The SAFE Leader with Mark McBride-Wright

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, host Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Angelo Ponzi, seasoned brand strategist, fractional CMO, and author of The Strategy Blueprint. With over 30 years of experience helping businesses grow through data-driven insights, Angelo shares what it really takes to move from scattered marketing tactics to clear strategic impact. From understanding your customer to aligning your internal teams, th...

What does it really take to create teams that are not only high-performing, but also human-centred and resilient? In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Jade Garratt, Director of Education at Psychological Safety, to explore the role of psychological safety in transforming how we work, learn, and lead. Drawing on her background in education, leadership, and yoga, Jade unpacks the difference between training and true le...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Dr. Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Linda Carlisle, a seasoned communications and culture strategist with over 30 years of experience helping organisations navigate moments that matter. From her early career in brand strategy to her deep dive into internal communications, Linda shares powerful insights into how culture is shaped by the behaviours we model, the messages we send, ...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Dr Frank L. Douglas shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Guyana to breaking barriers in the global pharmaceutical industry. A distinguished physician, scientist and author, Dr Douglas opens up about the discrimination he faced early in his career and how those experiences shaped his philosophy of reframing challenges into opportunities. He takes us behind the scenes of his tim...

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Iain McKechnie to explore the human side of engineering, where values like safety, care, and inclusion take centre stage. Drawing on years of experience across academia and industry, Iain shares stories of mentorship, bold career shifts, and the importance of designing systems not just for efficiency, but for the people who use them. From assembling diverse teams to embedding reli...

In this episode, I sit down with Karen Aitchison, Global Head of Wellbeing and Partner at ERM, who brings heart, humour and honesty to the centre of the workplace conversation. From tackling imposter syndrome to rethinking how curiosity can drive stronger connections, Karen shares deeply personal insights and practical tools for creating cultures where people feel safe to show up as themselves. We explore how understanding the brai...

Adriènne Kelbie CBE joins The SAFE Leader Podcast to unpack the reality of leadership beyond titles and job descriptions. From her early experiences navigating personal hardship to becoming Chief Executive of the UK’s nuclear regulator, Adriènne shares a raw and honest account of what it means to lead with resilience, emotional intelligence, and courage. She reflects on the cost of poor leadership, the danger of staying in your com...

In this special minisode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, host Mark McBride-Wright reflects on the journey so far, sharing personal insights behind the creation of The SAFE Leader framework and the motivations driving his mission. From moving to New York and building new community, to piloting The SAFE Leader Training Course with Rolls-Royce SMR, Mark explores the critical role of psychological safety, authentic leadership, and inclusiv...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, we explore what it truly means to lead with integrity, empathy, and long-term vision. Our guest, Dame Judith Hackitt, shares a compelling personal journey from growing up in a mining village surrounded by industrial risk to becoming a key voice in national safety reform. We discuss how core values should anchor leadership, and why embedding health and safety into culture is non-negotiable...

What does it really take to lead with strength and humanity? In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Urs Koenig, UN and NATO peacekeeper, ultra-endurance athlete, executive coach, and bestselling author of Radical Humility. Urs shares his powerful philosophy of being tough on results and tender on people, drawing on deeply personal stories from the battlefield, the boardroom, and the racecourse....

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Malcolm Staves, Global Vice President of Health and Safety at L’Oréal, to explore what it means to lead with purpose, care, and conviction. Malcolm shares the story of the hummingbird, a simple but powerful metaphor that has come to define his approach to leadership and culture change. From global safety systems to grassroots impact in schools and commun...

In this episode of The Safe Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Antonio Zappulla, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, to explore what it really means to lead with purpose in uncertain times. From his early days in a newsroom during 9/11 to navigating the challenges of running a global organisation through COVID-19, Antonio shares how decisiveness, curiosity, and a refusal to accept the status quo have shaped his l...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Paulo Oliveira, Vice President of Process Safety Consulting at DEKRA UK, for a powerful and thought-provoking conversation about the evolving world of safety. From his roots in Portugal to leading international safety initiatives, Paulo shares how his journey was shaped not just by technical expertise, but by a deep philosophical drive to understand peop...

What happens when a seven-year-old sees injustice and decides to change the world? In this powerful episode, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with Ayo Sokale — civil engineer, children's TV presenter, tech founder, and author — about what it means to live life on purpose. From witnessing flooding in Nigeria to protecting thousands of homes through engineering, Ayo shares how personal experience shaped her career and calling. She also ope...

In this episode of The Safe Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Benjamin Ralph, Director at Hollis and a leading voice in building safety and fire engineering. From setting fires in the fields of North Devon as a child (for science!) to influencing national building safety policy, Ben shares his deeply personal and professional journey into fire engineering.

Together, they explore how tragedy, like the Grenfell Tower...

In this powerful episode of The Safe Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Mark Wilson, HSE and Operations Director at Offshore Energies UK, for an honest and inspiring conversation on leadership, wellbeing, and the ripple effect of positive change. From giving up alcohol and caffeine to rising through the military ranks, from private soldier to major, Mark shares how personal choices and professional integrity shaped ...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with Simon Burwood, Partner at ERM and co-founder of Engineering Safety Consultants. From taking apart his mum’s iron as a curious child to leading cutting-edge safety work across biosafety, renewables, and AI, Simon shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career. He reflects on the transition from traditional industries like oil and gas to the fast-evolving landscap...

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Martin Cottam, Chair of ISO Technical Committee 283, for an in-depth conversation on how international standards can drive cultural change in workplace health and safety. With a career spanning over four decades in nuclear, marine, oil and gas, and major hazard industries, Martin shares how he transitioned from a technical safety background into global leadership in standardisation....

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Séverine Trouillet, CEO of STEM Learning—the UK’s largest provider of STEM education and careers support. With a powerful blend of personal insight and sector expertise, Séverine shares what drives her mission to widen participation in STEM, especially for underrepresented communities.

From her reflections on having a “squiggly career” to her determination...