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Leaders with Ambition

Ambition UK
Leadership
Networking
Kearney
Pricing
Mentoring
Hogan Lovells
Norton Rose Fulbright
Baker Tilly International
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
UHY International
Cortis Advisory Group
Clifford Chance
Generative AI
Legal Marketing
Career Development
Axinn
Julie Chodos
Artificial Intelligence
Passle
AI (generative AI)

Welcome to Leaders with Ambition, the podcast that dives deep into the careers of some of the most successful leaders working in professional services firms. We aim to discover the secrets behind their success, the challenges they face and to find out what traits make a successful leader. About the host: Nicky Acuna Ocana is the Regional Managing Director of Ambition, an international recruitment ... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes97Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CareersBusiness

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Latest Episodes

In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuña Ocaña is joined by Deborah Farone, an award-winning legal industry business development and marketing strategist, former Chief Marketing Officer at two of the world's leading law firms, and a... more

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In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuña Ocaña is joined by Rhys Calcott, Associate Director for Business Development and Marketing EMEA at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates.

Rhys shares his unconventional and... more

With over 25 years of experience spanning in-house leadership roles and consultancy, Dave shares a candid perspective on navigating non-linear careers, leading global teams, and building influence within partnership-led organisations.

From his early... more

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​In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuña Ocaña is joined by Julie Chodos, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, for a candid and far‑reaching conversation spanning leadership, non‑linea... more

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Recent Guests

Rhys Calcott
Associate Director for BD and Marketing, Amir at Skadden
Skadden
Episode: Ep.96 Rhys Calcott - “The career is in your hands; every choice you make has an impact.”
Dave Harvey
Leader in marketing and BD within the legal sector; founder of Harvey Global Consulting
Harvey Global Consulting
Episode: Ep. 95- ''Dave Harvey- “Networking, networking, networking — the earlier you start, the better.”
Julie Chodos
Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Axinn
Axinn
Episode: Ep. 94 Julie Chodos- “Feedback is a gift - if people think you can take it, they’ll tell you more.”
Allyson Stewart-Allen
Founder and CEO of International Marketing Partners; global authority on internationalization and growth of professional services firms
International Marketing Partners; PSFI (Principal Consultant)
Episode: Ep. 93 Allyson Stewart-Allen- “If you don’t try it, you’ll never know what it could have been.”
Kerri Vermeylen
CMO of Sidley Austin (global role, based in Brussels)
Sidley Austin
Episode: Ep. 92 Kerri Vermeylen - ''Careers are built through experiences, not perfectly mapped plans.”
Kathleen Ford
Director, Head of Global Communications at Kearney
Kearney
Episode: Ep. 91 Kathleen Ford - ''Networking is a skill that improves with practice.''
Gillian Ward
Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Reed Smith
Reed Smith
Episode: Ep. 90 Gillian Ward-''Everything in life happens for a reason, you might not know it at the time.”
Alistair Johnson
Experienced global COO and change and transformation specialist
Clifford Chance (former regional IT director/COO); RPC (COO); Fujitsu (project manager)
Episode: Ep. 89 Alistair Johnson- ''Treat people with kindness, you never know when your paths will cross again.”
Nicky Merritt
Founder of Cortis Advisory Group; award-winning M&A expert
Cortis Advisory Group
Episode: Ep. 88 Nicola Meritt - ''Resilience isn’t toughness it’s having space for things to go wrong'

Host

Nicky Acuna Ocana
Host of Leaders with Ambition

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Talking Points

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Ep.96 Rhys Calcott - “The career is in your hands; every choice you make has an impact.”
Q: What are the big challenges and opportunities for BD leaders going forward, including the role of AI?
AI presents both a major opportunity and a disruption; BD teams must adapt by redesigning processes, investing in new tools, and keeping teams resilient through a bumpy transition. Finding talent and differentiating value in a crowded market remains essential, with AI also elevating the importance of soft skills and high-performing teams.
Ep.96 Rhys Calcott - “The career is in your hands; every choice you make has an impact.”
Q: When should people start building networks and how should they approach it?
Networking should begin early in a career, with deliberate, ongoing involvement in events, groups, and online platforms. The guest emphasizes investing time to engage, benchmark against peers, learn from others, and grow a trusted circle or tribe that provides psychological safety and guidance as they advance.
Ep 80. Emily Rogers- “A good client experience starts with a good employee experience.”
Q: Tell me about networking and personal branding and how you encourage colleagues to build their authentic brands.
She emphasizes that building a personal brand is essential because otherwise others build it for you; she advocates authentic, consistent communication and provides training to help colleagues understand how their actions shape perceptions, reinforcing a culture of delivering quality and authentic leadership.
Ep. 85 Connor Kinnear- ''Networking is about being authentic and making work fun.''
Q: Can you share a moment when smart networking directly led to a key client win?
Yes—the early days of Passle involved intense networking at events, building trust with senior BD and marketing leads, which eventually led to first big clients like Freshfields through referrals and reputational momentum.
Ep. 85 Connor Kinnear- ''Networking is about being authentic and making work fun.''
Q: What's the most valuable lesson from your time at Diageo that you've carried into startups like Passle?
Structured thinking matters—the game plan process, clear goals, and measurable activities—and maintaining a flexible approach to pivot when needed.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Leaders with Ambition

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

A leadership-focused series exploring career journeys and practical leadership lessons from senior marketing and business development leaders in professional services. Episodes highlight pathways into C-suite and senior roles, mentorship and sponsorship, cross-border team management, and the evolving role of marketing, BD, and communications in law firms and consulting. Notable threads include navigating mergers and global expansion, balancing work and life, leveraging AI and data in marketing, and building resilient, people-centric cultures that empower teams. The show tends to feature leaders who emphasize relationship-building, coaching, sponsorship, and authentic leadership, making it valuable for aspiring CMOs, BD leaders, and partners... more

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1. Up First from NPR

How many episodes of Leaders with Ambition are there?

Leaders with Ambition launched 5 years ago and published 97 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 with Ambition?

Recent guests on Leaders with Ambition include:

1. Rhys Calcott
2. Dave Harvey
3. Julie Chodos
4. Allyson Stewart-Allen
5. Kerri Vermeylen
6. Kathleen Ford
7. Gillian Ward
8. Alistair Johnson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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