Deep Purpose
Harvard Business School Prof. Ranjay Gulati 32 episodes Jun 22, 2026
Deep Purpose features conversations between Harvard Business School professor Ranjay Gulati and global CEOs about leading with purpose. Each episode explores how courageous leaders unlock potential in their organizations and create both strong performance and social value. The show emphasizes practical lessons on embedding purpose into strategy, culture, and decision-making. It is aimed at business leaders and listeners interested in purposeful management.
Episodes
Introducing 'HBS The Founder Mindset: The Curse of Optionality with Tim Ferriss'
Today on Deep Purpose, we’re excited to share an episode from The Founder Mindset with Reza Satchu, the new podcast from Harvard Business School Foundry.
Hosted by entrepreneur and Harvard Business School senior lecturer Reza Satchu, The Founder Mindset features in-depth conversations with founders, investors, and leaders about the mindset, judgment, and decisions that shape extraordinary careers
Introducing 'HBS Think Big, Buy Small' Season Two
Today, we’re sharing a special episode from season 2 of Think Big, Buy Small, the podcast from my colleagues at Harvard Business School. Think Big, Buy Small explores an innovative approach to entrepreneurship: acquisition entrepreneurship. Through engaging conversations, this season delves into how to buy your own business, become your own boss, and scale it to new heights.
In this episode, HBS
Introducing 'Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators'
Today, we are sharing the first episode of the new podcast Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators. Recently called a “best podcast of the week” by The Guardian, Dealcraft is hosted by my HBS colleague, Jim Sebenius, who is a renowned negotiation expert and author. The show features interviews with the world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats (like Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and
Introducing HBS Think Big, Buy Small
This is a special episode from Think Big, Buy Small, the chart-topping entrepreneurship podcast from our friends at Harvard Business School. Think Big, Buy Small explores an innovative approach to entrepreneurship -- acquisition entrepreneurship -- with conversations on how to buy your own business, be your own boss, and get the financial benefits of your efforts through the approach of entreprene
Helena Foulkes: The Power of Asking “What Could Go Right?”
Research has repeatedly shown that we are hard-wired to worry. Whether we worry about our own survival, our family and friends, or our future, it can seem like we spend much of our lives fixated on what could go wrong. In this episode, Helena Foulkes discusses how taking courage can be as simple as asking what could go right – a philosophy that has taken her from the helm of CVS Pharmacy and Hudso
Behind the CEO Who Wants to “Keep Commerce Human”
In our increasingly virtual world, it can feel like many of our lives take place remotely. When Josh Silverman took the helm at Etsy in 2017, however, he went against this technological grain, helping to usher in a new, distinctly human-centered purpose at the e-commerce company: “Keep Commerce Human.” In this episode spanning the course of his career, Silverman recounts the difficult choices he h
Global CEO of Chanel Leena Nair: Building the Courage to Lead
Despite the decades of progress women have made in the workplace, they remain
underrepresented in leadership positions at companies across the globe. Leena
Nair, CEO of Chanel, is working to change that. Reflecting on her journey from
rural India to London, Leena discusses how she developed the confidence
necessary to usher Chanel into the future – one led by (many more) women.
From the Frontlines to the C-Suite: How Penny Pennington Discovered Her Purpose at Edward Jones
Few CEOs can claim that they started in entry-level positions at the
companies they now lead. Penny Pennington is one of those few, rising from
financial advisor to CEO and Managing Partner at Edward Jones. In this episode,
Pennington reflects on how Edward Jones’ purpose – “to partner for positive
impact” – motivated her personal and professional life and, nowadays, how she
has been working to re
What it Takes to Lead a Successful Turnaround in Health Care
As a veteran leader in the healthcare sector, José (Joe) E. Almeida, Chairman, President & CEO of Baxter, has made a lot of tough decisions. He led the successful turnaround of the Illinois-based multinational by calling on leadership lessons he gained from his family in Brazil. Almeida says courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to press on when times are difficult.
Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach on Driving the Future of the Digital Economy
What’s really in a payment? During his career at Mastercard,
Michael Miebach has strived to understand how payment solutions make a
difference in people’s lives, even before his appointment as CEO. In this
episode, Miebach explains how he thinks through powering the economy in an
increasingly digital (if uncertain) world and the leadership required to do so.
