Season Two of the Mackie Myers podcast, Topline Talks, brought together an impressive range of C-Suite leaders, founders and experts from across the housing, life sciences, charity, and technology sectors. Across ten episodes, the series explored how senior leaders are navigating increasingly complex workplace environments, balancing commercial pressures with social responsibility, leading teams through change, and preparing their organisations for the future.
While each guest brought a unique perspective shaped by their sector and career journey, several clear themes emerged over the course of the season: purpose-led leadership, the evolving role of the finance function, people and culture as drivers of success, and the growing influence of technology and AI.
Here we provide a round-up of the season’s key takeaways.
Change, whether organisational, cultural or strategic, was a recurring topic across this season of Topline Talks. Whether as a result of shifting policy landscapes, funding pressures, organisational moves or navigating mergers, the topic of leading successfully through change was well covered.
Sarah Clare, SVP of Finance and Operations at SynOx Therapeutics, shared her experience of moving from large organisations to a fast-growing BioTech:
“The transition from working in a big company to a start-up is always more challenging than you anticipate.”
Sarah discussed building finance functions that can withstand rapid growth, managing global expansion, and knowing when, and how, to invest in people. She also spoke candidly about the importance of flexibility and support in attracting and retaining female leaders in the life sciences sector.
The theme of adaptability continued with Dr Tomas Baldwin, CEO and Co-Founder of Guilford Street Laboratories. Drawing on his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, Tomas emphasised the need for resilience, a learning mindset and the importance of building the right team at the right time:
“When we hire, we’re more interested in finding good scientists who can learn and pick up new techniques – regardless of their background.”
Across sectors, leaders agreed that successful change depends on trust, clarity and helping teams understand the “why” behind decisions, especially in fast-moving or uncertain environments.
One of the most prominent themes in Season Two was how the role of finance is changing.
Stefanie Brown Hawkins, CFO of MedTech INOTEC AMD, described storytelling as a core skill for modern finance leaders:
“Storytelling is one of the most important elements of the CFO role.”
She spoke about consolidating complex information, bridging the gap between academic and commercial stakeholders, and engaging boards through clear, compelling narratives.
That idea was reinforced by Danny Rose, Director of Finance at LIO, who discussed building finance functions from the ground up in start-ups, often with limited data, systems or structure. Danny highlighted the value of learning by doing, establishing rigour in reporting, and supporting leadership teams with insight rather than just numbers.
The conversation broadened further with Jaz Ghuman, CEO of A&D Instruments Europe, who challenged outdated perceptions of finance:
“Finance is often known as the sales prevention department. That shouldn’t be the case.”
Jaz discussed the shift from a purely accountancy mindset to a commercial leadership role, the importance of collaboration between finance and sales, and what it really takes to move from the finance function into the CEO seat.
Together, these discussions reflected a wider shift: finance leaders are no longer just guardians of the numbers, they are strategic partners, communicators and agents of change.
Across every episode, ‘people’ emerged as the common denominator of organisational success.
From managing teams through mergers and hiring in challenging market conditions, to maintaining culture in remote or fast-growing organisations, leaders repeatedly emphasised the importance of hiring well, trusting your team and investing in engagement and development. The message was consistent: even a strong strategy can fail without the right people behind it.
Simon Hewett-Avison, CEO of Homeless Oxfordshire, spoke about using staff engagement, retention and team stability as indicators of success, and the importance of values alignment alongside technical skill.
Another strong and consistent message throughout Season Two was the importance of purpose – not as a slogan, but as a guiding principle for decision-making and leadership.
The season opened with Peter Benz, CFO of Sovereign Network Group discussing the need for government intervention to address housing supply, the impact of inflation on construction, and the role housing associations play in supporting economic growth. He also reflected on leading through mergers and change, highlighting the importance of communication, talent retention and shared values.
Unsurprisingly, purpose was equally central in the charity sector. Ben Clarkson, Chief Finance and Operating Officer of Parkinson’s UK, offered insights into how finance and operations teams enable the frontline impact that organisations are delivering. His belief that organisations should “recruit for attitude, train for skill” resonated strongly across the season.
Similarly, Simon Hewett-Avison, CEO of Homeless Oxfordshire, explored the complex, systemic causes of homelessness, from policy decisions and rising living costs to pressures on health and social care. He stressed that meaningful progress requires long-term planning and sustained funding, rather than short political cycles:
“To tackle the issue of homelessness, it will take a willingness from the government to plan and commit funding on more than four to five-year cycles.”
Across these conversations, it became clear that leaders in both commercial and non-profit organisations are increasingly motivated by impact, and that purpose plays a vital role in attracting talent, engaging teams and maintaining focus during challenging times.
The season concluded by turning its attention towards technology and artificial intelligence.
Olivier Colinet, CPTO of ThinkProject, encouraged leaders to rethink how they view AI:
“AI should be viewed like a calculator. It doesn’t replace you – it makes you faster and more efficient.”
Drawing on his experiences working at CERN, Google and PE-backed businesses, Olivier spoke about technology as a transformer, the importance of mindset, and understanding how different teams and cultures respond to change.
Building on this, Ray Eitel-Porter, expert in responsible AI, focused on governance, risk and practical implementation:
“AI cannot be ignored. It won’t be easy, but it will become a core part of our everyday.”
Ray stressed the importance of starting ‘small but meaningful’, investing in training and reskilling, and balancing risk and reward through strong self-governance.
Together, these conversations highlighted the need for thoughtful, responsible leadership as AI becomes increasingly embedded in business’ operations.
As Season Two of Topline Talks comes to a close, one thing is clear: today’s leaders are operating in an environment shaped by constant change, rising expectations and increasing complexity. The conversations throughout this season highlighted that success is driven not just by strategy or technical expertise, but by purpose, people and the ability to adapt.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the guests who featured on the 2025 series of Topline Talks. Your openness, insight and willingness to share your experiences made this season both engaging and impactful.
Looking ahead, Season Three of Topline Talks is coming soon and will build on these themes with a sharper sector focus. The next season will take a deep dive into our core sector specialisms, including Cleantech, Consumer, Private Equity, Social Housing, Charity, Life Sciences and Higher Education. As always, the podcast will continue to feature engaging conversations with senior leaders, exploring their career journeys, the challenges they have faced, and the lessons they have learnt along the way – alongside practical tips and advice for those looking to succeed as leaders in their own organisations.
In the meantime, if you missed an episode — or would like to revisit a conversation — the entire Topline Talks series is available to listen to here:
https://www.mackiemyers.co.uk/insights
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