AND is the Future Ilham Kadri
-
- Business
-
"AND is the Future" brings together great minds to address the opportunities and challenges of making businesses both sustainable AND profitable. Hosted by Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay.
-
Disruption AND Sustainable Leadership with Andrew Liveris
According to Andrew Liveris, effective leaders can’t ignore the disruptive era we’re living in; they have got to embrace it. Ilham and Andrew have a fascinating conversation about disruption AND sustainable leadership, exploring the threat of short-termism, the need for inclusive capitalism, and the importance of purposeful leaders.
Timestamps
02:03 - Growing up in an ethnic family unit
08:19 - Chemistry is part of the everyday
12:42 - Explaining the mindset of the 5Ds
19:00 - Recreating yourself as a leader
25:49 - The epidemic of short-termism
28:58 - The need for inclusive capitalism
34:00 - The importance of human revolution
40:11 - Hopes for future 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 -
Economics AND Sustainable Business with Bruno Van Pottelsberghe
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 -
Chemistry AND Curiosity with Omar Yaghi
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 -
Science AND Beauty with Nicolas Hieronimus
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 -
Science AND Music with Nuno Maulide
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 -
Art AND Sustainability with Claudy Jongstra
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