Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast

“There is no formula. There is no direct path. Everybody has to pivot at times in their life. Don't always be looking for the next thing because you won’t be happy in the moment.”

Ana Malmqvist, is the CMO of Front Burner Brands, which owns Melting Pot, the world’s premier fondue restaurant. Ana’s love for beauty products took her to L’oreal right out of business school where she advanced throughout various roles before an inflection point and deciding to move to P&G Beauty as an experienced hire. At P&G Ana worked in Brand Management on Max Factor Cosmetics across North America and Western Europe, as well as on the Prestige Fine Fragrances business on brands like Hugo Boss, Giorgio Beverly Hills, Helmut Lang, and Hervé Leger Parfum. When she left P&G to be closer to family, she entered the hospitality industry - delivering unforgettable experiences via marketing as the VP of Product Marketing at Bloomin’ Brands. Ana has a love for translating marketing to the consumer, in large part due to her language skills developed as a child and learning the art of speaking others’ languages. Ana continues to use her language skills to bring together multi-functional groups she works with and in her mentoring of others. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the inflection points that change life’s path, and how to find balance and maintain curiosity along the way.

“We are most successful from the core of who we are - don't change into somebody else. But at the same time, what is it about your leadership style that is getting in the way?”

Carol Yang is a certified Global Executive Coach (ICF PCC) with 23 years of global leadership experience across Fortune 500 companies - like P&G and the Timberland Company, where she was VP of Global marketing. As an Executive Coach, Carol works with senior leaders around the world, with an emphasis on empowering female leaders to move up and thrive in bigger, more complex roles. Carol’s clients include senior leaders at Goldman Sachs, Merck, P&G, Agile Technology and others.

Going beyond her own career journey, Carol shares relevant advice on the mindset shift needed to ascend into senior executive roles. This is the first in a series with P&G Alumni Coaching where leading Alumni will dive deep on relevant topics. Just as professional athletes have a coach to help them perform at their best, coaching can help you thrive in career and life life, through powerful questioning, exploration, and action planning. P&G Alums can learn more and sign up for their free first coaching session @ coaching.pgalums.com

You’ll enjoy this candid coaching conversation with Carol on not just the big mindset mindset needed for executive growth, but also how to get clear on what we want, taking ownership of your career, building self awareness, and going beyond the buzzwords of building an authentic personal brand.

“Make the time to scratch beneath the surface in each state. Spending time with the people - in the cities, in the towns, at the restaurants - you're always going to uncover something.”

Part TWO of our USA Travel series - across all 50 states of the USA with Raman and podcast co-founder Drew Tarvin - author of “The United States of Laughter” - as they share stories and learnings from their travels across America - from Nebraska to Wyoming. See last week’s episode for the first part, from Alabama to Montana.

Got some travel learnings from anywhere in the world? Send a voice memo to pgalumpod@gmail.com, and maybe we'll feature your story on a future episode!

And don’t forget to register for the P&G Alumni Global Conference in Washington DC - November 2-5, 2023. You'll get to hear from many former P&G CEOs, C-Suite alumni leaders, and emerging trendsetters, all while networking with fellow P&G Alums. Learn more and register at pgalums.com

“It's so easy to go onto the next thing - but take that moment to stop and celebrate small and big wins.”

We’re returning to one of our favorite topics - TRAVEL - turning our focus to the strange and foreign land known as the United States of America. Raman is joined by podcast co-founder Drew Tarvin - author of “The United States of Laughter” - as they share stories and learnings from their travels to all 50 American states, in the first of a two-part series, covering from Alabama to Montana.

Got some travel learnings from anywhere in the world? Send a voice memo to pgalumpod@gmail.com, and maybe we'll feature your story on a future episode!

And don’t forget to register for the P&G Alumni Global Conference in Washington DC - November 2-5, 2023. You'll get to hear from many former P&G CEOs, C-Suite alumni leaders, and emerging trendsetters, all while networking with fellow P&G Alums. Learn more and register at pgalums.com

“Simplifying the complex is hard - really distilling the essentials, making your thoughts and rationale as strong as possible. Make sure that it says something about you.”

Jawad Bisbis is the Global VP of Marketing at Ball Corporation where he leads marketing and partnerships for Ball’s aluminum cup business. Jawad was previously 7-Eleven’s VP Proprietary Beverages, where he oversaw the coffee, fountain and frozen business across 10,000 stores nationwide. Before joining 7-Eleven, Jawad was a VP of Marketing at Focus Brands, a foodservice chain where he provided marketing leadership across more than 50 international markets and 2000 stores.  Jawad also worked for Luxottica as Group marketing director for the Middle-East & Africa business, and  fifteen years with The Coca-Cola Company in diverse markets and roles. Jawad started his marketing career with Procter & Gamble where he held various brand management positions. He holds a Master’s Degree from Kedge Business School in France and is fluent in Arabic and French. Jawad is  married with two children, and when he’s not working, he enjoys watching soccer, playing tennis, and mentoring college and early career youths in underserved communities.  You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about cultivating a different point of view and pushing yourself to being a lifelong learner.

Tim Ferriss is an American entrepreneur, author, and podcaster - best known for his book: the Four Hour Work Week, and his podcast: the Tim Ferriss Show. Tim has been listed as one of fast company's most innovative business people. Tim is an early stage technology investor and advisor, and is known in media as “the Oprah of Audio” due to the influence of his business and interview podcast being the first to exceed 200 million downloads. Tim is the author of four Number One New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, including the Four Hour Work Week. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about balancing work and life, health and wellness, and many other topics. 

