#273: Redefining leadership at the intersection of transformation & technology with Stephan Siegrist

Live from LEAD-26 in Zurich. Stephan Siegrist is a professional alpinist. He says leadership means taking the lead when situations are uncomfortable. In mountaineering one person often needs the next rope length and must make small decisions by the centimetre and larger choices every half hour. Some choices are life threatening.  On a recent Nepal expedition his youngest team member developed high altitude pulmonary sickness. The medical problem required bringing the person down quickly. Stefan decided the team must bring him down. He said the most important thing is that everyone comes back home safely. Stefan spoke about risk and crisis. He said if you do not take any risk you do not get forward. He advised to push to the limit but not until it starts bleeding. Over years climbers develop knowledge to find that balance.    About Stefan Siegrist: Professional Alpinist, Climber, Public Speaker. Stephan loves the mountains and he loves sharing the adventure    Resources   his webpage: https://stephan-siegrist.ch/ Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/  Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

Hear branding advice that shifts focus from "better" to "different." David Brier explains how branding is the art of differentiation. He shows why brands that only tweak visuals fail, and shares real cases: a failed Jaguar rebrand and a successful Napa Fresh relaunch. Learn practical steps and imagination tools. About David Brier David Brier, known by many as "The Brandfather," is the recipient of 320 international awards and the Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship medallion, who has generated over $9 billion in brand value across four decades for companies from startups to Fortune 500s. The bestselling author of "Brand Intervention" and "Rich Brand Poor Brand," Grant Cardone has praised him as "a branding genius" and "brilliant with branding" by Shark Tank's Daymond John. Resources  Rising above the noise : https://www.risingabovethenoise.com Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

This episode explains how BSI builds for data, AI agents, and digital sovereignty. Markus Brunold shares the company mission, cloud and AI model choices, and how human roles and AI agents work together. Hear concrete examples and product thinking for regulated industries like financial services. About Markus Brunold Markus Brunold is CEO of BSI Software and is responsible for the company's long-term business development. With the BSI Customer Suite, BSI Software offers the only European holistic CRM and CX solution that deeply integrates AI while guaranteeing data protection, sovereignty, and flexibility. For Markus, customer centricity is the guiding principle of his entrepreneurial activities. BSI Software is a market leader in its key industries, combining deep industry knowledge with technological excellence. Resources  BSI Software: https://www.bsi-software.com/en Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

Learn why human voices drive digital transformation. Alex Wunschel explains how voice builds trust, shapes culture, and makes leaders relatable. Get concrete tips to speak authentically, train voice skills, and embed audio into internal communication. Hear real examples and pitfalls to avoid in corporate communication. About Alexander Wunschel Alexander Wunschel is a founder, podcast pioneer, and producer with over 17 years of experience in the audio industry. He is the owner and executive of Klangstelle, a podcast company that offers the finest audio pieces from strategy and conception to production and marketing. He has produced and managed over 1.000 episodes in over 35 podcasts with about 8 million downloads and streams for clients such as Telekom, Fujitsu, Playboy, Starbucks, Datev, GAD, Microsoft, and many more. He is also a strategy consultant for digital media, a keynote speaker. He is passionate about the impact of sound, immersive and augmented audio, voice user interface, privacy, security, OSINT, MarTech, AdTech, meditation, and cooking. Resources Klangstelle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderwunschel/ Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

Leonard Sommer argues schools are stuck in an industrial model and kill creativity. He shares proven examples and methods to redesign student experience. Learn why culture, not curriculum, matters and how businesses can partner with schools to prepare future workers and protect human creativity in the AI era. About Leonard Sommer Since 2014, Leonard Sommer has been actively promoting creativity in education through the Classroom Thinktank e.V., a non-profit initiative he founded. He is also involved on a voluntary basis with several educational organizations, including Education Y (Board Member), Wir für Schule (Advisory Board), and DigitalSchoolStory (Brand Ambassador). Additionally, he is the initiator and curator of FUTUROMUNDO EDU, the International Future Festival of Learning. Leo is the author of the professional book "Wenn Schule auf Ideen bringt – 100 Kreative denken Lernen neu" (Vahlen Verlag, Munich). He is regularly invited as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on the topics of creativity in education and future-oriented learning. He has spoken or led workshops at various training programs, events, and global institutions. Resources FUTUROMUNDO : https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardsommer/ Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

This episode shows how AI magnifies both strengths and gaps in customer experience. Rajat Chawla explains why AI exposes bad CX, how invisible effortless experiences look, and what leaders must do on culture, accountability, and journey design using Taco Bell, KLM, and Starbucks examples. About Rajat Chawla Some highlights about Rajat Chawla: - Asia's first Certified Customer Experience professional. - Founder of Koyopo, a CX and leadership consulting firm.  - Worked with global brands like Google and Cisco. - Over two decades of experience in leadership, consulting, and coaching. - Helping organizations build customer-centric cultures that drive loyalty and growth. - Gallup-certified strengths coach, aligning authentic strengths with CX strategies. Resources  Koyopo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chawlarajat/ Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation

In this engaging episode Gregorio Uglioni welcomes Hussein M. Dajani, a visionary leader in customer experience and digital transformation. Hussein shares his journey through various leadership roles, highlighting his impactful work at Red Bull, Nissan, and Deloitte Digital. He discusses the importance of customer-centric strategies and the integration of technology to enhance customer experiences. Hussein dives into three significant transformation examples, starting with Red Bull's innovative marketing campaign during the Felix Baumgartner space jump. He then shares the groundbreaking "She Drives" initiative at Nissan, which empowered female drivers in Saudi Arabia, and the "ShopAtHome with Nissan" program, which revolutionized the automotive customer experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the conversation, Hussein emphasizes the role of data, personalization, and empathy in creating exceptional customer experiences. About Hussein M. Dajani Hussein M. Dajani is a transformative marketing, customer experience and AI leader redefining what it means to lead responsibly in the age of disruption. With 24+ years across industries and geographies, he fuses visionary thinking with operational rigor to build brands that grow, teams that scale, and strategies that deliver. Hussein is not just adapting to change — he's driving it. A rare blend of CMO/CXO/CDO/CAIO mindset and CEO impact, he turns customer obsession into competitive advantage and emerging tech, especially AI, into measurable value. Whether leading digital revolutions or orchestrating brand relaunches, Hussein's influence is felt across boardrooms, global stages, and the future of marketing itself. Resources  Petromin Corporation : https://www.linkedin.com/in/hdajani/ Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

This episode dives into The Heart of Service, a practical guide to human-centered AI in customer service. Nick explains real stories, change management, measuring AI impact, frontline listening, ethics, and tools leaders can use. Good for CX leaders, managers, and practitioners. About Nick Glimsdahl Nick Glimsdahl is a trusted advisor to customer service leaders navigating the pressure to modernize operations, improve experience, and prove the value of their AI investments. As the host of the Press 1 For Nick podcast, he's interviewed more than 200 CX leaders, authors, and innovators about the future of service. His new book, The Heart of Service: A Blueprint for Human-Centric AI in Customer Service, uses a fictional parable to show what happens when a CX leader stops chasing hype and starts asking the right questions. Nick brings practical experience from years of helping contact centers implement modern solutions—from AI and automation to agent enablement and post-go-live support. His work is grounded in one belief: technology should serve people, not the other way around. Resources  VDS: https://www.govds.com Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

Gregorio Uglioni sits down with senior customer experience manager Patty Soltis to explore the intricate dynamics of convincing the C-suite to embrace customer experience initiatives. Patty shares invaluable insights on aligning CX efforts with business strategies, understanding executive priorities, and demonstrating the true value of CX to drive profitability. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to bridge the gap between customer experience and executive buy-in. About Patty Soltis Over three decades of experience, Patty has been a practitioner, consultant, and analyst in CX. She led dysfunctional organizations through change management to profitability. She found significant financial benefits with more profitable sales and lower expenses using the CX discipline. Using customer-centric business strategies, Patty created customer centric cultures, advised organizations to adopt CX, and analyzed CX best practices. Patty started her career listening to the voice of the employee, learning more about the customer elevating customer experiences. Patty serves as a senior customer experience manager at Upwork. Patty was a principal analyst – CX for eMarketer/Insider Intelligence and a patient experience consultant for Moffitt Cancer Center. She was a consultant for several years working with both small and enterprise organizations. Patty worked in retail for 27 years. She was a VP/GM for Neiman Marcus, Marshall Fields, and Lord & Taylor. Patty is a CCXP, CX-PRO and was named a CX Influencer by CX Network in 2024 and CX Scoop in 2023. She is an active member of the CXPA where she led the writing of the Book of Knowledge, launched the FL CXPA network, serves as a leader on the FL network and the Regional Council. Patty is a member of Horizon CX Board of Advisors. Resources  Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/ Please, hit the follow button and leave your feedback: Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.

Ben Phillips, a 20-year CX professional, explains how B2B customer experience differs from B2C, highlights key B2B moments, and gives real examples of fixing and leveraging accounts. He also shares practical training ideas: translate leadership strategy into frontline actions and use short, authentic formats like podcasts. About Ben Phillips Ben is a Certified CX Professional (CCXP) with almost 20 years working directly in Customer Experience (CX) roles for worldwide enterprise-grade organisations, both B2C and B2B. He has held Director, Leader and consultancy positions in CX for market research agencies, financial companies and technology businesses. He has led award-winning CX teams and is the author of 3 books on the subject of CX, including "The CX Dictionary". He is consistently ranked in the top #25 CX Influencers recognised by CX Magazine year on year. Ben presents keynotes, CX knowledge sessions and hosts events for companies worldwide. He lives in the Midlands, UK with his family and is a passionate musician, Level 3 Personal Fitness Trainer, Tottenham Hotspur fan and whisky enthusiast. Resources CX Alive!: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cx-alive/ Please, hit the follow button:  Apple Podcast: http://cxgoalkeeper.com/apple Spotify: http://cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify We'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and share your feedback! Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/ About Gregorio Uglioni: Transforming Business Into Value Generating Engines - Creating Long-Lasting Impact Leveraging Customer Experience - Host Of The Globally Recognized CX Goalkeeper Podcast "Customer Experience Goals" - Speaker at global events & at podcasts - Judge at International Awards - CX Lecturer for several institutions Listen to more podcasts on The Agile Brand network here: https://agilebrandguide.com/the-agile-brand-podcasts/