Leadership Discoveries

You know it best: being an executive leader can be tough. How do you stay inspired and keep moving the business forward with so much going on? Meet Dr. Shirley Kavanagh, Executive Advisor and scholar/practitioner. In each episode, hear Shirley in conversation with top global leaders and experts on leading with integrity, overcoming adversity, and developing other leaders. Presented by Shirley Kavanagh Consulting

Leadership Discoveries is a business podcast hosted by Dr. Shirley Kavanagh, with 29 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Dr. Shirley Kavanagh hosts Leadership Discoveries, a business show with 29 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #30

  How to Matter Forever as a Leader with Dean McAlister, Inizio Biotech

  Aug 17, 202637 min

  Three-time guest Dean McAlister, EVP, Inizio Biotech, has spent over 35 years in Fortune 500 pharma leadership, including nearly 3 decades at AstraZeneca. His book, How to Matter Forever, comes out at the end of 2026. Hear how to think about passing the baton as a leader, how to have good judgment as a leader, the importance of constructive dissent, how to have conversations with respect while not avoiding the issue, and how to be an accountable leader. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn , and Dean on LinkedIn

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #29

  Leading with Gravitas: Antoinette Dale Henderson on Finding Your Voice, Presence, and Influence

  Jul 13, 202637 min

  In this episode, I speak with Antoinette Dale Henderson, Founder & Owner of Gravitas Programme, about Leading with Gravitas: finding your voice, presence, and influence. Antoinette is a TEDx Speaker, 2x Author, and Executive Coach. Drawing on over 25 years of experience in leadership communications, including 16 years holding senior positions at the world’s top PR consultancies, Antoinette reflects on why gravitas is so important to leadership, her keys to impact & influence, and how we can get more people into the room when they’re not being heard. We also explore what we’re missing at the human level in today’s world, what happens if learning goes away, and her advice for leaders at the early stage of their career. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn . To learn more about Antoinette’s work, connect with her at AntoinetteDaleHenderson.com and on LinkedIn

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #28

  From HR to Strategic Leadership: Steve Widdoss on Earning a Seat at the Table

  Jun 29, 202638 min

  In this episode, I speak with Steve Widdoss, Chief People Officer of One Physics, about what it takes for HR to become a truly strategic leadership function. Drawing on senior HR leadership roles across global organisations including JPMorgan Chase, Capital One and Barclays, Steve reflects on why commercial credibility is essential for today's Chief People Officer, how HR earns a genuine seat at the executive table, and why understanding the business is just as important as understanding people. We also explore leading through growth, organisational transformation and acquisition, the importance of helping leaders manage themselves through uncertainty, and how AI is reshaping the future of work without diminishing the importance of human leadership. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn . To learn more about Steve’s work, connect with him at OnePhysics.com and on LinkedIn

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #27

  Leading & Advising in Complex Environments: Terri Moloney, Chartered Director

  Jun 22, 202641 min

  In this episode, I speak with Terri Moloney, Chartered Director, about leading & advising in complex environments. Terri is a seasoned business leader with over 3 decades of international experience across private and public sectors, currently serving as an Independent Non-Executive Director at RTÉ and Enterprise Ireland. Hear how important values are to an organisation, what good HR really looks like, what leaders need to be focusing on in a period of transformation, how to step into a board position, and what leaders can improve on today. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn . To learn more about Terri’s work, connect with her on LinkedIn

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #26

  Building Businesses and Backing Futures: Rob Wood

  Jun 8, 202630 minS0

  <p>In this episode, I speak with Rob Wood, Portfolio Investor and Founder of the Rob Wood Enterprising Futures Academy, about entrepreneurship, scale, reinvention and widening access to enterprise. Rob founded STEM Healthcare in 2007, scaling it internationally before its acquisition by UDG Healthcare. Today, he is an active portfolio investor, working with technology-enabled pharma services and AI-driven healthcare businesses, including AdvanceAI. Through the Rob Wood Enterprising Futures Academy, created in partnership with Newcastle University in the UK, he is also helping young people build the confidence, tools and support to succeed in life and business.</p> <p>Connect with Shirley...

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Leadership Discoveries. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.