Share Sounds. from Track Record

Alistair McQueen is head of Savings and Retirement for Aviva plc. He's been with the organisation in its various incarnations since joining the then Commercial Union as a graduate trainee. He's a self-confessed savings geek, and urges us all to start on a pension plan if we haven't already. He's happy to confess his big business bloopers in this edition (sending confidential information in 'all-staff' email by accident!). Away from the business, he's a keen singer and runner.

Andy Clements is the CEO at the British Trust for Ornithology. He discusses his love of birdwatching (naturally!), an eclectic range of musical memories from many different stages of his life, and his recent foray into rowing; as well as his time spent helping to set up Natural England before joining the BTO in 2007.

Dr Audrey Tang is an expert in bringing psychology techniques - particularly mindfulness teaching - into the workplace. She's worked with many prestigious corporations and individuals, and delivers talks and workshops on the topic. She's the author of 'Be A Great Manager' - Now and the new title, 'The Leader's Guide to Mindfulness'. She's TV presenter and a keen amateur performer, having once ruin her own theatre company and says you can learn a lot from being on stage - and directing those on it!

Chris Dyer runs his own background and intelligence checking service in the US, and speaks and writes widely on company culture. He’s also a podcast host and a regular contributor to Forbes.com. As well as his deep interest in employee engagement, he’s also a musician. He says simply saying ‘thanks’ and showing your gratitude to a workforce in very small ways can boost morale and company confidence – but says it’s not all about the free perks at work and having a corporate Sabbuteo table!

David Clive Price is a leadership coach and consultant, linguist, author and international speaker. He’s a specialist in cultural intelligence, working with CEOs across the globe. He’s worked and lived all over the world, working variously as a speechwriter, strategist and olive farmer. He says many leaders sit in isolation at the top of their organisation. "I have been privileged to travel, live, and work in many countries around the globe. I’ve had a rich variety of diverse occupations from Cambridge Ph.D. and academic to wine and olive farmer in Italy, to international speechwriter and strategist (for one of the world’s largest banks at the time of the handover of Hong Kong to China), to adviser for a variety of multinationals, especially in Asia, to published novelist – one of my novels ‘Alphabet City’ was set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan – and travel writer. Much of my work over the past two decades has been coaching and mentoring CEOs and business leaders – especially in the area of Cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership." - he says.

Jose Hernandez is a specialist in crisis management and compliance, and has ‘rolled up his sleeves’ countless times to repair the reputations and business integrity of organisations around the world. He counts a former director of the FBI amongst his close friends and associates; he’s worked for top firms such as PwC; and loves to travel – for business and pleasure. Now a Netherlands national, he’s originally from El Salvador and has recently written of putting together ‘Broken Business’. Listen as he talks about how reputational damage and crisis can occur in plain sight.

Julie Provino is a human resources specialist, who’s worked in the field for 20 years, and refers to what she does as being a specialist ‘in people’. She’s trained in mindfulness and NLP, and takes these disciplines seriously in her role people management and recruitment. She’s also just had a book published – ‘How Get What You Want In 7 Weeks’ – she admits this a bit tongue-in-cheek, but says it’s all about having plans and timescales in your development. She’s also CEO of her own human resources/training company and says ‘be thankful and grateful for all the lessons, and the lessons to come.’

Richard Newman is an expert in communication and founder of corporate communications consultancy Body Talk. He helps coach a diverse range of individuals - celebrities for TV interviews through to political figures. He's won awards for his work, including the Cicero Grand Prize award for Best International Speechwriter - the most coveted award in the world of speech-writing. Two years later, he worked with UCL on scientific research in communication which was published by the Journal of Psychology. He's also the author of new guide 'You Were Born to Speak'. He says he realised the power of communication when he was forced to take part in a debate at an all-girls school when he 'froze on the spot.'

Ronald (Ronnie) Miller is the CED at Paysend, the global card-to-card payment people. He's worked in the payments industry before with Paywizard, and in investment banking and venture capital. He originally trained in accountancy, says that once you're in post, 'you've got to get on with knowing and running the business.' He's a big music fan, likes his sport and says he's still a serial entrepreneur at heart.

Saira Khan featured on the original series of The Apprentice back in 2004, but came to the show already having had a successful career in business. Since then, she's launched a skincare range and built a successful media career, and remains an entrepreneur at heart. She believes in using 'every resource in life' to be successful in business (and life!) and being unafraid to ask for help.