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Leaders Unplugged

IMD
Democracy
Sustainability
Authoritarianism
Political Science
Leadership
Business Leadership
Civic Responsibility
Political Backsliding
Decarbonization
Donald Trump
IMD
United States
Elections
Civil Society
China
Nio
India
Geopolitics
Artificial Intelligence
Shipping Industry

Leaders Unplugged is real talk with the impactful. Candid, honest, actionable – and fresh from behind the scenes. Presented by IMD in collaboration with Remote Daily. Hosted by IMD’s president, David Bach and Felix Zeltner.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes21Foundeda year ago
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BusinessManagementCareers

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Artwork for Leaders Unplugged

Latest Episodes

Leaders are drowning in crises, yet Florence Gaub argues their real competitive edge lies in how they imagine the future. In this episode of Leaders Unplugged with David Bach, the NATO Defense College research director, futurist and military strategi... more

What does it mean to lead in a world where the United States — the anchor of the post-war order — has become "the biggest disruptor in the world"? 

In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, IMD's David Bach sits down with Jake Sullivan, former National ... more

YouTube

Kati ter Horst leads Outokumpu, the world's leader in sustainable stainless steel, at a moment when the old assumptions of globalization are breaking down.

In this episode of Leaders Unplugged, she joins IMD President David Bach to discuss her trans... more

YouTube

Oona Hathaway on war, global rules, and why business leaders may regret staying silent as international law is violated.

Why does international law matter? How illegal is the Iran war? And what does business have to do with it?

In this episode of L... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Jake Sullivan
Former National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden; Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard Kennedy School; Former U.S. National Security Advisor
Episode: Jake Sullivan on power, industrial strategy, and the new global order
Kati Ter Horst
CEO of Outokumpu
Outokumpu
Episode: Kati ter Horst on being a first-time CEO when the old rules are gone
Oona Hathaway
Leading scholar of international law and Yale Law School professor
Yale Law School
Episode: Oona Hathaway, should we still believe in the global order?
Kirsty Coventry
President of the IOC, former Olympic swimmer and Zimbabwean Minister
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Episode: Kirsty Coventry (IOC) on why leaders should train - and fail - like Olympians
Mark Zhou
Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Product Committee at NIO
NIO
Episode: Can NIO reinvent the automotive industry, Mark Zhou?
Rolf Habben Jansen
CEO of Hapag Lloyd
Hapag Lloyd
Episode: Hapag Lloyd CEO: What does resilience look like when trade routes break?
Guilherme Loureiro
CEO of Walmart Mexico (Walmex) and newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Walmex.
Walmart
Episode: Walmex CEO Guilherme Loureiro: What happens when leaders admit they're dinosaurs?
Gideon Rachman
Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator for the Financial Times
Financial Times
Episode: Gideon Rachman (FT): Can liberal democracy win the 21st century?
Bo Cerup-Simonsen
CEO of the Maersk-McKinney-Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Maersk-McKinney-Møller Center
Episode: From wake-up call to global coalition: How Maersk is pushing shipping toward net zero

Hosts

David Bach
Host of Leaders Unplugged, introducing guests and guiding the conversation
Felix Zeltner
Co-host of the show, frequently referenced in episode descriptions

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#5
Switzerland/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#44
Denmark/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#48
Belgium/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#61
Austria/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#65
Indonesia/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#67
Brazil/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#74
Singapore/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#124
Switzerland/Business
Apple Podcasts
#128
Sweden/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#201
United Arab Emirates/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#209
Netherlands/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#221
Finland/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#237
Mexico/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Oona Hathaway, should we still believe in the global order?
Q: What role can business leaders play amid uncertainty and violations of international law?
Business leaders have a responsibility to speak up collectively about unlawful actions and the potential destabilizing effects on global markets and infrastructure, reinforcing the legal norms that enable predictable international operations.
Oona Hathaway, should we still believe in the global order?
Q: What is international law, and which parts remain robust under current pressures?
International law comprises multiple bodies that function in the background and provide a framework that reduces uncertainty; some parts, such as the law of war and humanitarian norms, still constrain states despite violations, while enforcement often depends on domestic courts and broader political actions.
Jake Sullivan on power, industrial strategy, and the new global order
Q: What are some practical things we can do to our mutual advantage and build momentum toward a better relationship with allies?
Focus on achievable, concrete steps that improve reliability, reduce tariff frictions, and strengthen allied supply chains, while avoiding sweeping commitments that could undermine domestic consensus. The emphasis is on practical win-wins that repair trust over time and keep allied technology leadership intact.
Can NIO reinvent the automotive industry, Mark Zhou?
Q: What have you learned from globalization, especially when you started in China and then expanded to Europe?
Key lessons include the importance of tailoring vehicles to local needs (size, driving dynamics), respecting regulatory environments like GDPR, and building infrastructures and partnerships that align with local realities rather than copying success from one market to another.
Can NIO reinvent the automotive industry, Mark Zhou?
Q: So Mark, NIO was a startup less than a decade ago when you joined. How did you go from an idea really to challenging some of the biggest car makers in the world?
Mark explains that NIO leveraged a human-centric mission, avoided legacy constraints, and built a global R&D and design footprint to tailor products for local markets, while fostering a loyal user community that helped sustain the brand through difficult periods.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Leaders Unplugged

What is Leaders Unplugged about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features high-level conversations with leading business leaders, policymakers, and sustainability experts. Episodes frequently center on global economics, geopolitics, major industry shifts, and the future of work—covering topics like decarbonization, global supply chains, digital transformation, and democratic governance. Guests are often CEOs, chief strategists, or academic voices who bring practical leadership lessons, strategic pivots, and insights into how large organizations navigate risk, regulation, and rapid change. A distinctive angle is the emphasis on real-world leadership with a strong tie to global trends, from energy transitions and shipping decarbonization to asset management and democratic resilience. The format t... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Leaders Unplugged?

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1. I by IMD
2. HBR On Leadership
3. The Economics Show
4. FT News Briefing
5. The Mel Robbins Podcast

How many episodes of Leaders Unplugged are there?

Leaders Unplugged launched a year ago and published 21 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Leaders Unplugged?

Recent guests on Leaders Unplugged include:

1. Jake Sullivan
2. Kati Ter Horst
3. Oona Hathaway
4. Kirsty Coventry
5. Mark Zhou
6. Rolf Habben Jansen
7. Guilherme Loureiro
8. Gideon Rachman

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