Podcast
Meet The Leader
Hosted by World Economic Forum · EN
In these one-on-one conversations, host Linda Lacina interviews the world's top leaders, change-makers and experts on the solutions they're building to tackle the world's biggest challenges, the habits they can't work without, and their lessons learned, all from the World Economic Forum
38episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How to close gender gaps in tech - and the one skill AI can't learn
Feb 1900:25:59Tap to summarizeWhile prospects for women in tech and AI have improved over the years, women still comprise just a fraction of the tech workforce. Ayumi Moore Aoki is the founder of Women in Tech Global, an organization with a presence in over 60 countries around the world, one designed to empower women in the sector. She shares how a leaky talent pipeline makes opportunity harder to seize, what's needed at each stage of women's careers to bridge gaps and what leaders can do to ensure they make the most of their team's talents. She'll also explain what skills will be more important than ever for leaders in an AI-powered workforce, the question she asks herself now more than at any time in her career, and the one topic that will define AI in the months ahead. Lastly, this advocate and founder also details how her background has prepared her to run WTG, from her time in South Africa during apartheid to her lessons learned as an entrepreneur. Related links: Women in Tech Global: https://women-in-tech.org/Ayumi Moore Aoki: https://ayumimooreaoki.com/ Related reports: Global Gender Gap Report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/ Global Gender Gap Report Global Parity in the Intelligene Age: https://www.weforum.org/publications/gender-parity-in-the-intelligent-age-2025/ Related episodes: Be your own role model - a female rocket scientist, pioneer and science influencer explains Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/y4n9cmec 7 women leaders on the books that shaped their lives Listen: https://tinyurl.com/vuketc78
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Be your own role model - a female rocket scientist, pioneer and science influencer explains
Feb 1200:17:10Tap to summarizeWomen comprise just a fraction of the aerospace sector - a field research says is poised for trillion-dollar growth in the years to come. Mishaal Ashemimry is the head of the Centre for Space Futures where she works to improve space policies and unlock the next phase of the space economy. She shares her experience as a woman not just in a male-dominated sector but in a region that for much of her life didn't have a formal space agency. She explains what slows the growth of women in aerospace and what's changing for the better in this sector. She also shares the mindsets and strategies she used to get her ideas heard and to create opportunity for herself, tactics that helped her become the first female aerospace engineer in the Gulf Cooperation Council and to found her own rocket startup. About this episode: Mishaal Ashemimry: https://www.mishaalashemimry.com/home https://www.youtube.com/@MishaalAshemimry/videos Related World Economic Forum Initiatives: Centre for Space Futures https://www.spacefutures-sa.com/home Report - Space: $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth https://www.weforum.org/publications/space-the-1-8-trillion-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/mishaal-ashemimry-role-model-space-gender-gap Related Episodes: He's building 'gas stations' in space. How it can drive the space economy - Orbit Fab Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/daniel-faber-orbit-fab-space-economy Episode: https://tinyurl.com/2s3tscms Meet the startup building the first commercial space station - Axiom Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/tejpaul-bhatia-space-economy-axiom/ Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FjNtzxmBucpgnZ4xhagxe An energy company is building the world's largest airplane. Here's why - Axiom Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/mark-lundstrom-radia-climate-change/ Episode: https://tinyurl.com/3n3edcyc
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The questions top Davos leaders are asking to start 2026
Feb 500:27:07Tap to summarizeHow can leaders navigate a world roiled by a host of uncertainties, from the impact of AI to jobs and economies, to an ever-warming world and increasing geopolitical conflicts? They can start by asking the right questions. In this special episode, with interviews recorded in Davos, leaders share what's top of mind for 2026. They give their thoughts on how leaders can navigate the unknown, their strategies to focus on what matters most and the key questions they're looking to answer at the start the year. Featured in this episode: Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, the question to help navigate uncertainty Anne Walsh, Chief Investment Officer, Guggenheim Investment Management; Managing Partner, Guggenheim Partners on separating the signal from the noise Sunny Mann, Global Chair, Baker McKenzie, on tapping experts and building for resilience Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, on if we'll see the democratization of AI Jeremy Allaire, Founder and CEO, Circle, on how autonomous work will take shape Nikki Clifton, UPS Foundation, focusing on the right challenge Jonathan Haidt, author The Anxious Generation, on investing on habits for flourishing Suleika Jaouad, author and artist, on valuing meaning over momentum Adam Grant, Wharton Organizational Psychologist, on following the right leaders Jon Batiste, Grammy-winning musician, on making the future we imagine a reality About this epsiode: Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/questions-davos-leaders-are-asking-2026 Related story: Davos 2026: 10 questions on leaders' minds https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/02/davos-2026-10-questions-on-leaders-minds/ Related sessions: Davos 2026: Special address by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/davos-2026-special-address-ursula-von-der-leyen/ Davos 2026: Special address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/davos-2026-special-address-by-mark-carney-prime-minister-of-canada/ Related epsiodes: Meet The Leader: IMF's Kristalina Georgieva on what's next for AI, skills and the global economy https://tinyurl.com/4ptf5ewp Radio Davos: What just happened at Davos 2026 https://open.spotify.com/episode/3vB8W0ljH3VQeHAaf2sCuV
