Strategy Bites

Season 6 Episode 5 Charlie Newark-French, CEO of Cascade

In this episode of Strategy Bites, Anika Stokes sits down with Charlie Newark French, a former McKinsey consultant turned VC and now CEO of Cascade. Charlie brings a rare mix of strategy depth, tech insight, and startup scar tissue. From scaling AI-driven companies to surviving the rollercoaster of venture-backed growth, he’s lived the full spectrum.

Charlie shares how he went from coding as a kid, to advising CEOs at McKinsey, to betting on cutting-edge tech in Silicon Valley, and finally to building AI products that actually deliver strategy execution in the real world. His take on resilience, long-term thinking, and the brutal honesty of startup life is a masterclass for anyone who wants to operate, lead, or invest in high-performance environments.

Why listen to this episode?

• How elite storytelling skills from McKinsey still underpin effective strategy and leadership today.

• ·How Charlie spots real opportunities in tech and what separates a “nice idea” from a viable, scalable business.

• ·A brutally honest look at the emotional and operational realities of being a founder in fast-growth tech.

• Practical insights into AI’s real role in strategy execution, beyond the hype.

• How resilience is built, not born, from someone who has navigated existential crises week after week.

If you’re leading, investing, or simply trying to stay ahead in a world where AI meets strategy, this one’s packed with insights you’ll want to replay.

This week on Strategy Bites, I’m joined by someone who genuinely redefines what it means to think differently.

Jim Hogan has spent over forty years at the forefront of technology, innovation and leadership, and he just happens to be autistic.

He was the Chief Innovation Evangelist at Google Cloud and the Vice President of Accessibility in Technology for Google’s Disability Alliance.

Through his work, research and powerful TED Talk, Jim has become one of the most authentic and inspiring voices for neuroinclusion in business.

In this episode, Jim shares how his autistic lens has shaped his life and career, the challenges, the brilliance and the occasional chaos, and why he believes neuroinclusion isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do for any organisation that wants to innovate.

We talk about what leaders can do to create truly inclusive workplaces, how introverts and neurodistinct thinkers can be heard in rooms full of extroverts, and how embracing difference drives better ideas, better teams and better outcomes.

Oh, and yes, we get to the story behind the Rubik’s Cube.

So whether you’re leading a team, hiring for one, or just curious about how diverse thinking fuels innovation, you’ll want to stick around for this one.

Jim Hogan's Ted Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJrRnyNwm00

Stevie-Ann Dovico maps a clear route from consulting into the C-suite. Starting in Big 4 strategy and moving in-house across major banks before becoming CIO at Beyond Bank, she’s led high-performing teams, shipped real products, and picked up industry recognition along the way. In this episode we unpack how curiosity, adaptability and lifelong learning powered each pivot, what “tech fluency” looks like without a coding background, and how she balances leadership with motherhood while challenging stereotypes in tech. We also dive into what AI and even quantum mean for careers, and how mentors and sponsors accelerate the journey from analyst to executive.

You’ll hear:

• Real first steps from consulting into tech that keep you close to strategy while building product and engineering exposure
• How to overcome fear and embrace rapid change in tech and business
• What AI and quantum actually mean for future roles, plus where the value is in banking today
• A simple first-90-days playbook for ex-consultants in product or delivery
• Three practical skills juniors should learn now for Tech and GenAI
• Hiring signals that scream “future leader” vs “great slide maker”
• Why mentors and sponsors matter, and how to ask for sponsorship without the awkward
• How diverse leadership and early exposure to tech can inspire the next generation
• Practical advice for aspiring CIOs on building a credible path to senior leadership

If you’re a consultant or aspiring CIO wondering how to future-proof your career in a fast-changing digital world, this conversation is packed with usable tactics and inspiration.

PE can look shiny from the outside. James spends his days helping funds and port-cos create real value, and we get into the parts you don’t see on LinkedIn: leadership, resilience and building a career you actually like.
We talk about saying yes to the “weird and wacky” projects and opportunities that end up changing everything, what PE firms really look for when hiring ex-consultants (including Operating Partner roles), and whether ex-MBB leaders make great port-co CEOs.
We also dig into balance, working hard without losing yourself, and how to stay adaptable when the ground keeps moving.
🎧 Tune in for:
• Practical advice for consultants curious about PE
• A day in the life of a Bain partner advising PE clients
• Why working and living abroad can sharpen your consulting edge
• Why resilience, curiosity and self-awareness matter more than ever
• The best and the worst career advice James has picked up along the way

In this episode of the Strategy Bites Podcast, I sat down with Ian Hill, founder of Enthoosa.AI and creator of Palpable.io — to unpack the reality of AI adoption and what it means for consultants, leaders, and businesses.Here are some highlights you won’t want to miss:

• Why banks are leading AI adoption in Australia
• The hidden costs behind flashy AI ROI claims
• Which industries are next in line for disruption (think legal, accounting, and healthcare)
• Why consultants need to move beyond frameworks and get to the coalface
• Ian’s advice for young consultants: become an AI expert, but stay adaptable
• How his new venture, Palpable, is building a personal assistant that outperforms the best EAs

And perhaps most importantly -  Ian’s reminder to stay curious in times of rapid change. AI may deliver the right answers, but it’s people who decide whether to act on them.

You may check out what Ian Hill has been working on at the following links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianhill22/

https://palpable.io/