AND is the Future - Making Businesses Sustainable AND Profitable – Details, episodes & analysis

So how does it feel to be part of one of the most sustainable sports? Great, according to Formula E champion, Stoffel Vandoorne! As he explains, Formula E, the driving competition for electric cars, is “really a championship that is on the rise, that is pushing sustainability, electrification and bringing that racing to the cities as well.” 

Stoffel gives an inspiring account of how he prepares physically and mentally for a race, what makes a Formula E car different to drive, what business leaders can learn from his champion mindset, the importance of dreaming big and never giving up, and much more! 

1:16 - Upbringing and inspiration for racing
3:34 - Preparing physically and mentally for a race
7:30 - Formula E: One of the most sustainable sports!
9:26 - The Formula E car - what’s different?
12:12 - Career in racing: focus on the journey
17:03 - What businesses can learn from racing
20:18 - Favorite race track
21:40 - Next big goal
23:06 - Life outside of racing

Stoffel Vandoorne is a Belgian professional racing driver in Formula E, the championship for electric cars. Until July 2024 he was a pilot for the DS Penske team, which Syensqo is proud to sponsor. Vandoorne's racing career started at the age of six, competing in kart championships – and this led him all the way to becoming the champion of the 2015 GP2 Series and winning the 2021–22 Formula E World Championship.

***This podcast was recorded in June 2024, when Stoffel was still with the DS Penske team. We wish him the best in his next adventure! 

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to Siddharth Chatterjee, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, "the world needs to unite" to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, "and this is where the role of the private sector becomes absolutely mission critical." Ilham speaks with Siddharth about his incredible work with the United Nations to improve the lives of children, ensure equality for women and girls, promote health and well being, drive progress on all the SDGs….and how businesses can play a key role..

Siddharth has worked tirelessly with the United Nations to protect the most vulnerable. One of his greatest professional achievements was the demobilization of more than 3, 500 children from the conflicts in South Sudan. He is also a health and wellness enthusiast and shares some tips from his own routines!  

Timestamps
1:35 - Childhood and inspiration for humanitarian causes
6:10 - The Sustainable Development Goals: how are we doing?
12:35 - SDG 13 and the climate agenda
18:10 - Fighting for gender equality - SDG 5
22:01 - Demobilization of over 3,500 child soldiers in South Sudan
29:52 - Focus on health and wellness
37:34 - Love of literature

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to sustainable leadership expert Marga Hoek, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in business can lead to incredible business opportunities - in fact it’s a $12 trillion business case! Ilham has a fascinating discussion with Marga about how business for good is good for business, the attributes that make a good sustainable CEO, the importance of mentoring and much more. 

Marga Hoek, one of the top leaders on sustainable business, is a three-time CEO and the author of a best selling book called The Trillion Dollar Shift, which highlights the incredible business opportunities for companies that work to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals. Marga is considered one of the most influential thought leaders in the transition towards a more sustainable world.

Timestamps
1:22 - Upbringing and what ballet taught her about leadership
7:00 - The $12 trillion dollar business case for implementing the SDGs
12:16 - Business for good is good for business
15:08 - What attributes make a sustainable CEO?
19:35 - Tech for good
25:32 - Great examples of businesses doing good
31:33 - Lessons learned as CEO
35:53 - The importance of mentoring
40:54 - Motherhood and entrepreneurship

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management Nicolai Tangen, ESG and investing go hand in hand. Ilham sits down with Nicolai to discuss the importance of achieving the power of AND for investors, the journey of Norges Bank Investment Management under his leadership, his leadership lessons and advice for young leaders and investors, as well as his favorite books, paintings and more!

Nicolai Tangen is the CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM). In that role he is responsible for managing the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, which owns approximately 1.4% of the world’s listed companies. On top of running one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, he is also a podcast host, a lifelong learner, an avid reader, and an art and cooking enthusiast. He holds masters degrees in Art History and Social Psychology. 

Timestamps
1:25 - Upbringing in Kristiansand, Norway
2:43 - Commitment to philanthropy
5:16 - Journey of NBIM under his leadership
9:12 - Sustainable AND profitable investing
12:43 - Criteria NBIM investments
14:08 - Importance of transparency
15:41 - Podcast: In Good Company
17:28 - Leadership lessons
23:26 - Diversity, equity and inclusion
26:16 - Favorite books
27:34 - Favorite artists and paintings
29:00 - Advice to young leaders
31:29 - Favorite things to cook

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Chemistry is everywhere and cooking is no exception! In this podcast, Ilham joins Christophe Lavelle  –  one of the foremost experts on molecular gastronomy  – in the kitchen to learn about the chemistry of cooking, molecular gastronomy, how cooking is both an art and a science, and even how to make caramel foam with bicarbonate of soda and liquid nitrogen! 

Christophe Lavelle is a biophysicist, an epigeneticist and one of the foremost experts on the chemistry of cooking, or molecular gastronomy. His research focuses on the regulation of gene expression and the biophysical properties of macromolecules… including the ones you eat! He is a researcher at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), co-founder of the Food 2.0 LAB and runs a lab at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.  He also teaches in many universities and establishments throughout Paris including the famous Le Cordon Bleu.

Timestamps
2:43 - Why chemistry AND cooking?
4:09 - What is molecular gastronomy?
7:30 - Inspiration to start cooking and role models
8:58 - Teaching
10:13 - Demo: making caramel with bicarbonate of soda and liquid nitrogen
22:14 - Favorite recipes and foods
25:05 - Advice to young scientists and chefs
26:46 - Love of music

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to leadership expert Clarke Murphy, great leaders must be moonshotters, possess empathy and have a high LQ (not just IQ)! What does that mean? Clarke explains everything in his fascinating discussion with Ilham. They talk about what it takes to be a sustainable leader, his new book on the topic, advice for young leaders and so much more. 

Timestamps
1:49 - Upbringing and interest in sustainable leadership
5:50 - CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates
11:25 - Leadership and humility
13:37 - Book on Sustainable Leadership
21:24 - The LQ versus the IQ or even EQ
25:44 - 100 percenters versus moonshotters
28:52 - Passing the dinner table test
30:38 - Discovering the empathy gene
33:02 - Advice for young leaders
34:19 - Love of the ballet and the arts

Clarke Murphy, the former CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates is a leadership expert who advises the world's top companies on leadership strategies that fuel profitable growth and value for all stakeholders. He has also just published a bestselling book called Sustainable Leadership: Lessons of vision, courage, and grit from the CEOs who dare to build a better world, which is essentially a handbook on how to become a true, sustainable leader.

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Trenten Merrill speaks with Ilham about his incredible journey to become one of the world’s top paralympic track and field athletes. After overcoming many challenges, he has gone on to break the American record for long jump, not just once but three times! In this episode, he explains his passion for sports, how he stays disciplined, his advice for business leaders and young athletes, and so much more. 

1:20 - Upbringing and passion for sports
3:03 - Accident that changed his life
7:31 - First competition in Rio
10:41 - What can businesses learn from athletes?
12:18 - Passion for journaling
15:51 - Focus on the journey not the destination
18:05 - Career in modeling
20:34 - Entrepreneurial side
23:16 - Working with children with prosthetics
27:04 - What’s next?
28:17 - Hobbies outside of sports
29:20 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the world of sport

Trenten Merrill is one of the world’s top paralympic track and field athletes. At the age of 14 Trenten and his best friend were struck by a car and Trenten’s foot had to be amputated, but that did not stop him from fulfilling his childhood dream of being a professional athlete. Trenten learned about Paralympics and set his eyes on competing at the Paralympic Games. In 2016 Trenten made his first Paralympic team and broke the American Record in Long Jump. He went on to break the record again in 2018 and 2021. 

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

In this latest episode, Ambra Sabatini explains her incredible journey to become the fastest Paralympic sprinter in the world. She speaks to Ilham about her passion for sports, an accident that changed her life, her stunning victory at the 2020 Paralympic games, what business leaders can learn from athletes, her advice for young people and more! 

2:13 - Upbringing and passion for sports
3:38 - Accident that changed her life 
5:17 - Victory at the 2020 Paralympic games
8:33 - Toughest challenges
10:51 - What companies can learn from athletes
12:12 - Perfectly imperfect tattoo
13:34 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in sport
15:14 - Advice for young people
16:22 - What’s next?
17:55 - Interests outside of sport
20:39 - Strong support of family

Ambra Sabatini is the fastest Paralympic sprinter in the world. When she was only 19 years old she broke the world record, running 100 meters in just 14.11 seconds at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. And this is after she had already broken the world record a few months before in the Grand Prix in Dubai. In Tokyo, she also led Italy to a historic clean sweep in the women's 100m as her Italian teammates also won silver and bronze medals. 

Ambra was born in Livorno Italy in 2002. On June 5th, 2019 she was involved in a car accident on her way to training and she had to undergo an amputation of her left leg above the knee…but she never gave up on her love for sport. 

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

KG Montjane overcame many challenges to become one of the world’s top wheelchair tennis players and the first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon. Ilham and KG talk about her incredible journey including her introduction to wheelchair tennis at the age of 19, her desire to help others, the importance of inclusion in sport, business and life, her advice to young people and much more. What a fantastic story of determination and resilience! 

3:01- Introduction to tennis
6:48 - First black African woman to play at Wimbledon
9:44 - Toughest challenges in tennis
12:56 - Responsibility to help others
14:31 - Challenges off the court
16:36 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the world of sport
18:07 - Advice to young people
19:35 - Starting the Multi Sports Development Foundation to help underprivileged kids
21:24 - Importance of inclusion
25:24 - Hobbies outside of tennis

KG Montjane is one of the world’s top wheelchair tennis players. In fact, she is number 1 in Africa and number 4 in the World! In 2018, she became the first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon. She was born in Polokwane, Limpopo. Due to a congenital birth defect, she went through a single amputation below the knee at the age of 12. She began her tennis career when she was 19, after receiving the equipment necessary for her to play wheelchair tennis.

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Ilham has a conversation with five incredible Solvay women – Daniela Manique, Bijal Mathkar, Natalia Baran, Seung-eun Lee, and Cheryl Staton – who will all be featured in a book soon to be published called Adèle and the Women of Solvay. They talk about the importance of saying yes to opportunities, their passion for education, achieving a good balance between work and their personal lives (including motherhood), their recipe for success and much more. 

Adèle and the Women of Solvay, which will be published later this month, is about the women whose contributions and achievements, largely unrecognized until now, have shaped Solvay throughout its history. But importantly, it’s also about the amazing women at Solvay today who are paving the way to make the company more inclusive, diverse and prosperous. The proceeds from book sales will go to girls' education in less privileged locations around the world.

2:36 - Early childhood experiences and saying yes to opportunities
13:56 - Passion for education
30:57 - Work life balance / imbalance and becoming mothers
48:53 - Personal questions from their individual stories
59:45 - Recipe for success 

The women featured in this podcast are all top leaders at Solvay. Daniela Manique is the President of the Global Business Unit Coatis and Head of Latin America. Bijal Mathkar, is the Research & Innovation Director in Vadodara in India. Natalia Baran is a Production Manager/Chemical Engineer at our site in Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. Seung-eun Lee is the Director of the Research and Innovation Center in Seoul in Korea. Cheryl Staton is the Rewards Partner in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States of America. 

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast