Heads Talk ®

• 281 - Chris Gant, Craig Walker, Eddie Short, ex-Big 4 Partners & CSuites: Veles Consulting - Economics of Advice - The Changing Role of Management Consultants in the Professional Services Industry

  Let us know your thoughts. Send us a Text Message. Follow me to see Heads Talk Podcast Audiograms every Monday on LinkedInEpisode Title: 🇬🇧Economics of Advice - The Changing Role of Management Consultants in the Professional Services Industry🇬🇧This special end-of-year episode of Heads Talk® I am joined by three gentlemen I’ve known for decades, former colleagues, industry peers, and each a respected voice in the evolution of consulting. In the spirit of the season, you might even say I’ve gathered three wise men to help us navigate where professional services go next in the age of AI.Craig Walker, Chris Gant, Eddie Short: Between them, they’ve led major global transformations, shaped technology strategy in the Big 4 (KPMG, EY, Deloitte), and held C-suite, board and leadership roles across organisations such as Shell, O2, Capgemini, Salesforce, and more. Now, they’ve come together to build a new kind of consulting firm: lean, senior-led, and AI-era ready:- Veles Consulting.This conversation isn’t about automation or incremental efficiency. It’s about reinvention - the new economics of advice, the erosion and rebuilding of trust, and whether agile boutiques are truly challenging the Big Firm model… or simply rewriting the rules with smarter tools.As one of my final episodes of 2025, with Christmas around the corner, it felt only fitting to close the year in conversation with three people I’ve known, respected, and collaborated with for years. It’s a sharp, lively, insider discussion about what consulting was, what it is, and what it must become in the age of agentic AI.Stay tuned. This one lands with impact!!Topics Covered:◽️ Is the Traditional Consulting Model Broken? What Changed from the 80s, 90s, 2000s?◽️ Why Trust Is the Defining Issue of AI Adoption and Has Consulting Lost It?◽️ Reinvention vs Redefinition: What AI Truly Means for Professional Services Today◽️ Eight C-Suite Commandments for AI-Powered Consulting◽️ How AI Changes the Economics of Consulting including Margins, Fee Models, Staffing and Scope◽️ Rise of Senior-Led Boutiques: Myth or Material Shift?◽️ Case Studies Where Boutiques Have Outperformed Big Four Incumbents◽️ Should Global Banks, Energy Majors and Others Trust Boutiques with Critical Systems?◽️ Agentic AI and Accountability: Who Owns the Chain of Risk?◽️ Continuity and Scalability When the Delivery Model Relies on Senior Operators and the Pitfalls Involved◽️ Looking Ahead 5–10 Years: What Does a Consulting Firm Become When AI Reasons, Designs and Decides for Clients?So download⏳grab a cup of Bird & Blend Tea Co. - Mulled Cider Tea ☕️& have a listen🛋Episode Sponsor◽️Accxia - Europe's Largest Private Cloud for AtlassianABOUT THE HOSTContact the Veles Consulting Team hereSupport the showFollow, Support, Contact Heads Talk® - A Fly On The Boardroom Wall LinkedIn Website Twitter Email at [email protected]

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• 280 - Felipe Schwartzmann, SVP: BRICS Series, Genesys - As Intelligence Anchors into Infrastructure the Real Power of Cloud and AI Emerges

  Let us know your thoughts. Send us a Text Message. Follow me to see #HeadsTalk Podcast Audiograms every Monday on LinkedInEpisode Title: 🇨🇱As Intelligence Anchors into Infrastructure the Real Power of Cloud and AI Emerges🇨🇱As we close this year’s BRICS & Geopolitics Series on Heads Talk®, I’m delighted to introduce a conversation with a guest who is right at the centre of one of the most urgent themes of recent months: keeping a true ‘Human in the Loop’ as technology accelerates around us.It was an incredibly fluid and engaging exchange, and I encourage you to listen closely to the insights he shared.Felipe Schwartzmann is the Senior Vice President for LATAM and the Caribbean at Genesys, where he has led the region to standout performance and earned recognition as the company’s Global Sales Leader of the Year.With more than two decades of experience, Felipe brings a rare blend of commercial acuity, technological depth, and a real commitment to customer-centred innovation. Earlier in his career, he held senior commercial and sales leadership roles across the region, building sophisticated go-to-market models, launching cloud CX platforms, and steering large-scale enterprise transformations.Topics Covered:◽️ The evolution of cloud as the new intelligence layer of business◽️ Agentic AI and the shift toward autonomous, context-aware decision systems◽️ LATAM’s accelerated cloud and AI adoption and its distinct innovation patterns◽️ Financial-sector cloud transformation and the new foundations of digital trust◽️ Data localisation, AI governance and the geopolitics of distributed cloud◽️ BRICS-aligned cloud and AI ecosystems and the race for technological independence◽️ AI as the new electricity: everywhere and nowhere at the same time◽️ Trust, explainability and human oversight as core pillars of enterprise AI◽️ The future of cloud and AI in 2035 and the co-evolution of humans and digital agentsSo download⏳grab a cup of Bird & Blend Tea Co. - Peppy Mint Tea ☕️& have a listen🛋Episode Sponsored by◽️Accxia - 𝔼𝕦𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖'𝕤 𝕃𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕖 ℂ𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝔸𝕥𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕟ABOUT THE HOSTSupport the showFollow, Support, Contact Heads Talk® - A Fly On The Boardroom Wall LinkedIn Website Twitter Email at [email protected]

