In episode one of our ‘The Rise of the COO podcast’ we talk about ‘Workforce of the future', exploring expert perspectives from our clients and Baringa leaders around how COOs can shape the future of work in response to disruption in the workplace, creating an environment to unlock more human potential and balancing the short term need for operational efficiency and cost reduction versus the long term need for talent development and attraction.
Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
About our host
Mansi Patel, Global Lead, Capabilities, COO Network Sponsor, Baringa
Throughout her 20+ year consulting career Mansi has engaged in a broad range of projects – with a common premise at their core – to help organisations create value and embed the required change. Her leadership style, skills and strengths combined with a natural curiosity have given her the privilege of working across the world with C-suite clients in flagship, innovative Consumer Product, Media and Telecoms organisations.
Mansi loves spending time with clients. She is a positive, disruptive change leader able to give energy into debates and discussions with the people around her. She is skilled in connecting the dots, bringing together different ideas, and asking the simple, insightful questions that allow her clients and teams to step back and see the big picture of 'what matters most'. Mansi is part of the Executive Leadership Team at Baringa and leads the Global Capabilities Practice. This includes teams of specialists in Digital and Technology, Customer and Operations, People, Talent and Change, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Procurement, and Data, Analytics and AI.
About our guests
Havana Abid, SVP, Global Finance & Operations, Pearson Plc
Havana has 30 years' experience in multiple sectors including Banking, Financial Services, Insurance and Education and Learning. With an extensive International and UK executive track record she has led Operations, Business Transformation, Organisational Risk and Resilience, Innovation and Restructuring across a variety of companies and been a non-executive director for over 9 years. Havana is part of the finance executive leadership team reporting to CFO who is also a Board member.
Havana is well versed in delivering in complex, volatile, uncertain and transformational environments and driving the future of finance vision in support of the business strategy. She is a leader of leaders, covering all finance and operational process, controls, technology and data priorities.
In her spare time, Havana is an executive sponsor for disability inclusion, and she mentors executive leaders of tomorrow. She also, a small business owner and has an Italian Restaurant in the North of England. Havana has a Masters in Strategic Change Management and a Master's in Business & Leadership.
At Pearson, Havana is currently responsible for:
- Leading Global Finance & Operations, 11 groups in 6 locations with 2,800 staff
- Leading Transformation, Automation and AI delivering a future of Finance Vision
- Driving the M&A, Divestment and Deal delivery across all business lines
- Leading Global Procurement, Property & Workplace and Supply Chain
Laura McKim, Partner, expert in People, Talent and Change, Baringa
Laura loves helping workforces to reach their potential, with each individual clear about the role they play in the organisation’s success and feeling empowered to make a difference. Every time she partners to redesign and reskill a workforce, create new solutions to manage talent, or build a people strategy, she helps her clients connect their people solutions to their business challenges. And by putting people first, her clients create an impact that lasts.
For over 20 years, Laura has helped companies design, develop and engage workforces. She’s worked in just about every sector and every hemisphere, from North America to Asia. Her wealth of experience – both in consulting and on executive leadership teams – makes her a trusted voice.
At Baringa, Laura helps her clients solve today’s workforce challenges and prepare for the future. How can organisations bring their purpose to life for their employees? Where will they find the talent they need? How will they retain people and enable them to build new skills? Or manage hybrid and flexible working in a digital age? And through all this change, how do companies become more diverse, inclusive and sustainable?
A big part of the answer, for Laura, is considering the whole system: she believes you can’t push a button in one place expecting an outcome unless you understand the impact you’re having somewhere else. For instance, creating a new organisational purpose must be threaded through individual goals and leadership behaviours. Enabling employees to upskill or reskill must be supported through a culture of high institutional trust. And increasing engagement through recognition can only succeed with aligned performance management and career models.