Enter the Boardroom

Matthew Lester is Chairman of Kier group plc and NED and Chair of the Audit Committee at Intermediate Capital Group plc. Previously, he was CFO of Royal Mail plc. Listen to this episode to learn more about: Two moments where non-execs had the biggest impact on the business (01:39) Why motivation outweighs knowledge in CEO hires (08:03) The hardest habit to break when you become a chair (16:21) How Matthew checks whether the board is getting the full picture (22:18) The case for giving employees a seat in the boardroom (31:06)⚡The Lightning Round⚡ (33:54)
Host: Oliver Cummings
Producer: Will Felton
Editor: Penelope Coumau
Music: Kate Mac
Audio: Nick Kold
Email: podcast@nurole.com
Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Dame Hayaatun is the founder and CEO of Argentic Associates. Previously, she was CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation. Listen to this episode to learn more about: How a non-exec role helped carve Dame Hayaatun’s path to CEO (01:35) How she landed her first non-exec role (11:22) How sitting on boards helped her improve in her day job (15:16) Two moments Dame Hayaatun felt like the board added the most value (18:52) Why asking for more information can create a bottleneck (26:09) Where non-execs cross the line with management (28:36) A 3-step framework for deciding what’s next: motivation, aspiration, consideration (35:22) ⚡The Lightning Round⚡(38:52)
Host: Oliver Cummings
Producer: Will Felton
Editor: Penelope Coumau
Music: Kate Mac
Audio: Nick Kold
Email: podcast@nurole.com
Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Nick Wheeler OBE founded Charles Tyrwhitt in 1986 from his university room in Bristol. Forty years later it is a £400 million revenue business operating across the UK, US, and Europe. Listen to this episode to hear about: The tortoise rule: why the first 20 years are boring and the next 20 get exciting (04:34) Why the best business decision Nick ever made had nothing to do with shirts (08:03) The fine line between founder magic and founder interference (12:27) Why Michael Dell's £158 billion business still annoys Nick (19:38) The expansion mistake that sent Charles Tyrwhitt bust (21:02) Why a great interview tells you almost nothing - and what Nick does instead (26:18) The difference between building a brand and building a business (32:12)⚡The Lightning Round⚡(34:30) Audience Q&A (39:31)
Host: Oliver Cummings
Producer: Will Felton
Editor: Penelope Coumau
Music: Kate Mac
Audio: Nick Kold
Email: podcast@nurole.com
Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Debbie Wosskow CBE is one of the UK's best-known entrepreneurs. Today, she is NED of Channel 4 and co-chair of the government-backed Invest in Women Taskforce. Tune into this episode to hear about: Debbie's discipline around cash (01:17) Picking your boards wisely: what’s on the line as a non-exec (08:32) Why storytelling is important for founders (09:48) What surprised Debbie the most during her first exit (16:55) The Series B decision that split the Love Home Swap board (18:53) Three questions a NED should ask before accepting  investment (26:07) "Organ donor rejection": why big names don't always survive in startups (28:49) How Debbie built her portfolio career (38:04) ⚡The Lightning Round⚡(42:08)
Host: Oliver Cummings
Producer: Will Felton
Editor: Penelope Coumau
Music: Kate Mac
Audio: Nick Kold
Email: podcast@nurole.com
Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom

Sir Lloyd Dorfman CBE is founder of Travelex, the world's largest retailer of foreign exchange. Today, he is Chair of the Royal Ballet and Opera and sits on the Mayor of London's Business Advisory Board and is Chair of Dorfman Media Holdings. Listen to this episode to hear about: How Sir Lloyd talked his way into Heathrow Terminal 4 (01:35) How Travelex outbid the clearing banks for the Heathrow contract (09:06) Why entrepreneurial businesses see opportunities incumbents miss (14:04) Why Sir Lloyd bet Travelex on a £440m acquisition (16:05) The integration lesson from the £440m Thomas Cook acquisition (20:47) The challenge of leading a cultural institution after COVID  (24:32) Why he banned hybrid board meetings (28:17) The mistake nonprofits make about commerciality (31:42) ⚡The Lightning Round⚡(34:34)
Host: Oliver Cummings
Producer: Will Felton
Editor: Penelope Coumau
Music: Kate Mac
Audio: Nick Kold
Email: podcast@nurole.com
Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom