The Chief Disruptor Podcast

On Episode 9 of the Chief Disruptor Podcast, we are joined by Shubham Agarwal, an Artificial Intelligence Researcher at the University of Manchester. Shubham has experience in academic research, sports analytics and healthcare at The University of Manchester, Blackpool FC and ZS Associate, respectively. In the episode, Shubham and I explore two of his great interests sport and AI. Many will be familiar with high-profile examples such as the Oakland Athletics or Brentford FC, but now, AI could unlock untapped potential for the world of sport, both on and off the pitch. We explore the history of technology in sport, current and future use cases for AI and Shubham offers up an extremely practical disruptive thought of the day.

Connect. Learn. Disrupt.

On Episode 8 of the Chief Disruptor Podcast, we are joined by the Head of the British Army, General Sir Patrick Sanders. As the professional head of the British Army, CGS has responsibility for developing and generating military capability from an integrated Army of Regulars and Reservists, and for maintaining the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Service. The episode includes a recording of his keynote address at the Army Digital and Data Conference which Chief Disruptor ran in partnership with the British Army. CGS reflects on the launch of the inaugural Army Digital and Data Plan which sets out the Army’s vision of becoming a data-centric, digitally optimised Army by 2030. Here is a snippet of what to expect:

“To remain competitive, the British Army must capitalise on the most recent advances in data and digital technology. This is not just the business of specialists. Our ability to exploit data, compete and protect ourselves in the electromagnetic spectrum is the responsibility of the whole force – down to the very lowest level."

We welcome Ben Holt, Global Lead for Strategic Foresight at IFRC Solferino Academy. In his role, Ben consults across different Red Cross and Red Crescent societies worldwide, helping them make sense of their massively uncertain and volatile environments. In this episode, we explore strategic foresight at the Red Cross, its application across industries and, ultimately answer what is and what isn’t strategic foresight. We also offer up a working example looking at the future AI, its widescale uptake and societal impacts and, as always, Ben shares with us his disruptive thought of the day. In addition to his role at the Red Cross, Ben is a Visitor at the Cambridge University Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) and a member of the Association of Professional Futurists.

Connect. Learn. Disrupt.

We welcome Dr Candice Schaefer, Head of Employee Health & Performance at Spring Health and Former Global Head of Employee Wellness at Twitter. Candice has a unique perspective on workplace well-being as a licensed psychologist and is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader on the future of work. The discussion, with Chief Disruptor Managing Director and Founder Emma Taylor, is taken from a series of in-depth interviews focusing on the long-lasting implications of changes in the way we work. The episode offers unique insight into what it's like to work at pre-Elon Musk Twitter, thoughts on the current news surrounding the tech giant and explores strategies for building resilience, preventing burnout, and improving the employee experience.

We welcome Mark Cliffe, Visiting Professor at LIBF and Independent Advisor and ex-Chief Economist at HSBC and ING Group. Back in 2020, Mark published a piece of work entitled “Pandenomics: How Covid-19 could change the world” which predicted how the external environment would look in a post-pandemic world. In this episode, we revisit these predictions, analyse them within our current economic, geopolitical and technological context and consider their significance to organisations today. For those looking to make sense of our uncertain external environment, this is not one to be missed!

We welcome Laura Rosenberger, Co-Founder at Laylo. With an aim of changing the way the world drinks wine, Laylo is redefining our understanding of boxed wine through bespoke, sustainable packaging and high-quality product. The episode explores changing customer trends around drinking, the challenges of a growing D2C business, the sustainability of the wine industry and, as always, provides our disruptive thoughts of the day. Laylo is a great example of how combining purpose with disruptive thinking can alter the landscape of a well-established market; that’s what disruption is all about!

We are joined by Nick Rosa, Metaverse Strategy and Extended Reality Lead, Accenture. Over 20+ years, Nick has combined his passion for gaming and immersive experiences with his digital transformation expertise gained at Google, Spotify, IBM IX, Yahoo!, and Atari. Now, at Accenture, he is helping organisations leverage opportunities presented by one of the most disruptive and hype-fuelled technologies: the metaverse. This episode explores the driving forces behind the growth of the metaverse, analyses the scepticism and mystery that is present across the business, media and public domains, highlights the importance of addressing interoperability and provides some predictions for the future.

Connect. Learn. Disrupt.

This week, we are joined by Josh Reynolds, Future Workplace Adoption Lead at Lloyds Banking Group. Josh joined the people function group at Lloyds Banking Group during the pandemic and was involved in defining their hybrid, hub and home working strategy and, more recently, has been tasked with bringing the ‘vibe’ back to the office. Together, we explore the link between disruption, innovation and people, workplace tech, the role of the office and the workplace of the future.