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What next? Leadership conversations for a better future

What next? Leadership conversations for a better future

Auteur(s): University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
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À propos de cet audio

 How do we rebuild confidence in the future - and in our collective ability to shape it? How do we reconnect economic growth with social progress, fairness, and stability? And how do we harness innovation without widening inequality or navigate political tensions without retreating from cooperation? Responses to these questions demands new thinking - ideas that challenge assumptions, acknowledge what isn’t working and offer credible paths forward for business, finance and government. That’s the focus of our new podcast series, hosted by CISL CEO Lindsay Hooper, and Investec Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer Marc Kahn. You’ll hear from leaders, innovators and critical thinkers who are grappling with the toughest challenges of our time - and bringing forward important new thinking and practical action. From industrial transformation and AI to philanthropy’s catalytic role, the voices of the next generation and the shifting geopolitics of power, we ask how today’s leaders can bridge divides, unlock innovation and steer economies toward long-term stability and opportunity.University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership Économie
Épisodes
  • The Value of Values with Alison Taylor and Karen Wood

    The Value of Values with Alison Taylor and Karen Wood
    Dec 4 2025
    In an era of market pressure, political backlash, and accusations of “purpose-washing”, do corporate values still matter? Why isn’t making money legally enough? And in markets that reward short-term performance above all else, what does it take to uphold principles, integrity and trust?

    This episode explores how values are a strategic imperative - not a “nice to have” - in shaping decisions, culture and legitimacy. The discussion cuts through slogans and corporate virtue signalling, asking what real values look like in practice and how leaders navigate tension between principle, and market or political pressure.

    Hosts Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn are joined by:
    • Alison Taylor — author of Higher Ground, leading thinker on business integrity and the realities of ethics in complex markets
    • Karen Wood — experienced board chair and former industry leader with deep insight into the realities of governance and corporate decision-making

    Together, they explore the value of values, what this demands from boards and executives, and how leaders can navigate contested social and political expectations without resorting to over-promising or retreat.

    In partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Investec.

    Key quotes:
    “Purpose becomes powerful when it guides trade-offs, not when it avoids them.” – Karen Wood
    “Values are now an imperative because if you don't have public trust, you will not retain your value. Without values, you do not retain your value.” – Alison Taylor

    Key Takeaways
    1. Values are strategic, not symbolic. In a world of scrutiny and social fragmentation, ethics and trust are essential to business resilience.
    2. Purpose must be operational. It only matters when it shapes culture, strategy and trade-offs - not just communications.
    3. Courage and clarity beat neutrality. Businesses can’t “stay out of politics” when their actions shape societal outcomes; alignment between policy and sustainability is vital.
    4. Hope lies in honest leadership. A new generation is demanding authenticity and action - a signal that leadership grounded in purpose still resonates.

    Credits
    Presented by:
    • Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
    • Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
    Produced by: Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
    Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
    In partnership with: Investec

    Listen and Subscribe:
    Available on all major podcast platforms or visit the Leadership Hub on the CISL website or Investec Focus for more episodes and insights.

    Disclaimer:
    The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge, or Investec, and should not be taken as advice or a recommendation. University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership · Investec · CISL Leadership Hub · Investec Focus Radio
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    49 min
  • The Tech Reckoning: Who Shapes the Next Economy? with Thomas Lingard

    The Tech Reckoning: Who Shapes the Next Economy? with Thomas Lingard
    Dec 2 2025
    This episode looks at the power shifts created by AI and digital systems - asks where real agency still lies.

    Hosts Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn sit down with Thomas Lingard, who previously founded Unilever’s Global Advocacy team to influence international public policy on sustainable development and who now heads the Centre for Future Generations, to explore where the real opportunity and agency exist to ensure that emerging technologies are used in the best interest of humanity.
    The discussion probes how digital power is concentrating, why regulatory systems are struggling to keep pace, and what it would take to steer emerging technologies toward societal benefit rather than narrow commercial gain. Thomas highlights the leadership capacities that now matter most: ethical judgement, systems intelligence, and the confidence to question deterministic narratives about technology.

    The episode asks a central question: how do we build an economy where technology strengthens society - and who has the responsibility and agency to shape that path?

    In partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Investec.

