“He bears witness - in a very disarming way - what's really going on in this country.” “It’s often expressed without a single word, vivid enough that It hits a bit differently — It's not sugar coated —  this is what they're up against.”

BURMA CHRONICLES is the 2007 graphic travelog by French-Canadian cartoonist Guy Delisle — which presents a personal and distinctively humorous glimpse into a political hotspot on the other side of the world, where the Delisle balances his ex-pat home-husbandry, the spinning politics a quasi-authoritarian state, and finding a way as a foreign cartoonist amidst a South Asian junta. You’ll enjoy this This is a bonus, candid conversation between co-hosts Raman & Drew from another podcast, covering a lots of interesting comics, travel, and life learnings. 

LEARN MORE

• BOOK: goodreads.com/book/show/5596923-burma-chronicles

• BURMA: wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar

• DREW: AndrewTarvin.com

“It's not all a straight line up — there are ups and downs. Success is defined just as much in the times where you struggle and you pick yourself up and you continue going.”

Samantha Avivi is the CMO at Bayer Consumer Health, North America. She has over 30 years of experience in 40+ countries, working with some of the world’s largest brands and companies - from Y&R, BBDO, P&G, Kimberly Clark, ADT, Tenneco, and Advance Auto Parts. Sam grew up in Florida and before moving to NYC to rise through the ranks of the ad agency world before taking a chance on a mock-interview at P&G. Her journey is a reminder of the importance of curiosity, and being open to non-linear paths for personal and professional learning. Sam attended the University of Florida, is married to her high school sweetheart, has 3 kids, and is an avid runner. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on the influence of family and exploring new and different paths to find what truly makes us happy.

This conversation was hosted by Ida Abdalkhani, Change Catalyzer — an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, and P&G Alumni Board Member.

"Be bolder sooner - it's not just about my career, it’s about life in general.” 

Alex Keith leads Procter & Gamble’s global Beauty business: the world’s 4th largest beauty company, with a $15 billion portfolio with six billion dollar brands. Alex is the only female CEO of a top 5 beauty company. Since taking leadership of P&G’s Beauty portfolio in 2017, Alex has driven the sector’s turnaround. As Executive Sponsor for Corporate Sustainability, Alex works alongside P&G’s Chief Sustainability Officer to guide the Company’s sustainability progress. She is also the company’s Executive Sponsor of LGBTQ+ Equality & Inclusion. During Alex’s 34 years with P&G, she has worked in Product Supply, Brand Management and General Management, spanning multiple categories across Fabric Care and Beauty, in North America, Asia, and Europe regions. In 2020, Alex was elected to Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Board of Directors. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona. She lives in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband, Chris Keith.

TED talks are "Ideas Worth Spreading" - short talks and presentations that have lit up the internet since 2006. But did you know a # of Alums have shared TEDx talks at official events with their communities?

We're featuring THREE such TEDx talks from co-hosts - Andrew Tarvin, Ida Abdalkhani, and Rajiv Satyal — all of which have amassed more than a few views online - and share one important theme in common (a coincidence, we promise!). We guarantee you'll enjoy these talks, and hopefully learn a little something along the way. And if you're a P&G Alumni with a TEDx talk - shoot us a note - pgalumpod@gmail.com - and maybe we'll feature your TEDx talk on a future P&G Alumni Podcast!

• Andrew Tarvin:  "The Skill of Humor" - TEDxTAMU (June 2017) - https://youtu.be/MdZAMSyn_As
• Ida Abdalkhani: "Happier in 5 Minutes" - TEDxOhioStateUniversity (March 2015) - https://youtu.be/-HJG63EXCmw
• Rajiv Satyal: "Today's Jester: The Comedian" TEDxUCincinnati (June 2016) - https://youtu.be/rgAgwDTju-M

“Approach life as a lifelong learning journey. Be curious enough to really ask why - as that wisdom has no expiration date.”

Ana Maria Henao is PepsiCo’s Global Marketing VP, leading the Marketing Excellence and Partnership Strategies across both food and beverages for PepsiCo globally, reporting to the Global CMO. Ana Maria has over 22 years of Marketing experience, having started her career at P&G in Bogota, Colombia, as an ABM in detergents. Having worked in a variety of roles across developed and emerging markets. Ana Maria led the development of mainstream and luxury brands, turning around businesses and leading acquisitions, while transforming commercial functions to embrace the challenges of the digital era. Originally from Colombia, Ana Maria currently lives in Miami with her husband and two children. In this candid conversation you’ll enjoy hearing about wisdom vs intelligence, being curious, and choosing to be a protagonist.

“No question, you have to speak up. Because I know people spoke up for me and questioned incorrect assumptions or bias in the room.”

K. Patrick Davis is the VP and General Manager for Blue Buffalo, the #1 natural pet food brand in the US, and now General Mills largest brand. Previously Patrick was Henkel’s SVP and Head of US Laundry & Home Care — working on brands like All, Snuggle, Persil, and Renuzit — where he also functioned as the division CMO. Patrick also spent ten years as VP + General Manager at Georgia Pacific - leading work on many of the company's largest brands and retailers. And of course, Patrick got his start at P&G - spending nearly a decade in marketing and sales - working on teams like Crest and Walmart. Patrick received his MBA from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and studied business science at The University of South Carolina at Columbia. For 30 years, Patrick’s been a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, continuing to serve as a local officer — and he’s also an active mentor to young men of color through the Kappa League program. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and three sons. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about authenticity , connection, respect — and speaking up.

Katie Couric is renowned and award-winning  journalist, producer, and best-selling author. Katie is currently the Founder of Katie Couric Media, a multimedia news and production company. Katie also publishes the daily newsletter "Wake Up Call" From 2013 to 2017, Katie was Yahoo's Global News Anchor. Katie has been a host on all 3 major US TV networks — NBC News from 1989 to 2006, CBS News from 2006 to 2011, and ABC News from 2011 to 2014 — and in her early career she was an assignment editor for CNN. In addition to her TV news anchor roles , Katie has also hosted the Today show and 60 Minutes, and in 2004 Katie was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

In this conversation from the 2021 P&G Alumni Global Conference, Katie sat down with Marc Pritchard, P&G’s Chief Brand Officer, to share their vision of a fairer and more equitable world through media and advertising. Katie speaks of the importance of accurate portrayals, images, and representation —  influenced by the work of Mahzarin Banaji - who we’ve also featured on this podcast — on how our brains are hardwired to make associations and connections. Katie spoke of growing up with women only portrayed as stay-at-home moms and having to insist that she would not just cover cooking or fashion shows. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation between two of the industries’ biggest leaders in media - on the importance of change - and understanding.

“Tech will do everything - but it won’t make you a better human. Use technology to get less busy and focus on being a better human, and the world will be a better place.”

