Leadership Insights

School for CEOs

School for CEOs prepare business leaders for senior roles – purposefully, pragmatically and personally. We do this by combining expert coaches and facilitators with unique insights from our Faculty of over 90 senior leaders who have been there and done it. This podcast is designed to share some of those stories with you, inviting a diverse range of speakers from CEOs of some of the UK's most successful businesses, to elite sportspeople and military leaders. 

  1. Empowering Female Leaders to Step Up. With Emma Woods

    02/03/2025

    Empowering Female Leaders to Step Up. With Emma Woods

    In the School for CEOs Leadership Insights podcast, we access the workable wisdom of prominent executives, thought leaders and business experts, whose knowledge can help you to become a more effective leader, and improve your company culture. In this episode we’re joined by Emma Woods. Emma had a successful marketing career for over two decades, working for Unilever and then moving into private equity-backed businesses before becoming CEO at everyone's favourite noodle restaurant, wagamama, which she successfully led through Covid. Emma now works on Boards to help them grow and is currently supporting four businesses. She is Chair of Ancient + Brave and Tortilla Mexican Grill plc. She is also a Non-Executive Director at Great Portland Estates and at the amazing ABBA Voyage.  As a mother of four kids, she understands the challenges of juggling family demands and also developing a career.  In this illuminating discussion with School for CEOs' Dave Wright, Emma shares her thoughts on: Becoming a role model for women, and seeking role models for various stages of lifeHow women can overcome Impostor Feeling and boost self-confidenceThe importance of male allyshipBeing versatile and cross-functional in your careerWhy mentoring and coaching has been crucial to her successWhat leaders can learn from colleagues of a different lived experienceResilience and building an 'inner scaffold' in mid-lifeMentioned in this episode: YoungMinds - Mental Health charity for children and young people 1:1 Coaching with School for CEOs Amy Cuddy - Your body language may shape who you are  Sheryl Sandberg   Ancient + Brave Tortilla Mexican Grill Great Portland Estates ABBA Voyage

    37 min
  2. Neurodiversity and Inclusion. With Andy Williamson

    06/17/2024

    Neurodiversity and Inclusion. With Andy Williamson

    In our Leadership Insights podcast, we access the workable wisdom of seasoned CEOs, thought leaders and business experts, whose knowledge can help you to become a more effective leader, and improve your company culture. Our 33rd episode features our conversation with Andy Williamson.  Andy is the founder of Welcome Brain, a neurodiversity consulting firm. The rationale behind Welcome Brain is that support for neurodivergent individuals within organisations improves outcomes for individuals, leaders, and the organisation as a whole. Andy has been working with neurodivergent individuals for over a decade. His background is in Education and Mental Health support, through his founding of Hampton Tutors - an academic coaching company that specialises in executive function skill-building and Sequoia Teen Counseling Center - a counseling practice for teens and young adults.  In this episode we explore: The neurodivergent ‘umbrella’ and the different conditions and experiences this could includeHow a lack of neuroinclusion can impact on talent attraction and retentionHow a neuroinclusive work culture benefits neurotypical people tooHow neurodivergent people can self-advocate in the workplaceHow neurodivergent leaders can navigate the complex landscape of senior leadershipMid-life diagnoses and experiencesThe lack of provision for Gen Z workers diagnosed at school ageThe link with neurodivergence and anxietyA YouTube video with subtitles, automatic chapters and transcript can be found HERE

    59 min

About

School for CEOs prepare business leaders for senior roles – purposefully, pragmatically and personally. We do this by combining expert coaches and facilitators with unique insights from our Faculty of over 90 senior leaders who have been there and done it. This podcast is designed to share some of those stories with you, inviting a diverse range of speakers from CEOs of some of the UK's most successful businesses, to elite sportspeople and military leaders.