    Key Quote:
    “Leadership in this space needs to include a capacity for imagination — the humility to accept we don’t know what the future will be, and the courage not to give in to deterministic narratives.” — Thomas Lingard

    Key Takeaways
    1. AI’s trajectory is not inevitable: The future of AI isn’t fixed - and treating it as inevitable is itself dangerous. Leaders need the mindset and imagination to challenge “it’s just going to happen” narratives.
    2. Governance capacity is not the critical gap: AI is advancing faster than our institutions, policies and public understanding. Leaders must invest in the skills, insight and oversight needed to make informed decisions in an environment of rapid technological change.
    3. Concentration of power is the real near-term risk: Before any long-term speculation, AI is already deepening inequality, reinforcing information disorder and centralising control in a small number of companies.
    4. Europe can lead by aligning innovation with values: Europe’s advantage lies in combining innovation with strong public-purpose governance. Europe can shape a model that protects democratic agency while enabling technological capability - but only if it chooses to design for that future

    Credits
    Presented by:
    Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
    Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
    Produced by:
    Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
    Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
    In partnership with: Investec

    Listen and Subscribe:
    Available on all major podcast platforms. Visit the Leadership Hub on the CISL website or Investec Focus for more episodes and insights.

    Disclaimer:
    The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge, or Investec, and should not be taken as advice or a recommendation. University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership · Investec · CISL Leadership Hub · Investec Focus Radio
    Voir plus Voir moins
    32 min
  • Powering Africa’s Future with Carlos Lopes & Jasandra Nyker

    Powering Africa’s Future with Carlos Lopes & Jasandra Nyker
    Nov 24 2025
    This episode examines Africa’s energy transition as both an economic strategy and a question of agency, featuring insights from Professor Carlos Lopes and investment leader Jasandra Nyker. They argue that while the world often views Africa through the narrow lens of risk, fragility, or aid dependency, the continent increasingly sees itself as a driver of innovation, industrialisation, and clean energy leadership. The energy transition, they contend, should not be framed as a moral obligation imposed from abroad but as a catalyst for productivity, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity.

    They highlight Africa’s unmatched renewable resources, critical minerals and young workforce - assets capable of powering both local prosperity and the world’s clean energy industries. Yet progress is constrained by systemic financial distortions, inflated risk perceptions and global capital rules that penalise African economies.

    Through examples from South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and Zambia, the guests show how credible policy, blended finance, and domestic investment can unlock large-scale renewable projects and local economic development.

    Their message is clear: Africa’s transition is a massive economic opportunity. Real leadership - within Africa and globally - is needed to revalue risk, reform financial rules and mobilise private and institutional capital for a just and ambitious transition.

    Hosts Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn are joined by:
    • Prof. Carlos Lopes — Professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and leading advisor on Africa’s climate and industrialisation agenda
    • Jasandra Nyker — investment executive and board director with deep experience scaling clean energy and sustainable infrastructure across Africa and beyond

    Together, they explore how to accelerate progress — and how leaders can move beyond narratives of risk and dependency to recognise Africa as a laboratory for reinvention.

    In partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Investec.

    Key Quotes
    “Africa must stop seeing itself through the lens of risk and start seeing itself as a laboratory for reinvention.” — Carlos Lopes
    “We need to see Africa’s energy transition not as a charity case, but as a massive commercial and economic opportunity.” — Jasandra Nyker

    Key Takeaways
    1. African leaders have an opportunity to take strategic ownership of Africa’s energy transition by setting ambitious targets, coordinating across governments and sectors, and balancing risk with the long-term goal of delivering energy access, industrial growth, and climate action simultaneously.
    2. Integrate climate and economic development: the transition must drive industrialisation, job creation and resilience, not sit apart as a standalone climate agenda.
    3. Recast the narrative: Africa’s transition isn’t about catching up; it’s about leading with its demographics, resource base and innovation potential.
    4. Unlock domestic capital: African pension funds and institutional investors need to invest in the continent’s own transition, not remain passive while foreign capital dictates priorities.

    Credits
    Presented by:
    • Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
    • Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
    Produced by: Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
    Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
    In partnership with: Investec

    Listen and Subscribe:
    Available on all major podcast platforms or visit the CISL Leadership Hub or Investec Focus for more episodes and insights.

    Disclaimer:
    The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge, or Investec, and should not be taken as advice or a recommendation. University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership · Investec · CISL Leadership Hub · Investec Focus Radio
    Voir plus Voir moins
    49 min
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