But Tim is not exactly a P&G Alumni, so what’s the deal? Alongside our partners at P&G, we’re thrilled to share another episode of P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast - available exclusively each week to P&G Employees at GetMoreThanSoap.com. On “More Than Soap,” P&G shares weekly conversations with Inspiring guests, unique perspectives, and unconventional ideas. “More Than Soap” is P&G’s official internal podcast - available  to all 100,000 P&G employees worldwide, and hosted by Dorion Positano, P&G’s Director of New Business and Content Innovation. Interested in learning more about P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast, or P&G Studios, can reach out directly to Dorion on LinkedIn. GetMoreThanSoap.com

“There's nothing that opens up your mind, even your heart, to new and unknown things than travel. Get outside your comfort zone.”

S. Qaisar Shareef is P&G’s former head of Pakistan and Ukraine, author of “When Tribesmen Came Calling,” and a longtime friend of the pod. But more importantly, he’s also a fellow lover of travel. Specifically in how travel allows each of us to experience new and different cultures. Qaisar is based in Washington DC, and a frequent columnist in News International Pakistan, and his recent article about his travels in Egypt speak to the importance of experiencing new and different cultures. Whether hitchhiking from Germany to Belgium, traveling the silk road thru Uzbekistan, wandering Afghanistan, or roaming ruins in Syria and Spain, Qaisar shares lessons and learnings from a world well traveled. Got learnings to share about your own travels? Let us know your favorites pgalumpod@gmail.com - with a voice memo or written story - and maybe we’ll feature your travel learnings on a future podcast!

"There's this bittersweet tradition that has existed across time and our world - it's the pathway to creativity and connection and transcendence.”

Susan Cain is the author of the bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking, which has been translated into 40 languages, is in its seventh year on the New York Times best seller list, and was named the #1 best book of the year by Fast Company magazine, which also named Cain one of its Most Creative People in Business. Susan’s latest book, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, is also a #1 New York Times Bestseller, and explores the power of the bittersweet personality, revealing a misunderstood side of mental health and creativity, while offering a roadmap to facing grief in order to live life to the fullest.

But Susan is not exactly a P&G Alumni, so what’s the deal? Alongside our partners at P&G, we’re thrilled to share another episode of P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast - available exclusively each week to P&G Employees at GetMoreThanSoap.com. On “More Than Soap,” P&G shares weekly conversations with Inspiring guests, unique perspectives, and unconventional ideas. “More Than Soap” is P&G’s official internal podcast - available  to all 100,000 P&G employees worldwide, and hosted by Dorion Positano, P&G’s Director of New Business and Content Innovation. Interested in learning more about P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast, or P&G Studios, can reach out directly to Dorion on LinkedIn. GetMoreThanSoap.com

“There need to be silences - you need to give people room to run. Let people talk more. I already know what I know now. I wanna know what you know.”

Recently P&G Alumni Co-host Rajiv Satyal sat down with Crossroads pastor and podcast host Bryan Tome on his show “The Aggressive Life.” What started as an exploration of Rajiv’s comedy career and approach turned into an open and honest conversation among two very different perspectives on politics, faith, and culture. With the Fourth of July right around the corner for Americans, we celebrate our independence and freedom, but also take an honest reflection on who we are - and want to be - as a nation, and as a people. With today’s level of division and discord , the importance of talking - and listening to others who might not look and think like us. There is a better way from simply passively standing by and retreating to our echo chambers. It's about seeking to understand, which was one of the values many of us were taught during our time at P&G. We hope you’ll enjoy this candid conversation about comedy - and curiosity. 

“Sometimes we fall into the trap of creating one size fits all processes. What's even more important is humanizing experiences with empathy and care.”

Mohit Das is a Senior Solution Architect for Retail and CPG customers at Microsoft. Prior to his current role, Mohit built a 26 year career in Consumer Products & Retail, Health Care and Strategy consulting. Most recently Mohit was with the Kellogg Company as the Vice President for the Global Commercial Analytics Centre of excellence, driving data and analytics transformation across the entire commercial value chain. Before Kellogg’s, Mohit worked at McKinsey, Abbott Nutrition, and Procter & Gamble, where he started his career and later served in several Strategy, Insight & Analytic roles within categories like Fabric & Home care, Hair & Beauty Care and Pet Foods in Asia and the US. Mohit earned a bachelor’s of engineering in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and his MBA from the Indian Institute of Management. On the personal front Mohit has lived with his family in Singapore, Bangkok, Mumbai, Cincinnati and Chicago, where he currently resides. He enjoys outdoor activities and is regular at tennis and practicing yoga. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the importance of finding balance in life.

“You have to be able to laugh. It makes difficult things more achievable. It builds a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. It lifts up the mood, and puts everything in perspective.”

Fatima (Fama) D. Francisco is P&G’s CEO of Global Baby, Feminine and Family Care — the company’s second largest sector with $20 billion in sales from brands like Pampers, Always, Bounty and Charmin. Throughout her career, Fama has been a true trailblazer, including: being the first female sales manager hired in P&G Philippines in 1989, among the youngest women promoted to President, and the first Asian female Sector CEO in P&G’s 186-year history. Fama is a respected leader with a track record of turning around businesses, including during her time North America Baby Care, while at the helm of Global Feminine Care, and as the Baby & Feminine Care Sector CEO. An inspiring leader, Fama is a role model known for championing gender and intersectional equality. She is also an advocate for mental health and leads her business with empathy and openness building resilient teams who she empowers to rise up to their full potential. She has four children and currently lives with her family in Cincinnati. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about resiliency, and being a trailblazer in an organization.

“It's less about what you do or where you do it, but more about the people you work with. That's what's going to make a difference - learn from great people and grow.”