Vivek Sunder is CEO of Cuemath - the education technology company whose mission is to make the world’s children great at math — to create invincible problem-solvers who will go on to solve humanity’s biggest problems. Vivek’s been in the lead of the India-based company since 2021 - with aims to scale the business globally. Prior to leading Cuemath, Vivek served as COO of Swiggy - India’s leading online delivery service - helping the company scale from good to great, to 500+ cities in 18 months - especially during the global pandemic. Vivek also spent twenty years at P&G in various capacities across developing markets (India, Africa) as well as developed markets (UK, Singapore, Korea) and hybrid markets (China, Thailand, Malaysia). Vivek is passionate about building organizational capability and has a proven track record of creating better business results via more capable teams - spanning 20+ nationalities - from new country startups to traditional business unit roles. Vivek is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta, and prior to that studied Computer Engineering from Delhi University. He is a regular guest lecturer at his alma mater IIM-C, as well at other premier B-schools across the world where he teaches and shares business expertise. Vivek speaks six languages, and has a passion for photography with work featured in global media outlets like National Geographic, the BBC, and ET. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the intersection of technology, business, and behavioral psychology.

“You need other people — work well with others and learn from them. The more you grow, the more you realize you don't get anything done alone.”

Poliana Sousa is Latin America’s Coca-Cola™ Lead, which includes communication strategy and innovation in 39 countries in South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Poliana also plays a key role in the brand’s long-term strategic planning and leads key global projects as part of the Global Coca-Cola network. Before joining Coca-Cola, Poliana held several leadership positions at Procter & Gamble for nearly 20 years — her roles included Marketing, Brand Communications and Media Director in Brazil, and on brands such as Gillette, Pampers, and Oral-B. Poliana has a degree in Business Administration from Iowa State University and an MBA from Xavier University. She has received several industry awards including Forbes' Best 10 CMOs in Brazil (2020) and 10 Most Admired Executives in Brazil by Agency Scope (2020). You’ll enjoy this authentic and vulnerable conversation about overcoming big changes, imposter syndrome, and adversity - to persevere and thrive at work and life.

“Leading in social media and fighting bad actors - these problems didn’t always exist. It's fascinating how quickly things change.”

Jakub Kocinski is a Digital Safety & Trust leader - with experiences across P&G, Google TikTok, and Meta — where he’s held responsibility for a wide array of key issues of digital platform integrity. Prior to his most recent role of Responsible Innovation at Meta - Jakub served as Director of Trust & Safety at ByteDance, the company behind the popular app TikTok. Prior to Bytedance, Jakub spent 6 years building and leading Trust & Safety in Google focusing on Gmail, Google accounts security as well as a wide portfolio of Google products. Jakub started his career at Procter & Gamble in 10 years across eCommerce and IT operations, Jakub was born in Poland and completed his Computer Science Masters at Technical University of Gdańsk followed by an MBA at Kozminski University in Warsaw. A family man, Jakub enjoys being outdoors and tinkering with the latest gadgets to automate - or complicate his life. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the importance of digital safety and trust - but also the importance of responsible innovation we must all bring to our work.

“We are all intersectional - uniqueness is our greatest gift. Empathy makes you a better leader.”

This Pride Month, we wanted to replay a few conversations with past LGBTQIA+ guest on this P&G Alumni Podcast.

Shelly McNamara is P&G’s Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer, where she’s responsible for shaping culture, policies, and leadership to promote greater diversity. Shelly’s also an avid storyteller, speaker and writer — her new book No Blanks, No Pauses - weaves her life story with reflections and poetry. Shelly got her start in Sales, and spent 25+ years rising through P&G’s HR ranks, ultimately rising to the level of Executive Vice President - where she worked on some of the company's largest businesses with brand portfolios ranging from $4B to $35B, working on employee populations exceeding 25,000. Shelly’s committed to enabling employees of every background to bring their full selves to work. - an active member of P&G’s Corporate Women’s Leadership Team, and she’s led the expansion of LGBTQ+ employee groups around the globe.

Shelly shares many stories from her personal and professional life - as a mother and “out” female executive. Through her writing - and poetry - she’s been able to process and persevere through many moments of inclusions - and exclusion. Core to Shelly’s every day work is to have people think more about our shared humanity - because ultimately, that’s where true understanding comes from - to tackle the issues we must all face together.

“Let's be wrong sooner because we'll learn from it - move on and take on challenges in a very different way.”

This Pride Month, we wanted to replay a few conversations with past LGBTQIA+ guest on this P&G Alumni Podcast.

Jay Sethi is the CMO of Diageo Beer Company and Senior Vice President of Diageo’s Convenience Category. In addition to leading and executing for three of Diageo’s business units, Jay has a strong passion for inclusion and diversity and was instrumental in creating the “Love Wins” campaign for the Smirnoff brand in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) celebrating love and acceptance. Prior to Diageo, Jay worked at Procter & Gamble as the Director of North America COVERGIRL, returning the brand to growth through new and exciting partnerships, including the NFL and The Hunger Games movie franchise. Jay is known as an innovative marketer and has received numerous awards, including a “40 under 40” Marketing Leadership Award from Advertising Age. Jay graduated from The University of Chicago and previously worked in the world of Chicago politics with roles in the U.S. Senate and top political campaigns. Jay is fluent in Spanish and is proudly multicultural as a Mexican and Indian American. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about how to be more thoughtful - and intentional about using your skillset to have an impact in and beyond work, because there are many actionable steps anyone can take to be more open and inclusive in business, and life.

"Ignore arrogance and make convenience meet relevance. Consider these elements to know what is convenient and relevant for the customer.” 

Bernd Pichler is Aston Martin’s Managing Director, Greater China. Bernd was previously Managing Director for Bentley Motors in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, where he oversaw all local operations and sales in the company’s second-largest region. Having lived and worked in Asia since 2005, Bernd has more than two decades of leadership experience and a track record of driving commercial growth in China for major automotive brands, including within the luxury segment.

This is part of our Chinese leaders series - hosted by P&G Alumni Emily Chang. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com

“Being the first person in a role can be a career accelerant.”

This Pride Month, we wanted to replay a few conversations with past LGBTQIA+ guest on this P&G Alumni Podcast. And what better executive to revisit than Julie Eddleman, DoubleVerify’s Global Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to joining DoubleVerify, Julie spent six years at Google as one of the companies top Client Partners - accelerating partnerships with companies like GM, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and P&G. And across nearly 20 years at P&G, Julie worked on partnerships with the NFL, Olympics, and many of the company’s biggest partnerships and investments. Julie’s been recognized as an AdAge Media Maven, an LGBT Influential Leader by The Advocate magazine, and Woman of the Year by PowerPlay New York City for her role in mentoring young women and girls. Julie’s a graduate of Purdue University, as well as a proud wife and a mother. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about not just bringing your full, authentic self to work, but the importance of taking risks, making choices, and building relationships

“Authenticity and relevancy are easy to connect back to the business when you have people who represent the diversity of our consumers.”

Kevin Shapiro is Coty’s SVP of US Marketing at Consumer Beauty at Coty, where he manages a large portfolio of consumer brands, including Sally Hansen and CoverGirl. Kevin has led beauty brands across a number of iconic global companies, including L’Oreal, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and Procter & Gamble — where he served as brand manager on The Art of Shaving and Pantene.  Having received his MBA from the University of Southern California, and studied business at Georgetown, Kevin actually got started in the Automotive industry working for Edmunds.  Kevin grew up in Mexico and brings his fluency in Spanish and a multicultural mindset to everything he does. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on authentic brand building, representation, and the power of learning and listening in the ever changing  beauty industry.

“Politics is all about empathy — people believing that you understand their plight, their issue, their life  — and that you have a plan to help them.”

Aftab Pureval is the Mayor of the city of Cincinnati. As Cincinnati’s 70th Mayor, Aftab has made equitable economic growth a top priority of his administration, as well as a comprehensive reform and improvement of public safety, affordable housing, and environmental action. Formerly serving as the first Democrat to be elected Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in over 100 years, Aftab opened an award-winning Help Center and became the first countywide officeholder in Ohio to offer paid family leave. Mayor Aftab was born and raised in Southwest Ohio - he attended The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati College of Law where he represented victims of domestic violence who could not afford an attorney. Aftab served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and worked as an attorney at Procter & Gamble working on brands like Olay. Mayor Aftab lives in Clifton with his wife and sons. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about redefining what a name means - and showing up for what matters.

“There is a level of compassion to understanding that there's things that need to be done.” // “We have to make up for lost time - transparent actions and results need to follow.”

In the midst of all the social and upheaval we continue to face facing - we sat down with serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, alongside Logitech CEO (+ P&G Alum) Bracken Darrell for a conversation with two “Masters of Digital Disruption”. In a candid conversation that spanned the internet and blockchain technologies (driving increased transparency and accountability) - to the greater need for social and environmental impact (rooted in business values) - you’ll enjoy this conversation with two leaders who are constantly learning and growing personally, and professionally.

Gary Vaynerchuk is an entrepreneur at heart — he builds businesses. Considered one of the leading global minds on what’s next - Gary is a serial entrepreneur, and serves as the Chairman of VaynerX,  the CEO of VaynerMedia and the Creator & CEO of VeeFriends. Gary works with Fortune 1000 brands thru his agency VaynerMedia — a part of the VaynerX holding company - which also includes Eva Nosidam Productions, VaynerNFT, Gallery Media Group, The Sasha Group, Tracer, VaynerSpeakers, and VaynerCommerce. Gary is also the Co-Founder of VaynerSports, Resy and Empathy Wines. He is a prolific angel investor with early investments in companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, Snapchat, Coinbase and Uber. Gary’s also a Board Member, advisor, best-selling author, and award-winning speaker and thought leader with millions of followers.

Bracken Darrell is President & CEO of Logitech - a company he joined in 2012 - where he’s led brand vision and operations - as the driver for Logitech’s continued growth and profitability (up over 13x) —  reinventing Logitech into an award-winning design company, an industry force pursuing a more sustainable and equal world. Beyond Logitech’s numerous awards in design, innovation, and sustainability during his tenure, Bracken himself has been named Swiss CEO of the year by Obermatt three times in the past four years, won the P&G Alumni Innovation Award, and will receive the 2022 Edison Achievement Award. Prior to joining Logitech, Bracken spent a decade in executive roles @ Whirlpool, Braun, and General Electric - and also worked in brand management at P&G. Prior to receiving his MBA from Harvard, Bracken worked at Arthur Anderson and PepsiCo. Bracken serves on the board of directors of Life Biosciences, a longevity company, and on the U.S. advisory board of Harvard Business School. Bracken received his MBA from from Harvard Business School and studied English from Hendrix College in Arkansas, and loves playing basketball with his boys.

“It's through language that you understand another culture - how their world works. It's about that human connection with people.”

Mike Shangkuan is an EdTech entrepreneur, fitness fanatic, and pioneer in language learning. As the CEO of Lingdoda, Europe’s leading online language school. And he’s a polyglot -  speaking six languages - English, German, Spanish, French, Chinese and Japanese — having lived in 8 countries across 4 continents, and traveling to over 100 countries. Prior to leading Lingoda, Michael was CEO of Terra Education, a B-corp offering life-changing service learning summer programs to teens in Africa, South America, and Asia. Mike has worked in brand management at both Clorox & P&G, and held roles at Goldman Sachs and Borden Capital Management. He is a graduate of Yale University and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. On top of all that, Michael was also once a former natural bodybuilder having competed at several international competitions. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about life, language, and the culture quotient.

"Humor is a way to deal with failure, because you'll be onto something much bigger. Nothing is the defining moment of your life — if you don't let it be.”

Did you know that several P&G Alumni have become (inter)nationally known stand up comedians? In honor of World Laughter Day (May 1st), we decided to go deeper and chat with not one, not two, but THREE P&G alumni who are now full-time in the world of comedy — Greg Warren, Josh Sneed, and Rajiv Satyal. And if you count P&G Alumni Podcast co-host Drew Tarvin as a “Humor Engineer” - consider it 3.5 P&G Alumni Comedians. We want to learn about life as a creative entrepreneur, how humor applies to work, and how a business mindset can help anyone in their passion project - because when comedy is your day job, it’s no joke. Our guests for this very special (and funny) episode...

• Greg Warren is a nationally touring headliner and has been featured on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, BET and CMT. He is a fan favorite on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Radio Show and can be heard daily on Sirius/XM. Prior to becoming a full-time comedian, Greg spent 10 years at P&G as an account executive for brands like Pringles and Folgers, and as a project manager at the GO in Cincinnati. He’s currently based in St Louis, MO. You can see Greg’s recent special, Where the Field Corn Grows on Amazon Prime Video - https://amzn.to/39pXxfT
• Josh Sneed is a nationally touring comedian with appearances on Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, and Dry Bar Comedy with clips from his special having been viewed more than 50 million times. He has performed at the prestigious “Just For Laughs” Comedy Festival in Montreal, the Aspen Comedy Festival, and was chosen by Comedy Central to perform in their inaugural South Beach Comedy Festival. Prior to becoming a comedian, Josh spent five years at working in corporate IT, including time as a systems analyst for P&G in Cincinnati, where he still resides. Check out Josh’s special “Life’s Better When You’re Fat” on YouTube, by Dry Bar Comedy https://youtu.be/Q-C9mPu7r_4
• Rajiv Satyal is the first and only comedian to perform standup on all seven continents  Rajiv co-created the world-touring Make Chai Not War, a Hindu/Muslim stand-up show sponsored by The U.S. State Dept and he’s opened for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajiv hosts the talk show “What Do You Bring to the Table,” (now in it’s 2nd season), and his massively viral I AM INDIAN video has been seen over 50 million times.  Prior to becoming a full-time comedian, Rajiv worked as an ABM and account director at P&G, including driving award-winning word of mouth campaigns for P&G and external brands such as Coca Cola and Microsoft. He’s currently based in LA. https://rajivsatyal.com/
• Drew Tarvin is an accomplished author and speaker - having done over 1000 shows as an improv and stand-up comedian, have performed in all 50 states, 30 countries, and 1 planet (Earth). Drew’s TEDx talk on the skill of humor has been viewed more than 10 MILLION times. Drew’s also the co-founding co-host of Learnings from Leaders (this podcast) and CEO / Founder Humor That Works, a training firm that helps businesses get better results while having more fun - humorthatworks.com

"There is no bending your principles and values, you either stick by them or you don't.”

Qaisar Shareef spent a 30 year career at Procter & Gamble - where he led the company’s operations in Pakistan & Ukraine. As April marks the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Islamic world this year, we decided to revisit some past conversations with past Muslim guests that you may have missed — and even if you’ve already heard, are worth a fresh listen.

Qaisar is the author of “When Tribesmen Came Calling: Building an Enduring American Business in Pakistan.” For Qaisar, Pakistan was actually an organization he helped build for the company many years prior when P&G was first starting business in the region. Qaisar is based in the Washington DC area where he is an advisory partner to Ward Howell International. He also teaches at George Washington University’s Department of International Business. Qaisar serves on the board of HOPE USA, OPEN DC, and Transparent Hands, a crowdfunding platform helping cover the underprivileged’s health care costs. He’s also on the Executive Committee of US Pakistan Foundation, and is president of Montgomery County Muslim Council. Qaisar has a Bachelor of Science degree from the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, and an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation from a Muslim American leader, about living and working out of your comfort zone. Qaisar shares not just his perspective of establishing a viable business in an emerging market, but also about returning home - multiple times - to make an impact on both sides of the world.

“Nothing can teach you more than your failures. Your struggles are where you're growing the most.”

Ikdeep Singh is Mars Petcare’s President of North America, responsible for iconic brands such as Pedigree, Iams, Cesar, and Sheba — and driving the company’s purpose of “A better world for pets.” Prior to Mars, Ikdeep served as the President at the L’Oréal Group, and he started his career at P&G P&G, where he worked across Canada, the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China for 14 years in Beauty Care, Baby Care and Grooming. Recognized on Forbes’ inaugural “CEO Next” list, Ikdeep had humble beginnings in rural India. He studied Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University, and received an MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania where Ikdeep serves on the advisory board for Wharton’s Baker Retail Center. Ikdeep and his family of 4 are avid travelers and “gastro-tourists” who go in search of some of the world’s most delicious places to eat. You’ll enjoy this thoughtful conversation about slowing down to reflect and learn — because with hard work, and some lucky breaks, we can find a path we love, collaborating with others to win, together.

“The higher you go, it's harder to understand the front lines. Be in touch to accelerate your growth.”

Kevin Hochman, is Kentucky Fried Chicken’s US President at Yum! Brands, and the former President of Pizza Hut US. As KFC’s President Hockman oversees more than $10 billion in retail sales across 10,000 restaurants. For more than eight years, Kevin’s held numerous senior positions at Yum! Brands. Previously Kevin led P&G’s North America Cosmetics business, the culmination of an 18-year career at P&G as business leader across brands like Olay, Gillette, Secret, Old Spice and CoverGirl. Kevin has earned multiple recognitions from Forbes - naming him the world’s 2nd most influential CMO - to AdAge’s A-List. You’ll enjoy this conversation about the learnings on Kevin’s journey from CPG to the fast food industry, and how he became a more inclusive, servant leader along the way.

"This type of work gives us agency — things become a choice versus us becoming victims of life led on autopilot.” 

Roula Clerc-Nassar is an seasoned leader and coach - as well as an expert on human understanding and insightful research. Roula’s focus is growing people and building high performing teams, as well as applying neuroscience to coaching to help create transformation and lasting change. Before founding Ellumine Consulting & Coaching, Roula spent 24 years in 2 leading Multinational companies: 

PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble, where she began her career in Morocco before moving to the UK and later Switzerland. Her last position was Vice President of Insights at PepsiCo Europe. She is a national of 3 countries in 3 different continents and has worked with clients and teams across the globe. You’ll enjoy this candid coaching conversation on how to reconcile values that comes into conflict, and makeing thoughtful, intentional choices for work and life. 

This is a continuation of our series with P&G Alumni Coaching where leading Alumni will dive deep on relevant topics. Just as professional athletes have a coach to help them perform at their best, coaching can help you thrive in career and life life, through powerful questioning, exploration, and action planning. P&G Alums can learn more and sign up for their first free first session @ coaching.pgalums.com.

“People tend to be afraid of the unknown. The most dangerous thing is the illusion of knowledge. We need to have an open mind and embrace the world.”

Dian Alyan is the Founder & CEO of the GiveLight Foundation (GiveLight.org) — a non-profit inspired by Islamic values to help orphans across the globe regardless of nationality, race or religion. As April marks the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Islamic world this year, we decided to revisit some past conversations with past Muslim guests that you may have missed — and even if you’ve already heard, are worth a fresh listen.

Dian founded GiveLight.org after the 2004 South Asian tsunami, where she lost many loved ones in her home country of Indonesia . Dian was inspired to provide for children going through similar devastation around the world — natural disasters and extreme conditions, like poverty and war. GiveLight is a non-profit creating high quality homes and education for global orphans. What began as one home for 50 children has now expanded to support over 1,000 orphans in 11 countries globally — with a goal of housing 10,000 children in response to natural disasters, poverty, and war. GiveLight has responded to crises in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Morocco.

Prior to founding GiveLight - Dian spent a decade as the Outreach Director for the Muslim Community Association in the San Francisco bay area. And Dian got her start at P&G in brand management in beauty and healthcare brands across Asia. Dian’s work with GiveLight has garnered awards and engagements from Fortune 500s + prominent universities, and has been featured in Newsweek, the Huffington Post, and many other media outlets. She lives in the San Francisco bay area, a mother of two - but she considers all children GiveLight reaches as a part of her family. Learn more about how you can help at GiveLight.org

“The first job of any leader is to coach people that can do a better job than them, and lead better than them — to unlock people's fullest potential.“

Raj Rao is IBM’s General Manager of Blockchain Ventures where he oversees programs in blockchain, AI and cloud architecture. Raj was previously the CEO of Ford Mobility, leading the automotive company’s Palo Alto based mobility business investments, as well as Chief Digital Officer of 3M. Raj got his career start at P&G marketing - working across Europe, the Middle East, and Canada. A native of India, Raj earned an honors degree in economics from the University of Delhi, and a Master’s Degree in Management from Boston University’s Business School. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the factors that influence our careers — and why it’s important to bend the culture as a leader.

“When you take care of yourself, you are much more able to lead, to be more creative, more empathetic.”

Arianna Huffington is Founder & CEO of Thrive Global, a firm centered on health and wellness information. Arianna was also the Co-founder of The Huffington Post, the author of fifteen books, one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential People,” and Forbes “Most Powerful Women,” among numerous other honors. In 2011, AOL acquired The Huffington Post for $315 million, where Arianna became President & Editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group, which included The Huffington Post, AOL Music, Engadget, Patch Media, and StyleList — where she served until 2016. Arianna currently serves on numerous boards, including Uber, Onex, and Global Citizen. Arianna’s last two books, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder and The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time were both instant international bestsellers.

