The Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business

The AI race is on. But what does it take to not just keep up, but to win? Even though we're using AI at work, at home and on-the-go, are we really ready to use it at scale as a country? Last year, the UK joined a growing list of countries setting out an ambitious vision for how AI could provide a better future. For those who succeed, the prize is significant. A future powered by AI could bring economic growth and increased productivity, improved public services, and new opportunities across society. But ambition alone isn't enough. To reap the rewards, we need the right foundations in place. Delivering digital skills and education to an entire nation. Redefining regulation and securing sufficient and sustained financial investment. Rebuilding our national infrastructure and providing access to cheap energy that can power dramatically increased AI usage. So, how do we turn an appealing vision of the future into reality? And what will it really take from individuals, businesses, governments and the public sector to bring a national AI strategy to life? That's what we're exploring with Sharon Hague, CEO of Pearson UK, and Oliver Seal, Partner and leader of the firm's Education Practice at Deloitte UK, as we ask: How do we turn AI ambition into a national advantage. Tune in to find out Why now is a critical juncture in the UK's AI journey The foundations we need to ensure the UK is ready for an AI-driven future How we make sure everyone has the access and skills they need to benefit from AI The role business can play in bringing a national AI strategy to life Enjoyed this episode? Check our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts Find out more about Scope: scope.org.uk Guests: Sharon Hague, CEO of Pearson UK Oliver Seal, Partner at Deloitte UK Hosts: Stephanie Dobbs Oli Carpenter Original music: Ali Barrett Recording date and location: London, 30.04.26

Companies are investing more than ever in technology to transform their businesses. But the full impact isn't being felt. Most organisations believe they are missing out on up to 50% of the returns they expect from digital transformation. So, what's the missing piece? Do firms need to invest more or does the answer lie in their leadership and culture? From AI to cloud platforms, organisations are undertaking digital transformation in the search for added efficiency, growth and competitive advantage. But change doesn't just happen to systems, it affects people too. If technology is a tool for transformation, is it the people and culture who drive real change? Behind every platform rollout and process redesign are employees being asked to adapt to and buy into a new way of working. And without a culture enabling people to embrace this change, nearly half of leaders say their success will be hindered. So, what role do people have in unlocking tech potential? What does a culture that can supercharge the impact of technology investments actually look like? What foundations need to be built when designing transformation plans? And how can organisations stay future-ready but people-centric? That's what we're exploring in this episode of The Green Room with Kate O'Neill, author and Founder of KO Insights, and Mike Manby, Technology & Transformation Consumer Industry Lead at Deloitte, as we ask: Are people the superpower that drives transformation? Tune in to find out: The role of leadership in driving transformational and culture change How the right culture can supercharge the impact of technology The foundations that need to be built when designing transformation plans How organisations can stay future-ready but people-centric Enjoyed this episode? Check out our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts Find out more about The Yard here: The Yard Charity | Supporting disabled children and young people Guests: Kate O'Neill, author and Founder of KO Insights, and Mike Manby, Technology & Transformation Consumer Industry Lead at Deloitte Hosts: Annie Wong and Oli Carpenter Original music: Ali Barrett Recording date and location: London, 25.02.26

Seven years ago, we were yet to experience a pandemic. Some of us were just discovering podcasts – and were yet to discover an air fryer. And Artificial Intelligence was, for many of us, something we only saw on the big screen. And in The Green Room's very first episode, we were asking 'What will be the last job on earth?' It was a year before GPT-3 changed the GenAI landscape, nearly four years before ChatGPT hit the mainstream and five years before regulation caught up and the world's first legal framework for AI would be passed. A lot has changed since then. But that first big question matters more than ever. AI has transformed our lives in ways that we couldn't have predicted. It's performing tasks, making decisions for us and helping us to create new things. And so, after years of experimenting with it, working with it, and investing in it, are we closer to understanding how AI will really impact the future of work? Some of us will go on to do jobs that don't yet exist, so how do we prepare for that? What skills do we need to learn now to prepare for the future – and what skills are essential to retain? Beyond our own careers, what changes need to be made at a societal level to ensure everyone has the right knowledge, experience and access to prosper in the future? And what role do businesses have to play in leading these changes in a way that benefits everyone? In our 100th episode of The Green Room podcast, we return to the question that started it all: What will be the last job on earth? With guests Ben Legg, CEO and co-founder of The Portfolio Collective, and Anne-Marie Malley, Vice Chair at Deloitte UK. Tune in to find out: What significant changes have impacted how we work over the past seven years How the increased use of AI is affecting hiring and talent, and what new roles are emerging The new skills we need to learn to be prepared for the future of work The role of business in ensuring everyone has the right skills and access to prosper in the future Enjoyed this episode? Check our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts Find out more about Deloitte's Five Million Futures: https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/about/story/impact/social-impact.html Guests: Ben Legg, CEO and co-founder of The Portfolio Collective Anne-Marie Malley, Vice Chair at Deloitte UK Hosts: Stephanie Dobbs and Annie Wong Original music: Ali Barrett Recording date and location: London, 02.04.26

