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The Leadership Enigma

The Leadership Enigma

Adam Pacifico 254 Episodes Aug 17, 2026

For 30 years, host Adam Pacifico has studied human behavior and leadership. Now, as a leadership expert, author, barrister, and columnist, he explores the complexities of leadership in a chaotic world. Each week, he interviews global experts, academics, and rising stars to uncover tools and strategies for effective leadership. The show is aimed at entrepreneurs, business owners, and corporate executives seeking to enhance their leadership skills.

Episodes

Why Great Leaders Put People Before Profit | James Burstall
Why Great Leaders Put People Before Profit | James Burstall Aug 17, 2026 00:46:36 What does it take to build a global creative business that thrives through disruption? In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacifico is joined by James Burstall, CEO and Founder of Argonon Group and author of The Flexible Method. James shares the leadership lessons he's learned from building one of the world's leading independent television production companies, creating award-winning c
From Fighter Pilot to Airport CEO: How John Ackerman Is Transforming LAX Before the 2028 Olympics
From Fighter Pilot to Airport CEO: How John Ackerman Is Transforming LAX Before the 2028 Olympics Aug 3, 2026 00:52:26 What does it take to lead one of the most iconic airports on earth while rebuilding it from the ground up with the Olympics two years away? In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacifico sits down with John Ackerman, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports, the organisation behind LAX a gateway that welcomes 75 million passengers a year and employs 50,000 people every single day. John shares
Building the World's First Electric Air Taxi | Vertical Aerospace CEO Stuart Simpson
Building the World's First Electric Air Taxi | Vertical Aerospace CEO Stuart Simpson Jul 20, 2026 00:51:21 Electric air taxis flying over London by 2029? It's closer than you think. Adam Pacifico sits down with Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace the British company that just became one of only two in the world to achieve full aircraft transition (taking off like a helicopter, flying like a plane, and landing like a helicopter again). With 1,500 aircraft pre-sold to American Airlines, Japan Ai
Human Centered Leadership | Angela Cretu & Tiger Tyagarajan
Human Centered Leadership | Angela Cretu & Tiger Tyagarajan Jul 6, 2026 01:01:34 As AI gets smarter, does human leadership become less important or more? In this landmark episode of The Leadership Enigma, host Adam Pacifico launches the first-ever Global Human Centered Leadership Index, joined by two exceptional former CEOs: Angela Cretu (former Global CEO, Avon Cosmetics) and Tiger Tyagarajan (former CEO, Genpact). After six years and 300+ conversations with world-class lead
Executive Eats: The Science of Eating & Cooking Your Way to Better Leadership
Executive Eats: The Science of Eating & Cooking Your Way to Better Leadership Jun 29, 2026 00:52:04 Could your diet be holding back your leadership performance? In this one-of-a-kind episode, host Adam Pacifico is joined by executive educator and author Adam Kingl for a live cooking demonstration a first in 300 episodes of The Leadership Enigma. Adam's new book Executive Eats, co-authored with molecular biologist and former Michelin-star chef Dr. Jacobi, is believed to be the world's first cook
Leading Through War | Maryna Pavliuk
Leading Through War | Maryna Pavliuk Jun 15, 2026 00:46:39 What does real leadership look like when your team is working through blackouts, missile strikes, and the daily uncertainty of war? In this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma, host Adam Pacifico sits down with Maryna Pavliuk, General Manager of Glovo Ukraine a delivery platform that became critical infrastructure from the very first day of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Maryna sha
Leading Tennis Integrity | Karen Moorhouse
Leading Tennis Integrity | Karen Moorhouse Jun 2, 2026 00:45:05 In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacifico sits down with Karen Moorhouse, CEO of the International Tennis Integrity Agency, to explore the challenges of protecting integrity in one of the world's biggest sports. From high-profile anti-doping cases involving top-ranked players to the realities of match-fixing investigations, Karen reveals what happens behind the scenes when professio
AI Won’t Wait And Neither Should Leaders
AI Won’t Wait And Neither Should Leaders May 18, 2026 00:25:13 AI is moving faster than most organisations can adapt but what does that actually mean for leadership, workforce capability, and real business impact? In this episode of The Leadership Enigma Podcast, Adam Pacific sits down with Sanjay Dutt, SVP & Global Head of HR Centres of Excellence, to unpack what it really takes to move beyond AI experimentation into meaningful workforce transformation. Fr
Leading In A Warzone | Yuriy Ryzhenkov
Leading In A Warzone | Yuriy Ryzhenkov May 4, 2026 01:01:23 What happens when leadership is tested in the most extreme conditions imaginable? In this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma, we sit down with Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of Metinvest, to explore what it truly means to lead in a war zone. From navigating life-or-death decisions to keeping thousands of employees safe, this conversation goes far beyond business it’s about courage, responsibility, a
The Longevity Risk | Annie Coleman
The Longevity Risk | Annie Coleman Apr 20, 2026 00:46:11 We’re living longer than ever before… but businesses are still built for a world that no longer exists. In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacifico sits down with longevity expert Annie Coleman to unpack one of the biggest hidden risks facing organisations today. 💡 Key topics: Why companies are unprepared for longer working lives The real risk of losing experience too early How long
AI Won’t Save You… Unless You Do This First | Ashok Ramchandran
AI Won’t Save You… Unless You Do This First | Ashok Ramchandran Apr 6, 2026 00:30:12 AI isn’t just a tool it’s a complete rethink of how we work. In this episode, we go beyond the buzzwords and break down what AI really means for leaders today. From re-engineering processes to building future-ready organisations, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about AI adoption. 💡 Key takeaways: Why adding AI on top of old systems doesn’t work The biggest misconce
AI Will Replace You… Unless You Do This First | Shaji Mathews
AI Will Replace You… Unless You Do This First | Shaji Mathews Mar 23, 2026 00:27:52 AI isn’t coming… it’s already here. In this episode, we sit down with a global CXO leading a 300,000+ workforce across 60 countries to break down what it really takes to build an AI-ready organisation. From completely reshaping business models to retraining entire workforces, this conversation reveals the uncomfortable truth: 👉 If you don’t adapt, you risk becoming irrelevant. We go deep into:

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