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How to upskill for an AI Age: Workera CEO Kian Katanforoosh
Jan 3000:36:20Tap to summarizeUpskilling for an AI era will be critical. While it requires a strong grasp of individuals' skills and potential, data shows leaders wildly overestimate their own capabilities and can misjudge what their teams can offer. CEO Kian Katanforoosh of skills measurement platform Workera shares what's needed to bridge these gaps and what could be ahead to keep pace with changing needs. He offers a sneak peek at what the future could look like, tackling questions on how AI can reshape mentorship and why it might one day be unethical for a human (rather than a machine) to judge another human's capabilities. He also digs into: how prompting AI can help any leader refine their asks when managing humans; How his own assessments have helped him hone key leadership skills, and what war games have taught him about strategic thinking. About this episode: https://www.workera.ai/ Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/kian-katanforoosh-upskill-ai-age-workera Related episode: Do you need an AI mentor? This tech entrepreneur thinks so https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/ai-skills-workera-kian-katanforoosh/
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Davos 2026: Conversation with Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase
Jan 2400:31:16Tap to summarizeJPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon, the CEO of one of the largest banks in the world, has a frank and lively one-on-one conversation in Davos with Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes on a host of topics, including: what's needed to unlock growth; how rapid technological shifts could spur economic growth; how AI is integrated AI into the typical JPMorgan workday and how policy moves can impact economies and affordability. He also shares what's driven his successes, what his failures have in common and why not every question will have a simple answer. About this episode: Watch this conversation here: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/conversation-with-jamie-dimon-chairman-and-ceo-of-jpmorgan-chase/ About the Annual Meeting https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/ Radio Davos Daily Meet The Leader's sister podcast Radio Davos will be publishing live from the Annual Meeting in Davos. To listen to these episodes, follow Radio Davos here: https://open.spotify.com/show/36D1oLAmsRimw70XV19Cdf
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Davos 2026: Conversation with Jensen Huang, President and CEO of NVIDIA
Jan 2300:33:02Tap to summarizeHow will AI's hotly anticipated growth take shape? And what makes this moment different than past technology cycles? Could it really spark labor shortages, not labor surpluses? These questions and others are answered In a special one-on-one session at the 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos where NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang digs into these themes with Larry Fink, the World Economic Forum's own Interim Co-Chair and BlackRock's President and CEO. Recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland 2026. Read a transcript of this episode here: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/conversation-with-jensen-huang-president-and-ceo-of-nvidia/ About the Annual Meeting https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/ Radio Davos Daily Meet The Leader's sister podcast Radio Davos will be publishing live from the Annual Meeting in Davos. To listen to these episodes, follow Radio Davos here: https://open.spotify.com/show/36D1oLAmsRimw70XV19Cdf
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Davos 2026: Conversation with Elon Musk
Jan 2300:32:25Tap to summarizeHow can tech maximize the future of civilization? In a chat with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO discusses the role of robotics in tackling stubborn issues such as global poverty as well as how it could drive an expansion in the global economy. He also explores how reusable rockets will drop the cost of access to space, how he sees AI developing in the years ahead and his take on optimism. Speakers: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Chief Engineer, SpaceX; CTO, xAI; and Laurence D. Fink, Chair and CEO, BlackRock; Interim Co-Chair, World Economic Forum. This session was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland, 22 January, 2026. Read a transcript of this episode here: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/conversation-with-elon-musk-davos-2026 About the 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/ Radio Davos Daily Meet The Leader's sister podcast Radio Davos will be publishing live from the Annual Meeting in Davos. To listen to these episodes, follow Radio Davos here: https://open.spotify.com/show/36D1oLAmsRimw70XV19Cdf
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Davos 2026: IMF's Kristalina Georgieva on what's next for AI, skills and the global economy
