Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry

Fortune Magazine

Hosted by Fortune Editor-in-Chief, Alyson Shontell, Titans and Disrupters of Industry goes in depth with the powerful thought-leaders shaping both the world of business and the very way we live.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    $4 Trillion Savings Gap: TIAA’s CEO on The Retirement Crisis

    For more than 100 years, TIAA has helped millions of Americans — from educators to healthcare workers to public servants — turn their savings into guaranteed income they cannot outlive. Today, the company is expanding beyond its traditional 403(b) roots, pioneering lifetime income solutions inside 401(k) plans and using AI to better protect and serve participants. In this episode, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with TIAA President and CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett to discuss America’s growing retirement crisis, the importance of lifetime income, and how TIAA is using technology and partnerships to build a more secure future for retirees.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min

  2. May 6

    AI Takeover: Qualcomm’s Big Bet on AI Agents, Robots and 6G | Titans and Disruptors

    For over 40 years, Qualcomm technology has powered some of the world’s most transformational technological advancements. Today, the company is moving beyond smartphones, building a future with wearable AI, humanoid robots, and a 6G cellular network. In this episode, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell speaks with Qualcomm’s President and CEO Cristiano Amon to discuss the company’s commitment to constant reinvention and why Amon is optimistic about the AI revolution. 00:00 Introduction 02:55 Intro to Qualcomm 04:36 Current state of AI 07:38 Amon and 6G 13:30 New relationships with smart devices 20:19 What will be the next smartphone 25:49 Diversifying Qualcomm’s business 30:44 Qualcomm’s culture of reinvention 32:08 Qualcomm’s move into data centers 38:17 Qualcomm robotics 42:51 Trust in AI 46:19 Amon’s techno-optimism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  3. Apr 1

    The $8+ Billion Partnership: How Delta and Amex Redefined the Business of Flying | Titans and Disruptors

    From one of the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history to leading the industry in market capitalization and premium customer satisfaction, Delta Air Lines has rewritten the business of flying in the last two decades.  In this episode, Fortune's Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with CEO Ed Bastian at Delta’s Atlanta headquarters to discuss the strategic maneuvers behind the airline’s resurgence. Bastian details his 'people-first' leadership philosophy, the evolution of the lucrative American Express partnership, and his vision for the future of travel, from AI-powered concierge services to the launch of flying taxis. 00:00 Intro 01:36 Advertisement 03:05 Bastian’s personal background 04:21 Executive training at Pepsi 06:14 Uncovering fraud at J. Walter Thompson 07:23 Delta files for bankruptcy 8:08 Bastian’s return to Delta 09:43 Delta’s turnaround playbook 11:37 Delta’s post-bankruptcy restructuring 13:55 Billion-dollar profit-sharing program 15:36 Sharing wealth with employees 16:21 Bastian’s people-first commitment 16:48 Becoming a CEO 17:45 Transitioning from CFO to CEO 19:04 Becoming comfortable as a CEO 19:45 Shifting communication styles as CEO 21:40 Staying in the know 22:13 Leading employees through down times 24:32 Bastian’s no-furlough strategy 26:06 Delta / AMEX partnership 29:14 Credit card interest rates 30:25 Creating brand trust and loyalty 33:39 Delta’s next 100 years 34:14 Balancing AI with people 36:56 Staying updated on AI 38:13 AI’s impact on air travel 39:15 Sustainable travel 40:08 Flying taxis 40:57 Delta’s five-to-ten year strategy 42:04 Bastian’s leadership advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  4. Mar 4

    The end of work: Vinod Khosla's bold AI prediction | Titans and Disruptors

    What if AI made your paycheck optional? Vinod Khosla, one of the world's greatest venture capitalists and an early backer of AI, believes the technology will take over 80% of labor, freeing humans to live on passion instead.His track record backs up the boldness, as early bets on OpenAI, DoorDash, Instacart, and Square have made him one of the most consequential investors of our time.In this episode of Titans, Khosla sits down with Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell to unpack his abundant vision for the AI future, what government policy should tackle for a more equitable 2040, and what the U.S. needs to do to win the global AI race.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min

  5. Feb 11

    Google’s AI boss made OpenAI issue code red. Now he wants to solve disease. | Titans and Disruptors

    Google DeepMind founder and CEO Sir Demis Hassabis is a master chess player, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and - as of 2024 - a Knight. Today, as a leader within Google’s booming AI team, Hassabis wants to make AI the “engine” driving the entire company.In this episode of Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with Hassabis at the World Economic Forum in Davos to talk about how he and his companies are using AI to cure cancer, build universal agents, and move the world towards a future of “radical abundance.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min

  6. Jan 27

    Pfizer CEO took on COVID. Now he wants to cure cancer | Titans and Disruptors

    Dr. Albert Bourla became Pfizer’s CEO months before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the US. Under his leadership, Pfizer manufactured 3 billion doses of the first FDA-approved vaccine in the first year, which led to record-breaking earnings. Yet over the past few years, post-pandemic sales slumps, patent cliffs and vaccine skepticism have driven down Pfizer’s earnings. In this episode of Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with Bourla to talk about how he is answering this new set of challenges with science, innovation and optimistic leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  7. 10/15/2025

    Kamala Harris says the ‘Glass Cliff’ Suggests Finality: “I’m Not Into That”

    It’s been one year since Vice President Kamala Harris and then-Democratic nominee was coming down to her final days of the 2024 presidential campaign against Donald Trump. She spent 107 days on the road in a bid to earn their vote, but it wasn’t enough. Almost one year later, she’s had time to reflect. In a wide-ranging conversation at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women summit, Harris joined Fortune’s Editor in Chief Alyson Shontell at the Washington National Cathedral to discuss the growing divides between Republicans and Democrats, how the government is not meeting Americans’ basic needs, and why not inviting Elon Musk to the White House was a “mistake”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    Jamie Dimon on What Kills Companies and the Key to Business Leadership

    JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has led the nation's largest financial institution through times of disruption for two decades. As Dimon navigates today's world of generative AI, President Trump's policies, and the effects on the global economy, Dimon sat down with Fortune's Editor-in-Chief, Alyson Shontell, to discuss these topics at the Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C. Dimon shares his thoughts on Washington, as the government is currently shut down, and Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist leading polls in the New York City mayoral race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  9. How Ramp's Eric Glyman Built a $22.5 Billion Startup in 2,367 Days

    09/18/2025

    How Ramp's Eric Glyman Built a $22.5 Billion Startup in 2,367 Days

    Ramp CEO Eric Glyman has helped build one of fintech’s fastest-growing startups — hitting $1 billion in annualized revenue, serving 45,000 businesses, and soaring to a $22.5 billion valuation in just 2,367 days. In this episode of Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry, he sits down with Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell to break down Ramp’s meteoric rise, the business model flipping corporate cards on their head, and why he believes speed and focus are the keys to scaling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
  10. Julie Sweet’s Path From Lawyer to Leading 770,000 People

    08/28/2025

    Julie Sweet’s Path From Lawyer to Leading 770,000 People

    AI is rewriting the rules of business — and Accenture CEO Julie Sweet says reinvention is the only way Fortune 500s will survive. In the debut episode of Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry, Sweet sits down with Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell to reveal how she’s nearly doubled Accenture’s value, grown its workforce to 770,000, and kept the company thriving through disruption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    59 min
  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Hosted by Fortune Editor-in-Chief, Alyson Shontell, Titans and Disrupters of Industry goes in depth with the powerful thought-leaders shaping both the world of business and the very way we live.

Information

  • Creator
    Fortune Magazine
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    10

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