Starts at the Top Podcast

Episode 100 - Sarah O'Connor - Journalist at The Financial Times and author of We Are Not Machines

We Are Not Machines: Sarah O’Connor on AI and the Future of Work We chat to author and Financial Times journalist Sarah O’Connor about her book We are Not Machines: The F

Episode 99 - Andy Milligan and Louisa Clarke, authors of Future Shift

How to Prepare for an Unpredictable Future: Trust, AI and the Human Skills Leaders Need We chat with Andy Milligan and Louisa Clarke, authors of Futureshift: How Busines

Episode 98 - Babith Bhoopalan - Future Proofing Careers in the Age of AI

AI, careers and the human skills that cannot be replaced We chat to Babith Bhoopalan, Founder of Quantum Leap Insights and former Microsoft Director. In this episode we

Episode 97 - Pip Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of amicable

AI, Access to Justice and the Future of Human-Centred Leadership We chat to Pip Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of amicable As AI becomes more embedded in our workplaces and

Episode 96 - Eleanor Gibson, Agile and Innovation Coach and Founder of Tilt

From Control to Collaboration: Five Mindset Shifts Leaders Need for the Age of AI We chat with Eleanor Gibson, Agile and Innovation Coach and Founder of Tilt   This wee

Episode 95 - Kat Thomas, entrepreneur and author of Weapons of Mass Confidence

Weapons of Mass Confidence: How AI Can Help Close the Confidence Gap for Women We chat with Kat Thomas, author of Weapons of Mass Confidence and founder of creative commu

Episode 94 - Dr Mark Williamson, co-founder and Director of Action for Happiness - author of Make Life Happier

How Leaders Can Make Life Happier: Mark Williamson on burnout, mindset and hope We chat to Dr Mark Williamson, co-founder and Director of Action for Happiness and author

Episode 93 - Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps

How Mercy Corps Is Leading Through Funding Cuts and AI Disruption We speak to Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps In this final episode of the season, we speak to T

Episode 92 - Maeve Walsh, Director of the Online Safety Act Network

Safety by Design: Protecting Children in the Age of AI We chat with Maeve Walsh, Director of the Online Safety Act Network Join Zoe Amar and Paul Thomas for a conversati

Episode 91 - Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC

Keeping Children Safe Online: AI, the Online Safety Act, and Leadership with Lived Experience We chat to Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC   This week we're

Episode 90 - Ali Paul, Product Lead for Chatbots and Gen-AI at Flo Health App

Creating the Conditions for Innovation We chat with Ali Paul, Lead Product Manager for Chatbots and Generative AI at Flo Health In our final episode of 2025, we're thril

Episode 89 - Tony Zona, Chief Data Office at Grant Thornton UK

The AI Trojan Horse: A Chief Data Officer’s Secrets to Leading Culture Change We chat with Tony Zona, Chief Data Officer at Grant Thornton   In this episode, we chat wi

Episode 88 - Helen Milner OBE and Katie Ghose - Empowering Digital Inclusion

Collaboration for change: The Digital Services Consortium We chat to Katie Ghose CEO at KIDS and Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive of Good Things Foundation   In

Episode 87 - Eleanor Tweddell - Another Door Opens: How to Navigate Change

Another Door Opens: How to Navigate Change with Eleanor Tweddell We speak to Eleanor Tweddell, executive coach, change consultant, keynote speaker and author. We’re back

Episode 86 - Jassa Ahluwalia - Mixed Identity and Leadership: End of Season Summer Special

We chat to actor, filmmaker and the author of Both Not Half, Jassa Ahluwalia   We're ending our season with something truly special - a transformative conversation with

Episode 85 - Trevor Gordon, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Save the Children UK

How Save The Children UK is leading digital change in a volatile world We chat to Trevor Gordon, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Save the Children UK   This week

Episode 84 - Steph Wright, Head of the Scottish AI Alliance

Decoding AI: Trust, Ethics, and the Path to Inclusive Innovation Join Zoe Amar and Paul Thomas on Starts at the Top for a conversation with Steph Wright, Head of the Sco

Episode 83 - Melissa Ezechukwu, freelance digital consultant and strategist

Leading differently - The AI hype cycle & building inclusive tech We chat with with Melissa Ezechukwu, digital strategist.   In this episode, Zoe and Paul navigate the

Episode 82 - Brian Dow, Chief Executive of Mental Health UK and Deputy Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness

In this episode, we speak with Brian Dow, Chief Executive of Mental Health UK and Deputy Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness. Brian shares insights from Mental Hea

Episode 81 - Srabani Sen - Srabani Sen OBE, Founder and CEO of Full Colour

What Leaders Need to Know: Navigating DEI in Today's Climate We chat to Srabani Sen OBE, Founder and CEO of Full Colour Are DEI efforts under threat? In a world where p