In The Green Room, we've always set out to answer the biggest questions that matter most in business. Now, as we approach our milestone 100th episode, we're taking a moment to look back at some of the conversations and ideas that have stayed with us – and still influence how business operates today. We've explored everything from the future of work and leadership to AI, sustainability and the changing role of business in society. Along the way, we've been joined by a remarkable range of guests, including physicist Professor Brian Cox, retail expert Mary Portas, and McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. Plus, many more. In this special bonus episode, we revisit our standout moments – the insights that have challenged our thinking, shaped our perspectives, and helped us explore where the future of business is heading next. Featured Episodes (in order of appearance in the podcast): #79 - Can we all win in the space race? #62 - Are leaders born or made? #55 - Should leaders think more like activists? #75 - Can we communicate better by saying less? #36 - How do you start a movement? #49 - Can one person change a big business? #5 - Will I ever feel good enough for my job? #92 - What if our next decision makers aren't human? #47 - Can AI help us be more human? #95 - How do we move AI from trialling to transforming? #67 - Are we asking the right questions about AI? #89 - Is it easier to start a sustainable business or become one? #58 - Who's responsible for being responsible? #84 - What does it take to turn things around? #33 - What's the secret to performing at your best? #61 - What comes first, vision or buy-in? #68 - What makes a champion? Bigger Questions series: What's the power of being first? #76 - How can we remodel role models? --- Find more information on all our episodes here: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts Original music: Ali Barrett

Our careers don't happen in isolation. What we carry from our lives outside of work shapes how we show up inside of it. At certain points in life, work doesn't just sit alongside family and caring responsibilities – it actively coincides with them. And how organisations respond in those moments underpins the kind of workplaces they really are. As the world of work continues to evolve, businesses are being challenged to do more than offer flexibility as a perk. Today's workforce is navigating parenthood, caregiving, and complex family lives alongside their careers. And the question is firmly shifting from not just whether employees support families, but how they deliberately build systems, policies and cultures that reflect that. So, is looking after employees just a moral choice – or a strategic one? And when people feel understood and supported, do they stay longer, contribute more, and help build stronger organisations? Is what's good for families, good for business too? And when we design work in a way that allows people to sustain their careers, does this move businesses from just existing to thriving? How can creating these spaces for families and carers build stronger, more successful businesses? Can flexibility and trust translate into higher productivity and better performance, as well as improved retention and talent attraction? And what will it take to design workplaces where supporting people through real life isn't just a compromise, but an advantage for businesses as a whole? That's what we're exploring in this episode of The Green Room with Jackie Henry MBE, Managing Partner for People and Purpose at Deloitte UK, and Anna Whitehouse, journalist, author, broadcaster and founder of Mother Pukka and Flex Appeal, as we ask: How does supporting families support us all? Tune in to find out: How conversations around work and flexibility have changed The role of leadership in creating work that's good for business and families Why 'trust' is a key ingredient in making flexible working work How businesses can adapt to build workplaces of the future Enjoyed this episode? Check our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts Find out more about The Yard here: theyardscotland.org.uk Guests: Jackie Henry MBE, Managing Partner for People and Purpose at Deloitte UK, and parenting influencer, Anna Whitehouse, also known as Mother Pukka Hosts: Annie Wong and Oliver Carpenter Original music: Ali Barrett Recording date and location: London, 19.02.26