You may know Mars Incorporated for the sweet and tasty treats you can find on store shelves – classic Twix candy bars, Juicy Fruit gum, and so much more. However, Mars is exploring much more than just candy and snack foods. Jean-Christophe Flatin, President of Innovation, Science, Technology, and Mars Edge at Mars, talks about "innovation myth-busting," the importance of connecting with consumers, and new patterns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Innovation Answered

Mars, Inc. President of Innovation on “innovation myth busting” and more

Venture capital funds provide the gasoline startups need to get from an initial sketch on a cocktail napkin to a global-scale giant like Uber, Amazon, or Airbnb. With so much change over the last year, we drove out to Los Altos Hills, California to sit down with Hemant Taneja, one of venture’s power players to understand what’s on his mind half way through this year. Marcus Daniels, Highline Beta’s Founding Partner & CEO, also shares his insights.

Venture Capital — Silicon Valley Style

Bringing designers in early can help companies execute on big ideas more successfully and create smoother customer experiences. But how do you get that right, especially if design isn’t baked into the culture, or if other functions tend to dominate the innovation process? Phil Duncan, the Global Design Officer at Procter and Gamble, discusses his experience. Brett Lovelady and Andy Goodman of PA Consulting also share.

Leveraging Design as a Competitive Advantage

Weddings in the COVID-era look a little different. Many couples staged “minimonies” to celebrate their big day, sometimes with a Zoom link as a substitute for in-person celebrations. Just as celebrations have adapted, the way people shop for wedding wear also had to shift.  David’s Bridal CEO Jim Marcum discusses how he’s navigating the future of the wedding business. That includes building an omnichannel experience to help brides shop from anywhere and industry trends to look out for in 2022.

David’s Bridal CEO on Styling the COVID Wedding

How do CEOs determine focus areas and allocate budget to R&D initiatives? In this episode, Deborah Dunsire, four-time chief executive of public and private companies shares her experience. Dunsire has been the CEO of Lundbeck since 2018 — overseeing teams that discover new medicines in Copenhagen and California, as well as others who market and sell the company’s products around the world. Get her tips for innovators looking to improve their relationships with their CEOs.

Lundbeck's CEO on Developing Breakthrough Medications & Allocating Funding

How do Chief Strategy Officers balance the core business with new opportunities? And, what can teams do to build the right portfolio of activities? Megan Lyon, Chief Strategy Officer of Herman Miller, explains how she approaches crafting strategy for the furniture company. George White, Chief Innovation Officer of Cantina, also shares best practices for setting strategy. 

What Makes Chief Strategy Officers Tick

How did Sonesta grow from 58 hotels in November of 2020 to 1,200 locations today? Vera Manoukian, Chief Operating Officer at Sonesta International Hotels Incorporated, explains. Manoukian also shares how the team pivoted to meet guest concerns and keep rooms booked during the pandemic. 

Sonesta Hotels’ COO on Growth During a Pandemic

How do Chief Technology Officers build roadmaps to implement new technologies? Leo Barella, Chief Technology Officer at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, explains. He also discusses best practices for working with data and using data to inform digital strategy. 

Takeda Pharmaceutical's CTO on Building Technology Roadmaps

How do chief innovation officers they set priorities? And, what do they do to influence culture? Debbie Brackeen, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at CSAA, explores how  she approaches the insurance company’s innovation portfolio, the metrics that matter, and disruption in the insurance space. Frazer Bennet, Chief Innovation Officer of PA Consulting, also shares insights.

Exploring the Psyches of Chief Innovation Officers

Dewayne Hankins, the Chief Commercial Officer of the Portland Trail Blazers, shares how the basketball team shifted the fan experience in response to challenges created by COVID-19. During the conversation, he covers how the team kept fans connected to players in the NBA’s 2020 bubble, how the team is approaching empty seats this season, and storytelling tips. He also shares his past experiences at Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at the organization.

The Portland Trail Blazers Chief Commercial Officer on Pivoting the Fan Experience

How can AI and machine learning provide patients with personal, preemptive healthcare? Rajeev Ronanki, the Chief Digital Officer of Anthem, shares his experience. He also discusses how his team works with large data sets, the skills he looks for in employees, and how AI can improve telehealth.  

Empowering an AI-First Organization with Anthem’s Chief Digital Officer

How can organizations build a culture of innovation and effectively create buy-in for change? Sarah Chavarria, the Chief People Officer of Delta Dental, explains. Chavarria also shares how the dental insurance company developed its core values, the importance of gathering feedback from employees, and how the company responded to challenges caused by COVID-19.

Building a Culture of Innovation with Delta Dental's Chief People Officer

Innovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators, is back for its fifth season. And this season of our podcast is very special: We’re going to take you inside of the C-Suite of some very well-known, well-established organizations. In each episode, we’ll interview a different C-level leader to talk about their innovation priorities. That includes how to secure their support and how to push projects across the finish line. Subscribe for updates. New episodes debut starting February 23. 

Innovation Answered: Taking You Inside the C-Suite

COVID-19 has changed the way people get around. Instead of public transportation, cycling has become a preferred mode of mobility, as well as a way to safely exercise outdoors. A spike in demand might seem like a clear win for bike makers. But, more sales means greater stress on supply chains and longer wait times. To find out how the bike sector is dealing with the unexpected surge of interest, we talked to Chad Manuell, Director of Engineering at Trek Bicycle. Manuell also discusses how his team approaches early innovation and R&D project.

Tackling a Bike Shortage and Approaching Early R&D at Trek Bicycle

2020 has been a year of racial reckoning — with discussions about police brutality and systematic racism stretching from the streets to the dinner table to the virtual conference room. To take a deeper dive, we gathered a panel to discuss how to make DEI initiatives at big companies more effective. Our panelists include: Irina Kozlovskaya, a Director of Industrial Design at Fitbit; Alfred Jones, Head of Mechanical Engineering at Lyft Level Five; Jessica Hansen, Executive Director of the Alliance for Smiles; and Simone Hadley Wilson, a marketing strategist, formerly of Lyft.

How Diversity Drives Innovation

Innovation at large, established companies is hard. So we made a podcast to help you overcome obstacles and create change at your organization. Welcome to Innovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators. Join your host, Kaitlin Milliken from Innovation Leader, for a new episode every Tuesday at 6 a.m. ET. For more information visit innovationleader.com/podcast/.

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Innovation Answered

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