Leaders Unplugged

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Leaders Unplugged is real talk with the impactful. Candid, honest, actionable – and fresh from behind the scenes. Presented by IMD in collaboration with Remote Daily. Hosted by IMD’s president, David Bach and Felix Zeltner.

  1. Oona Hathway, should we still believe in the global order?

    23. APR.

    Oona Hathway, should we still believe in the global order?

    Oona Hathaway on war, global rules, and why business leaders may regret staying silent as international law is violated. Why does international law matter? How illegal is the Iran war? And what does business have to do with it?  In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, IMD President David Bach hosts Yale professor Oona Hathaway for a candid conversation about war, international law, and the growing strain on the post-war global order. Hathaway argues that international law is often most important when it is least visible: it works “in the background,” shaping what states know they can and can’t do. But when leaders start treating the rules as optional, even the unthinkable suddenly seems possible. As she puts it, “international law tends to be fairly invisible when it’s working well,” but now “the Trump administration is putting this all on the table.” She also warns that “business leaders have been really quiet,” even as the erosion of legal norms introduces new volatility into global markets. Her message to them is clear: “If they don't speak out and if the president actually does what he's threatening to do, we're going to be in a much more unstable world where business is going to be extraordinarily risky.”  Our guest Oona HathawayGerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law, Yale Law School Oona Hathaway is one of the world’s leading experts on international law and global governance. She is a professor at Yale Law School and Yale University, and president-elect of the American Society of International Law. She is co-author of The Internationalists: How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World, and author of the upcoming book, Citizens. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oona-hathawayBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/oonahathaway.bsky.social Yale profile: https://law.yale.edu/oona-hathaway Personal website: oonahathaway.com Resources Over 100 International Law Experts Warn: U.S. Strikes on Iran Violate UN Charter and May Be War Crimes: https://www.justsecurity.org/135423/professors-letter-international-law-iran-war/ The Internationalists (Hathaway & Shapiro): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/561345/the-internationalists-by-oona-a-hathaway-and-scott-j-shapiro/  UN Charter: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter Geneva Conventions: https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law

    44 Min.
  2. Kirsty Coventry (IOC) on why leaders should train - and fail - like Olympians

    9. APR.

    Kirsty Coventry (IOC) on why leaders should train - and fail - like Olympians

    In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, David Bach sits down with IOC President Kirsty Coventry to explore how she is navigating one of the most complex leadership roles in global sport today. From the IOC’s new transgender policy on women’s sports – “it's very clear on the medical and scientific proof that transgender athletes have an advantage” – to the success of Milano Cortina and the future relevance of the Olympic Games, Coventry offers a candid look at how she makes decisions under pressure. As the first woman and first African in her role, Coventry also describes a strategic shift she is pushing for inside the IOC: away from trying to be “everything to everyone… but a little bit unrealistic” and toward a sharper focus on the core of the Olympic Games. Her message for leaders everywhere is clear: “If everyone's happy then you're probably not doing the right thing.” Drawing on her experience as an Olympic champion, she makes the case that athletes may offer a blueprint for modern leadership: “We are consistently good at getting criticism – because it's the one way we get better.”  Our guest Kirsty CoventryPresident, International Olympic Committee Kirsty Coventry is the President of the International Olympic Committee, the first woman and first African to hold the role. A Zimbabwean former swimmer, she is a multiple Olympic medalist, served as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport, and previously chaired the IOC Athletes’ Commission. LinkedIn: https://zw.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-coventryInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialkirstycoventry/IOC profile: https://www.olympics.com/ioc/mrs-kirsty-coventryAthlete profile: https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/kirsty-leigh-coventry

    40 Min.
  3. Can NIO reinvent the automotive industry, Mark Zhou?

    24. FEB.

    Can NIO reinvent the automotive industry, Mark Zhou?

    A decade ago, NIO was an idea. Today, the Chinese startup is one of the most innovative electric mobility brands in the world. On this episode of Leaders Unplugged,  Mark Zhou, Executive VP and Chairman of NIO’s Product Committee, shares how they did it – and what’s next. Mark recalls that NIO’s founder William Li “only gave us like 36 months… to set up a company, grow the organization, deliver the vehicles, set up the power swap stations.” For him and other early hires who joined the company from legacy competitors, accustomed to carefully sequenced five-year plans, this wasn’t just ambitious — it was radical. But NIO’s real differentiation comes from its founder’s background in mobile apps, with an obsession for community and experience design. It led the team to build lounge-style “NIO Houses” instead of traditional car dealerships. Instead of charging stations, NIO developed three-minute battery swaps that Mark calls “very addictive. Once you get used to the battery swap, you don’t want to go back.” It also led to resilience. When NIO entered a crisis, ”our users really stood up and said, let’s save this company.” Western carmakers can learn a lot from NIO’s story – about founder-led conviction, busting stereotypes, and the uncomfortable truth of innovation: “People love to talk about the bright side of innovation”, Mark says. “They try to avoid the uncertainty.”  Our guest: Mark ZhouExecutive Vice President & Chairman of the Product Committee, NIO Mark has helped scale NIO from a Shanghai startup to a global EV challenger, overseeing product strategy, global R&D, and international expansion.

    29 Min.
  4. WEF Unplugged: Geopolitics, Sustainability, and a Look behind the Scenes

    23. JAN.

    WEF Unplugged: Geopolitics, Sustainability, and a Look behind the Scenes

    Live from Davos: IMD’s Julia Binder and David Bach cut through the headlines on geopolitics, AI, energy – and competing visions for the international order. Recorded live on the final day of WEF 2026 in Davos, David Bach sits down with colleague and fellow IMD professor Julia Binder to unpack what shaped the week beyond the headlines – and why there is room for optimism. Bach reflects on two competing visions now emerging in global affairs: a world driven by raw power, and an alternative he describes as values-based realism or principled pragmatism, insisting on “a commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights, free speech, self-determination, and respect for sovereignty” while recognizing and navigating the distribution of power and influence. While discussions on sustainability and greater inclusion were less present on the main stage, Binder shares her assessment from behind the scenes: “It’s not that the sustainability conversation is dead. It’s happening under different terms. It’s reframed,” she explains. Many companies, she notes, are practicing quiet corporate activism: “We can’t speak out at the moment, but actually our actions do not just continue – we’re doubling down, we’re putting more money on the table.” Overall, a new logic dominates the transition: “those that will win the race for AI are the ones that manage energy better.” Our Guest: Julia Binder is the Director of IMD's Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, and the host of “Inside the Transition”. She works with organizations globally on transformation and helps leaders turn sustainability and societal challenges into strategic opportunity. LinkedIn - https://ch.linkedin.com/in/julia-k-binder

    26 Min.
  5. Hapag Lloyd CEO: What does resilience look like when trade routes break?

    8. JAN.

    Hapag Lloyd CEO: What does resilience look like when trade routes break?

    In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, IMD President David Bach speaks with Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, about leading a global shipping giant through geopolitical tension, climate pressure, and permanent uncertainty, into the future of global trade. Our guest Rolf Habben Jansen – Chief Executive Officer, Hapag-Lloyd AG Rolf Habben Jansen has led Hapag-Lloyd since 2014, transforming it into one of the world’s top-five global container shipping companies. A veteran of the logistics and transport industry, he has championed decarbonization, digitalization, and quality as the company’s defining competitive edge.

    30 Min.
  6. Walmex CEO Guilherme Loureiro: What happens when leaders admit they're dinosaurs?

    17.11.2025

    Walmex CEO Guilherme Loureiro: What happens when leaders admit they're dinosaurs?

    Walmex CEO Guilherme “Gui” Loureiro on reinventing Walmart Mexico into a purpose-driven digital powerhouse – by overcoming his own ego. Recorded live at the IMD International Alumni Symposium in Lausanne, this Leaders Unplugged episode features Walmex CEO Guilherme “Gui” Loureiro in conversation with IMD's Alyson Meister.   Loureiro recounts how he led Walmex (Walmart Mexico & Central America) from a “very, very successful brick-and-mortar company” into a purpose-driven digital ecosystem: “When we started to ask how we could contribute for this change instead of waiting for the country to change – then the transformation started.” He shares his own leadership reckoning — “I said to my wife, I’m a dinosaur. And my company is a dinosaur company.” — and the humility that followed: “My desire to transform the company was bigger than my ego.” The conversation draws from Loureiro’s new book, Reinventing the Leader: How to Change Yourself to Change Your Company – a masterclass in how leaders transform themselves to transform their organizations. And it comes with a proud announcement: Gui Loureiro is not only the newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Walmex, he is also joining IMD as Executive Resident Professor. Welcome Gui Loureiro!

    53 Min.
  7. Gideon Rachman (FT): Can liberal democracy win the 21st century?

    23.10.2025

    Gideon Rachman (FT): Can liberal democracy win the 21st century?

    In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, IMD President David Bach sits down with Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator Gideon Rachman for an unflinching look at the shifting balance of global power – and what it means for leaders today. As Rachman puts it, “It’s hard to get past Donald Trump as the sort of biggest current disruptive force in international politics… because essentially he represents the United States turning on the global system that it helped to create after the Second World War.” And yet, amid disruption and doubt, he remains cautiously hopeful: “Can liberal democracy survive? Yes – because in the end it’s an idea that’s almost impossible to kill.” This conversation is a guide to understanding how politics, power, and leadership are being redefined before our eyes – and what to do about it. Our guest Gideon Rachman is Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator at the Financial Times and one of the world’s most influential geopolitical commentators. As the Financial Times’ Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator and author of The Age of the Strongman, Easternization, and Zero-Sum World, he provides deep insight into how global politics and economics shape the world of business and leadership. Gideon also hosts the Rachman Review, a podcast that gives a chance to listen in on his reflective and often probing conversations with politicians, intellectuals and analysts around the globe.

    42 Min.
  8. What if Europe’s biggest risk isn’t war – but running out of power?

    07.10.2025

    What if Europe’s biggest risk isn’t war – but running out of power?

    In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, IMD President David Bach sits down with Henrik Andersen, CEO of Vestas, for a raw conversation on Europe’s energy transition and the courage leaders need to navigate it.  Andersen delivers a stark warning on Europe’s complacency: “Europe is 50% dependent on import of energy day in and day out. The truth is we import more LNG gas from Russia than we did in 2022.” He explains how China is building up its alternative energy capacities faster than any other nation – and dismantles hype around unproven solutions, such as Hydrogen: “It is a little bit of a dream that is beyond a dream”. His purpose for being an outspoken leader is clear: “Our kids will say, ‘we will never forgive you because why did you keep talking about something that doesn’t happen?’” And he delivers a strong lesson to his peers: speak out, take blows, and act boldly in a volatile world. Our guest:Henrik Andersen – Group President & CEO, Vestas Henrik Andersen leads Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine company. With decades of international executive experience, he is at the forefront of Europe’s energy transition, navigating geopolitics, policy, and technology on a global scale.

    44 Min.
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Leaders Unplugged is real talk with the impactful. Candid, honest, actionable – and fresh from behind the scenes. Presented by IMD in collaboration with Remote Daily. Hosted by IMD’s president, David Bach and Felix Zeltner.

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