4. Address performance issues quickly and compassionately—the top regret amongst new CEOs is not moving fast enough on making changes to their top team.

In this episode, we will cover:

(01:52) The risk of unconscious bias and why hiring people who challenge you is critical

(03:49) Why cultural fit can't be underestimated when making C-suite hires

(06:17) The distinction between learning and knowing and why curiosity drives transformation capability

(08:17) How leading by example and admitting failures gives others permission to be more authentic

(09.14) The importance of establishing clear governance frameworks to enable quick decision-making under pressure

(12:10) Why delaying difficult decisions about underperforming executives erodes trust

A closer look at the research from this episode:

Transformational Leadership Study 2025 | Russell Reynolds Associates

CEO Transitions Research | Russell Reynolds Associates

Marvel Studios and many of its numerous characters are household names around the world. Their superhero-powered movies earn hundreds of millions and sometimes billions of dollars at the box office, including the #2 top grossing movie of all time – Avengers: Endgame. They’re also arguably one of the top turnaround stories of the past 20 years, as they rose like a phoenix from the ashes of bankruptcy to ultimately sell to Disney for $4.5 billion.

In today’s Redefiners episode, Simon and Marla suit up to talk with Peter Cuneo, former CEO of Marvel Entertainment and the leader who led the turnaround of this storied company, along with several other global brands. Peter shares his story of how he got into the business of turnarounds and why he’s attracted to risk as a leader. He takes us through how he conquers the common challenge of getting the leadership and culture right at the companies he’s led. And he shares some of the 28 leadership tips he’s compiled over the course of his storied career into a list he fittingly calls Essentials for Superhero Leadership (which you can also find in podcast form at Superhero Leadership).

We’ll also hear from Hetty Pye, a leadership advisor in our London office, who will discuss why transformation efforts fail and what senior leaders can do about it.

Four things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What are the first things to focus on in a turnaround and how to get your people and board aligned
2. How to make an organization’s culture more productive, creative, and effective
3. What to look out for in a shift from CEO to Board role
4. What are the top leadership essentials of Superhero Leadership

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes:

• Leading with a North Star: Former Decathlon CEO Barbara Martin Coppola's Blueprint for Bold Change
• Leadership Lounge: Boardroom Bound: How to Navigate Your Journey from Executive to Board Director
• Music with a Mission: Former MTV International Chairman and CEO Bill Roedy on Leading with Purpose
• Leadership Lounge: From Firefighting to Future-Building: How Leaders Can Master Perpetual Transformation
• Digging Deep: Leadership, Growth & Risk with BHP CEO Mike Henry
• Leadership Lounge: Leadership Under Fire: How Mentorship Can Help C-suites Turn Headwinds Into Opportunity

In an era where adaptability trumps consistency, the leaders who survive and thrive are those who've mastered the art of bouncing back stronger. Yet our Global Leadership Monitor reveals that leaders' preparedness to face threats such as uncertain economic growth and geopolitical uncertainty is at its lowest point since we began tracking in 2021.

The question isn't whether setbacks will come—it's whether leaders have built the genuine resilience to weather them. And more critically, how can executives create resilient organizations where entire leadership pipelines can adapt and flourish under pressure?

In this episode of Leadership Lounge, we talk to two of our trusted advisors—Joey Berk and Maja Hadziomerovic—who share their perspectives on:

• How to recognize the warning signs when leadership resilience is waning
• Practical strategies for recovery and building sustainable energy management practices
• The role of vulnerability in creating high-performance, psychologically safe teams
• Why the biggest misconceptions about resilience actually undermine leadership effectiveness

"When we think about exercising physically or learning a new skill, being in that growth mentality and constantly stretching is what builds resilience and pushes us to do what's less comfortable."

— Joey Berk, Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates

Four things you'll learn from this episode:

1.True resilience integrates three sources of intelligence—cognitive clarity, somatic awareness, and emotional authenticity work together to create leaders who can navigate uncertainty with confidence.

2.Energy management beats time management—resilient leaders audit and proactively manage their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy.

3.Organizational resilience requires systematic investment—build resilience at scale through stretch assignments, mentorship programs, and cultures that reward vulnerability over impression management.

4.Authentic vulnerability drives performance—the strongest leaders admit when they don't know, share their learning process, and create psychological safety that unleashes team innovation.

In this episode, we will cover:

• (00:00:18) Why modern resilience demands adaptability over consistency in rapidly changing markets
• (00:03:27) The three sources of intelligence framework and how to develop each dimension
• (00:06:12) Energy management strategies across physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual domains
• (00:09:21) How to create stretch assignments and mentorship programs that build organizational resilience
• (00:11:47) Warning signs of resilience fatigue and recovery strategies for overwhelmed leaders
• (00:13:45) Why vulnerability and psychological safety are competitive advantages, not weaknesses
• (00:15:55) The biggest misconceptions about building resilience and how to overcome them

A closer look at the research from this episode:

Global Leadership Monitor | Russell Reynolds Associates

Global CEO Turnover Index | Russell Reynolds Associates