The Impact Room - Conversations That Shape Exceptional Leadership

Douglas Jackson
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Are you a business leader, founder, investor or aspiring executive interested in what exceptional leadership looks like in practice? Welcome to The Impact Room, the leadership podcast from Douglas Jackson, where CEOs, COOs, Chief Customer Officers and senior executives share the experiences, decisions and lessons behind leading successful organisations. Each episode goes beyond theory to explore the realities of leadership and transformation. From AI, data and digital change to operational performance, customer experience, culture, diversity and building high-performing teams, our guests share what has worked, what they have learned and what they would do differently. These are candid conversations with leaders who are transforming organisations, navigating complexity and finding new ways to create value for their customers, people and businesses. The Impact Room is hosted by Douglas Jackson, an independent executive search and leadership advisory firm specialising in customer, operations, transformation, strategy, insight, data and AI leadership. Our aim is simple: to share the thinking, experiences and lessons of exceptional leaders so that others can learn from them. Listen. Learn. Share what resonates with your teams, peers and networks. Subscribe to The Impact Room for new conversations on leadership, transformation and business performance. Explore more episodes and leadership insight at the Douglas Jackson Leadership Podcast. Intro Music: “Podcast Background Music While Talking – No Copyright” by @PodcastBackgroundMusic. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)

  1. Jul 9

    AI Beyond Pilots, Readiness. Adoption and Impact with Maggie Sarfo, Founder, CEO of Meres Consult

    AI is moving quickly, but many organisations are still struggling to turn experimentation into genuine business value. In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell speaks with Maggie Sarfo, who helps growth-focused organisations and leadership teams connect AI ambition to measurable commercial outcomes. Rather than starting with the technology, Maggie starts with the business problem. She explains why so many AI pilots fail to scale, why adoption is more than usage, and why leadership teams need to understand their readiness before investing further. The conversation covers AI maturity, AI literacy, governance, ethics, data readiness, culture, trust and the changing skills leaders need as AI becomes embedded into the way organisations operate. One of Maggie’s most striking observations is: “If you add AI on top of the chaos, it will become more chaotic.” Michelle and Maggie also explore the future of work, the rise of agentic AI, the risk of cognitive overload, and why leaders may need to rethink the foundations of their business rather than simply adding AI tools to existing systems. This is a practical and thought-provoking conversation for senior leaders, founders and transformation teams who want to move beyond AI pilots and start building the foundations for sustainable growth, better decision-making and measurable impact.   Maggie is the Founder and CEO of Meres Consult Learn More about Meres Consult, website: https://www.meresconsult.com/ Complimentary AI Readiness & Maturity Assessment: https://meresconsult.com/ai-assessment.html Complimentary AI Exploration Consultation: https://tidycal.com/maggiesarfo/explore Connect with Maggie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-sarfo/ Global business growth and AI adoption consultancy Watch the Full episode on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/2FOicTBmWGw Learn more about Douglas Jackson Executives Search and Leadership Advisory for Permanent and Fractional AI leadership and direction. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/executive-search-proven-diverse-leaders-headhunters/

  2. Jun 17

    Why Efficient Service Is Failing Your Business with Sean Keane, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Service Economics.

    Sean Keane, Co-Founder of Service Economics, joins Michelle Ansell on The Impact Room to discuss why many organisations are unintentionally designing inefficient service systems, and how this is impacting cost, customer experience and operational performance. Drawing on extensive experience in regulated industries, Sean introduces the concept of service effectiveness, challenging traditional approaches focused purely on efficiency, automation and cost reduction. Key themes include: Understanding value demand vs failure demand Why up to 80% of customer contact can be avoidable The financial and operational impact of “service waste” The limitations of traditional metrics such as Average Handle Time and First Contact Resolution How organisations overspend on technology by solving the wrong problems The importance of leadership curiosity and operational visibility Practical steps for new COOs and Customer Leaders in their first 100 days Sean highlights a critical shift in thinking: “If you chase quality, the cost takes care of itself.” This episode is essential listening for leaders responsible for customer operations, transformation, cost management and service delivery in complex, customer led and regulated organisations with real world examples for Housing Associations, Utilities and Banking, Financial Services and Insurance. To learn more about Service Economics please go here: Service Economics - The experts in Effective Service To learn more about Sean Kean, Managing Director and Co-Founder go here. Seán Keane, CCXP | LinkedIn

  3. Mar 30

    The Illusion of Inclusion and how you can truly deliver on your Investments with LinkedIn Top Voice and Founder Hannah Awonuga

    In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell speaks with Hannah Awonuga, award-winning culture, talent and inclusion expert, LinkedIn Top Voice for Gender Equality and advisor to leaders navigating organisational growth. Hannah specialises in helping scale-up businesses design and embed inclusive cultures where organisational growth strengthens both people, performance and enterprise value. Her work focuses on integrating inclusion into leadership behaviours, operating systems and organisational design, rather than treating it as a standalone initiative. Drawing on almost two decades of experience across the banking sector and global organisations, Hannah has led cultural transformation programmes, global colleague listening initiatives and remote teams across the UK, US, Europe and APAC. In this conversation, Michelle and Hannah explore: • Why conversations about diversity and inclusion are evolving toward leadership and organisational culture • The challenges scale-ups face when growth outpaces cultural infrastructure • Why organisations are increasingly seeking strategic advisory support rather than traditional DEI roles • Practical steps leaders can take to build inclusive, high-performing environments This episode offers thoughtful insight for CEOs, founders, HR leaders and executives looking to build organisations where culture, talent and business performance grow together.   Together they explore: The retreat from traditional DEI roles and what it really signals Why inclusive leadership requires new skills — empathy, bias awareness and strategic alignment The “frozen middle” and its impact on progression Fractional and advisory models for culture and inclusion support Intersectional leadership at board level Practical next steps for growth-stage organisations This episode is essential listening for leaders navigating culture, governance, talent retention and long-term performance in a rapidly changing workforce. If you would prefer to watch the full video you can do that here:  Follow and learn more from Hannah here.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahawonuga/ More Information on The Inclusive Foundations Programme here https://www.theinclusivefoundationsprogramme.com/ Learn more about Douglas Jackson who are Executive Search Consultants passionate about Diversity, Inclusion and Retention of Executive Directors show are more successful.  https://www.douglas-jackson.com/services-retained-executive-search-firm/

  4. Mar 9

    Understanding Equity: What’s Really Holding Women and Organisations Back in Insurance? Dr Abbey Anderson, Founder and Principle Consultant Insight Change

    Dr Abbey Atkinson joins Michelle Ansell to unpack the structural, cultural and historic forces that shape gender inequality in the UK insurance sector. Drawing from extensive doctoral research and her own industry career, Abbey explains why progress is slowing, what organisations misunderstand about EDI, and the practical steps leaders can take to build equitable, high-performing workplaces. Topics include: • Why gender equality progress remains largely superficial • The “role habitus” concept and how powerful job structures resist change • Flexible working, burnout and why policy without culture doesn’t work • Sponsorship vs mentorship — and why women need both • Networking inequality and why it must be treated as an organisational skill • Data, diagnostics and the danger of misidentifying the problem • How insurers can take meaningful action within 90 days For boards, HR leaders, and executives committed to building better systems — this episode provides grounded, research-led insight with clear recommendations. Listen today - if you would prefer to watch the recording you can do that here: https://youtu.be/Ny8Ht-nfQxE   For more information on Abbey's thesis and company go here https://www.insightchange.co.uk/    Follow Abbey Atkinson here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-atkinson-phd-88460257/ If you are looking for a Executive Search firm with a passion for Diversity, learn more about Douglas Jackson and their work here. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/diverse-leadership-recruitment-hire-more-diverse-leaders/

  5. Feb 19

    From Agent to COO: Thomas Moore, Group Chief Operating Officer from Global BPO Custom Connect, on Leadership, Outsourcing & the Future of Operations

    In this episode, The Impact Room welcomes Thomas Moore, COO at Custom Connect, to discuss the realities of operational leadership and the evolving outsourcing landscape. Thomas shares his journey from frontline call-centre agent to COO, offering practical insight into: • The leadership lessons that shaped his career • Why the mid-management layer is under pressure — and how to strengthen it • Behaviour-based hiring and building confident, capable leaders • Human-centred outsourcing and the shift away from AI-first thinking • Managing complexity: cyber threats, global instability and changing customer expectations • What clients should look for when choosing an outsourcing partner Packed with grounded experience and strategic insight, this episode is essential listening for leaders in CX, operations, BPO, transformation and customer-led industries. Listen now, or if you prefer you can watch the full recording here.  Learn more about Custom Connect here: https://www.customconnect.com/ Follow Thomas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-m-0659b84/ Learn more about Douglas Jackson for your Executive Search and Recruitment Leadership services. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/

  6. Jan 29

    Leadership Lessons from Leaving School at 16, Back Office, Banking, Tech to the Boardroom - Carole Layzell, NED, CX and Digital, fromer Managing Director at Barclays

    In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell is joined by Carole Layzell, an experienced banking, digital and customer leader who built her career from leaving school at 16 to becoming a Managing Director at Barclays before moving into NED and advisory roles. Carole shares candid reflections on her 30-year career across Barclays, Nationwide, Salesforce and Medallia, discussing how customer experience, digital innovation, and people-first leadership shaped her approach. She also explores what boards are really looking for today, how leaders can stay relevant, and why curiosity and continuous learning have been foundational throughout her journey. We cover: • The realities of starting a career at 16 and navigating progression • Digital transformation and initiatives like Digital Eagles • What skills our leaders and future need now and what makes them future-ready • Why customer experience still defines organisational success • How Carole is approaching her new chapter as a NED and advisor If you're interested in leadership development, customer strategy, banking innovation or building a portfolio career, this episode offers practical wisdom and real-world experience from someone who has lived it. Not sure whow to get the best from your own career then this is a must listen episode. Powered by Douglas Jackson, helping organisations hire more diverse, impactful leaders who stay longer and perform better, for growth, scale and transformation. If you would prefer to watch this episode you can do that here.  https://youtu.be/_pJd7fE1FAo Connect or link with Carole. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-layzell/ Learn more about Douglas Jackson and their Banking Financial Services and Insurance Solutions for quality and professional Executive Search and Recruitment, helping you hire more impactful, diverse leadership for Permanent, Interim, NED and Fractional support. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/insurance-banking-and-finance-executive-and-professional-search-recruitment/

  7. 12/08/2025

    From SEO to GEO Competing for Relevance in an AI, GPT World

    Is SEO still relevant in an AI-driven world? Ben Rees, marketing leader, Chief Marketing Officer joins Perry Fletcher in The Impact Room to explore why traditional search tactics are losing their edge and how Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) are redefining visibility and the Marketing Playbook.  Learn how to ethically influence AI-powered algorithms.  Build a reputation that scales, and equip your teams for the dual-speed marketing era. Powered by Douglas Jackson, independent boutique recruitment and Executive search, experts in hiring diverse, impactful leaders for CX, growth and transformation. Follow Ben here. https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrees/ Learn more: https://www.bjrees.com/services/ Find out more about Perry Fletcher and how he can support your Operational Support Recruitment Functions including Resource Planning, AI, Analytics, Insight and Data Transformations, scale and growth. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/operational-support-ai-data/ If you would rather watch this episode you can do that here. https://youtu.be/ZlSuKrYDqjU #aeo #geo#seo#marketing #onlinevisibility #cmo #answerengineoptimisation #generativeengineoptimisation

  8. 12/03/2025

    The real reason why most cyber attacks happen - Hear from a Cyber, Information, Digital and Data expert Lyndon Purnell, CIO

    In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell speaks with Lyndon Purnell, a seasoned Chief Information Officer and fractional technology leader with more than two decades of experience across digital, cyber security, data and large-scale transformation. Together they cover: • The real role of a CIO and how it differs from a CTO • Why technology spend is often wasted and how to build value instead • Practical steps smaller organisations can take to reduce cyber vulnerability • How to assess your tech and cyber posture in the first 30 days • Why people, not systems, are the biggest cyber risk • How fractional CIOs are helping businesses access FTSE-level talent without permanent headcount • The leadership mindset required to navigate AI, automation and fast-moving digital change • How leaders can better understand tech without needing to become experts Lyndon helps unpack  Perfect for CEOs, COOs, operational leaders and boards who want to strengthen resilience, make better technology decisions, and avoid the risks of an increasingly digital world. Follow Lyndon Purnell here. https://linkedin.com/in/lyndonpurnell If you would prefer to watch this episode you can do that here: https://youtu.be/DbYkh2QV_e0 Learn more about Douglas Jackson, the independent boutique recruitment and executive search firm who hire more impactful, diverse leaders on a Permanent, Interim, NED and Fractional basis to help your business, thrive, scale, transform and grow. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/services-retained-executive-search-firm/ #hireachiefinformationofficer #cio #fractionalhires

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Are you a business leader, founder, investor or aspiring executive interested in what exceptional leadership looks like in practice? Welcome to The Impact Room, the leadership podcast from Douglas Jackson, where CEOs, COOs, Chief Customer Officers and senior executives share the experiences, decisions and lessons behind leading successful organisations. Each episode goes beyond theory to explore the realities of leadership and transformation. From AI, data and digital change to operational performance, customer experience, culture, diversity and building high-performing teams, our guests share what has worked, what they have learned and what they would do differently. These are candid conversations with leaders who are transforming organisations, navigating complexity and finding new ways to create value for their customers, people and businesses. The Impact Room is hosted by Douglas Jackson, an independent executive search and leadership advisory firm specialising in customer, operations, transformation, strategy, insight, data and AI leadership. Our aim is simple: to share the thinking, experiences and lessons of exceptional leaders so that others can learn from them. Listen. Learn. Share what resonates with your teams, peers and networks. Subscribe to The Impact Room for new conversations on leadership, transformation and business performance. Explore more episodes and leadership insight at the Douglas Jackson Leadership Podcast. Intro Music: “Podcast Background Music While Talking – No Copyright” by @PodcastBackgroundMusic. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)

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