Explore every episode of the podcast Business Leader's Voice

Husayn Kassai, CEO and Founder of Quench.ai, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast. They discuss AI adoption and how you can move beyond the hype to achieve success. 

Husayn shares his insights on these matters and more:   

• Husayn suggests that successful AI adoption is primarily a behavioural challenge rather than a purely technological one. Organisations often struggle with deployment, especially larger ones, due to a lack of training, trust, and a clear desire to implement new systems. 

• While training is essential for adopting any new tool, it's particularly neglected with AI. Many companies don't have effective AI training programs, partly because the newness of AI makes training less straightforward. 

• A significant barrier to AI success is misinterpreting the core problem AI is meant to be solving. Effective deployment can only happen when there's a clear grasp of the business problem and a firm decision that AI is the right tool for the job. 

• Many organisations, particularly larger ones, overestimate their grasp on their data systems and information flow. A lack of clarity and understanding of their internal data infrastructure often hinders effective AI deployment. 

• AI should be viewed more like a new employee or human resource rather than static software. This implies a need for ongoing training, reviews, and a more HR-centric approach to its integration, rather than just an IT procurement mindset. 

• The UK, especially London, has a strategic opportunity to lead in AI deployment by leveraging its strong professional services sector. Success hinges on implementing proper regulation—similar to the framework that established the UK as a FinTech hub—to foster trust, prevent exploitation, and ensure responsible, effective AI adoption. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Ben Tye, CEO of Gate One, about what clients want from growth and CX work in a volatile market. 

Andrew Brothers, former CIO at Primark, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

Andrew shares his insights on the following matters and more:   

• The CIO's primary agenda is to add business value by driving sales growth and increasing operational efficiency through technology.  

• Prioritising tech investment involves balancing strategic initiatives, risk mitigation, and refreshing your technology. Decisions here involve healthy debate with the executive team. 

• Technology roadmaps and investment priorities aren't static. It is important to emphasise the need for regular reviews with the executive team to ensure alignment, track progress, and adapt to new business needs or market changes. 

• Leveraging data is critical for forecasting future scenarios and providing insights to support decision-making across the business. This means ensuring that multiple data sources are structured correctly, making them usable for predictive analytics and scenario forecasting. This is particularly important in unpredictable markets. 

• While cybersecurity remains a top priority, achieving absolute security is unrealistic. Instead, organisations should focus on implementing strong protective measures, early threat detection, and a well-practiced incident response plan—often with support from external experts. 

• Retail businesses are set to turn to consultants for crucial support in cybersecurity, as well as for their expertise in driving efficiency and leveraging automation and AI. Firms can bring diverse experiences from other companies, enabling rapid learning and implementation. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Jan van de Poll, MD and Founder of Praioritize, about the future of AI consulting. 

Matthew Wilson, Chief Legal Officer at Fremantle, and Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, caught up on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

Matthew and Emma shared their insights on the following matters and more:   

• An adaptable internal culture—grounded in trust, transparency, and ethical governance—is key to resilience. Strategies to build resilience include diversifying your portfolio, establishing clear governance frameworks, and maintaining transparent communication.  

• AI is transforming the content industry, affecting everything from production to rights management. When establishing a use for an AI tool, Fremantle applies a governance framework to determine whether the tool is appropriate for the task.  

• AI should be considered for both its risks and its opportunities. Upskilling and getting teams working with AI gives the business a better chance to thrive in future. However, it is paramount to have the right access and controls in place to protect your corporate data.  

• Successful consulting partnerships are characterised by trust, adaptability, curiosity, and integration into the internal team, rather than rigid frameworks or a cookie-cutter approach. 

• AI transformation is likely to be the most in-demand consulting service in the TMT sector over the next few years. AI can make it easier to turn ideas into reality, but there should be an emphasis on maintaining human creativity while leveraging technological efficiency. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Source’s own Natasha Campbell, Principal Thought Leadership Consultant, and Nicola Kostrzewska, Senior Consultant, about the themes and findings of our latest Quality Ratings of Thought Leadership report. 

Francine Bennett, Board Member at the Ada Lovelace Institute, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast. 

Francine and Emma shared their insights on the following matters and more: 

• Businesses first need to think about their problems and then select AI tools intelligently, rather than following the hype. Many leaders are eager to integrate exciting new solutions without having a clear understanding of the problem they want to solve.
• Beyond just knowing you want to implement a solution, its important to consider how to monitor, track, and evaluate the outcomes to determine whether it is effective—particularly as business leaders might not be the ones working most closely with the tools.
• Businesses need to assess their existing level of technical maturity to use AI tools to their maximum potential. Leaders should consider how optimised the business’s current processes are and how reliable and robust their data is.
• It’s not only important to make sure your data is of good quality, but also to be mindful of how you govern it. There are ethical and confidentiality implications of using various AI tools, and its important to make sure your data and your business is protected.
• Many businesses are considering the potential pushback they might get from their workforce at the possibility of integrating AI. In some contexts, AI might be replacing jobs—particularly more junior roles—but generally it will be more a case of changing the job description.
• Biggest barriers to AI is when a board doesn’t have a clear strategy. The first element should always be having a strong understanding of the goals, strengths, and risks of the organisation—if this is robust, then the AI part follows more easily.

