AND is the Future Ilham Kadri

When you educate students you can transform the world! Top economist and educator Bruno Van Pottelsberghe speaks with Ilham about the importance of a sustainable business education to inspire true sustainable leadership. They discuss the Solvay Business School’s Executive Masters in Sustainability, his advice for young leaders, how we can reimagine business, and much more! 
Timestamps
01:58 - Upbringing and start of career
04:53 - Solvay Business School and legacy of its founder Ernest Solvay
08:36 - Top Business School projects
11:58 - The Executive Masters in Sustainability
17:10 - What does it mean to be a sustainable leader?
24:16 - Advice for young leaders
28:24 - Hobbies and interests

Bruno Van Pottelsberghe is the Dean of the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. He is a Professor, a top Belgian economist, a Senior Fellow at the Bruegel think-tank in Brussels, AND an expert on how we can create businesses that are both sustainable and profitable.
For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

In this episode, Ilham sits down with the winner of Syensqo's 2024 Ernest Solvay Prize, Omar Yaghi.  
Omar has used his passion for Science to change the course of the future with his discovery of reticular chemistry. His pioneering work is making a positive impact on our planet, purifying our water, air and fuel for generations to come. HIs research has inspired further development of new materials and sparked discoveries that can help solve major problems such as CO2 capture, hydrogen storage, water harvesting and gas purification. 


Omar shares Syensqo’s passion for exploration and innovation, always pushing the boundaries of science to advance humanity.  

During our conversation you will hear how Omar believes in the power of questions and curiosity over a focus on the end results, and how this approach has led him to become the award-winning inspiration he is today.  

Timestamps

02:21 - Becoming one of the most renowned scientists of today
09:50 - Pioneering a new field of chemistry
15: 40 - Applying groundbreaking science to real-world scenarios
19:28 - Taking risks and embracing failure 
22:44 - The power of peer recognition 
24:15 - Looking toward the future 
16:22 - Democratization of technology 
30:02 - The importance of curiosity in STEM education 


For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

The purpose of L’Oréal is to create beauty that moves the world. According to CEO, Nicolas Hieronimus, ‘to move’ can have two meanings: “One is to change things, such as using green sciences and reducing package as a way to move the world. But moving is also about emotion. Beauty is about emotions; it’s about bringing people self-confidence.” Ilham and Nicolas have a fascinating conversation about science AND beauty, discussing topics such as beauty and tech, how to be sustainable and profitable, and the importance of promoting diversity in the beauty industry.
Nicolas Hieronimus has spent the majority of his career at L’Oréal, one of the world’s largest cosmetic companies. He started his career at the company as a Product Manager for the Garnier branch in 1987 and was named CEO of L’Oréal in 2021. Describing himself as a ‘beauty junkie’, Nicolas has reinforced L’Oréal’s commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, transparency, and cutting-edge technology, solidifying L’Oréal’s position as a beacon of innovation and ethical responsibility in the beauty industry.

Timestamps
01:30- Introduction to the beauty industry
04:03 - Taking professional risks that pay off
08:29 - Being a purpose-led company
11:45 - Being sustainable AND profitable
15:45 - Tech for beauty
20:23 - The importance of psychological safety in the workplace
23:46 - Introducing Warm Up Mondays
25:05 -  Promoting diversity in science and beauty
30:39  - Favorite music and movies



For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Did you know that there’s a strong connection between music and science? Ilham speaks with award winning chemist and pianist Nuno Maulide about the science behind the classical music of the greatest composers. He talks about the musical talent of brilliant scientists such as Albert Einstein and Max Planck, what scientists and business leaders can learn from music, and beautifully plays pieces by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Debussy. Listen and be inspired! 
Nuno Maulide is a professor and head of the Institute for Organic Chemistry at the University of Vienna. Nuno studied piano and chemistry in his hometown in Lisbon and then went on to earn his PhD at the University of Louvain in Belgium. He has studied at universities in Louvain-la-Neuve, Paris and at Stanford University, and started his independent work as a Group leader at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Carbon Research. He has received numerous prestigious awards in both chemistry and music throughout his career. 

Timestamps
1:59 - Albert Einstein and Max Planck’s love for Bach and Mozart
7:09 - Nuno plays Bach’s Jesus bleibet meine Freude
10:38 - Introduction to music in primary school
13:11 - Switch to focus on organic chemistry
19:43 - Nuno plays excerpts from Mozart’s Sonata in G Major 1st Movement
20:48 - Connection between science and music
23:21 - Schubert and the connection to nature
27:51 - Nuno plays Schubert’s Impromptu in G Flat Major
33:00 - Chopin and the connection to water
35:07 - Nuno plays Chopin’s Etude Opus 25 No. 1
37:23 - What can businesses learn from music?
40:31 - Rachmaninoff and pattern recognition
41:27 - Nuno plays Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Sharp Major
44:32 - Emotion vs rationality?
46:02 - Nuno plays Debussy’s Clair de lune


For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Have you ever wondered how the Dutch masters were able to use such vibrant colors? They come from plant-based dyes! Ilham sits down with internationally acclaimed artist Claudy Jongstra to discuss her incredible art, which is made from plant based dyes and wool that comes from a rare, indigenous breed of sheep raised on her farm in The Netherlands. They discuss her fascinating artistic process, the costumes she created for the Jedi in Star Wars, what businesses can learn from art and much more. Claudy’s work truly brings art AND sustainability together!

Claudy Jongstra is a world renowned artist and designer known worldwide for her monumental artworks and architectural installations, whose organic surfaces and nuanced tones reflect her masterful innovations in the ancient technique of making wool felt. Her  fabrics have been used by some of the most well known designers such as Christian Lacroix and Donna Karan, and they were even worn by the Jedi in Star Wars Episode 1. Her work has been included in collections at major museums like the Rijksmuseum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and more.

Timestamps
1:50 - Upbringing in the Netherlands and early love for color, nature and art
6:16 - Creating sustainable art from materials on a farm
9:08 - Making beautiful plant-based dyes/colors
15:14 - Creating the Jedi costumes for Star Wars
17:53 - Art and circularity
20:53 - What can businesses learn from art
24:26 - Connecting art and education
27:31 - Secret to success
29:47 - Artist role models and favorite work of art


For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to leadership expert Bill George, “Your true north is the essence of who you are, and before you can go on an outer leadership journey, you have to go on an inner journey.” Ilham has a fascinating discussion with Bill about how you can find your True North, his new book on leadership, the shift from “I” to “we”, advice to emerging leaders and much more.

Bill George is one of the most renowned experts on leadership. He's the former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, and currently an executive fellow at Harvard Business School. You may know Bill as the author of the groundbreaking book, True North, as well as many other books on leadership. He has just published this newest book called True North Emerging Leaders Edition, which he co-authored with the Millennial entrepreneur, Zach Clayton.

Timestamps
2:16 - Youth and early lessons in leadership
5:10 - What is True North
10:50 - About his new book: True North Emerging Leader Edition
13: 09 - Becoming an authentic leader
17:24 - Crucibles that test your leadership
20:58 - Shift from I to We
23:18 - True North and North Star - what’s the difference? 
27:33 - Political issues - when to become involved
30:36 - Giving back: the George Family Foundation
32:52 - Advice to young leaders


For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast