Marie Holive sits down with Mario Azar, Chairman and CEO of Black & Veatch, to explore what it takes to deliver critical infrastructure under pressure. Mario shares what’s different about leading a 100% employee-owned company and how ownership changes accountability, decision-making, and execution when timelines are tight.

Together, they unpack the leadership implications of the data-center boom, the real-world trade-offs leaders must navigate, and practical ways to build an “owner’s mindset” that improves outcomes in any high-stakes environment.

Listen in for clear, actionable leadership insights you can apply immediately, especially if you’re leading growth, complexity, or rapid delivery.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Podcast episode starts

[02:08] What is human critical infrastructure?

[04:10] What does it mean to be 100% employee owned

[07:02] What is driving the acceleration in data centers?

[10:59] How is Black & Veatch dealing with the impact of AI

[14:11] Speed vs resilience, how do you choose?

[17:16] Practical tips for leading through growth

[24:02] Podcast episode wrap up

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