Leader Generation

Today on Leader Generation, Tessa Burg welcomes back Linda Owens, Global Vice President of Digital Customer Experience at Sherwin-Williams. Six years after becoming the podcast's very first guest, Linda returns to discuss how B2B leaders can navigate rapid changes in technology, AI and buyer behavior while staying focused on what matters most: the customer.

Linda shares practical advice for separating meaningful trends from hype, c...

Coming up with AI ideas isn’t the struggle for most teams. The real challenge is to make those ideas stick. In this episode, Shashank Kadetotad, Global Senior Director of Enterprise Data Science and AI at Mars, breaks down what helps companies move from interesting pilots to real business impact. He explains why adoption matters just as much as the technology itself, how culture and leadership shape success and why the best A...

Why do so many promising pilots fail to scale? In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with digital transformation leader Kenneth Phua to explore what separates successful pilots from initiatives that never move beyond the testing phase.

Drawing on his experience leading digital strategy and transformation programs for global brands, Kenneth shares the common mistakes organizations make when measuring pilot success, ...

In this episode, Tessa Burg talks with Stephen Trammell, Vice President of New Business Models at Nestlé Purina North America, about what it really takes to build stronger customer relationships in a digital world. 

Instead of focusing on the point of sale, Stephen explains how brands can create value across the full pet ownership journey by understanding real needs, solving real pain points and showing up in ways that feel na...

In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Tariq Hassan about what it really takes to modernize a business for the AI era. Drawing from leadership roles at agencies, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Petco and McDonald’s, Tariq shares lessons from leading transformation at some of the world’s biggest brands.

They explore why success with AI is not chasing the newest tools. Instead, it starts with understanding the ...

In this episode, Tessa Burg talks with Fabio Ranieri, Head of AI Content Transformation at HP, about what it really takes to create content at scale without losing relevance. Fabio explains why better content doesn’t come from simply making more of it. But rather it comes from better inputs, better audience understanding, and better systems that help marketers create content that fits the product, the customer, and the moment...

What if the biggest problem in digital advertising isn’t creativity or budget—but waste? In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Zach Rosen of Multilocal to unpack the growing shift happening in programmatic media and why brands are rethinking how they buy and optimize advertising.

Zach explains how AI-powered curation and sell-side decisioning are helping marketers reduce waste, improve performance ...

AI is changing everything, but not in the way most leaders think. In this episode, Rishad Tobaccowala breaks down how we got here, from the early days of broadcast marketing to today’s fast-moving, AI-powered world. He explains why the current moment is different, what’s actually changing and what still matters more than ever.

If you’ve been hearing about AI strategy and wondering where to start, this conversation...

Technology doesn’t have to be scary or steal jobs. In this episode of Leader Generation, Katya Lobynko shares a fresh perspective on digital transformation—one that puts people at the center. From her “people-priorities-process" approach to getting user feedback in hours instead of months, Katya breaks down practical frameworks for leading change that actually work. 

If you’re tired of hearing about AI...

Tessa Burg talks for a second time with Mariano Bosaz, Global VP of Consumer Data and Strategy at Coca-Cola and the author of “Digital Mindset.” This time, they dive deeper into practical applications of digital thinking, moving beyond theory to give you actionable strategies you can implement right away.

Mariano shares real-world examples of how the shift from analog to digital thinking transforms problem-solving, part...

AI is moving fast, and for a lot of leaders that creates both pressure and possibility. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Rohit Prabhakar, Global Head of Digital Experiences and Capabilities at Visa, about what it really takes to lead transformation when the rules keep changing. They dig into why strong foundations still matter, why connected data is more important than ever and why leaders need to balance...

During National Women’s History Month, Leader Generation welcomes Nicole Purcell for a conversation about creative leadership. While so many conversations right now are focused on AI, this episode shifts the spotlight to something just as powerful: hospitality, intuition and the kind of human-centered thinking that makes teams thrive and people feel seen.

Nicole shares how her career journey shaped her leadership style and ho...

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the data and metrics coming your way? You're not alone. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Scott Sutton about one of marketing's biggest challenges: figuring out what's actually worth measuring.

Scott shares real-world insights from his experience managing media for major restaurant brands like Hardee's and Carl's Jr. You'll discover why measuring everything can actually hurt yo...

AI isn’t just changing marketing tools—it’s changing how leaders think about strategy, value and growth. In this episode, Tessa Burg talks with Mariano Bosaz, author of Digital Mindset: Marketing Strategies for the AI Era, about what it really takes to lead through transformation without losing what already works. 

You’ll hear a practical way to think about “digital mindset” as a bridge, not...

Marketing used to feel more predictable. You picked your channels, launched a campaign and tracked performance in a fairly linear way. Today? Consumers are bouncing between social, search, streaming, AI tools, connected devices and more—all before making a decision. In this episode, Matt Fanelli joins Tessa Burg to unpack what’s actually broken in marketing measurement and how leaders can rethink performance in a fragme...

AI is evolving fast—and so are the risks that come with it. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Mod Op’s EVP of PR, Chris Harihar, to unpack a growing issue most brands aren’t fully prepared for: AI-driven brand misrepresentation. From deepfakes to manipulated logos and inappropriate brand placements, the conversation explores how generative AI tools are creating new reputational threats in...

While most enterprises are still celebrating their AI pilots, a quiet revolution is happening:  Organizations that stopped collecting tools and started building capabilities. 

In this episode, Tessa Burg and Michael Ditter, Director of AI Strategy and Emerging Technology at Diageo, dismantle the playbook many thought they needed. 

Discover why empathy matters more than efficiency in capability building, how your orga...

What does it really mean to be consumer-obsessed, and how is AI changing the face of the beauty industry? 

In this episode, Tessa Burg and Irina Kulikova—VP, Strategic Development & Integration at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.—explore the intersection of consumer insights, brand experience and emerging technology. The two discuss how store beauty advisors must now compete with AI, the magic of “small da...

The marketing landscape is changing faster than ever—and the marketers who treat their work like product and embrace AI will win.  

This week, Leader Generation host Tessa Burg talks with Alan Kipust, Mod Op’s Executive in Residence and a leader in product management, to discuss how AI is fundamentally reshaping what marketing teams can accomplish and how they should think about their work. 

You’ll ...