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• 279 - Christiano Branco, International Trade Specialist: BRICS Series, Indo-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce - Business Diplomacy and the Trade Diplomat Mindset

  Let us know your thoughts. Send us a Text Message. Follow me to see #HeadsTalk Podcast Audiograms every Monday on LinkedInEpisode Title: 🇧🇷Business Diplomacy and the Trade Diplomat Mindset🇮🇳🇮🇩Another engaging episode in the BRICS & Geopolitics Series on Heads Talk®. This week, we take a look into the Brazil/India/Indonesia axis, exploring how trade corridors across the Global South are accelerating, recalibrating influence and quietly reshaping the global economic order. It is a conversation about shifting sands, strategic alignments & the emerging power of South-South cooperation.We look at the evolving architecture of BRICS, the role of the new entrants and how business diplomacy is becoming a central instrument of economic statecraft. We also touch on digital payment systems such as Brazil’s PIX and India’s UPI, and what these innovations signal about where financial leadership may be heading.Christiano Branco joins me for this discussion. He is a senior international trade and investment specialist, currently serving as Commercial Director at both the Indo-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Indonesia-Brazil Chamber. His work spans key sectors and major markets, helping businesses navigate market entry, investment flows and bilateral partnerships. He has previously served at the Consulate General of India in São Paulo and is the founder of ENKEI Consultancy, advising organisations on Brazilian market strategy. Christiano’s experience extends across major multilateral forums including BRICS, the G20 and the Global Agribusiness Forum.Topics Covered:◽️ Brazil’s evolving role in the new Global South growth corridor◽️ Business diplomacy as a catalyst for trust, trade, and strategic influence◽️ The rising importance of the Brazil-India economic axis◽️ Innovation-led South–South trade in fintech, agri-tech, and digital services◽️ The future of BRICS trade architecture and financial independence◽️ Southeast Asia’s growing influence in Latin America - Asia cooperation◽️ Supply-chain resilience and risk management across emerging markets◽️ Sustainability as an economic differentiator for the Global South◽️ The trajectory and challenges of next-generation Global South alliancesSo download⏳grab a cup of Bird & Blend Tea Co. - Peppy Mint Tea ☕️& have a listen🛋Episode Sponsored by◽️Accxia - 𝔼𝕦𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖'𝕤 𝕃𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕖 ℂ𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝔸𝕥𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕟ABOUT THE HOSTSupport the showFollow, Support, Contact Heads Talk® - A Fly On The Boardroom Wall LinkedIn Website Twitter Email at [email protected]

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• 278 - Stela Willemstein, H, D: Money 2020 Riyadh Series: UBS - New Capital Frontier & The Forces Reshaping Regional Finance