At the 2021 P&G Alumni Network Global Conference, Arianna sat down with Debbie Majoras, P&G’s Chief Legal Officer & Secretary, for a candid conversation on “How To Thrive.” The two discussed our once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the way we work and live — the necessary mindshift that employee well-being drives peak performance - which builds sustainable standards of excellence.

“In facing a crisis, you have to try to understand the reality as seen by different people. We've got to bring that to bear now, even as we're speaking.” -John Pepper

UPDATE 3/14/2022: Our original podcast discussion was recorded on 3/72022. Many things have changed since that moment, including a vocal response to erroneous statements we made on this show. Those incorrect statements have been removed, and we apologize for the impact they had - given the nature of this very sensitive subject to so many people around the world. Since then, we have had discussions with many of you, and we know those conversations remain ongoing. And for that we are grateful. You'll find an updated statement by John Pepper in the introduction to this episode. 

ORIGINALLY RECORDED ON 3/7/2022: As the terrible situation continues to unfold in Ukraine, it is too easy to remain distant. But what is happening now is real, Ukraine is a sovereign nation of 44 million people, and with a rich and beautiful culture. At the same time we find ourselves on a precipice. In moments like this, hearing from our leaders can help us think through...and make sense of everything going on. 

Two of those very leaders are past guests John Pepper, P&G’s former CEO, and Qaisar Shareef, P&G’s former head of Ukraine and Pakistan, who joined us for a discussion on Monday March 7, 2022. Both have extensive personal and professional experience in Ukraine and Russia, having also each authored numerous posts and books on related topics.

In this candid conversation, we hope to share a nuanced perspective - informed by their personal, professional, and political experiences in the region - to help us go beyond the news headlines for an honest, informed discussion of the situation we collectively face.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

• SupportUkraineNow.org
• novaukraine.org
• razomforukraine.org
• wck.org (World Central Kitchen)
• globalgiving.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• John’s  ‘Pepperspectives’ blog: pepperspectives.blogspot.com
• Qaiser’s recent op-ed on Ukraine: blueearbooks.substack.com/p/memories-of-ukraine
• Raman’s podcast chat with Ukrainian + Ukrainian American colleagues: modmypod.com/episodes/ep-135-we-are-all-ukrainians
• P&G’s Official Statement: pg.com/blogs/pg-european-operations-update

“We really want to dive deep because no two people are going to answer the same,“ “These deeper conversations are what's going to be true years from now.”

100 Episodes later, Drew & Raman sit down for a chat about what they’ve learned from all their Learnings from Leaders, answer some of the questions they get most often about this P&G Alumni Podcast, share a little more under the hood, and tease what’s coming up for the next 100 episodes...

“You've got to suspend how you think about things to be successful. There is power in creating the story that will be told.”

Seaphes R. Miller is an accomplished entrepreneur - the Founder & CEO of Fusion Integrated Solutions - a design, engineering and technology firm he started in 2004 -  focused on creating innovative solutions for the CPG and energy industries — recognized as a top minority-owned business enterprise. Prior to founding Fusion, Seaphes spent 20 years at P&G working across brand Management, Sales, Engineering, Supply Chain & Manufacturing. Seaphes is a Professional Engineer, having studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Northwestern University, and having received his MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Seaphes is also on the board of Navāda Labs, and a supporter of STEM-based programs designed to create and fill the next generation of technologists in the US. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about challenging existing norms, building relationships, and the power in creating the story that will be told.

“People need to be treated equitably to move forward.  As we normalize and equalize, we’re saying all people are the same. Well, guess what? They're not.”

Sharon Hall is Walmart’s VP of Global Executive Recruiting - where she's building a dynamic organization for a changing culture. Sharon previously spent 20+ years as a Partner at Spencer Stuart, a leader in executive search, board services and leadership consulting - where she founded the firms Diversity practice and were the first Black Woman to serve on the Board — she later managed the firm’s Atlanta office. Prior to her work in executive recruiting, Sharon spent a decade at Avon in roles of strategic planning for Asia all the way up to a general manager in Personal Care. Sharon was also a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton, and got her start at P&G in Brand Marketing in the Paper Division. Sharon graduated Magna Cum Laude from Morris Brown College, and got her MBA from the University of Southern California. Sharon’s been recognized in Fortune Magazine, Dollars & Sense Magazine, Business to Business, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Black Enterprise. She lives in Atlanta, where she raised her two sons. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about challenging career assumptions - especially as a Black woman - and the many lessons learned along the way.

“Stay humble, stay grateful. Your position or work isn’t what matters most. For me, it's my family and the opportunity to impact others and give back.”

Marissa Solis is the National Football League’s SVP of Global Brand & Consumer Marketing. Prior to joining the NFL, Marissa led marketing for Frito Lay North America and was at PepsiCo for almost two decades.  She won several preeminent marketing awards for her work on Cheetos, Doritos and Tostitos brands and in 2021, was recognized by Adweek as one of the Most Powerful Women in Sports for elevating the football watching occasion with the NFL and Frito Lay partnership. Marissa joined PepsiCo after a stint in public sector and political consulting at Deloitte and began her career in brand management at Procter & Gamble Latin America where she led marketing for brands like Ariel, Downy, and Pampers in Central America and the Caribbean. She is a graduate of Georgetown University with a B.S. in International Economics & the University of Texas at Austin, with an M.A. in Public Policy and serves on the Board of Directors for the North Texas Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation and on the Board for The Melville Family Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of minority children in Dallas. Marisa has also found time to become a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do while raising her daughter, Gaby, together with her husband, Juan, in Texas. You’ll enjoy hearing this candid conversation about being grateful for all we have,  embracing our unique perspectives, and not being afraid to speak up when in the public eye.

" I knew the why about my job, the why about lots of things in life. I hadn't really given thought to what I would call the deep questions of life. I started thinking about helping others in a fresh way.”

Denis Beausejour is an Author, Executive, Pastor, Papa (and Grandpapa) based in Cincinnati, OH. Denis recently published his first book, “The Biggest Idea Ever.” Denis started his career at P&G, where over the course of 22 years served in a variety of marketing and advertising rules, including executive assignments in Canada, Australia, Japan, China, and the US where he was the VP of Advertising before retiring. Following a spiritual adventure, Denis left P&G and completed seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, then led Answers for Life, the ministry of Dr. Henry Cloud before becoming Senior Pastor at Mariemont Church before retiring in 2022. Denis shares not just about his P&G career progression, but also about the makings and execution of a big career pivot that left some of his colleagues baffled, and the importance of passing down wisdom to the next generation of leaders, which in Denis’ case, is through his book. Denis has been married to his wife Marianne for 42 years, and enjoys spending time with his 4 children and 10 grandchildren, with their eleventh on the way. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about making big changes to lead a fulfilling life.

"I needed to work on something that had social impact — a game changer for schools to hear from parents in a different way."

