Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick
Executive Decisions is a CNBC podcast hosted by financial journalist Steve Sedgwick. Each episode offers a rare window into the minds of top decision-makers, exploring the pivotal choices that shape the careers and legacies of influential business leaders and policymakers. Through candid conversations about risk, doubt, and conviction, the series reminds us that even the most powerful face uncertainty and trade-offs. The first season launched on November 11th.
Episodes
Success Isn’t the Finish Line: DSM-Firmenich CEO Dimitri de Vreeze
After more than three decades at science-based firm DSM, Dimitri de Vreeze faced what he calls the hardest decision of his career: selling the materials business where he had grown up professionally. In this episode of “Executive Decisions,” the DSM-Firmenich CEO reflects on why the decision made strategic sense, even as it felt deeply personal, and how it shaped his view that succes
Say Yes Before You're Ready: Capital Group CEO Mike Gitlin
Mike Gitlin never set out with a master plan to become CEO. Instead, his career has been shaped by a series of decisions to embrace opportunities that pushed him outside his comfort zone. In this episode of Executive Decisions, the Capital Group CEO reflects on the family values that shaped his leadership, from lively dinner-table debates to mock trials with his father that taught hi
Choose Impact Over Ambition: Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget
After 25 years at Dow, Ester Baiget left a business she loved to take on the top job at Novozymes — now Novonesis. It was not a move driven by ego, or a lifelong plan to become CEO. Baiget says she did not need the title. What drew her in was purpose, potential and a belief that she could help the company make a bigger impact through biology. In this episode of “Executive Decisions,”
Leave Without a Plan: BNY CEO Robin Vince
After 26 years at Goldman Sachs, Robin Vince made a decision few senior Wall Street executives would make: he walked away without another job lined up. At 48, he chose to take what he called a “gap year,” turning down an immediate approach from BNY so he could step back and think carefully about what he wanted from the next phase of his life and career. In this episode of Executive D
Be Willing to Stand Alone: Euronext CEO Stéphane Boujnah
Stéphane Boujnah, the CEO of Euronext, reflects on a pivotal decision to block a major merger, the origins of his conviction and the emotional weight of leading against the consensus. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Don’t Stop Trying Things: Reed CEO James Reed
James Reed reflects on the decision that defined his career — taking the risk of joining the family business. The Reed CEO discusses failure, purpose and why standing still is the worst decision of all. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Stop Trying to Fit In: Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein
At the start of his career, Lloyd Blankfein made a decision that would define the way he led — stop trying to fit in. In this episode of Executive Decisions, the former Goldman Sachs CEO reflects on growing up in public housing in Brooklyn, arriving at Harvard as an outsider and learning that authenticity was more powerful than performance. He explains how that mindset shap
If It’s Not Right, Leave: Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc
At one of the highest points in her career, Amanda Blanc made a decision most executives would avoid — she walked away. In this episode of Executive Decisions, the Aviva CEO reflects on leaving a senior role with no safety net, the judgment required to know when something isn’t right and how that instinct shaped the decisions she’s made si
Own the Role You Have: Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan
Vas Narasimhan never planned on becoming a CEO. In fact, he says the idea only hit him six months before he got the Novartis job.He credits his rise to a lesson from his parents: throw yourself fully into whatever you’re doing, because you never know what comes next.Narasimhan talks through the surprising roles that opened new doors, the crises that forced him to “stay in t
Decide, Then Deliver: Schneider Electric CEO Olivier Blum
Thrust into the top job sooner than expected, Schneider Electric CEO Olivier Blum explains why leadership isn’t about making perfect calls — it’s about committing once you choose, following through with discipline and learning fast under pressure. He shares how he sorts reversible vs. irreversible decisions, builds teams that execute without micromanagement and how he stays steady when th
Use the Five‑Year Test: Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson
Shaped by family legacy, grit and a deep sense of responsibility, Jenny Johnson reflects on the pivotal decisions that took her from “the founder’s granddaughter” to the CEO of Franklin Templeton.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lead Through Discomfort: Philips CEO Roy Jakobs
Roy Jakobs reflects on the early experiences that shaped his leadership—from post‑war lessons in forgiveness to the resilience built through childhood asthma. In “Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick,” the Philips CEO explains why compassion must sit alongside hard, practical choices—and how those uncomfortable decisions prepared him to lead the company through its lates
Protect the User: Pinterest CEO Bill Ready
