Welcome to Episode 2 of The Mindflick Podcast, where we explore the psychology of high performance and the turning points that shape how people think, lead, and grow.
Our guest is Penny Hughes CBE — one of Britain’s most accomplished business leaders, with a career spanning consumer brands, technology, financial services, and real estate.
Penny became the first woman — and youngest ever — to be appointed President of Coca-Cola Great Britain & Ireland at the age of 33, leading the company through one of its most admired periods. Since then, she has helped scale Vodafone to over 100 million customers, chaired Aston Martin Lagonda, guided RBS through the aftermath of the global financial crisis, and led multi-billion-pound transactions including the sale of iQ Student Accommodation to Blackstone for £4.66 billion — the largest ever private real estate deal in the UK. She is currently Chair of Riverstone, Director & Chair of Remuneration & Talent at OFI, and leads the Strategic Advisory Board of fintech Form3.
Although Andrew and Pete have admired Penny’s career for years, this conversation goes deeper — unpacking the mindset shifts, leadership decisions, and moments of courage that shaped her journey.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How Penny led through pivotal moments — from building brands at Coca-Cola to scaling Vodafone worldwide
- Why leaders must balance attack and defence — and find the courage to act under pressure
- Lessons in clarity and purpose that helped steer RBS through the global financial crisis
- The importance of valuing different perspectives and building teams that challenge and support you
- Why purpose and profit can (and must) coexist — and how to keep them aligned
About Penny Hughes CBE Penny Hughes is one of the UK’s most respected business leaders. She has served on the boards of Vodafone, The Body Shop, Reuters, Morrisons, Superdry, Next, Gap, The Gym Group, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and RBS/NatWest. She is currently Chair of Riverstone, Director & Chair of Remuneration & Talent at OFI, and Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board of fintech Form3. Penny is known for guiding businesses through growth, transformation, and moments of crisis, with a focus on clarity, purpose, and sustainable success.
About Mindflick At Mindflick, we help leaders, teams, and athletes unlock performance through mindset. Our performance psychometric and platform have supported Olympic champions, world-class teams, and Fortune 500 companies to think differently, adapt faster, and perform when it matters most.
Learn more: www.mindflick.co.uk
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindflick3
Hosts: Sir Andrew Strauss & Dr Pete Lindsay Guest: Penny Hughes CBE Producer: Mindflick Ltd. All enquiries: Contact Dr Sam Porter at sam@mindflick.co.uk
If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.
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