Christine Fisher is the Co-Founder and COO for Possip - an education technology start-up that helps schools better hear from parents. Christine spent 13 years at P&G working in Finance on some of the company’s biggest brands—including Tide, Charmin, and Bounty. But equally notable — Christine has been finding ways to be more actively involved in her community - during her time at, and beyond P&G. Christine first campaigned in 2017 for the Cincinnati Board of Education, and later in 2018  as a Candidate for the Ohio State Legislature - running for Ohio’s 27th House District. Christine is active in the education community as a Board member for Cincinnati Preschool Promise, the Beech Acres Parenting Center Board, and Cincinnati Public Schools Audit Committee. She attended a STEM-focused public school in Montreal, Canada, and earned her BA in Computer Engineering from Queen’s University. In 2020, the Cincinnati Business Courier named Christine one of the city’s “40 Under 40” in recognition of her contributions to both the business and education sectors, and she was recently recognized as a 2021 P&G Alumni Leader Under 40.

“In Africa there's a billion people about to get on the Internet. What kinds of opportunities will they create? How will they solve problems?”

Nitin Gajria is Google’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa- where he works to make the internet more helpful for Africa - leveraging  technology as an enabler for amazing things. Google recently announced a $1B investment over the next 5 years in Africa. Having been at Google for 7 years, Nitin previously led YouTube’s business in India & South-East Asia, and led Google in Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos. Prior to Google ,Nitin served as a regional marketing director for Mead Johnson Nutrition for Asia Pacific, and of course, got his start at Procter & Gamble - rising thru the ranks of brand management over 11 years across countries and categories- working on brands like Safeguard, Tide, Ariel, Vicks, Olay, SK-II, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Head & Shoulders, Wella, and more. Nitin is keenly interested in tech start-ups and is an angel investor himself - providing smart capital to startups in Southeast Asia.  A husband and a father, Nitin hails from Mumbai, and has lived and worked in Sydney, Singapore and now Johannesburg. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about alway seeking what we have in common, amidst all difference and diversity we see in this world

“With innovation failure happens more often than not. Take lessons from those experiences - the connections you can draw into something more interesting.”

Claire Elvers is Wayfair’s Head of Global Brand Management & Insights - where she is building long-term brand equity across the globe - with consumers, partners, and employees. With 20+ years of experience in advertising, CPG, retail, e-commerce, and health & fitness industries, Claire has held senior innovation and marketing roles at Amazon, Starbucks, and Clorox. And of course, Claire got her start at P&G Beauty - working on delivery and innovation roles for the global relaunch of Pantene. Claire studied English and Economics at Northwestern University and got her MBA from the University of Michigan. You’ll enjoy this candid, empathetic conversation about bringing together your personal and professional aspirations.

“Get uncomfortable. Don't feel like you can’t keep creating new value in an environment of curiosity.”

Suzy Deering is Ford’s global Chief Marketing Officer - leading Ford’s North America marketing and driving strategy across the company’s global business units – to constantly enhance and release the huge customer and company value across Ford’s iconic brands. Suzy was previously global CMO of eBay, where she helped revive the company’s brand and drive sharply higher revenue. She also served as CEO of Moxie, a technology-led marketing agency, and spent many years in senior media and brand roles at Verizon and Home Depot. And she actually got her start at the Walt Disney Company, and studied Advertising at the University of Georgia. Suzy’s been recognized as an AdAge “40 Under 40” and as one of Business Insider’s “Top 50 Most Innovative CMOs.”

While Suzy may not be a P&G Alumni - she is a purpose driven leader. Suzy also happens to be a longtime friend of fellow P&G Alumni leader (and past podcast guest) Kirk Perry, now CEO of IRI Worldwide, who joins for the first of many “deep dives” - where past guests invite non-Alumni leaders to a candid conversation on their leadership journeys.

Which purpose driven leaders do YOU know and want to hear? Let us know at pgalumpod@gmail.com, and who knows, maybe you’ll hear them on our podcast soon!

As 2021 comes to a close, we put together a not-so-quick compilation of our favorite moments from all of the great conversations we had over the past year. So sit back with a beverage of choice, enjoy, and PLEASE DO share our podcast with a friend (and leave us a review) — it makes a big difference!

Got a guest idea or want to ask a question? Email us! pgalumpod@gmail.com

We can’t wait for you to hear what’s next in the new year!

Heard someone you liked? Be sure to go back and check out their full episode. Featuring the voices of our amazing guests...

• Najoh Tita-Reid: Logitech Head of Marketing Reinvention
• Kirk Perry: Google's former President of Brand Solutions
• Zena Arnold: Kimberly Clark’s Chief Marketing & Digital Office
• Tarang Amin: e.l.f. Beauty CEO & Chairman
• Tiana Conley: Kellogg’s VP of Global Cereal
• Mohan Mohan: P&G former international leader (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
• Jim Lafferty, Fine Hygienic Holding, CEO
• Emily Chang: McCann Worldgroup China, CEO
• Shelly McNamara: P&G’s Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer
• Gurcharan Das: P&G’s former head of India, Author & Scholar
• Michelle Crossan: Samsung Electronics’ SVP of Strategy, Innovation & Transformation
• Jorge Mesquita: Johnson & Johnson’s former Executive Vice President
• Charlotte Otto: P&G’s former Global External Relations Officer
• Dian Alyan: GiveLight Foundation Founder & CEO
• A.G. Lafley: P&G’s former Chairman & CEO
• Mark Tatum: NBA Deputy Commissioner & Chief Operating Officer
• Noel Geoffroy: Sanofi President, North America Consumer Healthcare
• Brian McNamara: GSK Consumer Healthcare CEO
• Amanda Clark: Papa John’s Chief Development Officer
• Karan Bajaj: Whitehat Jr. Founder & CEO
• Sylvie Moreau: Coty’s former President of Professional Beauty
• Jim Stengel: P&G former Global Marketing Officer
• Remi Kent: 3M’s SVP & Chief Marketing Officer
• Tom Kuhn: PGA Tour, VP of Marketing
• Teri List: former CFO, the Gap, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kraft Foods
• Jay Sethi: Diageo Beer Company CMO & SVP of Diageo Convenience North America
• Lisa Gevelber: Google’s Chief Marketing Officer for the Americas
• Jim Taylor: Arby’s President
• Silvia Dávila: Danone - President of Latin America
• Kevin Clayton: Cleveland Cavaliers, VP of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement
• Julio Nemeth: P&G’s Chief Product Supply Officer
• Kristi Zuhlke: Founder & xCEO, KnowledgeHound
• Gordon Brunner: P&G’s Former Chief Technology Officer
• Matt Story: Visa’s VP of Global Marketing Partnerships & Advocacy
• Yolanda Talamo: Heineken Chief People Officer
• Brian Niccol: Chipotle Mexican Grill, CEO & Chairman
• Jorge Uribe: former P&G Latin America leader
• Keila Lazardi: Revlon Chief Scientific Officer
• Craig Bahner: Sara Lee Frozen Bakery CEO
• Tiyale Hayes: BET SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing
• Jamal Muashsher: Valvoline President of Global Products
• Joe Arcuri: American Greetings CEO
• Peg Wyant: P&G’s first female Brand Manager, Grandin Properties Founder & CEO
• Stefan K. James: Nationwide Insurance AVP of Marketing
• Bob Gilbreath: Hearty CEO & Co-founder
• Alicia Enciso: Nestlé USA’s Chief Marketing Officer
• George Felix: Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer
• Mark Mercurio: Gorilla Glue President & CEO
• Luis Silberwasserat: Univision - President, TV Networks

“It's not just one Latino or one Hispanic group, it's much more nuanced. It's less about the language and more about who we are and what our role is in this country.” 