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Lesley Uren, Global CEO of Consulting at Korn Ferry about the future of human capital consulting

Mizanu Kebede, Chief Quality & Regulatory Officer at Smith & Nephew, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

Mizanu shares his insights on the following matters and more:   

1.  AI is transforming diagnostics, personalised medicine, and operational efficiency within the healthcare industry. The integration of AI and machine learning, and advanced data analytics into medical devices, promises to enhance patient outcomes while reducing costs.  

1. Cybersecurity is a crucial topic as the medical devices market becomes increasingly digitalised, safeguarding patient data against cyberthreats is paramount. Advanced encryption is critical here.  

1. Great quality and compliance processes can help drive business growth, including by providing a solid and reliable platform for innovation; establishing a trustworthy reputation in the market, which is essential to attracting and retaining customers; and navigating complex and numerous global regulations to allow a business to operate internationally. 

1. Businesses often go wrong by failing to keep comprehensive records. This can delay product launches, cause recalls, and damage both reputation and financial performance. Failing to prioritise cybersecurity and data security is another significant risk.  

1. Transparency, collaboration, and proactive communication are the bedrock of interacting with regulators. Regulators should be seen as partners—it’s about building trust. 

1. AI is significantly transforming the role of quality and regulatory leaders. For example, the huge amount of data that can be absorbed and analysed can feed into innovation and also predict potential defects before they are discovered and so reduce the risk of product recalls.  

We also discuss what Mizanu values in a professional services firm, and where consultants can fall short.  

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Lesley Uren, Global CEO for Consulting at Korn Ferry, about the future of human capital consulting. 

Sarah Ricketts, SVP for Procurement at Rolls Royce caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

Sarah shares her insights on the following matters and more:   

• The level of disruption in supply chain recently means there is a heightened focus on risk, including geopolitical, financial, and capacity risk. The key to managing this is having a standardised framework and understanding the leading indicators to be able to prioritise and mitigate potential risks before they arise. 

• Digital tools make transformation programmes a continuous process, constantly creating efficiencies to allow people to focus on the truly value-adding work. Whether you are concerned with data & analytics, risk management, spend management, quality, or costs, digital can do a lot for procurement.  

• Businesses should be asking themselves about how they should use the data they’ve got, who uses what, and what they need going forward. Sarah recommends building a control tower of data that can be used at all levels of the organisation and can be looked at through different lenses for different purposes.  

• To drive change and innovation, organisations should be benchmarking themselves against industry standards. But they should also be looking at other sectors to see what good looks like elsewhere and seeing how it can be applied in a new environment.  

• An internal focus on diversity doesn’t just bring psychological safety for those in the workforce, but also brings new perspectives, drives innovation, and boosts profitability. Sarah touches on how frequently people in the workplace experience imposter syndrome, and the importance of raising awareness.  

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Michael McMahon, Professor of Economics at University of Oxford, about the impact of Trump’s policies on professional services.

Vicki Bradin, General Counsel at Sage, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast. 

Vicki shared her insights on the following matters and more:  

·        General counsels could be seen as a person that slows things down and says no—but this isn’t how today’s best GCs work. Instead, they need to think about the areas where the business needs to take more risk and lean into this.

·         With the fast-paced nature of the technology industry, tech businesses need to move rapidly. Missing a transformative industry trend could lead to years of playing catch up.

·         When deciding whether a new trend is a fad or a real value-adding solution, businesses should consider the practical applications. Does it have a real benefit to the customer, help them with a problem that needs solving, or improve their own productivity and pace?

·         Communication is central to collaboration. Teams should come together regularly and sit down in a disciplined way to talk about shared challenges, differences of opinions, and how to avoid duplication.

·         It’s easy to think that more people in your workforce would lead to a boost in productivity—but this isn’t always the case. You have to think about the layers of your team and put in frameworks to make sure that decision making and communication isn’t getting slow.

·         Lawyers have a unique skillset that can add value beyond just being the lawyer in the team. For instance, they ask great questions, can assimilate vast amounts of data, and can be the unbiased person in the room.

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Future of the Firm. In a recent episode, we talked to Michael McMahon, Professor of Economics at University of Oxford, about the impact of Trump’s policies on the professional services industry.  

Benjamin Samuels, Former Chief Revenue Officer at WeWork, joins Emma Carroll, Source’s Head of Content, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

We talk to Benjamin about navigating growth and change as Chief Revenue Officer at WeWork. He shares the ups and downs on the journey from hypergrowth, through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and beyond.  

We discuss the following issues and more:  

• Benjamin’s five pillars that need to be tweaked during different stages of growth are: goals & commission, communication, team structure, recruitment & people, and innovation.  

• During a period of fast growth there is space for people to be creative and look at non-core offerings and businesses, but if you hit a wall, it’s about refocusing on what is core. 

• Decisions need to be made quickly and robustly during a crisis, with all the right people involved. A daily stand-up meeting with all leaders is one solution.  

• Protecting relationships with clients during a crisis is critical. We discuss how to communicate successfully with them and how to tailor your message. 

• Dealing with media attention during something like Chapter 11 is hard, but you can’t avoid it. We discuss how to support your people and yourself along the way.  

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, The Future of the Firm. In our latest episode, we discuss innovation in the consulting industry.  

Simon Bumfrey, Head of Technology & Life Sciences at HSBC Innovation Banking, joins Emma Carroll, Source’s Head of Content, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

In this episode, we talk to Simon about creating strong, authentic, and honest relationships that help you deliver for your clients at pace. He also shares his first-hand experience of supporting his customers and workforce through the Silicon Valley Bank crisis.  

We discuss the following issues and more:  

• How a great CX means speaking the same language as your clients, having a deep knowledge of their sector, and being accessible. 

• Having challenging conversations, especially when things go wrong. Clients want a fast, honest, and authentic response. 

• Simon’s first-hand experience of handling CX during the Silicon Valley Bank crisis, including communicating openly when you don’t have all the information and demonstrating empathy and transparency.  

• The role of AI in customer experience, and where humans will remain crucial. 

• The impact of a strong regulatory environment on CX. And how to say “no” while still delivering a great CX. 

• The importance of consultants turning down a project when it’s not their area of expertise.  

• How trust is crucial when a business is looking for a consulting firm to help them deliver on their AI ambitions.  

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, The Future of the Firm. In our latest episode, we discuss what clients are looking for from a restructuring firm and where the current hotspots are in the market.   

Jason Maude, Chief Technology Advocate at Starling Bank, joins Emma Carroll, Source’s Head of Content, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

In this episode, we talk to Jason about building, deploying, and monitoring technology in an innovative bank. We look at how to create trust, look beyond fads, and think about customer experience. Jason also shares his experience of working with consulting firms, including where they add value and what “grinds his gears”.  

He shares his insight into the following issues and more:  

• What a tech-first business wants from consulting firms, including measuring it against the principles of success rather than simply against what its peers do 
• Reassuring regulators when you are operating at the cutting edge of technology 
• Releasing new code rapidly, the underlying data foundations needed to get a business ready for AI, and the risk of decay in data models 
• Looking beyond fads and only using AI and other tech tools where you need them and where a simpler approach won’t work 
• Using pseudo data to train your models, e.g. to recognise financial crime 
• Jason’s tips on creating an innovative mindset and picking up the pace in your organisation. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, The Future of the Firm. In our latest episode, we discuss what clients are looking for from a restructuring firm and where the current hotspots are in the market.  

Andy Haywood, former Chief Modernisation Officer at Yorkshire Water and NED at Furness Building Society, joins Emma Carroll, Source’s Head of Content, on the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

In this episode, we talk to Andy about how best to approach transformation work, the traps businesses often fall into, and why it’s important to give projects ‘the room to breathe’. With experience of the high-profile Co-operative Group turnaround, through to stints in retail, banking, and utilities, Andy reflects on the recurring transformation challenges he’s faced and on working with consulting firms.  

He shares his insight into the following issues and more:  

• The most common transformation pitfalls, such as focusing too much on the numbers at an early stage 
• Navigating media attention, including how to turn negative media glare into positive internal change 
• Avoiding ‘deal fever’ to make the space and time for transformation projects 
• The best way to sequence the planning and financing of transformation programmes 
• What business leaders want to see from consulting firms, from pitch stage through to delivery 
• How consulting firms can help cut through the politics in client organisations and what this looks like in practice 
• Why it’s important for businesses to keep a sense of ownership over their transformation projects when working with consultants 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, The Future of the Firm. In our latest episode, we discuss what clients are looking for from a restructuring firm and where the current hotspots are in the market. 

Belden Menkus, Founder and MD of Menkus & Associates, and Fiona Czerniawska, CEO of Source, join Emma Carroll, Source’s Head of Content, for the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

The management skills that we all take for granted are disappearing from our businesses—leaving us with an execution gap and poorly trained people. 

In this podcast, we talk to Belden and Fiona about how the prioritisation of leadership has squeezed crucial management capability out of organisations.  

They share their insight into the following issues and more:  

• The loss of management skills can be seen on the ground in a reduced ability to spot problems and opportunities, to analyse situations, and to choose a route forwards. This is causing an execution gap.  

• As hierarchies have become flatter, managers can be less willing to give feedback or step in and challenge.  

• Managers and senior leaders now frequently give away the valuable opportunity to upskill their junior staff to consultants. This could be seen as a misuse of consulting.  

• It would help if people could see the roles of leadership and management as ones that overlap. Good business executives do both.  

• CEOs should be asking their HRDs searching questions about where the training budget for managers is being directed.  

• Fiona and Belden also share advice on how to get great management back into our businesses.  

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, The Future of the Firm. In our latest episode, we discuss how firms should be rethinking digital talent in an AI-ambitious world.   

Emma Carroll, Source’s Head of Content, is joined by Ian Wright, Co-Chair of the Food & Drink Export Council, for the latest episode of our Business Leader’s Voice podcast.  

As we head into 2024, businesses are facing ongoing economic pressures alongside a whole host of new challenges. 

In this podcast, we talk to Ian about where he sees the biggest risks emerging and the opportunities that executives must not miss. He cautions against risk aversion but suggests leaders should be ready to sense check previous decisions around technology, supply chains, and how they plan to hit their net zero targets.

He shares his insight into the following issues and more:  

• Where businesses will need consulting support in 2024, including around technology, risk, and net zero 
• The impact of the climate crisis and macroeconomic pressures on supply chains 
• Operating in a low-growth environment, including the need to prioritise investment 
• Being thoughtful and ready to adapt if you realise you have made the wrong choices around tech and AI 
• Rethinking customer choice in the face of today’s supply constraints 
• How risk management is not fit for purpose in 90% of businesses today. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, The Future of the Firm. In our latest episode, we discuss how firms can harness tech and AI to stay relevant in 2024.

Emma Carroll is joined by Beth Butterwick, CEO of clothing retailer, Jigsaw.

At a time when the business environment is constantly shifting, leaders must target simplicity by focusing on their customers, being clear about their USPs, and pulling on their strategic levers.

In this podcast, we talk to Beth about her experience of doing just that, when she joined the retailer shortly before COVID hit.

Beth shares insight on the following issues and more:

• Identifying and focusing on the heartland of your business
• Timing and targeting growth during uncertainty
• Encouraging multichannel customers and removing friction points
• Innovating around slow fashion, circularity, and subscription models
• The appetite for professional services in today’s retail market

Emma Carroll is joined by Paul Pellizzari in this episode of Business Leader’s Voice, a new series providing a client’s-eye view of the professional services landscape. 

Organisations across the globe are on their individual journeys to deliver on new and challenging ESG ambitions. There’s a lot to do, from deciding where to focus limited internal resources, to deciding how to measure success, to communicating an authentic story to a diverse range of interested stakeholders.  

In this podcast, we talk to Paul about how he is leading on this challenge at Hard Rock, one of the world’s most recognised brands. He discusses the importance of the “S” aspect of ESG to the Hard Rock business model and where the big challenges and rewards lie. 

We talk about the risk of setting unachievable goals, what “meaningful” metrics really are, and what business leaders are looking for from consulting firms in this space.

About the series: Business Leader’s Voice is essential listening for those seeking to understand what’s important to clients. Speaking to influential buyers and users of professional services, Source’s managing editor, Emma Carroll, asks the big questions about what really matters to firms today and offers fresh insight into the critical issues occupying the headspace of senior executives.  

Emma Carroll is joined by Paul Alexander and Martin White, in this first episode of Business Leader’s Voice, a new series providing a client’s-eye view of the professional services landscape. 

When it comes to selling and contracting for professional services, have you ever fallen into any of the common procurement pitfalls? 

Clients say that firms can fail to understand the structure of procurement and the wider buying process. They can be tempted to oversell capabilities or talk up talent that isn’t available. Those on the ground may assume that people working in procurement understand more about consulting than they do. And sometimes firms can simply fail to listen… 

It’s a rare firm that hasn’t fallen into the supplier management gap at some time. 

In this podcast, we discuss all things procurement with Paul Alexander, who’s had leadership roles at BP and British Airways, and now lectures on procurement, teaching tomorrow’s buyers of professional services and beyond. Paul has witnessed all these mistakes and more—but he takes a positive look at what firms can do to build a better and more profitable relationship with their partners in procurement.  

The first 40 minutes of this episode are a behind-the-scenes interview with Paul Alexander. This is followed by 10 minutes of bonus content with Martin White, Principal Consultant at Source, in which we discuss what Source’s research has to say about the issues raised.    

About the series: Business Leader's Voice is essential listening for those seeking to understand what's important to clients. Speaking to influential buyers and users of professional services, Source’s managing editor, Emma Carroll, asks the big questions about what really matters to firms today and offers fresh insight into the critical issues occupying the headspace of senior executives.