Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast

Tim Ferriss - entrepreneur, author, and podcaster 

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“The mindset of an entrepreneur is helpful to embrace no matter what your current position. Control the W’s of life - who you spend time with, wha...

Qaisar Shareef, former P&G Pakistan / Ukraine lead - ON TRAVEL

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“There's nothing that opens up your mind, even your heart, to new and unknown things than travel. Get outside your comfort zone.” S. Qaisar Sh...

Greg Warren is The Salesman

30 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“There are some moments in sales where it does not go at all like you planned, and you just feel lost. And I do think humor is a way to deal with fa...

Dalia Feldheim Dares to Lead Like a Girl

23 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“If I'm in a tough environment, should I leave? And I always say, no, not immediately. Try to see if you can bring in your strengths and make it...

Lars Sudman Starts with Self Leadership

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“On a daily basis, what kind of score would I give myself? And then what could be one thing that I could do to maybe push that up a little bit.” L...

Susan Cain, Author of “Quiet” & “Bittersweet”

09 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"There's this bittersweet tradition that has existed across time and our world - it's the pathway to creativity and connection and transc...

Rajiv Satyal & Crossroads' Brian Tome on Curiosity & Comedy

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“There need to be silences - you need to give people room to run. Let people talk more. I already know what I know now. I wanna know what you know.”...

Mohit Das, Microsoft’s Senior Solution Architect

25 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Sometimes we fall into the trap of creating one size fits all processes. What's even more important is humanizing experiences with empathy and...

Fama Francisco, P&G’s CEO Global Baby, Feminine & Family Care

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“You have to be able to laugh. It makes difficult things more achievable. It builds a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. It lifts up the mood, and p...

Angie Hicks, Angie’s List Co-Founder

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“It's less about what you do or where you do it, but more about the people you work with. That's what's going to make a difference - lea...

Jaideep Bansal, CEO, Global Himalayan Expedition

04 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Really focus on people. If you have 500 people working for you, that does not mean that they're working for you, but you are working for 500 pe...

Emily Chang, Seasoned US & China Chief Executive & Author

28 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“ 'Yes, and...' is a kind of courage. Only failure allows us to begin again more intelligently.” Emily Chang is a seasoned marketer with 2...

Shankar Viswanathan, P&G’s former Asian eBusiness Leader

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Shankar Vishwanathan was P&G’s SVP e-Business leader for Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa — a 32 veteran of the company starting in India...

Beth Nguyen, Author & Professor

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“It made me think about how our sense of identity really gets mixed up in names that other people give to us.” In real life, Bich Minh Nguyen now ...

Shailesh Jejurikar, P&G’s Chief Operating Officer

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“When you unlock an insight with curiosity, the power to drive limitless growth is huge. We as leaders can make a big difference with the questions ...

Daniela Riccardi, CEO of Moleskine

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"A brand grows in the centuries balancing between heritage and modernity - to stay modern, to stay relevant. Leadership also requires this balanc...

Franz Dill on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“AI gets back to how do I make decisions easier? Giving the right data to the right people at the right time — not perfect by any means, but it’...

Ed Artzt (1930-2023): P&G’s former CEO & Chairman (1990-1995)

16 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Integrity can be a competitive advantage.” Ed Artzt served as P&G’s CEO and Chairman from 1990 to 1995. During his extensive forty-one-year...

Jon Moeller, P&G’s Chairman & CEO

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“When people learn and feel valued, they want to make a difference and help each other. And when that comes alive, amazing things happen.” Jon Moe...

Bracken Darrell, Logitech’s CEO on Humor That Works

01 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“The most important part of humor in the workplace isn't the humor — it's the outcome, which is it’s fun. Bracken Darrell is President & CEO...

Misha Euceph, Dustlight Productions Founder & CEO

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“If you don't have a room of people that can reflect your ideas, then you don't know how they'll play out in the real world — you need a sounding ...

Charlotte Otto: P&G’s former Global External Relations Officer

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Be intellectually honest in any decision - otherwise you only see the answer that you want to see.” Charlotte Otto served as P&G’s Globa...

Bob Gilbreath, 2x-exit Entrepreneur on Career Changes

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bob Gilbreath is a longtime friend of the pod, and a career friend and mentor to many. He is also a 2x-exit entrepreneur and co-founder of Hearty, a c...

Peg Wyant: P&G’s first female Brand Manager, Grandin Properties Founder & CEO

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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

Susan Baba Oguche, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Chief Communication Officer.

26 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“The words follow the action. Make sure you're doing the work - making the impact so when you make a statement, it's from the overflow of what you'r...

Linda Clement Holmes : P&G’s former Chief Diversity Officer & Chief Information Officer

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"Some have to carry more weight than others - everybody's got to do their part to try to lighten their load." Linda Clement-Holmes served as P&G’...

Ed Rigaud: National Freedom Center Founder

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"People are willing to risk a lot to show their support for our freedoms." Ed Rigaud was the Founder & CEO of the National Underground Railroad Fr...

Anne Sempowski Ward, Curio Brands’ CEO

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“If what is meaningful and important to me takes me off track - then it probably wasn't my track anyway.” Anne Sempowski Ward is CEO & Board D...

Kirk Perry, IRI CEO - on Faith

29 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Faith should bring us together and not drive us apart. And we will all have differences in what we believe, but it should never be the thing in the...

James Veraldi, LOOP.co Co-founder & CEO — Accomplished Entrepreneur

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“It's consumption media, not social media. A lot of people are struggling with this, and a lot more are going to. And I would like to be part of the...

Marlon Hernandez, Molson Coors’ Director of Innovation

15 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Functional is not enough — and that's a critical factor in developing innovation. It's really hard to break through if you don't factor the emoti...

Tackling Imposter Syndrome - P&G Alumni Coaching

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Imposter syndrome is very real to a lot of people — but it's not representative of what reality really is. There are possibly people who feel exa...

2022: A(nother) Year of Learnings from Leaders

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As 2022 comes to a close, we compiled some of the year’s learnings...from leaders. So sit back with your beverage of choice and enjoy. And give us a...

David Taylor, P&G’s Former CEO & Chairman

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“My job as CEO wasn't to be right, it was to see that the right thing gets done. Surround yourself with the people and resources you need to solve t...

Sudha Ranganathan, LinkedIn’s Director of Product Marketing

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“I was not gonna follow rules if they didn't make any sense to me. There's a healthy sense of curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status qu...

Oya Canbas, Bayer Global Brand Director

11 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Finding your voice in an organization is not easy. Great leaders gave me a push when I needed the push. So now I need to do the same - giving other...

Vahe Ayvazian, Abbott Divisional Vice President of Marketing & Core Diagnostics

04 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Be curious. Curiosity is the foundation of  success. Understanding where people are coming from helps you to ask the right questions.” Vahe ...

JOHN SMALE: A.G. Lafley & Charlotte Otto’s reflections on P&G’s former CEO

26 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“For the time that you're chief executive or leading a business, you are the soul of the company.” A.G. Lafley and Charlotte Otto return to our po...

JOHN SMALE: Janet Reid & Gordon Brunner’s reflections on P&G’s former CEO

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“John Smale pushed the company to have a deeper ear toward what consumers really want. He made a greater effort to take a listen.” Janet Reid and ...

JOHN SMALE: Bob McDonald & Bob Gill’s reflections on P&G’s former CEO

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“The purpose, values and principles — John Smale understood the importance of the soul of the company.” Bob McDonald & Bob Gill are two P&am...

Chip Bergh, Levi’s CEO: Advocacy, Activism & John Smale

05 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Democracy works best when every eligible voter has an opportunity to have their voice. American business is built upon having a stable democracy.”...

JOHN SMALE: John Pepper & David Taylor’s reflections on P&G’s former CEO

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“We learn from stories of character. How to live making decisions, caring for people, and carrying out the responsibility of a corporation, which Jo...

Jim Lafferty on making mistakes, and owning them.

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“We live in a world of massaging perceptions. It's okay to make a mistake, but the second time you have to learn from these things.” James Michael...

Edward Norton - Actor, Director, Entrepreneur (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” Podcast)

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"What gets made gets affected by the quality of the insights." Edward Norton is an actor, filmmaker, and activist. He has been nominated for three Aca...

Judy Okten: The Power of Disconnecting

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“From the moment we wake up to going to bed, we spend a lot of time consuming. But If you are consuming all day, you are not creating. We need to tu...

Kyle Schlegel, Weber’s VP Americas Marketing & DTC

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“When you meet resistance - teach. Because one of you doesn't have the context that the other one has. Rather than debate and clash - better to expl...

Paul Polman, Unilever xCEO on being “Net Positive”

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Business cannot sit on the sidelines — we're not moving at the scale and speed needed, we as industry leaders have an enormous responsibility to ...

Alonya Tkachenko, Nommi CEO & Co-founder (Leaders Under 40)

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“That was the moment I realized that if you're able to articulate complex things in a very simple language, that's the ultimate goal – in arts, in...

David Youn, Master Lock, President

11 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Diversity is almost synonymous with humanity — our communities and companies should reflect that diversity of the rest of the world to make impac...

Tom Asacker, P&G Trainer & Author (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast)

04 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Leaders must define the vision of how the world could exist — based on values, ideas, imagination — and driven by love for your people and pass...

John Pepper & Ursula Burns’ Conversation on Race & Understanding

28 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Making improvements is challenging. But we can't give up and we've got to learn how to do it better.”  “Speak, engage, help, be helped. Be...

TEDx Talks with P&G Alums: Drew, Ida, & Rajiv

21 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

TED talks are "Ideas Worth Spreading" - short talks and presentations that have lit up the internet since 2006. But did you know a # of Alums have sha...

Ana Maria Henao, PepisCo’s VP of Global Marketing Excellence

14 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

K Patrick Davis: Blue Buffalo VP & General Manager at Blue Buffalo

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Katie Couric, TV Journalist, Producer, & Author

31 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Couric is renowned and award-winning  journalist, producer, and best-selling author. Katie is currently the Founder of Katie Couric Media, ...

Vivek Sunder: Cuemath CEO

24 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Poliana Sousa, Latin America’s Coca-Cola™ Lead

17 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Jakub Kocinski, Digital Safety & Trust - from P&G to Google TikTok, Meta, and beyond

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Guy Raz, NPR Producer and Journalist (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast)

03 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Creativity is listening to an idea, even a bad idea, and helping turn it into a good idea.” Guy Raz is arguably among the most prolific voices in...

Shelly McNamara: P&G’s Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer

26 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“We are all intersectional - uniqueness is our greatest gift. Empathy makes you a better leader.” This Pride Month, we wanted to replay a few conv...

Jay Sethi: Diageo Beer Company CMO & SVP of Diageo Convenience North America

19 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Let's be wrong sooner because we'll learn from it - move on and take on challenges in a very different way.” This Pride Month, we wanted to repla...

Julie Eddleman, DoubleVerify’s Global Chief Commercial Officer

12 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Being the first person in a role can be a career accelerant.” This Pride Month, we wanted to replay a few conversations with past LGBTQIA+ guest ...

Kevin Shapiro, Coty SVP of US Marketing

05 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati Mayor

29 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Gary Vaynerchuk (VaynerX) & Bracken Darrell (Logitech): Masters of Digital Disruption

22 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Mike Shangkuan, Lingoda CEO

15 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Mahzarin Banaji, Harvard Psychologist & ‘Blindspot’ Author (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast)

08 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“The study of Implicit bias asks are we doing our job as well as we can be? To be consistent with values, goals and intentions — we want to do som...

P&G Alumni Comedians: Greg Warren, Josh Sneed, Rajiv Satyal, & Andrew Tarvin

01 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Qaisar Shareef, P&G’s former head of Pakistan & Ukraine

24 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"There is no bending your principles and values, you either stick by them or you don't.” Qaisar Shareef spent a 30 year career at Procter & Gamb...

Ikdeep Singh, Mars Petcare President, North America

17 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Nothing can teach you more than your failures. Your struggles are where you're growing the most.” Ikdeep Singh is Mars Petcare’s President of N...

Kevin Hochman, Kentucky Fried Chicken, President, Yum! Brands

10 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“The higher you go, it's harder to understand the front lines. Be in touch to accelerate your growth.” Kevin Hochman, is Kentucky Fried Chicken’...

Dian Alyan: GiveLight Foundation Founder & CEO

03 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Malcolm Gladwell, Author & Journalist (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast)

27 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“The ability to persist in the face of overwhelming odds is a kind of necessary feature of the innovator.“ Malcolm Gladwell is a Canadian journali...

Raj Rao, IBM’s GM for Blockchain Ventures

20 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Arianna Huffington, Thrive Global Founder & CEO

13 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“When you take care of yourself, you are much more able to lead, to be more creative, more empathetic.” Arianna Huffington is Founder & CEO of...

Understanding Ukraine & Russia - with John Pepper & Qaisar Shareef

09 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Reflecting on 100 episodes, and lots more Learnings

05 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Seaphes Miller, Founder & CEO of Fusion Integrated Solutions

27 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Sharon Hall, Walmart’s VP of Global Executive Recruiting

20 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“People need to be treated equitably to move forward.  As we normalize and equalize, we’re saying all people are the same. Well, guess what? ...

Tristan Walker, Walker & Co, CEO & Co-Founder (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast)

13 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"I had an authentic connection to the problem - a perspective on cultural connection. So it wasn't powering through rejection, it was neglecting it - ...

Marissa Solis, National Football League, SVP of Global Brand & Consumer Marketing

06 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Christine Fisher, Possip Co-Founder & COO

30 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Nitin Gajria, Google’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa

23 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Matthew McConaughey, from P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast

16 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Start canceling out those lanes that aren't feeding you well - that aren't giving you ROI - that are holding you back.” Matthew McConaughey is an...

Claire Elvers, Wayfair’s Head of Global Brand Management & Insights

09 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

Suzy Deering: Ford Motor Company CMO

02 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Get uncomfortable. Don't feel like you can’t keep creating new value in an environment of curiosity.” Suzy Deering is Ford’s global Chief Mar...

2021 Year in Review

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As 2021 comes to a close, we put together a not-so-quick compilation of our favorite moments from all of the great conversations we had over the past ...

Luis Silberwasserat, Univision - President, TV Networks

26 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Mark Mercurio, Gorilla Glue President & CEO

19 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

George Felix, Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer

12 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Alicia Enciso, Nestlé USA’s Chief Marketing Officer

05 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

The P&G Alumni Foundation - donate, get matched...and WIN!

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Bob Gilbreath, Hearty CEO & Co-founder

28 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Stefan K. James, Nationwide Insurance AVP of Marketing

21 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“How do you change the dynamic - where you have others with diverse thoughts and culture - so you're not alone?” Stefan K. James is Nationwide Ins...

Peg Wyant, P&G’s first female Brand Manager, Grandin Properties Founder & CEO

14 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Joe Arcuri, American Greetings CEO

07 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“Keep the consumer in the room. Don’t spend time on things that don’t matter to her.” Joe Arcuri is the CEO of American Greetings which includ...

Jamal Muashsher, Valvoline President, Global Products

31 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“Don't rely on what got you there. Making time to invest in yourself is important.” Jamal Muashsher serves as Valvoline's President, Global Produc...

Tiyale Hayes, BET SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing

24 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Craig Bahner, Sara Lee Frozen Bakery CEO

17 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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

Keila Lazardi, Revlon Chief Scientific Officer

10 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“With so much uncertainty, all of us are now more aware, focused and socially conscious. We are going to do wonders with that.” Keila Lazardi is t...