Imperial Business Podcast

This week's episode of Green Minds features Zaneta Sedilekova, biodiversity and climate risk lawyer and founder and CEO of Planet Law Lab, where she advises companies on how to mitigate their sustainability risks.    In this episode, Zaneta shares valuable insights into her work and explains what climate litigation is, how it impacts society and climate change, and the differences between climate and biodiversity litigation.     For listeners interested in learning more about climate litigation, the 2024 snapshot report on global trends in climate litigation can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or topics we should explore? Feel free to email us at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com.

In this week’s Green Minds episode, Jim sits down with Tim Turner from Kona Energy. Together, they go through the battery’s revenue stack and hear about career opportunities in the energy sector. This is the second part of a two-part episode.    Key Highlights:  Summary of the GB electricity market  The need for battery and their role in the system  A closer look at what a battery storage project really is  The development process of a battery storage project  The revenue stack of a battery storage project  Future trends in the battery space  Navigating a career in the energy sector    For listeners who want to reach out to Tim, you can find him at   https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-turner-80b739190/    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s Green Minds episode, Jim sits down with Tim Turner from Kona Energy. Together, they go through GB’s electricity market and learn about how to develop a battery storage project. This is the first part of a two-part episode.    Key Highlights:  Summary of the GB electricity market  The need for battery and their role in the system  A closer look at what a battery storage project really is  The development process of a battery storage project  The revenue stack of a battery storage project  Future trends in the battery space  Navigating a career in the energy sector    For listeners who want to reach out to Tim, you can find him at   https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-turner-80b739190/    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week's episode of Green Minds features Charlotte Owen, Growth Director at Hemiko.    Hemiko is one of the leading end-to-end service providers of heat networks in the UK and has recently announced a heat network project that will offer clean heat to every building in an English town with a population of over 100,000 people.    In this episode, Charlotte sets out heat networks’ contribution to net zero and energy affordability and Hemiko’s exciting work to deliver town and city-scale heat networks. She also reflects on her experience of working in a country with a capital city where 99% of heat is met by heat networks, and makes a strong case for working in the sector.    For listeners interested in learning more about Hemiko, a link to their website can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com.

This week's episode of Green Minds features Christian Sigmund, co-founder and CEO of Hamburg-based startup WILDPLASTIC. WILDPLASTIC aims to recover as much wild plastic waste as possible from the environment and return it to the recycling cycle. Working with collection organisations in regions severely affected by the plastic crisis, WILDPLASTIC purchases wild plastic and transforms it into new products such as WILDBAGS and mailing bags made of WILDPLASTIC.    In this episode, Chris shares his journey from working at companies like YouTube and Google to co-founding WILDPLASTIC. He provides valuable insights into WILDPLASTIC's mission, operations and future ambitions, as well as an in-depth discussion of the plastic crisis and the challenges of waste management and potential solutions.    For listeners interested in learning more about WILDPLASTIC, a link to the website can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week's episode of Green Minds features Julian Kakarott, Founder and CEO of the Hamburg-based startup CarbonStack. CarbonStack uses blockchain technology, remote sensing, environmental modelling and artificial intelligence (AI) to offset carbon emissions through a transparent reforestation scheme.    This episode delves into Julian's journey and motivations for founding CarbonStack. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with afforestation and reforestation projects in Germany, and the role of carbon credits in these initiatives.    For listeners interested in learning more about CarbonStack, a link to the website can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Giulia is the Commercial Strategy Director at EFG, a leading competitive gaming and esports company. From being a professional basketball player to Imperial Business School to working for companies such as Formula 1 - she’s had such an inspiring career.  She talks about her different roles, her career trajectory and her experience being a woman in a male dominated industry.

Co-founder of Happy Fan, John Grabowski, talks about his career in the sports industry and beyond. From starting in one of the biggest sport and entertainment companies - IMG - part of Endeavor, to being the commercial director at move.ai, and now delivering fan data integration solutions to the sports industry with Happy Fan. You can find John on linkedin as “John Grabowski, MBA” and at john@happy.fan

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Haysam Azhar, who works as an analyst working on blended finance transactions for developing countries at the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI). The CPI is an analysis and advisory organisation with expertise in finance and policy. Its Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance has mobilised over $4 billion to address climate change.     In this episode, guest co-host Huzefah and Lorenzo interview Haysam about his personal motivations for working on tackling climate change, how his undergraduate degree spanning seven countries shaped his outlook, his work at the CPI developing blended finance mechanisms in emerging markets, his co-authorship of a playbook on how corporations can design effective climate finance strategies, and his advice for young professionals starting their career in the climate space.    The CPI’s Corporate Climate Finance Playbook can be found here: https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/the-corporate-climate-finance-playbook/#:~:text=In%20partnership%20with%20Salesforce%2C%20CPI,when%20to%20use%20them%2C%20and    More information on Climate Vine can be found here: https://www.climatevine.co/      Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s Green Minds episode, Jim sits down with Wen-Yu Weng, a consultant at PA Consulting specializing in clean energy, climate, and  sustainability. Together, they navigate the outlook for energy in 2024 and discuss career prospects in the green energy space.    Key Highlights:  Offshore wind development in the UK after AR6 and in the US.  What we think about Nuclear in the energy transition  Implications of involvement of oil producing countries in COPs  Navigating a career in the green energy space  Fun question: what is the place of Bitcoin in the energy transition    For listeners who want to reach out to Wen-Yu, you can find her at   https://www.linkedin.com/in/wenyuweng/    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Annie Shepperd OBE, whose decorated CV includes Chair of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), former Chief Executive of Salix Finance, and former Chief Executive of Walsall Council and the London Borough of Southwark.    In this episode, guest co-host Laurence and Lorenzo interview Annie about the role of local government in achieving net zero, Salix Finance’s role in delivering energy efficiency and clean heat in the UK, how to create leaders in the fight against climate change, and CIWEM’s work to ensure clean drinking water.    CIWEM’s report, A Fresh Water Future, is available to read here: https://www.ciwem.org/policy-reports/fresh-water-future     Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Jana Skokan, Co-founder and director of frogeex, a worldwide network for Sustainable Building and Living.     Eva interviews Jana about climate-smart architecture and urban planning, the potential of technological and nature-based solutions, and the co-benefits and success factors of green cities.     For listeners interested in learning more about climate-smart architecture and frogeex's work, here is a link to their website.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Tune in for the final episode of the Green Minds Around the World series, where the MSc Climate Change, Management and Finance cohort shares insights on the countries they call home.    For this last episode, Marie-Céline sat down with Kushboo, Gabriella, Chong, and Syakira to delve into climate policy challenges and outlooks in India, the US, China, and Malaysia. You’ll hear about China’s current five-year plan, the upcoming elections in India and the United States, and Malaysia’s recent cabinet overhaul.    If you have any suggestions for guests or topics you would like us to explore, feel free to email us at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s episode of Green Minds, we continue our Around the World series in which we interview students studying the MSc in Climate Change, Management & Finance on climate change in the countries they call home.   In this episode, Jim sits down with Hadia, Sara, and Gillian to hear about the energy mix and trends in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Mexico. Our guests also talk through the challenges faced by oil producing countries in the face of climate change.   For listeners who are interested in finding out more about WISE and P+II can be found in the link below:  https://www.instagram.com/positiveinvestmentimperial  https://www.instagram.com/wise.program/  Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Paul has been building startups since the age of 18 when he started his studies at the European Sports University in Cologne. Since then, he has helped scale brands across various fields including nutrition, e-commerce, fitness, and health to six and seven figures in revenue.   Today he talks about building start-ups, emerging trends in the health and fitness industries, and growing communities.