Angie Hicks is the Co-founder of Angie’s List & Chief Customer Officer at Angie Home Services. Angie Co-founded Angie's List in 1995 and served as CMO and on the company’s Board of Directors. In 2007 she led the merger with IAC Home Advisors to form Angie Home Services. Angie received her MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePaul University, which has honored her with a Distinguished Alumni Award for Management and Entrepreneurship, and with the Robert C McDermott Medal for Excellence and Entrepreneurship. Angie’s also the recipient of numerous awards including the Indiana Commission for Women Torchbearer Award for Entrepreneurial Accomplishments, the TechPoint Trailblazer Award, Harvard Business School's Alumni Achievement Award, and Woman Tech founder of the Year. In this P&G Alumni Enrichment webinar, you’ll enjoy hearing about Angie’s personal story of entrepreneurship, and navigating through work and life’s many changes.

“Really focus on people. If you have 500 people working for you, that does not mean that they're working for you, but you are working for 500 people.”

Jaideep Bansal is the CEO of Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) Impact Ventures, and one of the P&G Alumni Leaders Under 40. Jaideep worked with P&G in Product Supply for almost 6 years before becoming a social entrepreneur. With GHE, Jaideep is bringing sustainable development to the remotest communities in India. GHE brings solar energy and sustainable development to half a million people across five remote regions in India. Jaideep and his team are the winners of the 2020 UN Climate Action Award. GHE’s work has been documented by National Geographic, BBC and NDTV, and awarded by the WTTC and the World Tourism Awards. Jaideep has been featured repeatedly at Davos among the top leaders inspiring change in the world. He is also an Asia Foundation Fellow and has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about social entrepreneurship, how development trumps religion, and living a purpose driven life.

“ 'Yes, and...' is a kind of courage. Only failure allows us to begin again more intelligently.”

Emily Chang is a seasoned marketer with 20+ years of experience across the US and China. She’s currently the CEO of Wunderman Thompson West, and was previously the CEO of McCann Worldgroup China. Emily served as Starbucks SVP of Marketing, and earlier as CMO of Starbucks China. She was the Chief Commercial Officer at Intercontinental Hotels Group, and Apple’s head of Asia retail marketing. Emily got her start at P&G, spending 11 years working across multiple business units. Emily’s spoken at conferences around the world - including Fortune Most Powerful Women’s Summit, C2 in Montréal, and has delivered three TEDx talks. Emily’s also the author of the book “The Spare Room: Define Your Social Legacy to Live a More Intentional Life and Lead with Authentic Purpose.”  Emily lives with her husband and daughter, and over the years, has shared her spare room with sixteen young people, five dogs, one turtle, one guinea pig, and 129 snails. You can learn more about Emily’s work at social-legacy.com. In our candid conversation, Emily shares how her immigrant upbringing, curiosity and willingness to take risks has led her professional career, and personal purpose. 

This episode originally aired in March 2021

Shankar Vishwanathan was P&G’s SVP e-Business leader for Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa — a 32 veteran of the company starting in India as Account Manager, and a career ranging brands/categories across  India, USA, Russia, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines. For Shankar, leadership starts with people — he believes in the power of relationships to unleash the best in others. Shankar is also a practitioner of yoga and mindfulness and is a trainer instructor in both. A proud husband and father, Shankar is very involved in philanthropy, having led the Force for Good program in Singapore, started a school for orphans in Vietnam and helped educate children through direct support and coaching. You’ll enjoy this candid, vulnerable conversation from an accomplished international leader

“When you unlock an insight with curiosity, the power to drive limitless growth is huge. We as leaders can make a big difference with the questions we ask.” 

Shailesh Jejurikar is P&G’s Chief Operating Officer, where he has profit/loss responsibility for P&G’s Enterprise Markets - Latin America, India, Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe - and leads Information Technology, Global Business Services, Sales, Market Operations, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Distribution and New Business for the company. Previously, Shailesh was the Chief Executive Officer of  P&G’S largest business sector, Fabric & Home Care, which includes many of P&G’s most-iconic brands: Tide, Ariel, Downy, Gain, Febreze, Swiffer—and represents about one-third of total company sales and net earnings. From 2016 to 2021, Shailesh served as executive sponsor for global sustainability, enabling P&G’s “force for growth and a force for good” vision and ensuring the company’s sustainability goals are fully integrated into the day-to-day business to enable—and to inspire—positive impact on the environment and society while creating value for the company, consumers and shareholders. Shailesh’s extensive P&G career has spanned 30+ years - across multiple businesses (Health & Beauty Care, Home Care, Fabric Care and P&G Professional) in both developed and developing regions - including North America, Europe, Asia and Africa) - getting his start in his home country in India. Shailesh is known for his unique ability to identify growth possibilities, having consistently delivered strong business results in every market and on every business. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on curiosity, seeing around corners, and learning to learn.

"A brand grows in the centuries balancing between heritage and modernity - to stay modern, to stay relevant. Leadership also requires this balance.” 

Daniela Riccardi is a proven CEO - with extensive experience operating businesses and brands in the international consumer and retail industry. She's currently the CEO of Moleskine, and has also led as CEO at iconic luxury and fashion brands like Baccarat and Diesel.  Daniela got her career start over 25  years at Procter & Gamble, where she held numerous senior roles including Vice President in Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. From 2001 to 2004, she worked as Vice President and General Manager for Eastern Europe and Russia, based in Moscow. From 2005 to 2010, she was President of Procter & Gamble Greater China. 

Daniela has also served as a member of the board of WPP, the largest agency holding company, the French Luxury goods company and of Comite Colbert, an association of French Luxury Brands and cultural institutions. Daniela Riccardi graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Rome - La Sapienza (Italy) and holds a degree in Political Science and International Studies. Prior to that, she completed professional studies in classic and modern dance at the National Dance Academy in Rome. She speaks fluent French, English, Spanish and Italian. You’ll enjoy this candid talk on leadership, heritage & modernity from the 2019 P&G Alumni Global Conference in Madrid.

“AI gets back to how do I make decisions easier? Giving the right data to the right people at the right time — not perfect by any means, but it’s a powerful notion.”

