Redefining Executive Career

Uplift is a global executive search and talent advisory firm. Redefining Executive Career is a leadership series hosted by Serap Zel, Founder of Uplift, drawing on 20+ years of executive search experience across five continents and 50+ countries. In conversation with founders, board members, and senior executives, the series explores leadership transitions, strategic decisions, and what truly defines executive impact today.

Redefining Executive Career is a business podcast hosted by Uplift People Consulting, with 32 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Uplift People Consulting hosts Redefining Executive Career, a business show with 32 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.

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  Episode #32

  Let’s Redefine Executive Hiring with Steve Cadigan

  Sep 8, 202631 minS3

  Most organizations say they hire for potential. But when it comes to executive hiring, they still default to industry experience, years in similar roles, and recognizable company names. The result? Expensive hiring mistakes, missed transformations, and leaders who looked perfect on paper but never delivered. In this conversation, Steve Cadigan — Talent Futurist, Author, and LinkedIn's first ever CHRO — joins Serap Zel to explore what executive hiring gets fundamentally wrong, and what it would look like if we rebuilt it from scratch. Key Highlights Why the traditional executive hiring criteria are quietly becoming obsolete, and what boards and CEOs need to rethink first. Learning agility as the most critical yet least measured leadership quality, and how to actually assess it during hiring. The patterns that separate transformational executive hires from costly mistakes, and the warning signs organizations consistently overlook. Where AI genuinely improves executive hiring, and where human judgment must remain irreplaceable. How senior leaders can future-proof their own careers for opportunities that don't yet exist. Why Listen Understand why even the most experienced hiring teams consistently misjudge executive potential. Learn which signals reveal true leadership capability — and which ones are misleading. Discover how executives can proactively position themselves for the leadership roles of tomorrow. Guest: Steve Cadigan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadigan/ Hosted by: Serap Zel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serapzel/

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  Episode #31

  The Leadership Reinvention Playbook: Lessons from 250+ CEOs with Andrea Petrone

  Jul 2, 202622 minS3

  Unlock the secret to sustained leadership success — it is not just about achieving more, but knowing when and how to reinvent yourself before it is too late. Many top executives are unknowingly stuck operating from an outdated version of themselves, even as their organizations and industries evolve faster than ever. If you have reached a career milestone and find yourself asking "What's next?" or feel the pressure of constant change, this episode is your wake-up call. In this conversation, Andrea Petrone — known as The CEO Whisperer — joins Serap Zel to explore the unseen gaps that quietly threaten a leader's influence and impact, and how to recognize the micro-moments that signal it is time to reinvent. Key Highlights The "identity gap" — the distance between the leader you are and the leader your organization actually needs today. Andrea's "Three Components" framework: clarity of identity, a consistent message, and authentic presence as the pillars of leadership in turbulent times. Real case studies, including a CEO who was told to build the future only to find his own house was already on fire. How to assess whether what you need is a new strategy, a new role, or a new leadership identity. The micro-inflection points that quietly determine whether a leader moves forward or falls behind. Why Listen Understand why even highly successful CEOs unknowingly stall their own growth. Learn how to spot the early signals that demand reinvention before they become a crisis. Discover why self-awareness may be the most underrated competitive advantage in leadership today. Guest: Andrea Petrone LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone Website: https://andreapetrone.com 📚 Andrea's upcoming book is available to pre-order now: Reinvention at the Top (Wiley, October 2026) 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Defining-Chapter-Playbook-Reinventing-Yourself/dp/1394430426/ref=sr_1_1 Hosted by: Serap Zel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serapzel/

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  Episode #30

  The New Realities of Executive Leadership with Alain Bejjani

  Jun 16, 202632 minS3

  The higher you climb, the less anyone talks about what it actually takes. Not the strategy. Not the vision. The real part — leading through uncertainty, holding conviction under pressure, and knowing when everything around you is shifting faster than any plan can absorb. In this episode, we explore what leadership at the highest levels truly demands — and what the new realities every senior leader must face right now actually look like. Alain Bejjani — Business Leader, Investor, and Author — is the voice behind NEXT: Leading Through the New Realities. As the former CEO of Majid Al Futtaim, he led the organization for 16 years across 16 markets, serving 560 million customers through some of the most volatile years the region has seen. Gulf Business CEO of the Year. Forbes Middle East Top 100. Today he is an active investor, advisor, and Shark Tank mentor — backing entrepreneurs navigating high-stakes markets. This conversation goes deep on what most leadership discussions skip entirely. Key Highlights What leadership at scale truly demands that most people never talk about. How to lead with conviction and navigate uncertainty when the pressure never really lets up. The mindset shift Alain believes every leader must make right now — and why so many are still resisting it. What AI and the future of work really mean for senior leaders and their relevance. How leadership must evolve across startups, mature organizations, and turnaround environments. What is truly waiting for the next generation of executives — and how to prepare. Why Listen Understand what separates leaders who thrive under pressure from those who plateau. Gain honest perspective on navigating uncertainty at the highest levels of leadership. Discover how the most experienced leaders are thinking about AI, talent, and what comes next. Guest: Alain BejjaniLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainbejjani/ Hosted by: Serap ZelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serapzel/

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  Episode #29

  How to Reinvent Yourself After Losing—or Winning—Big with Katelyn Bourgoin

  May 13, 202632 minS3

  <p>Many senior leaders reach a point where the career they built no longer feels like theirs.</p><p>The title. The company. The identity. All carefully constructed — and then suddenly, quietly, wrong.</p><p>In this episode, we explore what happens when high-achieving leaders realize the ladder they have been climbing is not the one they actually want.</p><p>Katelyn Bourgoin has rebuilt herself multiple times. VC-backed founder. Forbes coverage. Everything looking great from the outside. Then it all fell apart — bankruptcy, lost identity, starting over.</p><p>What came next? A seven-figure solo business and a much clea...

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  Episode #28

  Why Do Great Leaders Still Struggle with Visibility? with Nausheen I. Chen

  Mar 11, 202628 minS3

  <p>Many highly accomplished leaders believe their work should speak for itself.</p><p>But at senior levels, performance alone is rarely enough.</p><p>In this episode, we explore why exceptional leaders are sometimes overlooked — not because they lack capability, but because their value is not always visible, articulated, or experienced in the moments that matter most.</p><p>Through real executive-level challenges, we examine how communication, presence, and strategic visibility shape leadership opportunities, board selection, and career progression.</p><p>This conversation reveals why some leaders continue to advance — while others remain highly capable but unexpectedly overlooked.</p><p>Ke...

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