Jan 2200:27:54Tap to summarizeWhat's ahead for the economy and how can leaders navigate economic uncertainty in 2026? Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva takes us through: the International Monetary Fund's new research on the surprising impacts AI could have on jobs and paychecks, which country's workers could be best poised for these new shifts, and why policymakers could play a make-or-break role in what plays out. She'll also share the organization's outlook for the year and what to expect as new changes for trade and geopolitical tensions take shape. Recorded live from the Congress Centre the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland 2026 About this epsiode: International Monetary Fund: IMF.org IMF Report link: Bridging Skill Gaps for the Future: New Jobs Creation in the AI Age: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/staff-discussion-notes/issues/2026/01/09/bridging-skill-gaps-for-the-future-new-jobs-creation-in-the-ai-age-572136?cid=bl-com-SDNEA2026001 IMF Report link: World Economic Outlook Update https://www.imf.org/en/publications/weo/issues/2026/01/19/world-economic-outlook-update-january-2026 Episode transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ai-skills-global-economy-imf-kristalina-georgieva/ About the 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/ Radio Davos Daily Meet The Leader's sister podcast Radio Davos published live from the Annual Meeting in Davos. To listen to these episodes, follow Radio Davos here: https://open.spotify.com/show/36D1oLAmsRimw70XV19Cdf
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‘Do it nearly right, but do it now’ - How effective leaders navigate change and disrupt sectors: Disruption Report
Dec 12, 202400:42:15Tap to summarizeConsultancy AlixPartners works with top companies around the world, giving it a front row seat at how industries are changing. Its annual Disruption Index takes an even closer look at these changes surveying leaders to understand the biggest opportunities and challenges they see, all while identifying the tipping points ahead in everything from global labor markets to technologies. CEO Simon Freakley breaks down surprising insights from the Index’s fifth edition, including the ways leaders have become more adept at handling change since COVID and the skills CEOs say they need to strengthen now. He uses his own experience to put key takeaways into sharp focus, sharing the traits effective technology leaders must develop and the tactical questions they must ask themselves to navigate disruption and eventually drive the transformation of their sectors. For more information: AlixPartners: https://www.alixpartners.com/ 2024 Disruption Index: https://disruption.alixpartners.com/ Related podcasts: What’s next for data driven medicine - and what AI-powered innovation needs now: Insitro CEO Daphne Koller: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/daphne-koller-insitro-data-driven-medicine-ai/ Build a culture of innovation: HPE's CTO shares what must be in place: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/fidelma-russo-innovation-cto/ 7 top innovators share strategies that drive cutting edge solutions: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/top-innovator-strategies-tactics/
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13 leaders share the books that changed how they live, think and lead: 2024 Books Roundup
Dec 10, 202400:18:36Tap to summarizeLooking for a new read? Something that will make you sharper in 2025 or something for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list? Or maybe you just want closer access to the ideas shaping today's brightest changemakers. No matter the reason, look no further than our annual books roundup, an episode collecting books that have transformed how some of the top global leaders manage teams, get inspired and motivated, shift mindsets and more. This year's recommendations include fresh takes on classic business books, histories, time-honored works of literature, and new favorites that can change how you build and lead. Leaders and their book selections: Leader: Alexi Robichaux, CEO, BetterUp Book Selection: Boyd Varty's Liontracker’s Guide to Life: https://boydvarty.com/book/the-lion-trackers-guide-to-life/ Leader: Mark Lundstrom, CEO, Radia: Book Selection: Eliyahu Moshe Goldratt's The Goal: https://www.tocinstitute.org/the-goal-summary.html Leader: Sahil Tesfu, Chief Strategy Officer, Essity Book Selection: Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****: https://markmanson.net/not-giving-a-fuck Leader: Christopher Oakes, CEO, Reefgen Book Selection: Cal Newport's A World Without Email: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575655/a-world-without-email-by-cal-newport/ Leader: Brad Smith, President, Microsoft Book Selection: Brian Merchant's Blood in the Machine: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens=little-brown Leader: Serge Raemaekers, CEO, ABOLOBI Book Selection: Jim Collins' The Flywheel Effect: https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/the-flywheel.html Leader: Ritu Narayan, CEO, Zum Book Selection: Clayton Christensen's The Innovator’s Dillemma: https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Dilemma-Revolutionary-Change-Business/dp/0062060244 Leader: Jordan Justus, Automotus Book Selection: Matt Ridley's How Innovation Works: https://www.mattridley.co.uk/books/how-innovation-works/ Leader: Catalina Cock Duque, founder, Fundacion mi Sangre Book Selection: Otto Scharmer's Leading from the Emerging Future: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575194/leading-from-the-emerging-future-by-otto-scharmer-and-katrin-kaufer/ Leader: Christophe Catoir, President, Adecco Book Selection: W. Henry Gilbert's Homo erectus: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/homo-erectus/hardcover Leader: Kara Alaimo, Professor and author, Fairleigh Dickinson University Book Selection: Kate Manne's Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny: http://www.katemanne.net/down-girl.html Book Selection: Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism: https://www.amazon.com/Hood-Feminism-Notes-Movement-Forgot/dp/0525560548 Book Selection: Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women: https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Women-Data-World-Designed/dp/1419729071 Leader: Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Book Selection: J. R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Series: https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Picture-Trilogy-Extended/dp/B000654ZK0 Leader: Florian Hoffman, Founder, The Do Book Selection: Voltaire's Candide: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19942/19942-h/19942-h.htm
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