Description: Today I'm joined by Asheesh Advani, accomplished entrepreneur and CEO of JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide, for a fascinating discussion on how young leaders can succeed in our rapidly-changing modern reality.

Today I'm joined by Mats Georgson, hugely experienced marketing leader and strategy expert, for a masterclass on all things branding and brand strategy.

Today I'm joined by Herminia Ibarra, best-selling author and ranked by THINKERS50 as one of the world's top management thinkers, to discuss top tips and strategies for leadership and career advancement.

Today I'm joined by Wendy Smith, author of "BOTH/AND THINKING", to discuss how to turn the challenges we all face everyday of our lives into opportunities for growth and development.

Welcome to the World's Greatest Business Thinkers Podcast, with me, your host, Nick Hague. Throughout my 26-year career, I've navigated the intricate landscapes of business, leading B2B International to become the world's largest B2B market research agency. Now I want to focus on sharing my own experiences in business and also opening doors to the minds of the world's most brilliant business thinkers. We'll delve into their latest ideas, management theories, and the ever-evolving landscape of global business. 

Today I'm joined by Scott Anthony, Senior Advisor at Innosight and Professor at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, for an insightful discuss on leadership, innovation and strategic thinking.

Today I'm joined by Chip Conley, a New York Times bestselling author and hugely successful entrepreneur, to discuss rebranding midlife to help people understand a life stage that is often misunderstood.

Today I'm joined by Kevin Bolen, trusted strategy consultant and proven growth leader, to discuss how to spot and capitalise on innovative new growth opportunities and technologies.

Today I'm joined by Michael Bungay Stanier, internationally renowned thought leader, keynote speaker, and author of the hugely popular "The Coaching Habit", to discuss how to build the best possible relationships with the people you work with.

Today I'm joined by Urs Koenig, internationally renowned keynote speaker and leading expert on humble leadership , to discuss how to inspire, engage, and develop employees while still delivering stellar results.

Today I'm joined by Pia Lauritzen, entrepreneur, Tedx speaker, and author of 5 books on leadership and questions, to discuss the importance and impact of questions on effective leadership and business success.

Today I'm joined by Celine Schillinger, award-winning entrepreneur, change agent, and consultant, to discuss strategies and best practices for workplace change, engagement, and leadership.

Today I'm joined by Rita McGrath, best-selling author, strategic advisor, and Professor at Columbia Business School, to discuss strategic thinking and innovation in highly uncertain environments.

Today I'm joined by Alex Osterwalder, Founder and CEO at Strategyzer, for a hugely valuable discussion on how to use business models to be more innovative and what it takes to build an invincible company.

Learn more about Strategyzer and their guided programs: https://strategyzer.com/greatest-business-thinkers

Today I'm joined by Jayshree Seth, Corporate Scientist and Chief Science Advocate at 3M, who discusses our relationship with science and engineering and the important role it plays in innovation, problem solving, and professional and personal growth.

Show notes and further links:

Jayshree's 3rd book in the 'Heart of Science' series, 'The Heart of Science: Engineering Blueprint': https://a.co/d/7DUD3lv

Fast Company article with Prof Amy Edmondson: https://www.fastcompany.com/91012097/4-big-morale-busting-communication-mistakes-leaders-should-stop-making

Fast Company article with Prof Rita McGrath: https://www.fastcompany.com/90954158/a-guide-for-managing-innovation-4-big-mistakes-technologists-wish-their-business-leaders-would-quit-making

Drucker Forum blog article on sustainable innovation:  https://www.druckerforum.org/blog/the-3-cs-of-sustainable-innovationby-jayshree-seth/

Today I'm joined by Tiffani Bova, a leading growth strategist, keynote speaker and bestselling author, for an insightful discussion on how to develop an experience mindset to fuel unprecedented revenue growth.

Today I'm joined by Netta Jenkins, a leading authority on DEI and CEO of Aerodei, for an insightful discussion on how to build inclusive organisations.

Today I'm joined by Peter Weinberg and Jon Lombardo, Co-Founders of Evidenza, for a hugely valuable discussion on the future of B2B marketing and the importance of B2B brand building.

Today I'm joined by Tom Goodwin, business transformation consultant and highly-acclaimed author and keynote speaker, for a exciting discussion on why brands are so important in today's digital age, how AI will impact the marketing sector, and how to innovate to stay competitive in the future.

Today I'm joined by Chris Baker, author of 'Obsolete: How Change Brands are Changing the World' and Founder and CEO of Serious Tissues, for a fascinating discussion on how changing the way we spend our money has the potential to change the world.

Use the code obsolete25 on the Bloomsbury website to buy a discounted copy of the book.

Today I'm joined by Peter Fader, author, keynote speaker, and co-founder at Theta and Encompass Labs, for a fascinating discussion on how to develop your company's customer-centricity and how to be more strategic in your conversations with your CFO.

Today I'm joined by Les Binet, world-renowned expert in the field of marketing effectiveness, for a fascinating discussion on how marketing and advertising really works and how to create the most effective campaigns.

Today I'm joined by Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy UK and TED Global Speaker, for a masterclass on all things advertising and behavioural science.

Today I'm joined by Greg Hahn, Co-Founder & CCO of Mischief USA, for an exciting discussion on how to build a brand admired around the world and how to create award-winning adverts.

Today I'm joined by Jenni Romaniuk, Research Professor at Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, for a hugely valuable discussion around evidence-based marketing and insights.

Further links:

https://www.jenniromaniuk.com/

https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/how-b2b-brands-grow

https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/marketing-solutions/resources/pdfs/byron-sharp-v1.pdf

https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/marketing-solutions/resources/pdfs/b2b-buying-behaviour-double-jeopardy.pdf

https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/marketing-solutions/resources/pdfs/b2b-duplication-of-purchase.pdf

https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/cep-in-b2b

Today I'm joined by Dan McCarthy, Associate Professor of Marketing at the Robert H Smith School of Business, for a fascinating discussion on how customer-based corporate valuations can be used to predict the future.

Today I'm joined by Fred Reichheld, Bain Fellow and NY Times Best-Selling Author, for a fascinating discussion on all things loyalty and CX.

Today I'm joined by Greg Fisher, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Kelley School of Business, to discuss strategies and tips on how to become a successful entrepreneur.

Today I'm joined by Kirstin Ferguson, Author and Leadership Expert, for a fascinating discussion on how to see what others miss.

Today I'm joined by Tom Fishburne, Marketoonist Creator and Keynote Speaker, for a fascinating discussion on the power of humour in business and marketing.

Today I'm joined by Dan Davies, Author and Former Economist, for a fascinating discussion on how systems, algorithms and AI are changing the world around us.

Today I'm joined by Vikram Mansharamani, Global Generalist and Trend-Watcher, for a fascinating discussion on how to anticipate the future, manage risk, and spot opportunities.

Today I'm joined by Philip Kotler, distinguished marketing author, consultant and professor, for an invaluable discussion on how to solve today's wicked problems.

Today I'm joined by Roger Martin, named the world's #1 management thinker by Thinkers50, for an invaluable discussion on how to achieve superior management effectiveness.

Today I'm joined by Scott Anthony, Senior Advisor at Innosight and Professor at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, for a thought provoking discussion on how epic disruptions shape industries and societies.

Short Summary:

What if your company could change the world and deliver exceptional profits?

In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague speaks with Douglas Lamont, CEO of Tony's Chocolonely, about how purpose-led leadership can drive both impact and growth. Drawing from his journey leading Innocent Drinks and now Tony's global mission to end exploitation in the chocolate industry, Douglas reveals how transparency, ethical sourcing, and long-term thinking create lasting value. Listeners will learn practical strategies for scaling a mission-driven business, building an authentic culture, and proving that doing good and doing well truly go hand in hand.

Long Summary:

What if your company could change the world and deliver exceptional profits?

