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Vasiliki Petrou founded and now leads the Unilever Prestige division; this last year has offered that division invaluable knowledge and expertise. In this week’s episode, she reviews some of what she’s learned about her already-strong commitment to running a mission-driven brand portfolio. She discusses the nature of prestige retail marketing; the future of brick and mortar; and her team’s unwavering commitment to purpose, for customers and employees alike. And intriguingly, she talks about the effect of having a creative in the C-suite. Petrou is a Columbia Business School graduate, class of 1993. Find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can catch up on old episodes in the Bizcast archive.

Like every other industry, the field of impact investing underwent significant change over the last year. This episode investigates some of the new possibilities that this change has opened. Maggie Loo, CBS class of ’05 and Bridges Fund Management partner, discusses how the definition of “returns” may need to be reevaluated, how environmental regulations will transform corporate decision making, and how larger businesses can leverage small changes to produce significant effect. Find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can catch up on old episodes in the Bizcast archive.

What happened? What went wrong? Those are simple questions to ask when a company experiences difficulty. In Professor Kathryn Harrigan’s Turnaround Management class, students examine case studies to uncover the often complex reasons why a firm got in trouble and to help plot a way back. On this episode of Bizcast, Harrigan, the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Business Leadership, tells us the story of the decisions made by two very different firms – J. Crew, the famous purveyors of preppy clothes, and Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork processor – as they coped with shifts in their fortunes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to discussing the strategies companies take to recover, Harrigan also explains how the class instills a sense of responsibility that future leaders should feel toward their companies. Find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can catch up on old episodes in the Bizcast archive.

We start our new season of Bizcast with a conversation about the challenges of entrepreneurship. Class of 2021 members Pritika Gupta, Gareth Pembroke, and Samuel Hong are co-presidents of the Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO), a community of students who offer each other support on their entrepreneurial journeys and a network that will continue after graduation.  CEO also plans a number of professional development opportunities and in the coming weeks the group will  host a panel discussion on the future of healthcare startups.  After explaining the benefits of the group, the students tell us what it’s like to study entrepreneurship at CBS as well as the lessons they’ve learned from previous successes and failures they encountered with their own entrepreneurial ventures before enrolling at the School. You can email us at bizcast@gsb.columbia.edu. Or find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz. Subscribe to Bizcast wherever you get your podcasts.

What is it like for a journalist to cover the final days of a political campaign, right before an election? Bizcast visits with two MBA students who have had this experience first-hand. Alexis Levinson ’21, a former reporter for Buzzfeed, and Knight-Bagehot Fellow Hannah Levintova ’21, who writes for Mother Jones, give us their perspective on the differences between covering local and national politics; trustworthy ways to stay informed; and whether voters should believe the latest polls. Levinson and Levintova also share their views on the future of the media business and why they felt pursuing a MBA would enhance and focus their respective career paths. Comments? Suggestions? Email us at bizcast@gsb.columbia.edu. Or find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz. Subscribe to Bizcast wherever you get your podcasts.

On this special episode of Bizcast, we’re presenting a conversation between Bernstein Center Faculty Director Modupe Akinola and former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, who is now the senior advisor to the Obama Foundation. Ms. Jarrett shares some of the formative experiences in her life: her childhood in Iran, England, and Chicago; her calling to public service; and her time in the Obama White House. She also provides her perspective on the role the business community can play in promoting social justice, and offers advice to future leaders. This conversation is part of the KPMG Peat Marwick/Stanley R. Klion Forum, hosted by the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Center for Leadership and Ethics. The series features leaders who are committed to resolving the major ethical, social, political, and economic challenges of our time. It was established in memory of the late Stanley R. Klion, the executive vice chairman and chief operating partner of Peat Marwick International and a longtime executive-in-residence at CBS. This forum is reflective of Mr. Klion’s ethical leadership style, and its goal is to encourage greater awareness of the ethical dilemmas faced by today’s leaders. Comments? Suggestions? Email us at bizcast@gsb.columbia.edu. Find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

