#49 James Riley - Life Beyond the C-Suite

#49 James Riley - Life Beyond the C-Suite

From Playing The Inner Game by Michael Campion

May 27, 2025 · 59 min · Episode 49

About this episode

James Riley discusses his life after leading the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and his pursuit of meaning beyond corporate metrics.

James Riley spent decades leading one of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands. But this episode isn’t about boardrooms or five-star service, it’s about what happens after 40 years of executive employment. When James stepped down as CEO of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, he didn’t slow down - he rewrote the rules. From abseiling Angel Falls with limited eyesight to backing mission-driven startups, he’s chasing meaning over metrics. We talk about reinventing identity, letting go o...

People in this episode

Host: Michael Campion

Guest: James Riley

Topics covered

  • executive transition
  • reinventing identity
  • life after C-suite
  • adventure
  • mission-driven startups

Keywords

  • C-suite
  • executive employment
  • identity
  • adventure
  • startups
  • leadership
  • meaning

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

More episodes of Playing The Inner Game

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Playing The Inner Game podcast page.