Luis Silberwasser is Univision’s President of the Television Networks Group, where he oversees the company's TV networks, as well as its entertainment, news and sports divisions along with its ops and tech teams. Luis is a seasoned, award-winning TV executive with 25+ years’ experience building TV networks and creating entertainment content focusing on International, U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. Prior to joining Univision, Luis served as Telemundo Networks’ President where he modernized the brand and transformed the company’s content strategy. Earlier in his career, Luis served as Discovery Networks EVP and Chief Content Officer, having risen through the company’s senior ranks. And of course, Luis got his start in brand management at P&G in Beauty Care. Luis studied industrial engineering at Georgia Tech, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. Luis is a proud dual citizen of the United States and Columbia, passionate about Futbol, History, and Latin music, and lives in Miami with his wife and four children. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about creating content that resonates across cultures and generations. 

“Don’t measure success by traversing processes and challenges - but if you win once it gets in the hands of consumers.”

Mark Mercurio is President and CEO of The Gorilla Glue company, a leading, family-owned producer of consumer-branded Glues, Tapes, and Personal Care products based in Cincinnati, Ohio - and often ranked as one of the best places to work in the city. Before becoming CEO in 2019, Mark served as the company’s CMO and President of their International Business. Prior to Gorilla Glue, Mark spent ten years at P&G in marketing roles across Fabric Care, Surface Care, trade marketing, and Pet Care. Mark started his career with Accenture as an IT management consultant. Mark studied Civil Engineering at the University of Cincinnati and received his MBA from the University of Virginia. Mark also serves as a Vice-Chair on the Board of Trustees at the Children’s Home of Cincinnati. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about managing transition to a family-owned business, and the importance of integrating fun at work as a competitive advantage - especially in today’s marketplace.

“Don’t get caught chasing what you think you have to chase. Figure out what you want to go do - and you’ll ultimately be happier and more successful”

George Felix is Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer - where he leads the global brand vision, strategy, and operations for the highest grossing non-gaming app in the world. Previously, George spent 6 years at Yum! Brands in roles of rising seniority - most recently as CMO of Pizza Hut U.S. - where he led a new brand positioning and advertising campaign that delivered three consecutive quarters of sales growth including. George was also KFC’s marketing director for global and brand communications. During his time at Yum, George was named AdAge’s Marketer of the Year, KFC’s “ Return of Colonel Sanders'' campaign was named AdAge’s Campaign of the Year, and KFC was listed as a “Top 10 Brand.” George spent 6 years at P&G, rising through the ranks of brand management working on Old Spice and Mobile Marketing - leading campaigns that won 10 Cannes Lions, 2 Effies, and even an Emmy (for Best Commercial). George studied at the University of Notre Dame and received his MBA from UNC Chapel Hill. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and 2 children. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about listening to your gut instinct vs what society (or even your parents) want you to do - pivoting when you realize something isn’t working, and always adapting and learning.

“When you face challenges, the more you imagine finding positive outcomes is important to finding a different solution.”

Alicia Enciso is Nestlé USA’s first ever Chief Marketing Officer - leveraging marketing as a force for good across the industry - in multicultural marketing, plant-based innovation, ​​and scaling mentorship  for underrepresented groups. Alicia has served at Nestlé since 2013, starting as a VP of Communications in Mexico. Prior to Nestlé Alicia was Managing Director of the Zyman Group - a media consultancy where she led the group’s operations in Mexico developing growth strategies for Fortune 500 companies. And Alicia spent eleven years at P&G - starting in Latin America and rising through the ranks across Personal Care, Home Care and Paper Divisions, where in 1997 she led P&G’s then-largest Latin American acquisition, creating a new Paper Division for the region. 

Alicia studied at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and Harvard University - and serves as the Vice-Chair of the ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing. In this role - she works with fellow industry leaders to help drive equality, inclusion and systemic change in the marketing ecosystem and society. You’ll enjoy this positive, candid conversation about leaning into challenging opportunities and learning through action, positivity, and perseverance. 

" We are a social species designed to work together — and this happens through so much more than words. It's in hundreds of unconscious things we do and notice when we're together.”

Bob Gilbreath is longtime friend of the Pod, and fellow P&G Alum - who's also a repeat startup founder with two exits in the marketing technology and agency world. Bob now serves as Co-Founder and CEO of Hearty, a people-tech company, as well as a few other interesting ventures. While at P&G, Bob worked on brands like Tide and Mr. Clean - and Mr. Clean Auto Dry, and even Fit fruit and vegetable wash. Bob’s authored books and launched several successful newsletters . In his latest Substack newsletter - the Workaround (beheartly.substack.com) - Bob shares real-life stories of his business ups-and-downs. Bob’s latest pieces is titled "in person is a 10x" about the magic that comes when we get together - because you can't co-create something special without being in the same room.

LEARN ABOUT BOB - behearty.substack.com

This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s frequently published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode - reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com

As 2021 comes to a close, we wanted to share an amazing donation - and winning - opportunity for ALL of our end-of-year giving.

• pgalums.com/raffle
• pgalums.com/donate
• https://pgalumnifoundation.org

The P&G Alumni Foundation creates economic empowerment opportunities for those in need around the world - providing marginalized communities sustainable paths to prosperity. As a registered nonprofit with HUNDREDS of volunteers around the world - the P&G Alumni Foundation does this each year by providing grants to some AMAZING organizations - funded through contributions by P&G Alumni and podcast listeners around the world.

The P&G Alumni Foundation is creating REAL, impactful economic opportunities for local communities - across rural Africa and Asia, in urban Mumbai and Cincinnati, as well as so many other amazing and deserving programs around the world - powered by P&G people. And for the month of December - to accelerate ALL of our year end giving, we’ve got TWO really exciting opportunities that we hope will motivate YOU to donate to the great work of the P&G Alumni Foundation. 

1. Thanks to the generosity of former P&G CEO John Pepper and his wife Francie, all year-end donations of ANY size will be matched, dollar for dollar.

2. And to make things even more interesting - all donations given in the month of December will ALSO make you eligible to win a 30-minute Zoom call with some of our most prominent Alumni. Your donation - of any size - will enter you for the chance to win a conversation with folks like...

• AG LAFLEY - former P&G CEO 
• PAUL POLMAN - former Unilever CEO 
• BRACKEN DARRELL - Logitech CEO 
• SILVIA DAVILLA - Danone President
• BENNO DORER - former Clorox CEO
• ...and many more accomplished Alumni leaders

Learn more on how to donate - AND win a chance for an amazing 1:1 Alumni conversation - at pgalums.com/raffle. Or you can simply give - and have your donations matched by John & Francie Pepper at pgalums.com/donate

No donation is too small, or too big - and it’s never too late to start giving back. Your donation is tax deductible - and through the power of P&G people - will be put to great use uplifting communities around the world! 