In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague speaks with Douglas Lamont, CEO of Tony's Chocolonely, about how purpose-led leadership can drive both impact and growth. Drawing from his journey leading Innocent Drinks and now Tony's global mission to end exploitation in the chocolate industry, Douglas reveals how transparency, ethical sourcing, and long-term thinking create lasting value. Listeners will learn practical strategies for scaling a mission-driven business, building an authentic culture, and proving that doing good and doing well truly go hand in hand.

What You Will Learn:

• How to scale a mission-driven business without compromising core values
• The "Mission First" framework for making tough business decisions while maintaining ethical standards
• Why transparency in supply chain issues leads to faster industry-wide improvements
• How to build successful B2B partnerships that amplify social impact beyond the brand
• The data-driven approach to measuring and proving social impact
• Why investing in farmers and sustainable practices creates long-term resilience
• How to foster a mission-driven culture that attracts and retains top talent
• The Better Business Act principle for balancing profit, people, and planet

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Douglas Lamont Bio

Douglas Lamont is the CEO of Tony's Chocolonely, leading the company's mission to eradicate exploitation in the cocoa industry while scaling a thriving global brand. Formerly CEO of Innocent Drinks, he helped grow the business to over €500 million in turnover. With a background in corporate finance and entrepreneurship, Lamont blends profit with purpose. As co-chair of the Better Business Act, he champions legislation that balances people, planet, and profit, making him a leading voice in purpose-driven, ethical business leadership.

Quotes:

1. "It was intoxicating. It was a melting pot of talented people inspired by the founder's vision of a different type of company with a vision about culture, sustainability, and winning. I always say Harvard's the second-best business school I went to because Innocent Drinks was the first."
2. "In creativity and innovation, you've really gotta take away the fear of failure. When I look at some of the big companies, there's so much pressure - they put 20 million of marketing on day one, and it's gotta hit these thresholds otherwise it's a failure. At Tony's, what I try to do is create space where the bets you're taking aren't that big."
3. "The job of a scale-up leadership team is to find the balance between how much structure and process you put in whilst continuing to allow the entrepreneurial gene to flow inside the business. You're not putting in process and structure because you like it or want control - you're doing it to allow you to keep moving at the same pace. If you don't do that, the old model breaks down really quickly."
4. "I think it starts at the recruitment stage - you've gotta be really clear that people you hire care about your mission. You then have to show to those employees who care about what you're trying to do that you really mean it. Every presentation, my first slide every single time is our mission, our vision, and our values - that's the bedrock on which we built the company."

Episode Resources:

• Douglas Lamont on LinkedIn
• Tony's Chocolonely Website
• Nick Hague on LinkedIn
• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts
• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify
• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube

Conflict isn't the enemy; it's the path to stronger relationships. 

In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague sits down with Amy Gallo, Global Speaker, Author, and Contributing Editor at Harvard Business Review, to explore how to handle even the most difficult colleagues. Amy reveals the eight archetypes of toxic coworkers, why emotional regulation outperforms empathy, and how psychological safety fuels high-performing teams. Discover practical tools to navigate tension, transform workplace dynamics, and turn conflict into connection. Whether you manage teams or work within one, this conversation will reshape how you see disagreement and yourself.

What You Will Learn:

• Why emotional regulation trumps empathy in conflict resolution

• The eight archetypes of difficult coworkers and how to neutralize each one

• How to maintain trust and collaboration in remote and hybrid environments

• Why 82% of new managers fail without formal training

• The psychological safety framework that distinguishes healthy cultures from toxic ones

• How to reframe difficult conversations as relationship investments, not relationship threats

• The practical tactic for managing passive-aggressive behavior without escalation 

• Why getting sleep before a difficult conversation matters more than resolving it

• How to identify if you're the difficult person in the conflict

• The strategic value of buying coffee for the colleague who irritates you 

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Amy Gallo Bio:

Amy Gallo is an author, global speaker, and expert on workplace dynamics who helps professionals turn conflict into a force for good. She writes and speaks on communication, feedback, and gender dynamics, and is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People). A former co-host of HBR's award-winning Women at Work podcast, Amy has spoken at SXSW, the World Economic Forum, Google, Adobe, and more. Learn more at amyegallo.com.

Quotes:

1. "I really value the evidence and the research that shows what works and what doesn't. I also acknowledge that sometimes what works in research does not work in practice, in real life. But making that bridge is really what's important to me in everything I do."

2. "Do I feel like I can speak up here? Do I feel like I can give feedback? For the most part, do you feel like you can speak up and say what's on your mind and offer new ideas and push back? To me, that's the most important thing when you're trying to determine the difference between a toxic culture and a healthy one."

3. "I used to think the most important thing in dealing with conflict was empathy, but I've actually really come to believe it's emotional regulation. The more we can handle our own negative emotions and make good choices despite them, the more these conversations and relationships will grow stronger and the more resilient we will feel."

4. "Promoting someone who doesn't have the skills to do the job and you're not gonna give them those skills creates a good amount of insecurity on their part. The research shows the exact opposite of what we assume—the more senior they get, the more insecure people feel. We are creating this gap, not just in skill, but also in confidence."

Episode Resources:

• Amy Gallo on LinkedIn

• Amy Gallo Website 

• Nick Hague on LinkedIn

• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts

• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify

• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube

What if innovation wasn't about having more resources, but about unleashing the creativity you already possess?

In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague sits down with Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, to share actionable strategies for fostering innovation in any organization. From sending Buzz Lightyear to space to transforming slum lighting with water bottles, Duncan reveals practical tools, playful mindsets, and techniques like "Yes And" and "What If" to break conventional thinking. Leaders at any level will gain insights to unlock creativity, drive collaboration, and generate breakthrough ideas.

What You Will Learn:

• How to overcome the "river of thinking" that limits creativity 

• The "Yes And" framework for building collaborative ideas instead of shutting them down with "No, Because"

• Encouraging playfulness and nurturing a creative thinking environment 

• The "What If" tool for breaking rules and generating breakthrough ideas

• How to use the "Stargazer" framework to select the most promising innovative ideas

• Why intuition and empathy will become increasingly valuable skills in an AI-dominated future

• The power of asking "Why" five times to uncover true consumer insights and innovation opportunities

• How to create effective innovation processes without massive resources or budgets

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Duncan Wardle Bio:

Duncan Wardle is the former Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, where he led groundbreaking initiatives across Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Disney Parks. Today, he serves as an independent innovation consultant, helping organisations embed creativity and strategic innovation, and regularly contributes to Fast Company and Harvard Business Review. He teaches innovation masterclasses at Notre Dame, Stanford, and Yale, delivers inspirational keynotes worldwide, and runs workshops that combine creative ideation with actionable strategies, empowering teams to generate breakthrough ideas and measurable results.

Quotes:

1. "Here's the problem - when you ask a room full of adults, 'hands up who's creative,' less than 3% of them put their hands up. I wanted to create a toolkit that had three principles: take the intimidation out of innovation and make it accessible to normal, hardworking, busy people, and make creativity tangible for people uncomfortable with ambiguity. Far more important, make it fun, give people tools they choose to use when you and I are not around."

1. "When that door is shut, you're only working with your conscious brain. Do you know what percentage of your brain is conscious - 13% conscious, 87% subconscious. But when the door is shut, you don't have access to it."

2. "Stop being scared. Stop chasing quarterly results - you could iterate up to 2020, but you don't get to iterate in the post-pandemic world, you innovate or you die. The challenge is this: innovation is hard, and nobody's made it tangible, easy, and fun."

3. "Two very simple words from the world of improv that have the power to turn a small idea into a big one really quickly. You can always take a big idea and value engineer it down, but it's very hard to take a small one and turn it around the other way. Far more importantly, it transfers the power of my idea, which never goes anywhere inside an organization, to our idea and accelerates its opportunity to get done."

Episode Resources:

• Duncan Wardle on LinkedIn

• Ideate with Duncan Wardle Website 

• Nick Hague on LinkedIn

• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Apple Podcasts

• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on Spotify

• World's Greatest Business Thinkers on YouTube