Portfolio

A six-part series designed to challenge CEOs and the broader C-suite to confront their comfort with change, uncertainty, and unknowns. A project for KPMG Ignition, the expert innovation arm of KPMG US. Published early 2024.

Despite being perceived as staid, conservative and risk-averse, the legal sector isn’t immune from disruption — a look at how one global firm is responding. Interview with Ben Allgrove, partner and chief innovation officer at Baker McKenzie, a worldwide top-five law firm.

Proponents of BNPL schemes argue they offer consumers a lower-risk and lower-cost form of credit; others contend that it's the next debt or mis-selling time-bomb. One thing's for sure — this “alternative” payment method has undoubtedly entered the mainstream. Interviews with Alex Marsh, head of BNPL lender Klarna UK; Peter Tutton, head of policy at debt charity Stepchange; and Gemma Butler, author and co-host of the Can marketing save the planet? podcast.

Second edition of a thought-leadership report for KPMG International, introducing a new way of navigating the evolving customer. Editorialises a survey of more than 25,000 consumers in Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, the UAE, the UK and the US. Analyses six macro themes: trust; data; wealth and retirement; generational surfing; the customer of the future; and the B2B customer.

The 325-year old insurer started with a digital transformation and ended up with a venture builder and an investment arm — what did they learn in the process? An interview with Ben Luckett, group chief innovation officer at Aviva.

Global consulting, technology and outsourcing organisation Capgemini has been on a journey to revamp its innovation function. Interview with Pascal Brier, group chief innovation officer at Capgemini, to discuss what's changed and why, what's working and what's yet to come.

10 years since the birth of its well-known Wayra accelerator programme, Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica is trying to keep "fresh", moving into venture building, direct investing and the “anti-portfolio”. Interview with Irene Gomez, Open Innovation Director at Telefónica.

Why is it that people say no to what are clearly good ideas? Interview with David Schonthal, professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, about his and fellow prof Loran Nordgren's Wall Street Journal bestselling book — The Human Element.

While innovation and culture aren’t new bedfellows, they’re still not exactly comfortable ones either. Interviews with Tendayi Viki, author and associate partner at Strategyzer; Yossi Feinberg, professor of management at Stanford University; and Catherine Wallwork, head of innovation engagement and mindset at Deloitte Ventures.

Driving sustained innovation, rather than one-hit wonders, necessitates change. Interview on the realities of rewiring culture with Gary Pisano, the Harry E. Figgie Jr. Professor of Business Administration and senior associate dean of faculty development at Harvard Business School.

Innovation leaders need to get organisations, starting with the executive committee, on the same page — and they can’t assume that plain old common sense will do the job for them. Interview with Matt Atkinson, an experienced CEO, chief customer officer and NED.

A new incubation unit and a startup mindset are central planks in the corporation’s efforts to be seen as a tech-firm, not just a telco. Interview with Tom Guy, MD of Incubation at BT Group; Ash Roots, former chief digital officer for BT Consumer; Neal Herman, director of healthtech incubation; Jingru Yang, product incubation director; and Meg Blight, startup growth director.