radical innovators podcast

Randstad Enterprise

Join Frank Congiu, EVP of human capital strategy & executive partnerships, on the Radical Innovators series as he dives into insightful conversations with prominent HR leaders from top global organizations. Each episode explores bold ideas, transformative strategies, and the future of workforce innovation alongside the world’s most forward-thinking CHROs. Discover how their insights can inspire your leadership today and tomorrow. Listen to gain the edge you need for your talent strategy.

  1. Radical Innovators #20 leading with wellness: supporting people in the moments that matter with Ally Financial’s Kathie Patterson

    4D AGO

    Radical Innovators #20 leading with wellness: supporting people in the moments that matter with Ally Financial’s Kathie Patterson

    In this episode of the Radical Innovators podcast, host Frank Congiu sits down with Kathie Patterson, CHRO of Ally Financial. During the conversation, Kathie shares her journey from a modest Detroit upbringing to leading HR at a major digital bank, offering deep insights into how Ally Financial maintains a competitive advantage through its people-first culture.  She also discusses how her background as a first-generation college graduate shaped her perspective on economic mobility and the critical role of corporate citizenship in the modern workplace. Other highlights of the discussion include: holistic employee experience: how Ally Financial supports the financial literacy and overall wellness of both its internal workforce and the broader community.moments that matter: the importance of an employer showing up during vulnerable life events, from starting a new job to navigating a loss in the family.internal career mobility: overcoming "manager hoarding" and encouraging employees to continuously learn, grow and move into new roles across the organizationhuman-centered AI: integrating AI tools as a supplement rather than a replacement, ensuring people remain part of the process for judgment and empathetic connection.leading through transformation: addressing "transformation fatigue" and the necessity of maintaining grit, judgment and resilience during rapid technological and market shifts.

    26 min
  2. Radical Innovators #19 leading with experimentation: fostering innovation & simplicity with Booking Holdings’ Paulo Pisano

    APR 16

    Radical Innovators #19 leading with experimentation: fostering innovation & simplicity with Booking Holdings’ Paulo Pisano

    In this episode of the Radical Innovators podcast, host Frank Congiu welcomes Paulo Pisano, EVP and CHRO at Booking Holdings, to discuss his career journey and how his background in operations and finance influences his approach to leadership. Throughout the conversation, Paulo shares his thoughts on the importance of organizational clarity, the role of a leader in consciously shaping culture and the necessity of doing "fewer things better" to drive business outcomes. He also explores the unique challenges of operating a multi-brand tech and travel marketplace and how Booking Holdings is currently embracing experimentation through generative AI. Additional takeaways include: simplicity and prioritization: why HR leaders should be removing low-value activities and "must-dos" from the system to reduce complexityculture as a deliberate choice: leaders are always shaping culture, whether consciously or not; therefore, it’s critical to align cultural levers to support business strategyencouraging innovation through scarcity: creating boundaries and limitations can actually engender more creative and interesting solutions than having unlimited resourcesAI as an engagement tool: how Booking Holdings uses "marketing-style" awareness campaigns and meeting check-ins to drive broad employee engagement and experimentation with generative AIthe evolving CHRO role: why the CHRO will increasingly serve as a "chief simplifier," helping organizations navigate massive global and regulatory complexity

    32 min
  3. Radical Innovators #18 leading with principle: supporting leaders and making work better with Mondelez’s Stephanie Lilak

    APR 8

    Radical Innovators #18 leading with principle: supporting leaders and making work better with Mondelez’s Stephanie Lilak

    In this episode of the Radical Innovators podcast, host Frank Congiu sits down with Stephanie Lilac, EVP and chief people officer at Mondelez. Stephanie details her extensive career journey, which began with 15 years in supply chain-oriented roles — including a stint as a plant manager — before transitioning into commercial HR leadership for major brands like General Mills, Dunkin' and Bumble.  The conversation delves into the evolving role of the CHRO and how it has shifted from seeking a seat at the table to balancing high-level strategy with deep operational execution.  Highlights from the discussion include: the power of managers: why managers are the most critical factor in the employee experience and how they can foster a supportive team environmentAI and continuous feedback: how Mondelez utilizes AI to analyze over 210,000 employee survey comments, creating a "flywheel" of continuous improvementdigital transformation: the strategy behind creating a "one-stop shop" for employees to access information 24/7, particularly for manufacturing staffbalancing strategy: Navigating the tension between long-term multi-year strategies and the "tyranny of the urgent" in a decentralized global organizationthe value of mentorship: Stephanie reflects on how a wide range of people, from her family to the experts on her own team, help her stay current with industry trends

    32 min
  4. Radical Innovators #17 leading with connection: empowering teams and always learning with UnitedHealthcare’s Stephanie Fehr

    MAR 31

    Radical Innovators #17 leading with connection: empowering teams and always learning with UnitedHealthcare’s Stephanie Fehr

    In this episode of the Radical Innovators podcast, host Frank Congiu sits down with Stephanie Fehr, chief people officer at UnitedHealthcare, who discusses her career journey, how her company is using AI and what shapes her leadership style. Stephanie shares her perspective on why leadership is a critical, research-based skill rather than a "soft skill" and how creating the right environment is essential for innovation. The conversation also explores how UnitedHealthcare is navigating AI, particularly by leveraging it to enhance — not replace — human connections and fuel employee development. Key topics discussed in this episode include: leadership as a science: why leadership is the most important skill to develop and how it is rooted in valid, reliable researchthe power of feedback: how UnitedHealthcare introduced a "behavioral language" to provide objective, actionable feedback to employeesAI as an enabler: using AI to lift administrative burdens from doctors and employees, allowing them to focus on unique human skills like empathy and providing supportskills-based culture: how AI helps employees identify their strengths and acquire the specific skills needed to achieve their career goalshumility in learning: why "learners will rule the world" and the importance of being humble enough to learn from anyone in an organization

    30 min
  5. Radical Innovators #16 leading with transformation: developing, reskilling and future-proofing with Infosys’ Shaji Mathew

    MAR 27

    Radical Innovators #16 leading with transformation: developing, reskilling and future-proofing with Infosys’ Shaji Mathew

    In this episode of the Radical Innovators podcast, host Frank Congiu sits down with Shaji Mathew, CHRO of Infosys. With more than three decades of experience at the company, Shaji shares his unique journey from software engineer trainee to global HR leader. The conversation explores how Shaji’s background in technology and business operations shapes his vision for HR as a strategic business function. Shaji and Frank also discuss how Infosys is navigating the human-plus-AI paradigm by rearchitecting career paths, reskilling a global workforce and leveraging AI-powered tools to enhance the employee experience and personalize learning and development. Key takeaways: Find out why Shaji believes business acumen is one of the most critical skills for HR professionals.Learn how Infosys categorized its workforce into AI consumers, integrators and creators to design targeted AI training programs.Discover how Infosys uses AI assistants to support employees and provide hyper-personalized learning.Hear why Shaji considers the three pillars for success to be business agility, talent transformation and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

    20 min
  6. Radical Innovators #15 leading with trust: staying connected, removing barriers and promoting fairness with Cisco’s Kelly Jones

    MAR 11

    Radical Innovators #15 leading with trust: staying connected, removing barriers and promoting fairness with Cisco’s Kelly Jones

    In this special edition of Radical Innovators, Randstad Enterprise chief executive Mike Smith joins Frank Congiu for an engaging discussion with Kelly Jones, chief people officer at Cisco.  Kelly discusses how her company excels in developing people-first, data-driven strategies that empower talent and allow the business to thrive. Drawing on her impressive 18-year career with Cisco, she shares advice from being at the forefront of driving efficiency, quality, connection and performance for more than 86,000 employees. Other highlights from the conversation include insights on how to: drive the AI transformation, from making sure employees are comfortable and confident in working with AI to leveraging it to build personalized learning experiencesempower Dyslexic Thinking and other forms of neurodiversity and provide an environment that nurtures different ways of thinking leverage purpose to drive retention, including how Cisco has an 80% employee participation rate in its philanthropy programsbuild community and connection despite having a hybrid work environmentrecognize how trust forms the basis of creating a workplace that is real, connected and purpose driven

    32 min
  7. Radical Innovators #14 leading with listening: driving change and unlocking opportunities with MetLife’s Shurawl Sibblies

    MAR 4

    Radical Innovators #14 leading with listening: driving change and unlocking opportunities with MetLife’s Shurawl Sibblies

    In this episode of the Radical Innovators podcast, host Frank Congiu sits down with Shurawl Sibblies, Executive Vice President and CHRO of MetLife. Shurawl shares her non-traditional journey to HR leadership and tells us how MetLife champions a people-first strategy that focuses on empowering talent to learn and grow. She then dives into the critical importance of listening to employees, and explains why employee surveys are the key to taking action, building trust and boosting employee satisfaction. Key highlights include: Learn how MetLife creates opportunities for people to embark on unexpected career paths.Understand the power of listening to talent and driving change.Hear about the crucial role of employee surveys in building trust and satisfaction.Plus, find out why Shurawl says her grandmother is her biggest mentor.Tune in for plenty of wisdom and insight into working at the intersection of people, data, and strategy!

    24 min
  8. Radical Innovators #13 leading with duty: building high performance culture with Apollo’s Matthew Brietfelder

    JAN 14

    Radical Innovators #13 leading with duty: building high performance culture with Apollo’s Matthew Brietfelder

    How do the world’s most elite firms transform "human capital" into a measurable competitive advantage? In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Breitfelder, partner and global head of human capital at Apollo. Managing a sprawling ecosystem of over 70 portfolio companies, Matt has a front-row seat to what drives outperformance in high-stakes environments. Matt reveals why he views empathy as a rigorous analytical tool, how Apollo uses sports psychology to sharpen its competitive edge and why the "soft stuff" is actually the hardest — and most profitable — part of modern business. Key highlights include: The mental game: why elite investors are adopting the mindfulness and visualization techniques of pro athletesPredicting performance: how to distinguish signal from noise in your organization to find growth opportunitiesThe "Chess not Checkers" philosophy: a masterclass in coaching for high-performance cultures

    35 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Join Frank Congiu, EVP of human capital strategy & executive partnerships, on the Radical Innovators series as he dives into insightful conversations with prominent HR leaders from top global organizations. Each episode explores bold ideas, transformative strategies, and the future of workforce innovation alongside the world’s most forward-thinking CHROs. Discover how their insights can inspire your leadership today and tomorrow. Listen to gain the edge you need for your talent strategy.

Information

  • Creator
    Randstad Enterprise
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 randstad enterprise
  • Show Website
    radical innovators podcast

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