This week's episode of Green Minds features Mathilda D'silva, Founder and CEO of Ocean Purpose Project. Ocean Purpose Project is a Singapore-based NGO that aims to solve the ocean pollution crisis and promote ocean conservation at scale.    This episode gives an insight into Mathilda's journey and motivation to found Ocean Purpose Project, provides an understanding of the Blue Economy, and highlights the role of the oceans and the importance of protecting them.    For listeners interested in learning more about Ocean Purpose Project, a link to the website can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s episode of Green Minds, we continue our Around the World series in which we interview students studying the MSc in Climate Change, Management & Finance on climate change in the countries they call home.    In this episode, Lorenzo sits down with Angel Miao, Laurence Denyer, and Qiu Wong to hear about the role of nature-based solutions in climate mitigation and adaptation in Canada, the UK, and Malaysia. Our guests also talk through how climate change poses an existential risk to our most valuable carbon sinks across terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems.    Want to delve deeper into some of the topics discussed in this episode? Here are some links to further reading and resources kindly curated by our guests:  Global Forest Watch: https://www.globalforestwatch.org/  Carbon Brief on the EU nature restoration law: https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-does-the-eu-nature-restoration-law-mean-for-climate-and-biodiversity/#:~:text=It%20aims%20to%20restore%20at,at%20least%2090%25%20by%202050     Do you have any suggestions for guests or topics you would like us to explore? Feel free to email us at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com.

I'm happy to announce that the first episode of „Around the World“ is now live!   This special episode of the Green Minds podcast features a dynamic discussion with three great guests from Colombia, Pakistan and India on the pressing issue of climate change and adaptation strategies.  In this first episode of „Around the World“, Valentina, Pratyusha and Huzefah share interesting insights into the climate challenges facing their countries. What topics can you expect?  The importance of Colombia's rich biodiversity, the role of hydropower and adaptation strategies for Colombia‘s agriculture.   Extreme weather events in India and their impact on agricultural prices and food security for a growing population as well as the need for a rapid energy transition.   Pakistan's vulnerability to heatwaves and floods and the mitigation potential of Pakistan’s mangroves.     Do you have any suggestions for guests or topics you would like us to explore? Feel free to email us at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Joshua Steib, who currently studies Climate Politics at Harvard University. Joshua has been the German United Nations Youth Delegate for COP26 and was involved in writing the Global Youth Position Paper for the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).     Representing young voices at UN summits like COP26, COP27, and the most recent COP28, Joshua amplifies youth voices and the need for urgent climate action.       Eva interviews Joshua about his motivation to become a United Nations Youth Delegate, youth participation in general and differences across countries as well as the important role of youth representation. They also talk about Joshua's recent interview with former Vice President of the United States and Nobel-Peace Prize Laureate, Al Gore.     For listeners who want to listen to Joshuas COP28's in-depth interview with Al Gore, a link can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s episode of Green Minds, Marie-Céline sat down with Jahan Chowdhury, Lead for Environment and Climate at the IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development). Jahan explored the intricacies of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and their design challenges, uncovering why countries struggle to meet the Paris Ambition. Tune in to discover the crucial role of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in extending development finance to the last mile and ensuring no community is left behind.     If you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at, feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Welcome back to Green Minds! This week, Jim sits down with John Waldron, a civil servant from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. They're delving into the intricate world of Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) policy and the pivotal role the UK is playing. Stay tuned for some enlightening conversation!    Key Highlights:  Understanding the Dynamics: Dive deep into CCUS, what it means and what are the different sectors.  Why the UK is positioned to be a leader in developing CCUS.  Peering into the Future: How will the UK address the funding of CCUS.      For listeners who want to delve deeper, a link to the UK’s CCUS Net Zero Investment roadmap can be found in the link below: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64a29b7d06179b00131ae94e/ccus-investment-roadmap.pdf    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Win Sim Tan, whose career has stretched across wildlife conservation, climate scenario modelling, and voluntary carbon markets, and seem him work on projects in his home country of Malaysia, as well as the United States, Canada, and Scotland. Lorenzo and guest co-host Qiu interview Win about his passion and motivation for starting his career in wildlife conservation, his career pivot to working on climate scenario modelling, and his role in setting up Malaysia’s first voluntary carbon market exchange. Win also gives tips for listeners thinking about the next steps in their careers in climate and sustainability. Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com.

Matthew Barrett, founder of Goal Click, talks about his journey in the sports industry, combining his passions for history and sport, working across various functions in the sports industry and eventually building his own company.   https://www.goal-click.com/  Since 2014, Goal Click has given people across the world a platform to share real stories about their own lives and football communities.  Told through the eyes and voices of our storytellers, these stories are brought to life in analogue and digital photography, written word, short films and exhibitions.

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Henry Godon-Smith, who is the CEO and founder of Agritecture, a global urban agriculture consulting firm, whose mission is to empower impact-driven organizations to develop feasible urban farming solutions.   As a sustainability strategist focused on urban agriculture, water issues and emerging technologies, Henry has visited urban farms in five continents and worked on community and for-profit urban farms.     Eva interviews Henry about his motivation to found Agritecture and venture into the field of climate smart agriculture, the benefits of Controlled Environment Agriculture and the key opportunities, challenges and trends of urban and vertical farming.   For listeners who want to delve deeper, a link to Agritecture can be found here.   Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Michael, Data Analytics Manager at Nike, takes us through his journey - from Industrial Engineer, to a consultant, to a Sports Industry professional.

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Sarah Kemmitt, Head of the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) Secretariat within UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative). Sarah delves into this ambitious Alliance, gathering 141 member banks committed to financing ambitious climate action, and breaks down the role of banks in transitioning to net-zero economies. This episode will provide you with her insider’s perspective of COP28 and key sustainable finance trends to follow in 2024. For listeners who want to delve deeper, Sarah mentionned the following reports from UNEP FI: The Adaptation Gap Report, 2023 The Production Gap Report, 2023 The Emissions Gap Report, 2023 If you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at, feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s Green Minds episode, Jim sits down with Arietta Visoná, a consultant at Guidehouse specializing in renewable energy and sustainability. Together, they navigate the complex landscape of the CfD (Contract for Difference) mechanism and its interaction with CPPAs (Corporate Power Purchase Agreements).  Key Highlights:  Understanding the Dynamics: Dive deep into the intricacies of how the CfD mechanism and CPPAs intertwine.  Insights from Allocation Round 5: Explore the key takeaways from Allocation Round 5 and its impact on the corporate PPA market.  Peering into the Future: What can we anticipate for the upcoming Allocation Round 6? Arietta shares her expert predictions.  Navigating Imperial: Gain valuable insights on surviving and thriving in the world of renewable energy, including Arietta's career advice for aspiring sustainability consultants.  For listeners who want to delve deeper, a link to the report done by Arietta can be found on the link below. https://guidehouseinsights.com/news-and-views/the-impact-of-cfd-allocation-round-5-on-the-corporate-ppa-marketand-what-the-uk-government-has-done  Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

What hurdles do we face in educating people about climate change and how can we effectively address misinformation, complex scientific concepts, and disparities in access to information? How do different age groups feel about climate change?  How does the media currently depict climate change and what changes are needed in media coverage and language usage to ensure broader engagement and understanding?    In this Green Minds episode, Eva talked about these and other questions with Rosie Deane, founder of What On Earth. At What On Earth Rosie provides climate consultancy, workshops and educational initiatives on climate change.     For listeners who want to delve deeper, a link to the What On Earth Website can be found here.    Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Jean-Baptiste Lenoir, Co-founder and CEO of Qotto, a solar home system provider in West Africa. Interviewed by Marie-Céline, he delves into the challenges hindering universal access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa and how Qotto's innovative solar home systems are impacting the lives of 110,000 people. Discover the impactful strategies that set Qotto apart and the role of public policy in fostering sustainable energy solutions.    For listeners who want to delve deeper, Jean-Baptiste recommended the Investor Roadmap for Inclusive Green Growth.    Find the script of the discussion here.    If you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at, feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

This week’s episode of Green Minds features Josué Tanaka, who was the former Managing Director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) responsible for the Bank’s operational strategy and planning function and for leading its energy efficiency and climate change activities between 2006 and 2020. Lorenzo interviews Josué about his early career working at the World Bank, his leading role in increasing the EBRD’s spending on climate finance, his experience of COPs and how they’ve evolved over the years, and the Finance for Climate Action Report which he was involved in developing. For listeners who want to delve deeper, a link to the Finance for Climate Action Report can be found here. Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us an email at podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Daniel Alejandro Velásquez González, founder of Homefans, takes us through his journey as an entrepreneur and innovator in the sports industry. Highlights include -  - Setting up a business in the UK as an immigrant - How he identified the need for his product, reiterated using market insights and built a successful go-to-market strategy - Challenges in building a two-sided business model - Forecasting future trends in the sports industry  - Long-term goals

In the first episode back from (a long) summer break we are happy to introduce you to our new hosts. Meet Climate Change, Management & Finance students Lorenzo, Jim, Marie-Céline and Eva. Get to know the new hosts, what inspires them and what brought them to Green Minds. Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us a message via podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Stanley Cookey “helps governments and businesses solve complex problems”. Formerly a GP and now a Management Consultant with healthcare and life sciences firm, CF, we hear Stanley’s motivations for pursuing an MBA and we get an insight into the strong value system that has led him into a career in which he can help people, make an impact, and ultimately find joy in what he does.

Spandan Shah had almost 10 years’ experience in consulting roles with EY and KPMG in India, Ireland and the UK prior to starting his MBA at Imperial College Business School, so the next steps were clear… weren’t they?  Spandan is the perfect example of someone who decided to try something new and take an opportunity. By founding sustainability and ESG advisory firm, GreenAlytics, Spandan is following his passion and using all of his skills and experience to help firms to identify, measure and report on key ESG requirements.

Ronnie Johnson is an MBA graduate now Human Capital Consultant with Deloitte in Denver in the United States. From a military career, to Imperial College Business School during the pandemic, and now working on culture, change and sustainability projects with Deloitte, this episode has it all. We discuss what it means to be a good steward of the environment, how a massive culture change initiative is needed to push sustainability forward in the future, and how perception of what a business means to society is changing in the modern world.

Yasmine Irani has a Masters in Strategic Marketing and is now a Senior Associate with knowledge-on-demand experts, AlphaSights, but it wasn’t as straightforward as she would’ve liked.     In this episode, we hear Yasmine’s journey from struggling to get a breakthrough in her job search to eventually turning down an invitation from one of her top choices after finding a job she loves.

Baptiste Fernandez has worked around the world for giants like Bain, TikTok and Uber, and since his time at Imperial he’s been able to forge his own path in tech and content creation.   Whether it’s entrepreneurship, working for a tech giant, the challenges of setting up in a new country, or the secrets of content creation and the value of building an audience, this episode is not to be missed.

Bryan Bovey is an MSc International Management graduate, now consultant, and he is the founder of the Africa Homage Exhibitions, a movement that aims to spark conversations around diversity and community through art. Bryan has a deep passion for art, and we hear the story behind the Homage Exhibitions, how they aim to challenge perceptions in wider society, and how art can be used to make deeper connections than we might usually experience in our personal and professional lives. The Homage Exhibitions 2023 will take place on 23 & 24 October 2023 and tickets are available via Eventbrite now with all proceeds going towards the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation.

Carlos Beaujean is a Rotational Product Manager with Zynga, a company that focuses on mobile games and is part of Take Two Interactive. Carlos had so many ideas in the beginning that his friends would talk about his “career of the week”, which sounds funny, but it’s actually a smart strategy to try a lot of things before you eventually discover what you’re passionate about. This episode is also an insight into how working with the Careers Team can really help you to take that next step in your career.

Tina Chen is the Founder and CTO – that’s Chief Tea Officer – of HumaniTea, a socially conscious drinks company that specialises in plant-based and ethically sourced tea lattes. After studying for her MBA in 2018, Tina made a career change from IT to “just tea” and in this episode, we hear her story. From international trade missions to second degree burns, Tina’s journey as a Founder isn’t short of excitement! Hers is a story of passion, grit and resilience and Tina is a real example of what you can achieve if you take opportunities, use your network, and refuse to give up.

Dr Megha Bhola is an MSc International Health Management graduate who swapped the clinical world for the business world. We discuss Megha’s decision to make a change, how Imperial became a bridge between the clinical side of healthcare and the business side, and how being open to opportunities can lead you places you would never expect. Now an Innovation Catalyst with health-tech start-up, SanusX, in Austria, Megha has achieved her goal and in this episode, she tells us how you can, too.

Sarvi Ahmada understands the value of stories and in this episode, we hear hers. From her 10 years’ experience in Product Management including her current role with Mastercard in Toronto, Canada, to the value of empathy in leadership and the challenges of balancing an MBA with full-time work, Sarvi is a shining example of a “hummingbird person”. Don’t know what that is? Then listen to Sarvi tell us herself! You can find Sarvi’s own podcast, Hummingbirds in Tech, on Apple and Spotify. Social Media Tags: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarvenaz-sarvi-ahmadi-mba-a691868/ Instagram: sarvi_to

Morgan Mixon and Rima Suppan are the Founders of next-generation nappy brand, Peachies, and in this episode they share their entrepreneurial journey. From meeting via the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Career Club at Imperial College Business School, the ecosystem that helped them get started, and the challenges of breaking into a competitive market, this episode is a real insight into launching a business with the aim of changing the world - in Morgan and Rima’s case - one poo at a time.

Lucas Gafarot is a former professional footballer for FC Barcelona, training with the likes of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. Now a Senior Consultant with Simon-Kucher & Partners, Lucas shares his story, from not knowing what consulting was when he joined Imperial, to the challenges of arriving in a new country for the first time, and how the experiences and lessons he learned through football are still benefitting his life and career today.

This week’s episode of Green Minds podcast features David Sim, an architect, urbanist and urban expert. David is a Partner at Think Softer, and the author of the book Soft City. Previously, David worked 17 years at Gehl Architects, an urban strategy and design firm based in Copenhagen. The conversation with David is all about the intersection of the built environment, climate change and humans. Claudia interviews David about his journey towards architecture, his time at Gehl Architects and writing the book Soft City. David explains what a “soft city” means, how it is connected to climate change and how we can transform cities into more liveable places. This episode features: What is a “soft city”? The influence Lego had on David’s journey Soviet vs. American architecture and the in-between What we can learn from the Nordic countries about city planning The story of Jan Gehl of Gehl Architects who transformed urban spaces globally How New York Times Square transformed to its current state Encouraging walking by painting Broadway streets with red paint as a red carpet Climate change adaptation and the human adaptation Why isn’t London more like Copenhagen or Amsterdam in terms of urbanism? Pandemic of loneliness and the value of a sociable city

This episode of the Green Minds podcast features Edward Dixon, Head of Responsible Investment for Aviva Investors’ Real Assets platform who leads the firm’s ESG and sustainability strategy across £50bn of real estate, infrastructure and nature-based solutions. This conversation starts with Ed sharing his journey from working as a carpenter who lost his job during the 2008 recession to managing a 50bn of real assets portfolio 21 years later, and how he stepped into sustainability. He then shares what ESG and responsible investment means for Aviva Investors, and why the climate change challenge requires a long-term perspective. This conversation also features: how to get a portfolio of real assets to net-zero, which regulations are most material for institutional real assets investors at the moment, why risk is key to undertsanding who can push the needle on climate change, and what it takes to become a senior manager in the sustainable finance world.

In today’s Green Minds podcast episode, we hear from Nadia Humphreys, Head of Global Climate and Regulatory Solutions team. Claudia first explores Nadia’s journey towards sustainable finance and becoming an expert in sustainable finance regulations. Nadia then shares her learnings from working on different regulations, such as the UK Taxonomy, EU Taxonomy, the TCFD, in different regions of the world, from the UK, the EU to Singapore. She also shares the challenges and opportunities in regulation and gives advice on how to break into a sustainable finance career.

This week, Andreas speaks with Kavita Sinha, the Director of the Private Sector Facility at Green Climate Fund or GCF. In this episode, Kavita talks about GCF’s background, program and focus. You will hear about what GCF wants to accomplish, especially with the private sector partners in the emerging markets. Kavita also shares the unique country-led approach that GCF takes and the role of the accredited entities in their program. We also talk about career opportunities in GCF as well as in climate finance space. Contains original music by Kirk Zieser Additional information On GCF: https://www.greenclimate.fund/about GCF’s projects: https://www.greenclimate.fund/projects

This week’s episode features Claudia’s conversation with David Vetter, a climate writer with 15 years’ experience in online and print media, currently working as a Senior Contributor for Forbes Sustainability. They talk about David’s journey from studying archaeology towards working in journalism, his studies at Oxford and the current climate media landscape. David shares his point of view on the challenges of climate writing, staying critical while communicating the urgency of the situation as well as which animal he would interview if he had the opportunity. Resources mentioned in the podcast: https://www.twitter.com/davidrvetter https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/ The Greenland cold war climate story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/2021/03/15/climate-alert-secret-cold-war-military-base-transmits-a-warning-to-the-world/

In this episode of The Sports Buff, Daniel is joined by Oscar Cantu. Oscar took a series of risks in his life to pursue his great passion for sports and journalism, which has taken him on a great journey working for Sporty Group, a prominent entertainment company brokering deals with sports leagues such as: the EPL, Bundesliga, and Serie A.

In this episode of The Sports Buff, Daniel and Henry are joined by Imperial alumn and current analyst at The Sports Consultancy Oli Ng. Oli had always been a sports enthusiast, but he found a way to turn this passion into a career. Tune in to hear his story.

In this episode, Moritz is joined by Joel Tasche, Founder & CEO of Cleanhub – a waste management and recognition software company. Together with his team, Joel is on a journey to collect plastic waste before it can even enter the world's oceans. Join us for an episode about plastic waste, it’s different players and what role “plastic credits” play in the waste ecosystem!   Email for suggestions:  podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Join Henry and Daniel as they interview Jamie Lim, who just won her second SEA Games gold medal earlier this month. Jamie, a world-class karate fighter who doubles as a current MSc Business Analytics student at Imperial, tells her inspiring story and the challenges she’s faced along the way.

In this episode, Desiree and Moritz speak to Cody Finke, CEO of Brimstone about building decarbonization and cement decarbonization. Here, they focus on the founding story of Brimstone, Cody’s background, and why he focused on cement decarbonization. Cody shares his experience building a company in this sphere, Brimstone’s differentiation and process of making carbon negative cement, and the challenges the company faces in scaling their solution internationally. Cody, Desi, and Moritz also discuss the market landscape of companies working on cement decarbonization and the pros/cons of each solution. Lastly, they discuss risk and quality standards, stakeholder engagement, and the talent gap facing the industry.

In this week’s episode, Moritz sat down with Shapol and Rohan from Imperial College’s very own Karman Space Programme. The two have been part of the team from the very beginning, both managing multiple different departments. Together with their team they aim to build a reusable liquid bi-propellant rocket, thereby not only supporting the sector’s decarbonization efforts but also contributing to the research breakthroughs needed, to affectively fight the climate crisis here on earth.  And of course the all so important question about the colonization of Mars was asked as well – so tune in and learn more about how a space programme can actually support sustainability efforts!

Join Henry and Daniel as they discover what its like to manage sportsmen and women in a more digitised era. How does one become a football agent? Are they overpaid, and what is the future of how athletes connect with sponsors? These are all topics tackled in this week’s edition of The Sports Buff.

Vanessa is currently working as a Data Scientist in Product Analytics at Meta. She completed her bachelor’s degree in economics at Northeastern University in the US. After graduation, she worked as Business Intelligence Analyst across different functions such as web analytics, logistics, and payments at Wayfair for 3 years then moved to the UK. She will share with us her career experience across different roles and countries. You may also notice we have a very beautiful podcast title today, butterfly tale. Let’s listen in to find out more.

This week is Fashion Revolution Week, an annual campaign bringing together the world's largest fashion activism movement for seven days of action. That's why Claudia invited Ciara Barry, Policy and Campaigns Manager at Fashion Revolution to Green Minds to talk all things fashion. Today's episode also features Delphine-Maire Zacharias, a fellow MSc Climate Change, Management and Finance student of Claudia's, who led the Berlin Ambassador Group of Fashion Revolution. This talk includes:  Rana Plaza's collapse importance in the fashion movement  What Fashion Revolution does to improve the state of the fashion industry  The inequality and wealth distribution in the fashion industry  Fair living wage – Good Clothes, Fair Pay campaign  GHG emissions associated with the fashion industry  Who plays the biggest role in pushing the industry to become more sustainable  Fashion Revolution Manifesto: https://www.fashionrevolution.org/frw-2023/  Bangladesh Accord Website -  https://bangladeshaccord.org/  Good Clothes, Fair Pay Campaign: https://www.goodclothesfairpay.eu/  Fashion Future and Sustainability online course: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/fashion-s-future-and-the-un-sustainable-development-goals-

Strategic Marketing alumni and WARC Media data journalist Celeste Huang joins Senior Teaching Fellow in Marketing and Strategy James Eteen to discuss her current role and trends in media consumption and marketing.

In this episode, Desiree speaks with Kike Miralles and Josh Goldman, an alumnus of Imperial College, about mining critical minerals. They focus on exploration and discovery innovation to boost the output needed to fill the mineral demand and supply gap. Kike and Josh both share their experiences and insights working in this field - Josh by founding KoBold Metals, a startup backed by top investors like Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz and Kike by working in deep-tech venture capital and investing in the new mining innovation at Starlight Ventures. They also talk about how founders, investors, and companies should make sense of the geopolitical complexity in mining in addition to talent and research gaps in the mining industry.    Kike Miralles is a Principal at Starlight Ventures, a Miami-based venture capital firm for founders addressing the world's most pressing challenges and opportunities. Starlight partners early with unstoppable entrepreneurs leveraging breakthrough science to pursue progress at scale. Starlight Ventures has a strong investing track record in decarbonization; Starlight's portfolio includes Carbon Engineering, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Impossible Metals, and Quaise among others. Prior to Starlight Ventures, Kike consulted for McKinsey and Company, completed his MBA at MIT, and earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s in the field of physics at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain and Ulm University in Germany.     Josh Goldman is the co-Founder and President of KoBold Metals, a startup aiming to leverage artificial intelligence to identify mineral deposits needed for transition to a low-carbon economy. Prior to founding KoBold Metals, Josh worked in oil and gas private equity, and also consulted for McKinsey and Company. He earned his PhD. in Physics at Harvard University, holds Master degrees in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from Cambridge University and in History of Science at Imperial College, and earned a Bachelors of Physics at Cornell University.      Selected resources:   Email for suggestions:  podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Join us for the first ever episode of The Sports Buff, as we tackle how the sports tech start-up Stance is looking to create a new brand of smart watch. Their CEO and Imperial alumni Jayshan will take listeners through how start-ups are launched, funded and progressed.

In this week’s episode, Desiree speaks with Tem on Nomadic Venture Partners’ investment thesis, the importance of the mining industry in the global economy and the world’s decarbonization journey, geopolitical complexities with China and the Democratic Republic of Congo, risk and liability, ethics, decarbonization and innovation opportunities along the mining value chain, permitting reform, and advice for entrepreneurs working in the mining industry.

In this week's episode, Moritz speaks with Todd Smith, the co-founder of Safe Landing, an organisation by aviation workers for more sustainability in the industry. The two talk about the radical changes needed to decarbonize the aviation industry, the challenges that lie ahead and also why it is so crucial that most of Safe Landing’s members still work within the sector and drive change from within.  Todd is a former airline pilot, who has been flying airplanes across the globe until a medical diagnosis left him no choice but to pause his job. During that time he “ironically” as he says himself, traveled around the world and realized the damage global warming has already done. Shortly after Todd co-founded the non-profit organization Safe Landing to push for a radical change in the aviation sector.   Email for suggestions -   podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week's episode, Desiree speaks with Mai Bui, Shiladitya Ghosh, and Nicholas Chadwick on a variety of topics related to carbon dioxide removal. We talk about the latest research around direct air capture hubs, technical differences between direct air capture and point source capture, challenges in commercializing DAC technologies, and advice for everyday people to support this industry.    Mai is currently a researcher at Imperial College informing policymakers with multiscale perspectives on a variety of carbon removal technologies. She also works heavily with the UKRI in completing due diligence on industrial decarbonization technologies and sits on the technical advisory board of Puro.earth, the world’s largest crediting platform for engineered carbon removal.     Shiladitya and Nicholas both met at Deep Science Ventures, a deep-tech venture builder based in the UK. Shiladitya is the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Mission Zero Technologies. Previously, he completed his PhD at Imperial College in post-combustion carbon capture and thermochemical energy storage. Nicholas is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mission Zero Technologies and prior to founding Mission Zero, he completed his PhD in Chemistry at UCL focusing on water sensing and semiconductors.    Selected resources:   https://www.stateofcdr.org/resources  https://nanransohoff.substack.com/p/finding-a-job-in-climate    Email for suggestions -   podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

In this week’s episode, Desiree speaks with Caroline de Bossart and Robert Höglund on a variety of topics related to carbon dioxide removal, including research gaps, role of government and venture capital investors in supporting market development, and supplier and buyer dynamics.

In this week’s episode, Claudia talks to Professor of Marketing at Imperial College Business School, Eduardo B. Andrade, about sustainable consumption. They discuss the interplay of marketing and consumer behaviour, define sustainable consumption and uncover different human biases. After discussing the green attitude-behaviour gap, Eduardo introduces his obstacle-opportunity framework for addressing the barriers to sustainable consumption. Furthermore, he shares the best practice research in human behaviour and describes how this is usually done. Towards the end, Eduardo gives a tip on one change every one of us can make in order to become more mindful consumers.

In this week’s episode, Claudia talks to Cyril Klepek, founder and CEO of Cyrkl, an international technology and consulting green tech company specializing in circular waste management by providing the largest recycling platform in Europe and unique Circular Waste Scans. Cyril talks about what led him to create Cyrkl, the journey to expanding to over 10 countries around Europe and how they attracted the biggest companies to join their platform. He talks about the waste management problem we are facing, the role of circular economy in the net zero transition as well as what different players can do to get us there. Cyril also talks about the solution his firm Cyrkl offers, and how it provides financial as well as CO2 savings. To see more, check out www.cyrkl.com.

Hearing more about Miranda’s journey to data science and her experience working as a Data Scientist at NewNow group, a decision technology company that develops AI-powered decision solutions for businesses.

This week, Andreas speaks with Farida Lasida Adji (Ida), the IFC East Asia Lead for Green Buildings and Market Transformation program. In this episode, Ida talks about the IFC Green Building program and what it does with the clients across the emerging markets to transform their properties into green buildings. You will learn about IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency) standards and certifications. We also talk about some examples of implementation as well as their challenges and the key success factors. Ida also talks about the recent certification of Istiqlal Mosque, Indonesia’s and Southeast Asia’s largest mosque located in Jakarta, Indonesia.    Outro music by Kirk Zieser    Additional information  On EDGE: https://edgebuildings.com/ IFC Green Building: https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/topics_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/climate+business/our+approach/promoting+sustainable+innovation/green+buildings The greening of Istiqlal Mosque: https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/news_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/news+and+events/news/indonesias-national-mosque-green-design

This week’s episode, hosted by Claudia and a fellow MSc CCMF students Anabella Rodriguez, features Louise Ellison, Chief Commercial Officer at Longevity Partners, a London-based multidisciplinary energy and sustainability consultancy. They talk about what it will take to take the built environment to net zero, the role certifications and ESG play in the real estate sector as well as regulatory matters. Additionally, Louise shares her perspectives on the key challenges the industry faces, how the situation looks like in the emerging markets and what individuals can do in terms of buildings use to help the sector transition.

As Imperial College’s Sustainability week is coming to an end, we took the time to provide you with more information on the university’s previous sustainability efforts and commitments being made, but also what is going to happen in the future to create a campus live that is aligned with our planetary boundaries  In that regard, Imperial’s food & drink offering will play a vital role in the shift toward more climate friendly operations. In this episode, Claudia and Moritz welcome Ella Shepherd onto the show who has been driving Imperial’s new food and drink policy which amongst other things is looking to cut out beef from the unversities food offering entirely by 2026!  Join us for a slightly different episode and let us know if you have any other recommendations for Imperial’s sustainability efforts.

In this episode, Claudia talks to Professor Marcin Kacperczyk, Professor of Finance at Imperial College Business School. Patrick shares what motivated him to have a career as a professor, as well as how his research has evolved over the years. Subsequently, they discuss Marcin’s research on the intersection of climate change, specifically the carbon transition risk. They discuss theory versus practice as well as the current climate finance landscape. Towards the end, Marcin shares his perspective on how to approach the climate change challenge and shares tips for students and young professionals.

This week, Andreas speaks with Honorio Poblador (Nori), the co-founder and Managing Partner of Navegar, a Philippines-focused private equity (PE) firm. In this episode, Nori shares the demographic profile of the Philippines and the role of OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) and BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) in the country’s economy. Nori talks about the process and added values that Navegar has implemented with regards to environmental, social and governance principles to their portfolio companies. Nori also shares his thinking about his interpretation on what ‘impact investment’ is. Finally, Nori mentions about the best fulfilling part of running a private equity firm. You can learn more about Navegar at https://www.navegar.com.ph/

In this episode, Claudia chats to Paula Singliarova, Director of Sustainability at ESGbook, a digital platform for ESG data management, disclosure and analytics. They talk about Paula's career path towards sustainable finance as well as the main learnings from her career to date. Then they deep dive into stewardship, including engagement and proxy voting, where Paula shares details about an engagement campaign she led. Furthermore, they discuss ESG, the challenges connected to it and the state of play. Towards the end, Paula shares her tips on career in sustainable finance.

This week, Andreas speaks with Panaikorn Chartikavanij, the co-founder and Managing Partner of Lakeshore Capital, a Thailand-focused private equity (PE) firm. Panaikorn shares why he and his co-founders started this PE firm around 10 years ago. He shares the portfolio companies and what Lakeshore has provided in terms of added values to their investees. The added value includes the ESG implementation, in which Panaikorn also provides some specific examples. They then talk about climate change and whether this issue has any impact in Thailand business space, both from the macro perspective or from the local company’s operations. Towards the end of the conversation, Panaikorn shares his thoughts about career in PE sector.    For more information on the PE firm, please visit www.lakeshore-capital.com

Team introduction and a conversation with Dr. Esma Koca about her research in Digital Economy.

In this episode, Claudia talks tom to Tom Delay CBE, the CEO of the Carbon Trust. They start the conversation with Tom's career which started in a very interesting way, the world's first carbon tax and a just transition. Tom then walks us through the Carbon Trust, the way its mission drives what they do, Net Zero and how to recognize good Net Zero claims. They also discuss climate policy, the role of the demcratic process in it and the three roles consumers play in climate change. They wrap up the discussion with 2023 sustainability trends and Tom shares tips for climate enthusiasts who want to pursue a climate change career.   Please find more information on Tom and the Carbon Trust here: https://www.carbontrust.com/

This week, Claudia and Desi talk to Jacqueline van den Ende, the CEO and co-founder of Amsterdam-based climate fintech company Carbon Equity. They talk about the intersection of climate and finance, the importance of private markets in moving the needle on climate change, impact vs. ESG investing, climate technologies shaping the future and much more. Jacqueline, an investor turned founder, twice over, then shares her tips on how to think about choosing a career. Check out Carbon Equity at www.carbonequity.com

This week, Andreas speaks with Eka Himawan, the co-founder and Managing Director of Xurya, an Indonesian solar power rental and installation company. Eka shares the genesis and business model of Xurya. They also discuss about the challenges that company faced early on and the dynamics of power generation in Indonesia. He also talks about the company’s fund raising progress and the changes of many investors towards ESG investment in the past few years. Towards the end of the conversation, Eka also shares his thoughts about career in sustainability field.

Dan & Satya studied together at Imperial College Business School and teamed up to found Sow Foods in 2021. Both of them are plant-based and faced similar issues in finding healthy plant-based protein sources. Their aim is to provide a protein-rich product that is genuinely good for consumers. Previously, they raised £120,000 from TechStars. They are also the Creative & Consumer Track Winner of Venture Catalyst Challenge and were awarded £10,000 at the track heats. Consequently, they are well-versed in pitching skills & how to raise seed funding. Without spending any budget for marketing, Sow Foods keeps acquiring high-quality customers. It has been on a rapid upwards trajectory. In this episode, Dan shared their exciting yet tough journey and discussed how startup founders can tap into this plant-based trend while creating good food experiences. Want to know more? https://sowfoods.com/

This week, Claudia chats to Anna Broughel, the Director of Energy Leadership at a U.S.-based NGO, the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. They talk about net-zero and renewable strategy scenarios, intermittency, grid balance as well as the role of behavioural science in the energy economics discussion and renewables deployment. Additionally, they discuss the Inflation Reducation Act. Towards the end, Anna shares valuable tips on women in the energy sector to follow as well as her best practices on leading a sustainable life. Resources mentioned: Estonian Business School International Summer School on Sustainability Energy professionals to follow: Katharine Hayhoe, book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World Julya Piper, Political Climate Podcast Amy Myers Jaffe, book Energy’s Digital Future Jenny Chase

This week, Claudia chats to Alyssa Gilbert, the Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, about the COP27 which took place this November in Egypt. In the first part, recorded before COP27, they discuss what COP is, how it works, its meaning for the global climate agenda and Alyssa’s expectations. The second part, recorded in the days after COP, constrasts these expectations with reality and discussed the biggest outcomes of this year’s climate conference: loss and damage, adaptation, mitigation and climate finance.

In this episode, we have an alumna from Imperial College Business School, Sophia Lan, the founder of Miremedy. Mi Remedy is a tea brand that supports women’s well-being with a range of herbal blends rooted in traditional Chinese herbal treatments to restore natural balance. Sophia will talk about how to build her successful brand from the ground up to now with hundreds of customers, as well as the secret sauce about making a product stand out in a crowded market. We have an exclusive promo code for you: Imperial20. It’s valid from 4 Dec - 19 Dec. Check out the tea here! Enjoy this deep dive with Sophia and her Moon Tea! https://miremedy.com/

This week Moritz is joined by Jacob Nathan, plastic recycling expert and co-founder of Epoch BioDesign. Together they discuss the current state of plastic recycling, why plastic itself is an incredible product and how little enzymes could help solve one of humanities biggest problems.

In this episode, we have two engineers and innovators: Alfie Mcmeeking and Shafae Ali joining the show. Both are graduates of the Dyson School of Design Engineering Imperial College. They are also previous team members of Dreamteam, a student-led professional design consultancy based in Imperial College London which delivers innovative and impactful solutions across diverse topics.   Alfie and Shafae gave us some flavour of their journey at Dreamteam when they developed the face mask business project during the time of COVID-19, from user empathies to testing. They also carried the “Dreamteam” spirit forward and are working on a futuristic project called REALITY. Stay tuned to hear about the thought processes involved in creating a new category design and the hurdles they overcame for bringing cool footwear to the market.   Want to know more? http://www.thefuturefootwear.co.uk/

The pandemic forced millions of workers to work from home but that transition did not go as smoothly for women as it did for men. The pandemic didn’t only send home employees, but their children as well. The division of household chores has affected women’s ability to advance in their careers and, therefore, women’s equality in the workplace. However, in order to achieve an egalitarian workplace, we must also focus on egalitarian households. In this final episode, Professor Celia Moore and alumnus Avni Vij share their experiences in transitioning to more flexible working and the challenges gender expectations still present. They also discuss the way they are reframing their personal lives and relationships to ensure young girls around them don’t internalise traditional gender roles. Want to know more? Here’s an article written by Professor Moore: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/ib-knowledge/many-minds/womens-equality-flexible-working

Networks are about personal connections. During lockdown, technology allowed us to keep having interactions with each other through simple actions, like texting or joining a Zoom call. In a post-pandemic context, networking is as relevant as ever. A well-maintained network can help broaden your skill set and bring diverse views and ideas that accelerate your work. But, how do we navigate the transition from digital interactions to face-to-face? Indeed, we need to decide how much time and effort we are willing to put into sustaining those relationships. In this episode, Dr Michelle Rogan and alumnus Salwa Darraj give advice on how to best build and maintain networks. They discuss the impact of the pandemic on how we navigate social and professional interactions. They also share their experiences and thoughts about what keeping a diverse network can do for you. Want to know more? Here’s an article written by Dr Rogan and Dr Anne ter Wal: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/ib-knowledge/many-minds/how-build-your-network-after-the-pandemic

Financial education is greatly valued as a leadership trait across all industries. Some professionals have a background or formal education in finance but those executives who don’t, lack skills that would help them get more senior management positions. Imperial College Business School made a study about the impact of financial education programmes for executives and found that not only did it increase executives’ financial competencies, but it also led to improved firm financial policies and performance. In this episode, Dr Claudia Custodio and alumnus Andrew Fernando discuss the importance and benefits of having an understanding of finance, especially for executive-level employees. They also share their experience at the Business School and what it can offer someone looking to upskill their financial knowledge. Want to know more? Here’s an article written by Dr Custodio: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/ib-knowledge/many-minds/how-financial-education-makes-you-better-manager