How Anne Mulcahy Turned Xerox Around – and What Came After
During the 2000s, Anne Mulcahy was faced with the seemingly
unsurmountable challenge of saving Xerox, rising to the position of CEO after
her predecessor had been unsuccessful. In this retrospective, Mulcahy discusses
the leadership lessons she learned, the role she believes CEOs should play in
today’s society, and how she’s defining her life post-Xerox.
Entrepreneur Harsh Shah Debates the Exit Strategy: Is it Selling Out or Building Value?
Harsh Shah and his firm’s co-founders faced a once-in-a-lifetime quandary: should they sell the incredibly successful e-commerce venture they worked so hard to build to a big conglomerate? Reflecting on the circumstances surrounding their acquisition offer, Shah outlines the values that guided their ultimate choice.
From Rags to (Shared) Riches: How James Mwangi Democratized Financial Access Across Africa
James Mwangi made a courageous decision to leave a comfortable, big-city banking job to rescue Equity Building Society, a local financial institution on which Kenyan farmers and villagers depended. Under his leadership, the struggling firm transformed into a multi-national conglomerate (Equity Group Holdings) that now serves millions of customers across six African countries. Mwangi explains how h
Piloting Alaska Airlines with Compassion
To pilot Alaska Airlines, CEO Ben Minicucci draws on his Italian immigrant roots and Canadian military training, which was put to the test during a tricky operation near the North Pole. Having first gained a reputation at the company as “the numbers guy,” Minicucci discusses how he has been evolving into a leader who cares deeply about Alaska Airline’s employees, customers, and the communities it
How Levi Strauss & Co.’s Harmit Singh Finds Purpose in Profit
As the Chief Financial & Growth Officer of the Levi Strauss & Co. clothing brand, Harmit Singh makes tough decisions by sticking to a clear set of values that are well-aligned with the company’s larger purpose. He is inspired, in part, by Levi Strauss himself, who started selling his now-iconic jeans during the California Gold Rush and committed some of his first profits to a local orphanage. With
Making Global Sustainability Personal at Bühler
The global food supply chain is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental challenges. Many companies avoid these issues or make token efforts to reduce their impact on the planet. But as CEO of the Swiss-based technology giant Bühler Group, Stefan Scheiber is mapping a courageous plan to combat food waste and climate change. He describes how he challenges his own com
How Framebridge Founder Susan Tynan Managed Risk While Making an Impact
Great business leaders are problem solvers. That’s what sparked Susan Tynan (Harvard Business School MBA 2003) to found Framebridge, a custom framing company. When Tynan couldn’t find a reasonably priced place to frame her beloved posters, she launched a business, which took off after years of hard work – and hard decisions. Tynan reflects on her learning journey, discussing how she managed the ri
Saving BlackBerry: CEO John Chen Explains How to Make the Hard Calls
John Chen was hired to save an iconic smartphone company that ran out of juice. BlackBerry had gone from being a corporate world must-have to a global has-been. Chen says the key to turning Blackberry around was being prepared to make hard calls, even in midst of uncertainty. He says that, in business, the journey can be more important than the destination.
Former Unilever CEO Paul Polman on Business as a Force for Social Change
Paul Polman is the legendary former CEO of Unilever and a global leader in combating climate change and promoting corporate responsibility. Reflecting on his career during and after Unilever, Polman explains how a company can achieve robust financial performance while playing an active role in solving the most pressing challenges facing society today.
Deep Purpose Season 2
Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati is back with a new season of Deep Purpose. This time he’s exploring the qualities it takes to become a courageous leader, joined by a new lineup of top global executives. He’ll sit down to discuss each guest’s personal story and how it led them to make bold business decisions. The show shares key insights that illustrate why courageous leadership isn
McKinsey's Climate Consulting
In this bonus Deep Purpose release, we are sharing an episode of the HBS podcast Climate Rising with host Professor Mike Toffel. In this episode, Daniel Pacthod, Senior Partner and global co-leader of McKinsey Sustainability, shares how the company works with its clients to address climate risk and find opportunities through its pillars of net-zero strategy, green business building, decarbonizatio
Anand Mahindra: The Rise Philosophy at The Mahindra Group
The core purpose of The Mahindra Group is to help people “rise.” Company leader Anand Mahindra says the “rise” philosophy guides how this sprawling enterprise makes money, motivates employees, and strives for a better world. Mahindra describes how “rise” is a beacon for the group’s 250,000 employees and makes life better for people across the globe.