Franz Dill is a retired P&G Technologist and independent consultant in AI and analytics. We wanted to tap into Franz’s experience and expertise in technology to talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI) - a topic that issuddenly, everything, everywhere, all at once. Franz worked at P&G for 30+ years, where where he served as a Chief Scientist for analytics and as an emergent technologist. He founded P&G groundbreaking contextual innovation centers, established the company's Web 2.0 capabilities, wrote one of the most read blogs in the organization and was also a member of the Cognitive Alliance Analysis Council. Since retiring in 2008, Franz has remained an active consultant in Business Intelligence and Marketing, Retail Innovation, AI, and Business Process Improvement. Franz has also consulted with groups like GE Aviation and as an adjunct professor at Columbia University. Franz has a degree in astrophysics from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master's in Industrial Mathematics from the University of Florida. With the rapid advancements in AI changing every day, things discussed in this March 2023 conversation may already have moved - but there’s a lot of fundamentals in this candid conversation that make sense.

“When people learn and feel valued, they want to make a difference and help each other. And when that comes alive, amazing things happen.”

Jon Moeller is P&G’s current CEO & Chairman. Jon has been an integral part of P&G's leadership team for over two decades, developing strategies that P&G people are executing with excellence to drive the company’s growth today. Prior to becoming CEO, Jon served as P&G’s Chief Operating Officer for six years, and also held the role of P&G’s Chief Financial Officer for more than twelve years Since joining P&G in 1988 as a cost analyst, Jon has held various senior leadership roles in categories, sectors and regions, including assignments in China, as the company’s Treasurer, Global Beauty, Health, Feminine Care Finance Senior VP, and Corporate Forecasting & Analysis. Jon is active in the business, civic and cultural leadership of Greater Cincinnati, serving in an advisory role on local Boards and is a Trustee Emeritus and Former Chairman of the Cincinnati Art Museum Board of Trustees. In this P&G Alumni Enrichment webinar conversation on meeting the moment - Jon talks about Jon talks about the journey that P&G has been on recent years - and looks ahead to the future. 

“The most important part of humor in the workplace isn't the humor — it's the outcome, which is it’s fun.

Bracken Darrell is President & CEO of Logitech - where for more than a decade he’s been the driver for Logitech’s continued growth and profitability. Prior to joining Logitech, Bracken spent a decade in executive roles @ Whirlpool, Braun, and General Electric - and also worked in brand management at P&G. Prior to receiving his MBA from Harvard, Bracken worked at Arthur Anderson and PepsiCo.

Bracken’s a longtime “Friend of the Pod” - so we wanted to feature another chat he had with our favorite Humor Engineer and Co-host Andrew Tarvin, in one of Drew’s ”Humor Talks.” You’ll enjoy hearing Bracken share his recognition in the power of humor for creating a fun workplace. Now more than ever, it’s important  to be able to be your authentic self at work, and for so many people, that includes humor. But Bracken knows that humor at work doesn’t have to mean telling jokes (he doesn’t think he’s a particularly funny person) - he’s more in the moment, improvising or reacting quickly to what is said - a great mindset to building humor. This conversation may also stories about Jack Welch, and the naming of a cat in this candid conversation that no surprise, is a fun one.

“If you don't have a room of people that can reflect your ideas, then you don't know how they'll play out in the real world — you need a sounding board.”

Misha Euceph is a Pakistani-American writer, podcast host, and producer - Misha also happens to be Founder & CEO of Dustlight Productions, the critically acclaimed podcast studio that has created podcasts with Spotify, Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Rolling Stone, REI, Subaru and many more. She’s also the creator and host of the podcast "Tell Them, I Am" - a series about the small defining moments in our lives— where the voices are all Muslim, but the stories are universal. The NY Times, LA Times, TIME, The Atlantic, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and Huffington Post, have named it among their best podcasts. Misha is also frequently featured in The Wall Street Journal, IGTV, and McSweeney’s. Misha and Dustlight want to make mission-driven podcasts for and with awesome people — but they also train those who want to push the boundaries of audio and tell beautiful stories.

Misha got her Master’s in Journalism at Northwestern University, has taught as an adjunct professor at USC Annenberg and the Transom Radio Workshop. Misha started work in podcasting in 2017, at the dawn of the podcasting era in 2017, and has quickly become an important voice for today's times, speaking on storytelling, identity, and ethical entrepreneurship. In a word, Misha is podcast.

This insightful and entertaining conversation on identity and belonging comes from P&G Alumni Co-host Rajiv Satyal’s  talk show "What Do You Bring To The Table" — where Rajiv spotlights prominent South Asian voices. Rajiv has spoken with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Comedian Hasan Minhaj, author Deepak Chopra, influencer Lilly Singh, journalist Manu Raju, TV personality Tan France, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and many more. You can SEE lots more of Rajiv's video conversations at WatchRajiv.com.

• “Be intellectually honest in any decision - otherwise you only see the answer that you want to see.”

Charlotte Otto served as P&G’s Global External Relations Officer for thirteen years, and later as Senior Corporate Advisor to PR industry leader Weber Shandwick for six years. At P&G - Charlotte led the company's external relations activities worldwide -  including media relations, employee + shareholder communications, government +community relations, and corporate contributions. Charlotte led a 33 year career at P&G, rising through the ranks of Brand Management and Corporate Comms, and was the trusted counselor to five P&G CEOs. In fact, Charlotte was P&G’s first female corporate officer. Charlotte has received numerous industry accolades - including being named Woman of the Year AND Corporate Woman of the Year by the Cincinnati Enquirer, as well as receiving the Matrix Award for Public Relations, and the prestigious Paladin award. Charlotte’s a proud Purdue Alum, where she received her Bachelors and Masters — and she even studied at the Culinary Institute of America. In a great conversation about intention - and serendipity - you’ll learn about the power of embracing a path never imagined, and removing our own blinders to be truly intellectually honest and objective about whatever situations we may face.