Some of the biggest names in the world of business are those that have changed and adapted through digital transformation. It requires using digital technologies to improve business processes, changing how you operate to deliver value to customers. It’s a cultural change that requires businesses to push beyond what feels comfortable, to learn from intelligent risk taking and deliver ongoing innovation. Professor Chris Tucci and alumnus Chen Leng Chan examine how organisations undergo digital transformation and its raw potential for the future of business. They also provide their thoughts about common mistakes that occur during the implementation of a digital transformation and advice on how to avoid them. Want to know more? Here’s an article written by Professor Tucci: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/ib-knowledge/many-minds/how-brands-can-survive-through-digital-transformation

New year, new episodes, new hosts - Welcome back to the Green Minds Podcast!    In the first episode back from (a long) summer break we are happy to introduce you to our new hosts. Meet Climate Change, Management & Finance students Claudia, Desi, Andreas and Moritz. Get to know the new hosts, what inspires them and what drives their passion for climate.     Do you have any suggestions for guests or themes that we should take a closer look at? Feel free to drop us a message via podcast.greenminds@gmail.com

Despite years of pressure and numerous initiatives for better inclusivity at the top of large corporations, progress is slow and boardrooms remain resistant to diversity. Research shows diverse leadership makes businesses thrive. However, in times of crises, companies tend to overlook the need for representation in the boardroom and instead favour the most traditional perspectives. While not deliberate, that tendency keeps boardrooms very homogeneous. In this episode, Dr HeeJung Jung and alumnus Chirag Amin discuss the realities of gender and racial representation in corporate leadership. It is critical that boardroom members represent the diversity of society and include women, people of colour, minorities and underrepresented communities. They also argue that diversity should be seen as more than just a trend in hiring practices. Diversity should be approached as a strategy to increase an organisation’s performance. Want to know more? Here’s an article written by Dr Jung: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/ib-knowledge/many-minds/how-underperforming-companies-derail-diversity-the-boardroom

Climate change will have an extreme impact on the planet in the decades to come. Forecasting the future climate is critical to assessing risks for society and the economy. Climate models are what scientists use to predict weather events like extreme heat waves,  heavy storms and rising sea levels but current models fall short for projections at more regional and local levels. That information is needed to prevent and mitigate the cost of climate change.   Dr Enrico Biffis and alumnus Ravi Varghese examine how climate modelling offers useful data for investors and insurance providers in order to allocate resources where they are needed the most. They also discuss the need for professionals from a variety of fields of expertise to come together in order to translate scientific data into concrete public policy.   Want to know more? Here’s an article written by Dr Biffis: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/ib-knowledge/many-minds/what-global-climate-change-models-are-missing

In this episode, we have a Startup Support Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme Aggie Chu joined the show. Aggie’s work is focused on addressing the school-to-work transition skills gap and youth unemployment issues in the Asia Pacific region. She co-created an entrepreneurship program with UNDP that equips social entrepreneurs from more than 20 countries with business skills, mentorship, network and opportunities to increase their resilience and build sustainable enterprises.    There may be slightly different approaches and styles, but the end result is the same: getting the founders to where they want to be. Stay tuned for some backstory!

In this episode, we have the Senior Director of Programs at Watson Institute (a non-profit startup serving young, global social entrepreneurs) Eboni J.D. Freeman joining the show. Eboni is a creative technologist who enjoys developing innovations using service design, kaizen optimization, and systems engineering. Before joining Watson Institute, she spent 3 years at Google as an Ads Product Solutions Consultant.   While good leadership skills are critical, being a startup founder demands more than technical prowess. Today’s guest shares advice on supporting and learning from your startup team. She also provides practical job search advice.   Bonus: For those of you who stay until the end of the podcast, there is a golden tip Eboni learned from Google waiting for you.

In 2022 the professional staff and faculty of Imperial College Business School, were inspired by Empathy Museum's 'A Mile in My Shoes' - a roaming exhibit which holds a diverse collection of shoes and audio stories that explore our shared humanity. This podcast series is a result of that collaboration. Each episode follows an individual staff member's learning and development story, as career paths often differ, and no two journeys are the same. The podcast aims to inspire you to do what you love, follow your heart, and forge your path. In this episode, Veronica Russell, Director of Education Quality at Imperial, shares the travails and triumphs of the 360 Assessment model as a tool for critical self-reflection.

"In 2022 The professional staff and faculty of The Imperial College Business School, inspired by Empathy Museum’s ‘A Mile in My Shoes’; “a roaming exhibit which holds a diverse collection of shoes and audio stories that explore our shared humanity,” commissioned Empathy Museum to record the stories of people who work at the college, This podcast series is a result of that collaboration. Each podcast follows the learning and development story of an individual member of staff; career paths often differ, no two journeys are the same, do what you love, follow your heart, forge your own path. This week we hear from Adam Dean . Adam joined The Imperial College Business School in March 2019 and is the Admissions Coordinator looking after The MSc Strategic Marketing programme and Admissions for the Summer School courses. Hear how Adam discovered his passion for people, how he balances a heavy workload with fun extra curricular activities, and what strategies he uses to keep moving forward and not getting stuck.

In this episode, we have the founder and CEO of the Food Bank of Bolivia Nicole Guerrero. While attending Universidad del Valle, Nicole began working on a social impact project to create a sustainable system that redistributed food and addressed hunger in her country. That small project soon became her life’s work.   The Bolivian Food Bank is the first food bank in the country. Founded in 2018, it now feeds 15,000 people a month. In this episode, Nicole talks about her bumpy startup journey with its share of highs and lows. Let's find out how she got through tough times in business!

"In 2022 the professional staff and faculty of The Imperial College Business School, inspired by Empathy Museum's 'A Mile in My Shoes'; "a roaming exhibit which holds a collection of shoes and audio stories that exploring our shared humanity." This podcast series is a result of that collaboration. Each podcast follows a staff member's learning and development story; career paths often differ, and no two journeys are the same - so do what you love, follow your heart, and forge your own way. This week's storyteller is Lisa Umenyiora, who also acted as project manager for the project within Imperial. Lisa is the Executive Director for Careers and Student Life. In this episode, she shares how she fell into working in education unexpectedly, how important 'me' time is and how anyone suffering from imposter syndrome is not alone!

In this episode, we have Disha Makkar, Marketing Manager Asia-Pacific, at Siemens working on marketing software solutions including Siemens’ cloud and low-code platforms joining the show. She has worked in the areas of strategy, marketing, thought leadership and developing a digital ecosystem. We had the opportunity to discuss B2B Marketing in Tech, especially in terms of personal development, visual thinking and design thinking. It’s a good episode for future marketers who are struggling on their psychological paths and Disha offered tangible tools that they will be able to use later in their careers.