“Being an entrepreneur gives you life and business experiences you don’t see on the corporate side. Those can make you a better business leader.”

Bob Gilbreath is an accomplished entrepreneur - currently the CEO & Co-founder of Hearty - a professional recommendation network where great people and companies find each other. Bob was previously the Co-Founder and CEO of Ahalogy, a leading influencer marketing company with clients such as P&G, Coca-Cola and Kroger - ultimately acquired by Quotient technologies. And before jumping into startups, Bob was a partner at Bridge Worldwide, a leading digital agency acquired by WPP to become POSSIBLE, where Bob served as Chief Strategy Officer. Bob literallywrote the book on ‘Marketing with Meaning’ (McGraw-Hill). Bob also worked at P&G on big brands like Tide but also launching new innovations like Fit Fruit & Vegetable Wash, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and Mr. Clean Auto Dry. - for which he was named an AdAge Top 50 Marketer. Bob has an MBA in Marketing from NYU/Stern and a BA in Economics from Duke University. A husband, father, mentor, avid reader and writer, Bob also may or may not be able to play the guitar. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about what it really means to be an entrepreneur, and the real dividend that comes from challenging yourself every day. 

“How do you change the dynamic - where you have others with diverse thoughts and culture - so you're not alone?”

Stefan K. James is Nationwide Insurance’s AVP of Marketing for Personal Lines B2C Business. Prior to Nationwide, Stefan helped launch and accelerate SwitchedOn Training - a brain training app for athletes and pro coaches. Stefan spent ten years at Pepsi as a Marketing Insights Director on brands like Tropicana and Quaker Oat, and got his start at P&G working in CMK on brands like Herbal Essences, Pantene, Mr Clean and Swiffer, and Febreze. Stefan studied Public Relations at Florida A&M University and received his Masters in International Business from Nova Southeastern University. As a proud husband and father, Stefan’s accomplishments go far beyond boy bands and podcast appearances. You’ll enjoy this candid, nerdy conversation that frames privilege and perspective alongside career motivations and ownership.

“Outsiders bring fresh thinking to the table. Some of my biggest contributions were because I thought differently and spoke my own mind all the time.”

Peg Wyant is the Founder & CEO of Grandin Properties. But before that, Peg broke the glass ceiling at Procter & Gamble in 1967 - a decade before the phrase entered the lexicon. When the company tried to put her in the typing pool, she responded with “all I can do is think, don’t you have a test for that.” She rose through the ranks, becoming a serial “first female” including first brand manager and first direct report to then CEO John Smale as head of strategic planning and acquisitions. After leaving P&G to become an almost full-time mom, Peg sought other challenges — consulting for Fortune 500 CEOs, and founding a venture capital fund focused on women-led companies. Peg soon launched Grandin Properties, a real estate development and management company focusing on walkable urban neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Beyond her career, Peg helped found the P&G Alumni Network and the Women’s Capital Club. Peg’s new book is called One Red Shoe: The Story of Corporate America’s First Woman. Alongside her husband Jack, Peg has four children and nine grandchildren. You’ll enjoy this insightful conversation about what it takes to persevere when the odds may be against you, to challenge the status quo, outperform, and break through boundaries.

“Keep the consumer in the room. Don’t spend time on things that don’t matter to her.”

Joe Arcuri is the CEO of American Greetings which includes brands like American Greetings, Papyrus, and Carlton cards. He was also previously the CMO of the PGA Tour and President of home solutions for Newell Rubbermaid. Joe got his start at P&G, first in product development and later in brand management, where we rose through the ranks to VP and GM roles in North America Beauty, Global Personal Cleansing, and Western Europe Family Care. During his P&G career, Joe worked across brands like Vicks, Olay, Gillette, Old Spice, Secret and Ivory. Joe studied Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech University and received his MBA from Duke University. You’ll enjoy hearing about Joe’s track record for revitalizing brands and building strong cultures - and a candid conversation about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.

“Don't rely on what got you there. Making time to invest in yourself is important.”

Jamal Muashsher serves as Valvoline's President, Global Products - where he’s responsible for the long-term growth and expansion of international markets, having risen through the ranks for 7+ years. Prior to joining Valvoline, Jamal spent nearly fifteen years at Procter & Gamble rising through the ranks of beauty, health, and home care, as well as P&G Entertainment. Jamal is active in the non-profit community, serving on a variety of boards and having co-founded and served as president of Give Back Cincinnati.  In 2020, Jamal was selected as Man of the Year for the Lexington Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  He also serves on the board for the Talent Magnet Institute and recently joined the University of Cincinnati Venture lab as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence Coach. A native of Cincinnati,, Muashsher studied Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and received his MBA from Auburn University.  Now a Kentuckian, he lives with his wife and daughter.

“People want to be a part of the change. It’s important that allies are not only anti-racist, but accomplices.”

Tiyale Hayes is BET Network’s SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing where he ensures the Viacom company advances business objectives and authentically connecting with African American audiences. Over his career, Tiyale has worked on some of the world’s biggest and best brands fueling his passion for authentic inclusion and empathy into brand building. Tiyale spent eight years at Johnson & Johnson in roles of increasing responsibility from sales to leading global insight development for a number of brands including Tylenol, Motrin, Listerine, and a number of Rx to OTC Switch initiatives. And during his six years at P&G, he led in Consumer Insights and Global Innovation groups on brands like Folgers, Pringles, Crest, Gillette and Old Spice.

Tiyale studied at Hampton University and received his MBA from Purdue. He is a frequent speaker at both private and industry conferences, leading thinking on how to create culture transformation and drive value for African Americans, Millennials, and LGBTQ+ populations. Tiyale serves on the board of the National Hampton Alumni Association and the non-profit Live Out Loud based in New York City.

You’ll enjoy this candid conversation spanning perspectives - with a focus on finding common threads that unite us, and moving ALL of us along the spectrum of ally to accomplice in actionable ways.

“You have to work harder with international assignments. Get to know the people, the culture - and see your own country through somebody else’s eyes.”

Craig Bahner is the CEO of Sara Lee Frozen Bakery - leading iconic brands like Sara Lee, Van’s, Chef Pierre and Bistro Collection. An 80 year old brand, Craig was there for the recent spin-off, putting in place pieces to accelerate growth, operations, and innovation. Previously, Craig was Kellogg’s President of US Morning Foods, and Wendy’s CMO - helping transform the iconic restaurant brand for the first time in decades. Craig spent 20 years at P&G rising thru the ranks - serving as GM of North America Hair Care & Color and GM of Northeast Asia’s Fabric & Home Care business. But Craig actually got his start in product supply @ Pillsbury, and later working at an AVIATION company in Cincinnati. Craig is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he’s a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Fisher College of Business, and also a trustee of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Craig also happens to be an avid aviator - a certified pilot having flown all over the continent. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about stepping outside your comfort zone, and always seeking to humbly learn from those around you.