This episode originally aired in April 2021

Bob Gilbreath is a longtime friend of the pod, and a career friend and mentor to many. He is also a 2x-exit entrepreneur and co-founder of Hearty, a curated matchmaking service that combines top software developers with early-stage, venture-backed startups. He recently wrote a post entitled "Thinking of a Career Change? Try the Minimum First" - so we decided to sit down with him to learn more..

You can read more of Bob's writings @ behearty.substack.com

“Outsiders bring fresh thinking to the table. Some of my biggest contributions were because I thought differently and spoke my own mind all the time.”

Peg Wyant is the Founder & CEO of Grandin Properties. But before that, Peg broke the glass ceiling at Procter & Gamble in 1967 - a decade before the phrase entered the lexicon. When the company tried to put her in the typing pool, she responded with “all I can do is think, don’t you have a test for that.” She rose through the ranks, becoming a serial “first female” including first brand manager and first direct report to then CEO John Smale as head of strategic planning and acquisitions. After leaving P&G to become an almost full-time mom, Peg sought other challenges — consulting for Fortune 500 CEOs, and founding a venture capital fund focused on women-led companies. Peg soon launched Grandin Properties, a real estate development and management company focusing on walkable urban neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Beyond her career, Peg helped found the P&G Alumni Network and the Women’s Capital Club. Peg’s new book is called One Red Shoe: The Story of Corporate America’s First Woman. Alongside her husband Jack, Peg has four children and nine grandchildren. You’ll enjoy this insightful conversation about what it takes to persevere when the odds may be against you, to challenge the status quo, outperform, and break through boundaries.

This episode originally aired in November 2021

“The words follow the action. Make sure you're doing the work - making the impact so when you make a statement, it's from the overflow of what you're already doing.”

Susan Baba Oguche is the Cleveland Cavaliers EVP and Chief Communication Officer. For nearly two decades she has had the honor of leading communications and PR fo rsome of the world’s most beloved companies and brands. Previously Susan served as a Communications Director at Nike for three years. She also served in senior comms roles at Sleep Number Corporation, Home Chef, and Abbott. Susan got her start over eleven years at P&G in Communications working on brands like Gillette and Braun, as well as across Skincare and Homecare brands. Susan is driven by a creative curiosity and a journalist’s heart for the story beneath the surface, helping companies identify and connect with their missions, navigate moments of crisis, and inspire the world with their unique story. Hailing from Nigeria as a child, Susan moved across major cities with her university professor parents and got her start at P&G through a youth organization called INRoads.org . Susan now returns to Ohio with her husband and two daughters. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about speaking authentically, where your words have to follow your actions.

"Some have to carry more weight than others - everybody's got to do their part to try to lighten their load."

Linda Clement-Holmes served as P&G’s Chief Diversity Officer AND P&G’s Chief Information Officer - significantly elevating the company’s efforts and standing in the space of Diversity & Inclusion. Starting as a systems analyst in 1983, Linda has led a global career as an “executive of firsts” - the first Black female Senior VP, and later President. Linda’s been named one of Computerworld’s Premier 100 IT Leaders, Black Enterprise magazine’s Top Executives, and Working Mother’s “Working Mothers of the Year,” among many other honors. Linda is an active active Board leader among many business and community organizations, is a graduate of Purdue University, and a proud mother of two accomplished sons

In a candid conversation about authenticity and courage, Linda speaks about her personal - and professional - experiences in race, and comments on the unique moment we face today. Linda shares how she works everyday to lighten the load of others, and gets everyone to do their part.

This episode originally aired in August 2020

"People are willing to risk a lot to show their support for our freedoms."

Ed Rigaud was the Founder & CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which pays tribute to all efforts to abolish human enslavement and secure freedom for all people. At Procter & Gamble, Ed was P&G’s second-ever Black Vice President - spanning a 36-year career at the company in 1965 - during which he was the R&D Technical Brand Manager who helped create Pringles. Ed was later the first Black co-owner + lead investor of the Cincinnati Reds, as well as CEO of EnovaPremier, and CEO of Legacy Acquisition. Ed has served on numerous company boards, has received appointments from the Governor of Ohio, and a sitting US President. He’s a husband, father, grandfather, accomplished artist and guitar player.

In this candid conversation on race, work, and life - Ed shares his thoughts as a black man growing up in Louisiana, rising through the ranks of corporate America, and the current climate. Ed believes that his  number one mission is to help those who have been consistently under-represented to achieve higher levels of freedom…especially in the areas of education, economic empowerment, and inclusion.

This episode originally aired in August 2020

“If what is meaningful and important to me takes me off track - then it probably wasn't my track anyway.”

Anne Sempowski Ward is CEO & Board Director at CURiO Brands, a consumer goods company that manufactures and sells personal care and home fragrance products. Prior to CURiO Brands, Anne served as CEO at Thymes from 2012 to 2016 when it merged with DPM Fragrance to become CURiO Brands. Anne was previously CEO and Co-founder of consulting firm The FORWARD Group, focused on growth strategies for mid-sized companies and key executives. Anne was also President and COO of Ebony, Jet & Fashion Fair Cosmetics, Johnson Publishing Company. Ann also served as Assistant Vice President of African-American Marketing for the Coca-Cola Company, and she got her start at P&G, where she rose through the ranks from plant engineer in FemCare to Associate Marketing Director in P&G Beauty integrating Clairol, helping reinvigorate brands like Herbal Essences and scaling multicultural marketing.

An active member of civic and business communities, Anne has been recognized as a YMCA Black Achiever, YWCA Rising Star, Top Black Executive in a Major Corporation as well as a Woman at the Top by EBONY magazine. She was also the youngest and first African-American trustee on the P&G Fund. Anne is a Detroit native and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University. She also earned a Global MBA degree from Duke University's School of Business. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about finding your voice, evolving one’s communication style for effective leadership and taking people on a journey with you.

“Faith should bring us together and not drive us apart. And we will all have differences in what we believe, but it should never be the thing in the workplace that drives us apart.”

Kirk Perry is CEO of IRI Worldwide - and among our first / favorite guests (his threepeat!), returning for another learnings “deep dive” - where we go deeper on a topic folks are passionate about. For Kirk, that topic is his faith. In this authentic, vulnerable and revealing conversation - you’ll hear of the grounded humility of Kirk’s faith, and how it permeates into the leader he chooses to be.

Kirk Perry is CEO of IRI Worldwide, a company that deals in big data analytics and insights that power, action, and growth. Previously Kirk served at Google for eight years as the Global President of brand Solutions. Prior to joining Google Kirk was at P&G for 23 years - in various roles across marketing and general management - including President of Global Family Care, and six years in Asia with assignments in South Korea and Japan. Kirk serves on the boards of The J.M. Smucker Company and Chick-fil-A, having previously served on the board of e.l.f. Cosmetics. Growing up from humble beginnings, Kirk and his family are also very active in giving back. Kirk is a member of the Cincinnati Innovation District Advisory Council, and has been active with many nonprofit organizations, including board affiliations with The Ronald McDonald House, The CityLink Foundation, City Team, The United Way Campaign Cabinet, March of Dimes (national and regional), the University of Cincinnati Foundation, and the University of Cincinnati's Bicentennial Commission. Kirk has also coached youth sports for more than 20 years. He and his wife, Jacki, have been married for more than 30 years and have four beautiful children.

In this ranging conversation between Kirk and co-host Rajiv Satyal, you’ll appreciate the value of how two people from different faiths and backgrounds can find common ground in their similarities and differences.

“It's consumption media, not social media. A lot of people are struggling with this, and a lot more are going to. And I would like to be part of the solution.”

James Veraldi is the CEO & Co-founder of Loop.co — a company focused on Improving the world’s social and mental health. So many of us - including the people we love and work with - have had experience with mental health - and solving these challenges aligns with "touching lives, improving life." As an accomplished entrepreneur, James’ work embodies the very purpose, values, and principle driven approach to work so many of us P&G’ers hold true. Mental and social health is especially a challenge for the younger millennial and Gen Z workforce today - which has a potentially massive impact on performance, productivity, and overall engagement and retention.  If you’re a manager of people - an exec or HR stakeholder - you can learn more and sign up for a free 30-day trial for you and some of your colleagues — just visit Loop.co/work.

James began this recent chapter while serving as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at GGV Capital.  Prior to that he led product strategy at TikTok, which he joined in early 2017 — prior to its 2018 acquisition and rebranding from ByteDance.  Prior to TikTok, James led content strategy at Snapchat, which followed his work as a founding team member at one of Youtube’s earliest partners Fullscreen, which was acquired by Otter Media in 2014. James worked extensively with P&G, Danone and many other top brands when he co-led a small digital content agency called The ZiZo Group — here his team was on the earliest forefront of branded content marketing. James also had early career experiences at Target, Viacom, and Accenture. He spends a lot of his time in the climate & conservation spaces, where he has done a number of angel investments in climate tech — and founded a popular platform and podcast called Animalia where he leads discussions on a number of climate and conservation solutions. James is a dog lover, beekeeper, and even rehabilitates the occasional squirrel or crow.  You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about a career journey that led to a greater good - building meaningful solutions for the world of social and mental health - and hopefully be inspired on how you can make a difference.

“Imposter syndrome is very real to a lot of people — but it's not representative of what reality really is. There are possibly people who feel exactly the same way you do.”

With a new year comes a desire to get better — so we wanted to share a powerful conversation on tackling imposter syndrome AND the power of coaching. Research shows that 70% of people experience imposter feelings at some point in their career. Recently, this important topic was discussed by several P&G Alumni Coaches: Carol Yang, Heidi Piper, Carol Fusek, and Ilhiana Rojas — all accomplished executives with global career experiences — AND certified coaches from the P&G Alumni Women's Leadership Forum

• Carol Yang spent 13 years at P&G, with 23 years of senior corporate experience across Asia Pacific and North America. As a coach, Carol has multiple certifications with a special focus on leadership mindset, behavior shifts, and positive intelligence. Carol is a firm believer that you are most successful when you lead from the core of who you are.
• Heidi Piper spent 30 years at P&G, across the US, Belgium, and Germany. Currently as a coach, she holds several certifications. Heidi believes we have our own innate wisdom and when we're deeply listened to and really seen, heard and accepted, we can achieve our full potential in work and in life
• Carol Fusek spent 26 years at P&G — starting in Cincinnati and then across Asia-Pacific in leadership roles, primarily in supply chain. As a coach, she is certified in the neuroscience of leadership and as a certified dementia practitioner. Carol believes that what makes leaders exceptional is their people sense and their ability to connect to the hearts and minds of the organization they lead.
• Ilhiana Rojas started her career at P&G Mexico, after which she continued her career across different Fortune 500 companies, both in Mexico and in the US. As a coach Ilhiana is focused on leadership development.

Over the new year, we'll share more powerful coaching discussions with P&G Alumni Coaching — coaching.pgalums.com — a recently launched program by the P&G Alumni Women's Leadership Forum. Just as professional athletes have a coach to help them perform at their best, coaching can help you thrive in life. Coaching is for anyone willing to challenge themselves to go after their professional or personal aspirations —  through powerful questioning, exploration, and action planning. P&G Alumni can sign up for their first FREE coaching session @ coaching.pgalums.com. Because unlocking your full potential is a great way to start the new year...