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready reflects on the pivotal decisions behind his rise from small-town-Kentucky to Silicon Valley—and the bold move that reshaped the platform for a new generation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Think for Yourself: Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Victor Riparbelli, co‑founder and CEO of Synthesia, to unpack the unconventional thinking that took him from a restless, "rebellious" childhood in Denmark to leading one of Europe’s most valuable generative‑AI companies. He describes the pivotal moments that guided his trajectory—from a transformativ
Learn the Lesson: Canary Wharf Chairman Nigel Wilson
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Sir Nigel Wilson, chairman of Canary Wharf Group, to explore the curiosity-driven career that took him from a council estate in northeast England to the top of U.K. business. Wilson shares how intellectual curiosity—nurtured by family and teachers—shaped his path from a scholarship at MIT to rol
Learn to Decide: Heidelberg Materials CEO Dominik von Achten
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Dominik von Achten, CEO of Heidelberg Materials. One of Dominik’s earliest decisions was to leave the “dry” world of legal practice for the fast-paced environment of Boston Consulting Group. Today, he steers one of the world’s largest building materials companies through a bold sustainabili
Know When to Leave: Syensqo CEO Ilham Kadri
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Ilham Kadri, CEO of Syensqo. Raised in a humble home in Casablanca without running water or electricity, Ilham shares how her grandmother’s belief in education as a “third exit” out of poverty shaped her life.From public schools in Morocco to earning a Ph.D. in macromolecular physical chemistry, her journey is
Be Yourself: Phoenix Group CEO Andy Briggs
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Andy Briggs, CEO of Phoenix Group, for a candid conversation about leadership and purpose. Andy reflects on a career spanning nearly four decades in financial services, shaped by the values of hard work and authenticity instilled by his family. He shares how early decisions — from pursuing actuarial
Do the Hard Thing: London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events, for a compelling conversation about the life and leadership lessons sport can teach us.Raised by elite athlete parents, Hugh’s career journey has been deeply rooted in sport. From transforming his family’s specialist sport shop into a nationwide retail chain to leading one of
Build, Don’t Complain: Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, for an inspiring conversation about leadership, innovation and sustainability.Estelle shares her remarkable career journey, shaped by the influence of her trailblazing mother and grandmother. Originally drawn to astrophysics, she ultimately chose ecologi
Know When to Stop: M&G CEO Andrea Rossi
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick sits down with Andrea Rossi, CEO of global investment manager M&G. Andrea shares how his multicultural upbringing—growing up in France with a Swedish mother and Italian father—shaped his adaptability and resilience as a leader. He reflects on his academic journey from France to Rome and INSEAD, calling his MBA a truly fo
Trust Your Gut: IIF CEO Tim Adams
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick speaks with Tim Adams, President and CEO of the Institute of International Finance and one of the most influential voices warning about the global debt crisis. Adams shares his remarkable journey from a small Kentucky town to the forefront of international finance. A childhood spent in the local library sparked his curiosity
Own the Decision: Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick speaks with Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, about the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership.From an early love of languages and math to a formative stint in a psychiatric hospital during Germany’s public service program, Christian shares how empathy and curiosity became cornerstones of his approach to business. He re
Be Decisive, Stay Humble: London Stock Exchange CEO Julia Hoggett
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Steve Sedgwick speaks with Julia Hoggett, CEO of the London Stock Exchange and a trailblazer in British finance.Raised in a family of pioneering lawyers and judges—including her mother, Baroness Hale—Julia chose a different path, studying sociology at Cambridge and launching a career in the City. She shares how her upbringing shaped her values,
Change Your Destiny: Ms Jo Malone CBE
In the debut episode of Executive Decisions, CNBC's Steve Sedgwick sits down with Ms. Jo Malone CBE, the visionary perfumer behind one of Britain’s most beloved lifestyle brands.Jo shares the pivotal decisions that shaped her life—from a challenging childhood on a London council estate, where she helped raise her sister and managed the family’s finances, to launching her first busine
Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick: Tease
‘Executive Decisions’ is a CNBC original podcast offering a rare window into the minds of top decision-makers. Hosted by Steve Sedgwick, each episode explores the pivotal choices that shape the careers and legacies of business leaders and policymakers. Watch the promo previewing the first season above, featuring guests like entrepreneur Ms. Jo Malone CBE, Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruc
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