The Impact Room - Conversations That Shape Exceptional Leadership
Are you a business leader, founder, investor, or aspiring executive aiming to make a significant impact?
Welcome to The Impact Room where the most curious and courageous leaders share how they’re reshaping the world of work, leadership and customer experience
Each episode explores the stories behind transformation, from redefining what leadership means, to building resilient, diverse teams, creating cultures where people and performance thrive.
You’ll hear from CEOs, COOs, Chief Customer Officers, and other forward-thinking senior leaders who are changing the way we think about growth, purpose, and progress.
This isn’t theory. It’s real leadership in action, honest, practical, and human.
The Impact Room is hosted by the team at Douglas Jackson, an independent boutique executive search firm passionate about elevating talent and helping organisations hire more impactful, diverse leaders who drive transformation and success.
Join the conversation.
Be inspired.
Discover how exceptional leadership shapes exceptional outcomes.
Learn and help elevate your team, peers and mentors by sharing some of the great advice and episodes that resonate
Subscribe now and become part of a community dedicated to impactful leadership, continuous improvement and the elevation and development of those who follow.
Intro Music: “Podcast Background Music While Talking – No Copyright” by @PodcastBackgroundMusic. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)
Episodes

May 19, 2023
May 19, 2023
19 min
We are delighted to be joined by Kelly Kuhn, Strategic Advisor and Non-Executive Director in this edition of The Impact Room.
Kelly has a successful 30 year executive career. She’s a versatile, transformative leader who thrives on new challenges, which has led to six C-level leadership roles while living in four countries. and now an established board career, working with global organisations from across the travel, food and professional services industry, B2B and B2C.
Kelly shares more about how to establish a successful NED and Strategic Board Advisor portfolio, what she see's as the key components to being an effective NED and Board Advisor. What a Board and Chair should consider to get the very best out of their Non-Execuive Directors and Board Advisors. Some of the main challenges, or opportunities facing organisations and their boards at the moment. If you are a senior executive considering establishing your portfolio career, here is some sound advice to get started
Want to watch the full video go here.
The Impact Room. Where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared...
#NED #advisorycareers #Boardadvisors #chairman #directors #boardappointments #customeradvisory #diversity #diverseadvisory #executivesearch #nonexecutivedirectors

May 11, 2023
May 11, 2023
28 min
John Montgomery Practice Lead at Douglas Jackson is joined by Eoin Lyons, CEO of OPAL, Outsource Professional Administration Limited who serve the finance, banking and insurance industry.
Eoin previously was COO of Axa Partners. Learn more from Eoin on being a successful C-Suite leader who has managed and strategised many professionals across the Insurance and wider FS industries.
What he thinks are some of the challenges facing the market at the moment. How he thinks the last few years have affected both Leaders and Employees in the workplace, how the challenges and demands placed upon them have changed?
His one piece of advice for an organisation who wanted to improve.
How important Hybrid operating models are to Eoin and hoq how he thinks getting the right balance is essential in today's business world.
For this and more settle in and enjoy the Impact Room, where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared.
Want to watch the video podcast instead, the link can be found here.
#CEO #insurance #hybridworking #finance #leadership #podcast #hybrid #douglasjackson #banking #coo #recruitment

May 1, 2023
May 1, 2023
15 min
We are delighted to see Ian Thornton-Trump in the Impact Room.
Ian is the CISO, Chief Information Security Officer for Cyjax Limited. Ian joins Perry to talk Batman, Cyber Security, Data Assets and Data Risks. Data Security and Data Science.
He has some great tips, advice and thoughts for the future in this really interesting session.
Ian Thornton-Trump CD is an ITIL certified IT professional with 25 years of experience in IT security and information technology. From 1989 to 1992, Ian served with the Canadian Forces (CF), Military Intelligence Branch; in 2002, he joined the CF Military Police Reserves and retired as a Public Affairs Officer in 2013. After a year with the RCMP as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Ian worked as a cyber security analyst/consultant for multi-national insurance, banking and regional health care verticals.
Today, as Chief Information Security Officer for Cyjax Ltd. (UK) & Chief Technical Officer of Octopi Managed Services Inc. (Canada), Ian has deep experience with the threats facing small, medium and enterprise businesses. His research and experience have made him a sought-after cyber security consultant specialising in cyber threat intelligence programs for small, medium and enterprise organisations.
If you would like to watch the full video you can do that here.
The Impact Room - Where Diverse, Impactful Leadership and Wisdom is Shared. Douglas Jackson Search. Leading the Way in Customer Experience Executive Search

Apr 27, 2023
Apr 27, 2023
21 min
We welcome CEO Chris Frogner COO and Co-Founder of Arma Karma an Insurtech and UK based insurance intermediary who joins John Montgomery Insurance Recruitment Consultant and Executive Search Consultant.
Hear from Chris as a successful Insurance/ Insurtech leader who has managed and led many professionals across the indusrty, what he thinks some of the key challenges around EDI and attracting more diverse talent to the insurance market.
The methods and or techniques they have personally used that work best to beeter build a more diverse workforce. The one piece of advice for an organisation who wanted to improve their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
What Chris sees as the biggest benefit of inclusion and equality in business today? Advice, tips and thought leadership on c-suite commitment, growing and building a more successful business.
#diversity #edi #insurtech #recruitment #armakarma #ceo #podcast #videocast #theimpactroom #douglasjackson #searchconsultants #inclusion #diversityininsurance #insurance
You can also watch the full video here.

Apr 24, 2023
Apr 24, 2023
10 min
We welcome Sarah Whiddett to The Impact Room. A marketeer with over 15 years experience.
Sarah is a Director, Client Partnerships at Kantar and has been a Board Director and Chair of an industry not-for-profit.
With a background of Insight, Customer Experience, Customer & Channel Marketing across food, on and off trade. Sarah talks about the importance of influence and connection, in a technical data led world.
Being curious, don't stay in your lane, how to develop deeper broader thinking to enhance your career.
Don't underestimate the value of a strong network. Mentoring talent, how to find that lucky break.
The Impact Room - Where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared...
Douglas Jackson Recruitment Consultants and Executive Search for Customer Insight, Resource Planning, Analytics, Customer Contact, Customer Service and Customer Experience.
Watch the full video here.

Apr 19, 2023
Apr 19, 2023
25 min
Ann-Marie Stagg has over 20 years working for blue chip organisations such as the AA, Scottish Power, United Utilities, Brakes, and the Co-op Financial Services and recently retired as CEO of the CCMA which is now in its 27th year.
Ann-Marie also set up the UK National Contact Centre Awards which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, took over the European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards 6 years ago and breathed new life into it, making it now the largest awards event for our industry.
Learn more from Ann-Marie on the following. What changes have you observed during those 30 years.
ThebBiggest opportunity you see in the Contact Centre sector right now.
What advice would you give people wanting to progress in the industry
Did you come across any challenges being a woman in senior roles in the industry
What was your biggest career break, and who or what do you have to thank for it.
Have we seen the last of Ann-Marie Stagg, or are you likely to pop up again?
What is your favourite travel destination and why?
The Impact Room from Douglas Jackson– Where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared
Leading the way in Customer Experience Executive Search.
To watch the full video go here.

Mar 8, 2023
Mar 8, 2023
25 min
John Montgomery welcomes Alan Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director and Operations and HR Director for insurance brands including Ageas, Kwik Fit Insurance, Complete Cover.
John talks with Alan about some of the following:
How the Cost of Living Crisis is effecting the Insurance industry
What are some of the pitfalls facing technology programmes and projects across the industry
How Alan see's new tech 'changing the game' in the industry and what might be the biggest impact to the customer
With many organisations struggling to attract and retain talent, how important do you believe culture is and in his opinion what are the key steps for a culture to drive an engaged, dedicated pro active workforce and more...
Join Alan in The Impact Room, Where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared. #chiefoperatingofficer #coo #theimpactroom #podcast #douglasjackson #insurance #leadership
Watch the full video here.

Jan 30, 2023
Jan 30, 2023
13 min
Perry Fletcher joins Vatsana (Vosy) Gordon, Head of Business Planning and Consultant, in The Impact Room...
Vosy shares her love for new technology, not taking yourself too seriously, homeworking, planning, hybrid models, flexibility, lifestyles and retention, career advice:
You don't know what you don't know, keep learning, be willing to learn and change, be open...
Taking change as an opportunity to learn.
The Impact Room – Where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared Leadership.
If you would prefer to watch the full video session that can be found here.

Jan 27, 2023
Jan 27, 2023
1hr 7 min
This is a recording of a live Webinar Douglas Jackson hosted with Nicola Callan of Boost HR.
Hybrid and flexible working is still causing some organisations difficulties.
If you are like many customer led leaders, COO's, CCO's, Customer Service, Customer Experience and HR Directors who are moving towards a flexible; remote and office working model, you will be asking yourself, 'Am I and my team ready?,
How will we engage and manage a remote team? and many other questions.
The most successful employers will be able to attract and retain the most agile leaders who help others to help themselves, creating a more collaborative, empowered, high performance workforce.
In this exclusive webinar, specifically for customer led leaders and HR Directors, leadership coach and people developer Nicola Callan of Boost HR will show you:
The most important thing you need to stop doing to deliver more empowered employees.
Why you aren’t ready for a hybrid workforce, yet.
How you can better engage and manage your remote and working from home colleagues How you can ensure inclusion across your hybrid team.
Preparing for the future and the longer term impacts on personal development as we adapt.
If you would prefer to watch the video recording you can see that here.

Jan 25, 2023
Jan 25, 2023
14 min
The Impact Room welcomes Greg Reed, Board Director, Advisor and Former CEO of HomeServe UK, presently CEO of Places for People, ex Bank of New York.
Hear from Greg on how best to progress your board career.
The benefits of sideways moves and learning...
Look after your people and they will look after your customers and the rest will look after itself...
What are the most critical traits to success to be a successful board level leader, authenticity, being the best version of yourself, inspirational leadership.
The Impact Room – Where exceptional, diverse and impactful leadership and wisdom is shared...From Douglas Jackson
Watch the video to this session here.

The Impact Room
The Impact Room from Douglas Jackson is where exceptional, diverse, and impactful leaders share the stories behind real, growth, transformation and business.
We explore what makes leadership work, from the boardroom to the front line, through conversations on Growth, Transformation, AI, Data, Operations, CX, Customer Experience, Operations, Strategic Resource Planning, Insight, Analytics, and more.
Each episode features candid discussions with leaders shaping the future of business CEOs, COOs, Chief Customer Officers, and transformation specialists across Housing, Utilities, Insurance, Fintech, Travel, Retail, SaaS and beyond.
At Douglas Jackson, we believe exceptional leadership matters. Through The Impact Room, our invite-only cohorts and our leadership community, we’re dedicated to helping current and future leaders learn, grow, and challenge what’s possible.
🎧 Join us to explore how great leadership drives lasting impact for people, businesses, and communities.
Connect: mail@douglas-jackson.com
Learn more: www.douglas-jackson.com