As 2022 comes to a close, we compiled some of the year’s learnings...from leaders. So sit back with your beverage of choice and enjoy. And give us a gift - leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — hearing from YOU, our fellow Alums makes a big difference for our team as we reflect on the year. THANK YOU for the continued support of our podcast and our amazing guests...

• Suzy Deering: Ford Motor Company CMO
• Claire Elvers, Wayfair’s Head of Global Brand Management & Insights
• Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award–winning actor and produce
• Nitin Gajria, Google’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa
• Christine Fisher, Possip Co-Founder & COO
• Marissa Solis, National Football League (NFL) SVP of Global Brand & Consumer Marketing
• Tristan Walker, Walker & Co, CEO & Co-Founder
• Sharon Hall, Walmart’s VP of Global Executive Recruiting
• Seaphes Miller, Founder & CEO of Fusion Integrated Solutions
• Andrew Tarvin & Raman Sehgal reflecting on 100+ episodes
• John Pepper & Qaisar Shareef on Understanding Ukraine & Russia
• Arianna Huffington, Thrive Global Founder & CEO
• Raj Rao, IBM’s GM for Blockchain Ventures
• Malcolm Gladwell, Author & Journalist
• Dian Alyan: GiveLight Foundation Founder & CEO
• Kevin Hochman, Kentucky Fried Chicken, President, Yum! Brands
• Ikdeep Singh, Mars Petcare President, North America
• Qaisar Shareef, P&G’s former head of Pakistan & Ukraine
• P&G Alumni Comedians: Greg Warren, Josh Sneed, Rajiv Satyal, Andrew Tarvin
• Mahzarin Banaji, Harvard Psychologist & ‘Blindspot’ Author
• Mike Shangkuan, Lingoda CEO
• Gary Vaynerchuk (VaynerX) & Bracken Darrell (Logitech): Masters of Digital Disruption
• Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati Mayor
• Kevin Shapiro, Coty SVP of US Marketing
• Julie Eddleman, DoubleVerify’s Global Chief Commercial Officer
• Jay Sethi: Diageo Beer Company CMO & SVP of Diageo Convenience
• Shelly McNamara: P&G’s Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer
• Guy Raz, NPR Producer & Journalist
• Jakub Kocinski, Digital Safety & Trust (P&G, Google, TikTok, Meta)
• Poliana Sousa, Latin America’s Coca-Cola™ Lead
• Vivek Sunder: Cuemath CEO
• Katie Couric, TV Journalist, Producer, & Author
• K Patrick Davis: Blue Buffalo VP & General Manager
• Ana Maria Henao, PepsiCo’s VP of Global Marketing Excellence 
• TEDx Talks with P&G Alums: Drew, Ida, & Rajiv
• John Pepper & Ursula Burns’ (Xerox former CEO) on Race & Understanding
• Tom Asacker, P&G Trainer & Author 
• David Youn, Master Lock, President
• Alonya Tkachenko, Nommi CEO & Co-founder
• Paul Polman, Unilever xCEO on “Net Positive”
• Kyle Schlegel, Weber’s VP Americas Marketing & DTC
• Judy Okten: The Power of Disconnecting
• Edward Norton - Actor, Director, Activist, Entrepreneur (from P&G’s “More Than Soap” Podcast)
• Jim Lafferty, Fine Hygienic Holding, CEO
• JOHN SMALE - John Pepper & David Taylor’s reflections on John Smale
• Chip Bergh, Levi’s CEO: Advocacy, Activism & John Smale
• Bob McDonald & Bob Gill’s reflections on John Smale
• Janet Reid & Gordon Brunner’s reflections on John Smale
• A.G. Lafley & Charlotte Otto’s reflections on John Smale
• Oya Canbas, Bayer Global Brand Director
• Vahe Ayvazian, Abbott Divisional Vice President of Marketing & Core Diagnostics
• Sudha Ranganathan, LinkedIn’s Director of Product Marketing
• David Taylor, P&G’s Former CEO & Chairman

“My job as CEO wasn't to be right, it was to see that the right thing gets done. Surround yourself with the people and resources you need to solve things.”

David Taylor served P&G’s Chairman & CEO from 2015 to 2022 - having worked at P&G for more than 40 years. Throughout his career, David held leadership roles within both operations and marketing, managing P&G manufacturing sites, and eventually leading various consumer brands across North America, Europe, and Asia. David reinvigorated P&G's growth during his tenure, returning it to sustainable, balanced growth and value creation by simplifying the company's management structure and empowering business leaders to drive operational excellence in their specific areas of responsibility. David also led the company during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving both worker safety and supply chain resiliency. goes without saying that David is among one of the great modern CEOs of P&G, steering the company through a trying time, and demonstrating the purpose, values, and principles that continue to make P&G not just the sustaining, successful business we know it to be, but also a culture of some of the best people in the business. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation covering not just the highlights of David’s storied career, but the reflections on his learnings along the way.

“I was not gonna follow rules if they didn't make any sense to me. There's a healthy sense of curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status quo.”

Sudha Ranganathan is LinkedIn’s Director of Product Marketing on the Talent Solutions business — helping employers worldwide hire and develop strong talent in the new world of work. Sudha’s advocacy of consumer-centric marketing comes from a career spanning consumer insights and product marketing. Prior to LinkedIn, Sudha worked at Paypal as Senior Manager, Strategic Customer Insight, as well as at Affinova as VP on Strategic Account Development. Sudha got her start at P&G in Consumer Insights where she spent 7+ years working across Asian markets. Sudha earned her MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Mumbai. Sudha has a track record for developing high-performing, psychologically safe teams. As a trained CTI (Co-active Training Institute) coach, Sudha has a passion for unlocking the highest potential within individuals and teams. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about the importance of emotional intelligence for modern leaders.

“Finding your voice in an organization is not easy. Great leaders gave me a push when I needed the push. So now I need to do the same - giving others their voice.”