As one of the world’s leading experts on diversity in business environments, the late Professor Katherine Phillips left a remarkable legacy of scholarship and inspiration. For Mariah Celestine ’20 and Camira Powell ’20, the most meaningful way to honor Professor Phillips was to continue the important work of making CBS a more inclusive institution that will empower future leaders to advocate for diversity and equity in their workplaces. As part of a collaboration with Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Gita Johar, the two recent graduates developed the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership, a new mandatory program for CBS students scheduled to begin in the spring of 2021. In this episode, Celestine and Powell provide an overview of PPIL and share some of their personal experiences that informed the creation of the program. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On June 26, Gita Johar, Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion spoke with Erika Irish Brown ‘98, the Chief Diversity Officer at Goldman Sachs, about the firm’s internal response to the global protest and reckoning on anti-Black racism in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. In their conversation, Brown shared some of the practical, actionable steps she’s put into place at Goldman Sachs that address racial injustice and help move the organization toward a place of equity. Brown discussed why it’s crucial to focus on systemic anti-Black racism; she emphasized the importance of storytelling during diversity education, which she said helps create meaningful and impactful dialogue. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Bizcast is continuing our conversation with Management Professor Dan Wang about the connections between protests and business. Part one examined the skills and leadership abilities protest organizers have in common with CEOs. In this part, Wang explains the relationship that exists between businesses and consumers is analogous to protest movements responding to emerging societal trends. Wang discusses his research on how demonstrations affect the public perception of companies and internal cultures of organizations, and he reflects on the type of self-interrogation needed to bring about changes in company culture. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey. Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In light of the conversation started by the Black Lives Matter movement, we’re starting a series of special edition podcasts focusing on how pro-equity social changes are affecting industries. For the first episode, we’re going to look at the nature of protest itself. On the surface, it might seem that planning an effective protest and running a successful business might not have much in common. But according to Associate Professor Dan Wang, demonstration organizers often have the same skills seen in CEOs: planning, communication, consensus-building, resource mobilization, and ultimately, leadership. In this first half of a two-part episode, the newly tenured Wang, whose research was featured in a recent article in Ideas at Work (https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/articles/ideas-work/successful-protests-require-diversity-and-focus), explains the similarities between businesses and protest movements and what they can learn from each other. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey You can also email us at columbiabizcast@gsb.columbia.edu. Or find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the already volatile world of brands with a tough new challenge: How does a brand stay viable, but ensure that it is sensitive to the new financial and societal realities of the “new normal?” On this episode of Bizcast, marketing Professor Elizabeth Friedman and Matthew Quint, the director of the Center on Global Brand Leadership, offer insights on ways companies communicate both that they are open for business, and that they care about the well-being of their customers and employees. Friedman and Quint discuss how heightened emotions affect the way brands are perceived, the importance of setting the right tone, and the opportunities for innovation amid the crisis. Bizcast listeners! Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey  Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business world and the daily lives of millions have undergone massive disruptions in a short amount of time. The reality of this new normal is what Professor Rita McGrath would define as an inflection point – an external change that causes the underlying assumptions of a business to adjust dramatically in response. On this episode of Bizcast, McGrath, the author of Seeing Around Corners: How To Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen, explains different scenarios that could help firms cope -- and eventually thrive. You can hear her speak about leadership practices that help businesses thrive on this prior episode. How is your business weathering these big changes, and planning for the future? Let us know by emailing us at bizcast@gsb.columbia.edu. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

Overall, Dean Emeritus Glenn Hubbard has been pleased with the government response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, noting the speed with which Congress and the administration passed the CARES Act. On this episode of Bizcast, however, Hubbard, the Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics and faculty director of the Chazen Institute for Global Business, offers a critique of the implementation of relief efforts by the Small Business Administration and Department of the Treasury. “Rather than pointing fingers though,” Hubbard says, “can we design something more effective so that we can just turn the switch on, if there is a next time? Hubbard also shares his views on funding state governments, tax reforms after the pandemic, and the future of international relationships in the aftermath of COVID-19. You can find more of Professor Hubbard’s thoughts on the economic impact of the pandemic here: his conversation with Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz; his interview with Neil Irwin ‘08 of The New York Times; his discussion on the role of political economy with professors Tano Santos and Ray Horton; and his panel with Japanese Minster Takeshi Komoto and Keiko Tashiro, deputy president of Daiwa Securities Group on the implications of COVID-19 on the US and Japanese economies. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey Subscribe to Bizcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

According to a recent Department of Commerce report, retail sales slumped by 8.7 percent in March, as states issued stay-at-home orders and stores closed throughout the nation.  Mark Cohen, the director of retail studies, explains on the latest episode of Bizcast that the retail sector should be prepared for even more dismal numbers in the coming months. “There’s an enormous amount of business being done on food and supplies, but for the most part retail is shut down,” he says.  Cohen provides his view on the changes coming to large retailers, many of whom have already seen declining sales and store closures before the pandemic hit. He also discusses the role of government bailouts for the industry and speculates about when stores will be able to open their doors.  You can read more of Cohen’s insights on the impact of COVID-19 on retailers here. (https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/articles/ideas-work/will-retail-bounce-back-pandemic) Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

Like many of his classmates, Dr. Faheem Ahmed started the spring semester, primed to put the finishing touches on his MBA. But after COVID-19 began to spread, he relocated to his home in London to complete his degree remotely and work on the frontline of the crisis. In this special episode of Bizcast, Ahmed -- who has a medical degree from King’s College London and a master’s degree in health systems management from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine -- gives us his perspective on the UK response to the pandemic. Ahmed also discusses his recent article in The Lancet, co-authored with Professor Joseph Stiglitz, which explains how COVID-19 is exacerbating social inequality around the world, especially among those with low incomes and black and ethnic minority communities. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

Jacquie Henderson '17 works in strategy and operations for a seven hospital health system that serves communities in New York's Hudson Valley and in Western Connecticut. When the virus hit, her responsibilities quickly shifted. In this episode, Henderson talks about how her CBS experience helped her set up freestanding testing sites and “uptrain” the staff to take on new tasks and assignments. She also describes the precautions she takes to keep her family safe. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

We’re pivoting Bizcast. Starting with this episode, we’ll be covering the business impacts of COVID-19 from multiple perspectives. Our first guest is Tommy Hendrix ‘17, who discusses his current work searching gray markets for personal protective equipment to redistribute to healthcare workers. He details how his military and business school backgrounds inform his task, and offers his thoughts on the most important way to combat this virus. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

This month, the School welcomed its inaugural group of undergraduate seniors and non-professional Master’s students into the new Deferred Enrollment Program. The program allows accepted students to defer their MBA or EMBA start date for between two to five years, while they are gaining experience in the workforce. On this episode of Bizcast, we visit with CBS Admissions officers Emily French Thomas and Michael Robinson. They explain not only how the DEP works, but also how its students will play a vital role in the overall School community. We’ll also hear stories from Sebastian, Sid, and Phyllis – three students who tell us why they chose the DEP for their futures in business. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

In our second episode featuring the School’s UK-based graduates, we visit with Lee Georgs ’03, the Chief Operating Officer of Corporate for the investment consultancy Redington and co-President of the London alumni club. Georgs has held positions with some of the world’s most prestigious investment banks, including Citibank, JP Morgan and Credit Suisse. Her career path has not been a straight line. Since graduating from Columbia, Georgs moved from New York to Hong Kong to London, while taking some breaks from work along the way. She tells us how those periods away from the office changed her perspective -- and created new opportunities. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey

For the next few months, Bizcast will be bringing you stories and interviews from our recent UK visit, where we met with members of the CBS Alumni Club of London.  We start our journey across the pond with Shai Weiss ’97, who was named CEO of Virgin Atlantic in January 2019. Weiss offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brand’s unique mission to make Virgin the world’s most loved travel company. He also talks about Virgin’s commitment to diversity and the challenge that climate change poses for the airline. Listen in to hear what he’s learned about leadership, risk-taking, and failure from Virgin founder Richard Branson. Is there anything you would like to tell us about your experience listening to Bizcast? Please fill out our audience survey at: bit.ly/BizcastSurvey