Sport AND Determination with Trenten Merrill

The purpose of L’Oréal is to create beauty that moves the world. According to CEO, Nicolas Hieronimus, ‘to move’ can have two meanings: “One is to change things, such as using green sciences and reducing package as a way to move the world. But moving is also about emotion. Beauty is about emotions; it’s about bringing people self-confidence.” Ilham and Nicolas have a fascinating conversation about science AND beauty, discussing topics such as beauty and tech, how to be sustainable and profitable, and the importance of promoting diversity in the beauty industry.

Nicolas Hieronimus has spent the majority of his career at L’Oréal, one of the world’s largest cosmetic companies. He started his career at the company as a Product Manager for the Garnier branch in 1987 and was named CEO of L’Oréal in 2021. Describing himself as a ‘beauty junkie’, Nicolas has reinforced L’Oréal’s commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, transparency, and cutting-edge technology, solidifying L’Oréal’s position as a beacon of innovation and ethical responsibility in the beauty industry.

Timestamps

01:30- Introduction to the beauty industry

04:03 - Taking professional risks that pay off

08:29 - Being a purpose-led company

11:45 - Being sustainable AND profitable

15:45 - Tech for beauty

20:23 - The importance of psychological safety in the workplace

23:46 - Introducing Warm Up Mondays

25:05 -  Promoting diversity in science and beauty

30:39  - Favorite music and movies

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Did you know that there’s a strong connection between music and science? Ilham speaks with award winning chemist and pianist Nuno Maulide about the science behind the classical music of the greatest composers. He talks about the musical talent of brilliant scientists such as Albert Einstein and Max Planck, what scientists and business leaders can learn from music, and beautifully plays pieces by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Debussy. Listen and be inspired! 

Nuno Maulide is a professor and head of the Institute for Organic Chemistry at the University of Vienna. Nuno studied piano and chemistry in his hometown in Lisbon and then went on to earn his PhD at the University of Louvain in Belgium. He has studied at universities in Louvain-la-Neuve, Paris and at Stanford University, and started his independent work as a Group leader at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Carbon Research. He has received numerous prestigious awards in both chemistry and music throughout his career. 

Timestamps
1:59 - Albert Einstein and Max Planck’s love for Bach and Mozart
7:09 - Nuno plays Bach’s Jesus bleibet meine Freude
10:38 - Introduction to music in primary school
13:11 - Switch to focus on organic chemistry
19:43 - Nuno plays excerpts from Mozart’s Sonata in G Major 1st Movement
20:48 - Connection between science and music
23:21 - Schubert and the connection to nature
27:51 - Nuno plays Schubert’s Impromptu in G Flat Major
33:00 - Chopin and the connection to water
35:07 - Nuno plays Chopin’s Etude Opus 25 No. 1
37:23 - What can businesses learn from music?
40:31 - Rachmaninoff and pattern recognition
41:27 - Nuno plays Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Sharp Major
44:32 - Emotion vs rationality?
46:02 - Nuno plays Debussy’s Clair de lune

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Have you ever wondered how the Dutch masters were able to use such vibrant colors? They come from plant-based dyes! Ilham sits down with internationally acclaimed artist Claudy Jongstra to discuss her incredible art, which is made from plant based dyes and wool that comes from a rare, indigenous breed of sheep raised on her farm in The Netherlands. They discuss her fascinating artistic process, the costumes she created for the Jedi in Star Wars, what businesses can learn from art and much more. Claudy’s work truly brings art AND sustainability together!

Claudy Jongstra is a world renowned artist and designer known worldwide for her monumental artworks and architectural installations, whose organic surfaces and nuanced tones reflect her masterful innovations in the ancient technique of making wool felt. Her  fabrics have been used by some of the most well known designers such as Christian Lacroix and Donna Karan, and they were even worn by the Jedi in Star Wars Episode 1. Her work has been included in collections at major museums like the Rijksmuseum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and more.

Timestamps
1:50 - Upbringing in the Netherlands and early love for color, nature and art
6:16 - Creating sustainable art from materials on a farm
9:08 - Making beautiful plant-based dyes/colors
15:14 - Creating the Jedi costumes for Star Wars
17:53 - Art and circularity
20:53 - What can businesses learn from art
24:26 - Connecting art and education
27:31 - Secret to success
29:47 - Artist role models and favorite work of art

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to leadership expert Bill George, “Your true north is the essence of who you are, and before you can go on an outer leadership journey, you have to go on an inner journey.” Ilham has a fascinating discussion with Bill about how you can find your True North, his new book on leadership, the shift from “I” to “we”, advice to emerging leaders and much more.

Bill George is one of the most renowned experts on leadership. He's the former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, and currently an executive fellow at Harvard Business School. You may know Bill as the author of the groundbreaking book, True North, as well as many other books on leadership. He has just published this newest book called True North Emerging Leaders Edition, which he co-authored with the Millennial entrepreneur, Zach Clayton.

Timestamps
2:16 - Youth and early lessons in leadership
5:10 - What is True North
10:50 - About his new book: True North Emerging Leader Edition
13: 09 - Becoming an authentic leader
17:24 - Crucibles that test your leadership
20:58 - Shift from I to We
23:18 - True North and North Star - what’s the difference? 
27:33 - Political issues - when to become involved
30:36 - Giving back: the George Family Foundation
32:52 - Advice to young leaders

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to sustainable leadership expert Marga Hoek, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in business can lead to incredible business opportunities - in fact it’s a $12 trillion business case! Ilham has a fascinating discussion with Marga about how business for good is good for business, the attributes that make a good sustainable CEO, the importance of mentoring and much more. 

Marga Hoek, one of the top leaders on sustainable business, is a three-time CEO and the author of a best selling book called The Trillion Dollar Shift, which highlights the incredible business opportunities for companies that work to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals. Marga is considered one of the most influential thought leaders in the transition towards a more sustainable world.

Timestamps
1:22 - Upbringing and what ballet taught her about leadership
7:00 - The $12 trillion dollar business case for implementing the SDGs
12:16 - Business for good is good for business
15:08 - What attributes make a sustainable CEO?
19:35 - Tech for good
25:32 - Great examples of businesses doing good
31:33 - Lessons learned as CEO
35:53 - The importance of mentoring
40:54 - Motherhood and entrepreneurship

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management Nicolai Tangen, ESG and investing go hand in hand. Ilham sits down with Nicolai to discuss the importance of achieving the power of AND for investors, the journey of Norges Bank Investment Management under his leadership, his leadership lessons and advice for young leaders and investors, as well as his favorite books, paintings and more!

Nicolai Tangen is the CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM). In that role he is responsible for managing the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, which owns approximately 1.4% of the world’s listed companies. On top of running one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, he is also a podcast host, a lifelong learner, an avid reader, and an art and cooking enthusiast. He holds masters degrees in Art History and Social Psychology. 

Timestamps
1:25 - Upbringing in Kristiansand, Norway
2:43 - Commitment to philanthropy
5:16 - Journey of NBIM under his leadership
9:12 - Sustainable AND profitable investing
12:43 - Criteria NBIM investments
14:08 - Importance of transparency
15:41 - Podcast: In Good Company
17:28 - Leadership lessons
23:26 - Diversity, equity and inclusion
26:16 - Favorite books
27:34 - Favorite artists and paintings
29:00 - Advice to young leaders
31:29 - Favorite things to cook

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Chemistry is everywhere and cooking is no exception! In this podcast, Ilham joins Christophe Lavelle  –  one of the foremost experts on molecular gastronomy  – in the kitchen to learn about the chemistry of cooking, molecular gastronomy, how cooking is both an art and a science, and even how to make caramel foam with bicarbonate of soda and liquid nitrogen! 

Christophe Lavelle is a biophysicist, an epigeneticist and one of the foremost experts on the chemistry of cooking, or molecular gastronomy. His research focuses on the regulation of gene expression and the biophysical properties of macromolecules… including the ones you eat! He is a researcher at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), co-founder of the Food 2.0 LAB and runs a lab at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.  He also teaches in many universities and establishments throughout Paris including the famous Le Cordon Bleu.

Timestamps
2:43 - Why chemistry AND cooking?
4:09 - What is molecular gastronomy?
7:30 - Inspiration to start cooking and role models
8:58 - Teaching
10:13 - Demo: making caramel with bicarbonate of soda and liquid nitrogen
22:14 - Favorite recipes and foods
25:05 - Advice to young scientists and chefs
26:46 - Love of music

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

According to leadership expert Clarke Murphy, great leaders must be moonshotters, possess empathy and have a high LQ (not just IQ)! What does that mean? Clarke explains everything in his fascinating discussion with Ilham. They talk about what it takes to be a sustainable leader, his new book on the topic, advice for young leaders and so much more. 

Timestamps
1:49 - Upbringing and interest in sustainable leadership
5:50 - CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates
11:25 - Leadership and humility
13:37 - Book on Sustainable Leadership
21:24 - The LQ versus the IQ or even EQ
25:44 - 100 percenters versus moonshotters
28:52 - Passing the dinner table test
30:38 - Discovering the empathy gene
33:02 - Advice for young leaders
34:19 - Love of the ballet and the arts

Clarke Murphy, the former CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates is a leadership expert who advises the world's top companies on leadership strategies that fuel profitable growth and value for all stakeholders. He has also just published a bestselling book called Sustainable Leadership: Lessons of vision, courage, and grit from the CEOs who dare to build a better world, which is essentially a handbook on how to become a true, sustainable leader.

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Trenten Merrill speaks with Ilham about his incredible journey to become one of the world’s top paralympic track and field athletes. After overcoming many challenges, he has gone on to break the American record for long jump, not just once but three times! In this episode, he explains his passion for sports, how he stays disciplined, his advice for business leaders and young athletes, and so much more. 

1:20 - Upbringing and passion for sports
3:03 - Accident that changed his life
7:31 - First competition in Rio
10:41 - What can businesses learn from athletes?
12:18 - Passion for journaling
15:51 - Focus on the journey not the destination
18:05 - Career in modeling
20:34 - Entrepreneurial side
23:16 - Working with children with prosthetics
27:04 - What’s next?
28:17 - Hobbies outside of sports
29:20 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the world of sport

Trenten Merrill is one of the world’s top paralympic track and field athletes. At the age of 14 Trenten and his best friend were struck by a car and Trenten’s foot had to be amputated, but that did not stop him from fulfilling his childhood dream of being a professional athlete. Trenten learned about Paralympics and set his eyes on competing at the Paralympic Games. In 2016 Trenten made his first Paralympic team and broke the American Record in Long Jump. He went on to break the record again in 2018 and 2021. 

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

In this latest episode, Ambra Sabatini explains her incredible journey to become the fastest Paralympic sprinter in the world. She speaks to Ilham about her passion for sports, an accident that changed her life, her stunning victory at the 2020 Paralympic games, what business leaders can learn from athletes, her advice for young people and more! 

2:13 - Upbringing and passion for sports
3:38 - Accident that changed her life 
5:17 - Victory at the 2020 Paralympic games
8:33 - Toughest challenges
10:51 - What companies can learn from athletes
12:12 - Perfectly imperfect tattoo
13:34 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in sport
15:14 - Advice for young people
16:22 - What’s next?
17:55 - Interests outside of sport
20:39 - Strong support of family

Ambra Sabatini is the fastest Paralympic sprinter in the world. When she was only 19 years old she broke the world record, running 100 meters in just 14.11 seconds at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. And this is after she had already broken the world record a few months before in the Grand Prix in Dubai. In Tokyo, she also led Italy to a historic clean sweep in the women's 100m as her Italian teammates also won silver and bronze medals. 

Ambra was born in Livorno Italy in 2002. On June 5th, 2019 she was involved in a car accident on her way to training and she had to undergo an amputation of her left leg above the knee…but she never gave up on her love for sport. 

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast