Change Makers: Leadership, Good Business, Ideas and Innovation

In this episode of Change Makers, Michael Hayman is joined by journalist and author Cathy Newman. Best known as one of Channel 4’s leading broadcasters, Cathy shares the lesser-known story of her lifelong love affair with music - and it’s one with strings attached. From a childhood spark - a stray violin brought home during a bout of chickenpox - to performing in the parliamentary String Quartet, music remained a constant companion. Yet journalism became her stage, and Cathy reflects on the rhythm, focus, and listening both disciplines demand.Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Cathy reflects on her early musical experiences, the challenges of being a woman in media, and her advocacy for music education through Music for All. Along the way, she shows how passion, perseverance, and listening deeply - whether to a piece of music or a person - can shape both life and work.

Resilience is the new currency of leadership. In a world where misinformation spreads faster than facts, brands, leaders, and governments are being tested like never before.In this episode of Change Makers, we speak to Ben LaBolt, former White House Communications Director and now President at BPI. With experience spanning the West Wing, City Hall, and global boardrooms, Ben shares insights into how organisations can navigate today’s fractured media landscape.At the heart of our conversation is BPI’s Resilience Index - groundbreaking research revealing what separates the brands that survive and thrive from those left vulnerable to misinformation and public mistrust.Drawing on lessons from politics and the private sector, Ben offers a blueprint for how leaders can strengthen their communications and build lasting reputational resilience.

What does it take to deliver fair and meaningful growth? Joining Michael today on Change Makers is Kate Willard OBE – government-appointed envoy for the Thames Estuary and a champion of fair growth.Kate’s career has been anything but conventional. From starting out as an actress and director to working in post-Soviet Eastern Europe, her journey is one of bold decisions and a deep commitment to making a difference.Now, as Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, Kate is on a mission to unlock the potential of one of the UK’s most vital economic regions – driving innovation, attracting investment, and ensuring that growth is both sustainable and fair, ultimately creating 1.3 million jobs, one million homes, and £190 billion in economic value. In this episode, she and Michael discuss why fair growth matters, what it takes to make it a reality, and how her diverse career has shaped her leadership today.Content warning: This podcast episode contains strong language which may not be suitable for all audiences

We’re delighted to introduce a brand new series of Change Makers: Science Shaping the Future, where we’ll be exploring how today’s leading scientists are transforming the world around us – from our daily lives to our careers, and tackling the planet’s biggest challenges.Our first guest is Dr. Angela Naef, Chief Research and Development Officer at Reckitt, the global leader in hygiene, health, and nutrition whose products touch the lives of billions of people every day. With an exceptional career in biotech and health sciences, Angela is at the forefront of Reckitt's mission to drive innovation that not only addresses today's health challenges, but shapes the future of healthier lives worldwide.In this episode, Angela shares her journey in science and the power of curiosity and creativity in innovation. She discusses the role of AI in boosting productivity, the value of diversity of thought, and her mission to empower young women to pursue STEM careers.We’d like to extend a special thanks to Condé Nast for hosting this interview.

How do we support refugees to thrive in their second home? That’s the question we’re answering in a special edition of Change Makers, hosted by the fantastic journalist and broadcaster Edie Lush.For the first in a new series of the podcast exploring some of the most pressing issues of our time, Edie speaks with three campaigning voices for refugees about why it matters to ensure that we support refugees with human-centred policy and ensure that they can play an important role in the UK’s social and economic story. Amos Schonfield is the founder and CEO of Our Second Home – a charity that Seven Hills has been supporting for the past 18 months. It is a youth movement aimed at empowering refugees and asylum seekers to flourish here in the UK and build the next generation of leaders. Amos shares the family history that makes this cause personal to him and what he believes we can all do to help reshape the narrative around refugees. Taban Shoresh OBE is founder of The Lotus Flower and a refugee who escaped the Kurdish genocide as a child. Today, she supports survivors of conflict and displacement through projects focused on education skills training, peacebuilding initiatives for women and income-generating projects. A former Change Makers guest, she returns to share her story of coming to the UK and why she believes it’s more important than ever for us to be welcoming to refugees. Lord Alf Dubs is a Peer in the House of Lords and a long-time refugee campaigner, who came to the UK on the Kindertransport from Czechoslovakia, following the Nazi invasion of his birth country in 1938. Having first appeared on Change Makers in 2021, he joins us again to reflect on how Britain has changed in terms of its attitudes over the past 75 years and why he continues to make the case for refugees even at the age of 91.We hope you enjoy this episode and something different to our usual offering. We’ll be exploring further vital issues alongside Edie in the new year, so look out for much more.Seven Hills has been fundraising for Our Second Home since 2023, raising more than £2000. Help us to reach our target to support the next cohort of refugee leaders by donating here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sevenhills-oursecondhome

In the final alumni episode of Change Makers: Stories of Generation Growth, in partnership with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Byron Dixon OBE, CEO of Micro-Fresh®, discusses what it takes to build a global brand with purpose. Micro-Fresh® is known for its unique antibacterial technology which extends product lifespans, preserves freshness and promotes sustainability across 50+ major footwear, home textiles, hospitality and healthcare brands.Generation Growth: The Small Business Manifesto was designed by the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme to amplify the voice of small businesses and give them a platform to share their insights on the challenges they face. The opinions and views expressed in the report and on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the institutional views of , or constitute a recommendation from, Goldman Sachs or its affiliates.

This week, Michael is joined once again by Charlotte Keenan, Managing Director, Head of Corporate Engagement International at Goldman Sachs, as well as CEO of Forster Communications, Amanda Powell-Smith.Forster is a specialist consultancy, supporting organisations in ensuring they approach sustainability with authenticity. They discuss why this is a challenge for so many leaders, particularly in the small business space, and why a sustainable mission is important for business growth. Generation Growth: The Small Business Manifesto was designed by the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme to amplify the voice of small businesses and give them a platform to share their insights on the challenges they face. The opinions and views expressed in the report and on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the institutional views of , or constitute a recommendation from, Goldman Sachs or its affiliates.