DBS CEO Piyush Gupta Aims to Lead the Best Bank in the World
Like many winning businesses, DBS (formerly known as The Development Bank of Singapore) is obsessed with the customer experience. CEO Piyush Gupta says DBS’ mission to be the best bank in the world pays huge dividends for employees, investors, and communities. He tells Professor Gulati that effective leadership in the digital age requires collaboration and trust. Gupta says performance and purpose
Why Brazil’s Nubank Founder David Vélez Plans to Give Away Billions
David Vélez is a founder of the world’s biggest digital bank: Nubank in Brazil. Vélez tells Professor Ranjay Gulati that he started his remarkable business career as a boy – and with an unusual investment. Vélez describes how having a deep purpose helped his team defy the critics and build Nubank from scratch. Nubank’s core mission led it to outperform the competition. And deep purpose is promptin
Dilhan Pillay Leads Temasek Holdings’ Ongoing Purpose Journey
Temasek Holdings is an investment firm owned by the Government of Singapore with a diverse, global portfolio. It owns energy companies and a major airline. It’s also committed to a green future, which generates unique challenges for the firm. CEO Dilhan Pillay says the Temasek’s ongoing “purpose journey” helps it meet those challenges, delivering real financial performance while navigating the tri
How Higher Purpose Guides CEO Sim Tshabalala of Africa’s Standard Bank Group
In South Africa, CEO Sim Tshabalala of Standard Bank Group worked his way up from the country’s largest Black township to lead one of Africa’s largest financial institutions. It might seem like an improbable trajectory: from the “dusty streets of Soweto” to the executive suite of a highly influential business. In this episode, Tshabalala explains how hewing to a deep purpose guides his bank to do
Arcos Dorados Founder Woods Staton: The Importance of Core Principles
Arcos Dorados (Golden Arches in English) is the world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee. It has restaurants across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founder Woods Staton says purpose is a work in progress for his company. But having core principles helped Arcos Dorados keep the doors open – with minimal layoffs – during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this candid conversation, Staton describes
Mumzworld Founder Mona Ataya: Empowering Women in the Middle East
Mumzworld is the largest online baby store in the Middle East. It was created by Mona Ataya, one of the most influential businesswomen in the region. Ataya is driven to empower women, motivate employees and benefit all of the company’s stakeholders. In this conversation, Ataya recounts the challenges of creating a women-led company in a socially conservative environment. She explains the critical
How Mudassir Sheikha’s Rideshare Company Careem Became a Unicorn in the Middle East
A near-death experience led Mudassir Sheikha and his business partner to a deep sense of purpose in creating the rideshare company Careem. They wanted to make an impact – and did so big-time. Sheikha says that purpose is Careem’s “superpower,” bringing energy, focus and exceptional financial success to the company. Doing business with a clear, core purpose helped Careem become a rare startup “unic
Walgreens-Boots Alliance Leader Rosalind Brewer Inspires Joy through Better Heath
As the CEO of Walgreens-Boots Alliance, Roz Brewer leads a large and diverse company in a challenging business sector that is critical to the well-being of society: health care. Having a Deep Purpose is essential, she says, because profits come from doing the right thing. In this candid conversation, Brewer reveals how her own family’s health concerns informed her leadership. She also describes th
Unilever CEO Alan Jope Maintains a Long History of Doing Good
Alan Jope of Unilever leads a company with a historical commitment to doing good. This massive company sells more than 400 brands. It started back in 1885 with a bar of beauty soap. Jope says navigating with a deep purpose makes his company stronger and more profitable. The approach has not been without controversy. But Jope says it’s the both the right and smart thing to do.
Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati Introduces Deep Purpose Podcast
Deep Purpose is a series of captivating conversations with Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati and top global CEOs about how courageous leaders unlock potential, proving that vast performance gains–and vital social benefits–are the payoffs when firms get purpose right.
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