Oya Canbas is Global Brand Director and I&D Lead for Bayer Consumer Health — leading Bayer’s biggest nutritional brand, Elevit, globally which has a purpose of giving every baby best start in life. She is also the global lead in Inclusion and Diversity. In her 8 years in Bayer Consumer Health, Oya held two GM roles in UK and Ireland, as well as in Turkey. Prior to Bayer, she established her career at Gillette and then in Procter and Gamble for 18 years in leadership roles across Turkey, the UK and Russia on brands like Pampers, Ariel, Fairy, Always, Head & Shoulders, Gillette and Oral-B. Born in South Africa, raised in Turkey, and now living in the UK, Oya is a is a passionate leader and brand builder — and also a proud mother of two children. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about being a passionate learner, developing high performing teams, and bringing out the best in people.

“Be curious. Curiosity is the foundation of  success. Understanding where people are coming from helps you to ask the right questions.”

Vahe Ayvazian is Abbott’s Divisional Vice President of Marketing & Core Diagnostics. Having served at Abbott for 8+ years, Vahes work is focused on delivering measurably better healthcare performance through innovation to the healthcare ecosystem. Vahe got his start at P&G, spending twelve years in marketing and category management roles, from Prilosec OTC to Pantene — where in haircare he helped turn around a decade of brand decline through simpler innovation and retailer understanding. Vahe earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business at Indiana University, and has received executive certifications from the CMO program and Big Data from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business. A proud husband and father of two, Vahe is also on the board of a local school district educational foundation in the Chicago suburbs. Always curious, Vahe has grown his career passion for building teams and organizational culture for sustainable growth. Through his early years in sports that greatly shaped his team player attitude to the mentors at P&G that believed in him and demonstrated the importance of listening and being curious, Vahe pays the leadership learning and mentorship forward on the global teams he now leads.

“Democracy works best when every eligible voter has an opportunity to have their voice. American business is built upon having a stable democracy.”

Chip Bergh is President & CEO of Levi Strauss & Company — and a returning podcast guest (2020). Chip spent 28-years at P&G in leadership roles from Folgers to Swiffer, from Asia to Gillette and Old Spice. He got his start in the US Army as a paratrooper, rising to the rank of Captain.

Chip came back on the pod to talk about something he's passionate about: the evolving role of the CEO - going beyond the P&L to advocacy and activism. Chip learned the idea of "the Responsible CEO" from P&G's former CEO John Smale (1981-1990), arguably one of the most influential leaders of the modern era. Chip shares his thoughts from the new book about John Smale “Here Forever: The Timeless Impact of John Smale on Procter & Gamble, General Motors and the Purpose and Practice of Business." Chip also discusses the issues he and Levi's are active in: voter registration, women's rights, ending gun violence and climate change. While many of us have strong beliefs on these topics, the goal of this discussion was not to push an agenda, but rather to focus on the nonpartisan business reasons for taking a stand on certain issues. Chip shares stories of not just his own style of values-driven leadership, but also how he’s continued - through humility and humor - Levi’s tradition of social activism.

“We live in a world of massaging perceptions. It's okay to make a mistake, but the second time you have to learn from these things.”

James Michael Lafferty is a returning guest to the podcast — rejoining us for an open and honest conversation about making mistakes, and owning up to them. Jim is the CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding - a leading CPG company across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, and USA - as well as an accomplished writer, coach, and athlete. Jim is an internationally-tenured leader whose career spans 3 decades and 5 continents. Jim served as CEO of British American Tobacco in the Philippines and Coca-Cola in Nigeria. He led a distinguished 24-year career at P&G, leading the company in both the Philippines and Poland, rising through the ranks in senior roles across Western Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. Beyond being a dedicated husband and father of 5, Jim is also an accomplished coach and athlete - serving as a Coach of the Philippines Olympic Athletics team at the 2016 Rio Games, having run 30+ marathons, and was the 2017 Philippines National Champion in Powerlifting. Jim’s consulted with numerous Fortune 500 companies, and his many talks and lessons have inspired brand managers around the world. He currently lives in the United Arab Emirates. In a world of projections, you’ll appreciate Jim’s vulnerabile, candid conversation.

"What gets made gets affected by the quality of the insights."

Edward Norton is an actor, filmmaker, and activist. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his work in Primal Fear, American History X, and Birdman and has starred in several other acclaimed films including Fight Club, The Illusionist, and Moonrise Kingdom. Edward is also a UN Ambassador for Biodiversity, a successful investor (Uber, CrowdRise, and Kensho — acquired by SAP for $550 million), and deeply involved in wilderness conservation. In 2015, Edward co-founded EDO with PhD economist, poet, and entrepreneur Daniel Nadler. EDO is a leading TV outcomes company that works with top brands, networks, and Hollywood studios — from AT&T and Disney, to Univision, and of course P&G — using cutting edge data science to predictively power the success of marketing, research, and creative professionals. In a candid conversation ranging from David Bowie to data science, you’ll enjoy hearing about stretching your limits beyond what’s expected of you — across many paths of creativity, business, and entrepreneurship. If you're ever driven to do something more than your day job, or what the world expects of you - AND you happen to be a bit of a nerd about marketing and tech - this is the podcast episode for you.

But Edward Norton is not exactly a P&G Alumni, so what’s the deal? Alongside our partners at P&G, we’re thrilled to share another episode of P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast - available exclusively each week to P&G Employees at GetMoreThanSoap.com. On “More Than Soap,” P&G shares weekly conversations with Inspiring guests, unique perspectives, and unconventional ideas. “More Than Soap” is P&G’s official internal podcast - available  to all 100,000 P&G employees worldwide, and hosted by Dorion Positano, P&G’s Director of New Business and Content Innovation. Interested in learning more about P&G’s “More Than Soap” podcast, or P&G Studios, can reach out directly to Dorion on LinkedIn. GetMoreThanSoap.com