  Let us know your thoughts. Send us a Text Message. Follow me to see #HeadsTalk Podcast Audiograms every Monday on LinkedInEpisode Title:🇨🇭New Capital Frontier & The Forces Reshaping Regional Finance🇨🇭 Brought to you live from Money20/20 Riyadh, this  Heads Talk® episode features Guest Host Sanjiv Purushotham, CEO of Bridge Solutions, in conversation with Stela Willemstein, Group Risk Control at UBS.They sit down for a dynamic discussion on the Middle East’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, moving from participant to global powerhouse. And explore Saudi Arabia’s transformation in technology, culture, and industry, the rise of next-generation fintech, and reforms reshaping banking, compliance, and risk. From combating illicit money flows to opportunities in open banking, AI-driven personalisation, and RegTech, this conversation highlights a financial ecosystem in motion and increasingly central to the world’s capital future.Stela brings deep expertise in digital initiatives, credit-risk policy, and global wealth-management governance, with senior roles at UBS, Credit Suisse, and over a decade at ING across Europe and the US. She blends technical rigor with behavioural insight and a focus on positive impact, representing a new generation of risk leaders who combine innovation, integrity, and cross-border experience.Topics Covered:◽️Middle East’s rise as a global financial hub and impact on capital flows◽️Saudi Arabia’s transformation in tech, fintech, and financial infrastructure◽️Strengthening AML frameworks and managing illicit money movement◽️Closing Infrastructure Gaps to Scale Open Banking and Interoperable Financial Services◽️Wealth management evolution for Millennial and Gen Z investors◽️Regional Fintech Innovation, Expansion & Cross-Border Opportunities With Africa◽️AI-driven personalisation and human-in-the-loop decision models◽️RegTech, cybersecurity, and digital risk management priorities◽️Key insights from Money 2020 Riyadh and regional fintech strategySo download⏳grab a cup of Bird & Blend Tea Co. - Mocha Chai Tea ☕️& have a listen🛋Episode Sponsored by◽️Accxia - 𝔼𝕦𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖'𝕤 𝕃𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕖 ℂ𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝔸𝕥𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕟ABOUT THE HOST#AFlyOnTheBoardroomWall #HeadsTalkPodcastSupport the showFollow, Support, Contact Heads Talk® - A Fly On The Boardroom Wall LinkedIn Website Twitter Email at [email protected]

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• 277 - Stan Sthanunathan, Executive Chairman: i-Genie.AI Inc - Symbiotic Intelligence

  Let us know your thoughts. Send us a Text Message. Follow me to see #HeadsTalk Podcast Audiograms every Monday on LinkedInEpisode Title: 🇺🇸Symbiotic Intelligence🇺🇸We have a timely and thought-provoking discussion for you today on Heads Talk®. There’s been a lot of noise lately, headlines, commentary and opinion pieces; all circling the question: 𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕒𝕟 𝔸𝕀 𝕓𝕦𝕓𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕥? Everyone seems to have a view, so I wanted to bring in someone with gravitas who truly sits at the intersection of experience and innovation. someone who has seen the cycles, the hype, and the real potential of this technology.My guest today is Stan Sthanunathan, a seasoned insights and marketing leader with a truly global perspective, known for redefining how some of the world’s most recognised brands understand consumers. With a career spanning The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever, where he served as Executive Vice President of Consumer & Market Insights until 2021 , Stan came out of retirement to found i-Genie.AI, an enterprise bringing real-time, AI-powered insights to business leaders worldwide.In this episode, we looked at the current state of AI: is it reaching a saturation point, or are we only scratching the surface and at the beginning? Is this “bubble” narrative overblown, or are we edging toward a market correction? And, of course, I couldn’t resist throwing in a few philosophical questions about humanity’s relationship with AI, our level of control, and the broader meaning of innovation itself. I loved this exchange; it was sharp, grounded, and occasionally existential. Pretty much how we like it here on Heads Talk®.Expect a dynamic conversation that bridges business, technology, and the human condition. Topics Covered:◽️ AI hallucination and the fight for data truth◽️ The human in the loop and the ethics of agentic intelligence◽️ Turning AI insights into business action at speed and scale◽️ Storytelling, intuition and the enduring human edge in a data-saturated world◽️ Whispers of an AI bubble and the geopolitics of the US–China AI race◽️ Designing AI that teaches humans to think better, not less◽️ Balancing algorithmic efficiency with democratic deliberation◽️ The next decade of human–machine collaboration and causal AI ◽️ The New Chief Meaning OfficerSo download⏳grab a cup of Bird & Blend Tea Co. - Peppy Mint Tea ☕️& have a listen🛋Episode Brought to you by◽️i-Genie.AI - 𝔸𝕦𝕘𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕊𝕦𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕪𝕤 𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕠𝕔𝕦𝕤 𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕡𝕤ABOUT THE HOST#AFlyOnTheBoardroomWallSupport the showFollow, Support, Contact Heads Talk® - A Fly On The Boardroom Wall LinkedIn Website Twitter Email at [email protected]

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