Global Skills Podcast

A few years ago I predicted that a Chief Skills Officer would appear in the C-suite. In this episode I’m joined by someone who became one and has taken it further: Celine Floyd, chartered occupational psychologist and Chief Leadership and Skills Officer at Cappfinity. After 20 years studying what makes people thrive at work, Celine has just launched Cappfinity’s Leadership Contribution Platform, built on one bold idea: leadership is defined by contribution, not hierarchy. 
We cover why a solid skills architecture matters before you invest in any platform, and why that framework should never be set in stone. We get into #talentmobility and the real reasons managers hold on to their best people, the research showing we are poor judges of our own skills, and how personality and strengths tools give people the language to represent themselves. We also look at what is keeping leaders up at night, and why Celine believes this is a hard but potentially brilliant time to lead.. If you’re a leader, a talent or learning professional, or someone figuring out your next move, this one is for you. #humanskills #futureofwork
Links
Celine Floyd at Cappfinity: https://www.learnevents.com/celine-floyd-stephanie-hopper/ (speaker bio; she is presenting at World of Learning, October 2026) Cappfinity: https://www.cappfinity.com Cappfinity Leadership Contribution Platform launch announcement: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cappfinity-announces-launch-of-new-leadership-contribution-platform-302824204.html Global Skills Podcast: https://globalskillspodcast.podbean.com/
Key Timestamps
02:17 Is the Chief Skills Officer role becoming mainstream?
04:51 Connecting learning and development to business performance
07:59 Why people only identify about 30% of their own skills
10:51 Why skills architecture and skills frameworks must come before the technology
13:57 Reskill, redeploy or redundancy: the talent mobility decision
17:40 Why internal mobility stalls and the enterprise talent mindset
18:38 The law graduate story: losing hidden skills inside your organisation
19:58 Is the real role the Chief Human Officer?

Why do capable people still fall back on old habits when it matters most? That question is what drew me to Matt Webb, and in this episode we dig into his answer. Matt has spent three decades in sales, from twelve years leading teams at Vodafone to nearly twenty at Mentor Group, where he's now CEO. He calls the problem the execution gap, and his XQ concept reframes capability as the ability to act when it counts, even as AI changes what selling looks like.
We cover a lot of ground: whether AI avatars threaten the human salesperson, why senior leaders often get the least coaching on their own impact, and Matt's sports analogy about how little time salespeople spend training compared to athletes. We also talk about role-playing tough conversations with AI before you have them with a real customer, and how to support early-career hires who don't yet have the experience to judge AI output critically.
#salesenablement #executiongap #XQ #AIinsales #salestraining #emotionalintelligence #salesleadership #humanskills
Connect with Matt Webb LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matt-webb-3b34ab9 Mentor Group: mentorgroup.com
Connect with Vanessa Wainwright and the Global Skills Podcast Vanessa on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vwainwright Global Skills Podcast: globalskillspodcast.com Abodoo: abodoo.com
 

What does great recruitment look like when AI can write a convincing CV, but employers still need to understand what someone can actually do?
In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I’m joined by Dionne Atwill, CEO and co-founder of Exec TA Social, to explore how AI and skills-based hiring are changing talent acquisition.
From her beginnings in theatre to leading a global community of talent executives, Dionne shares why transferable skills, empathy and curiosity matter. We discuss alternatives to traditional CVs, task-based assessments, and how connecting recruitment with employee development can help organisations recognise talent already within their teams.
Proudly sponsored by Abodoo, helping organisations and educators close the skills gap through skills technology.
Connect and explore
Dionne Atwill on LinkedIn:https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dionneatwill
Exec TA Social:https://www.execta.social/community
Vanessa Wainwright on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/vwainwright/
Global Skills Podcast website and community:https://globalskillspodcast.com/
Global Skills Podcast on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-skills-podcast
Abodoo:https://www.abodoo.com/
Resources mentioned
urfuture:https://www.urfuture.io/blog/the-journey-of-urfuture
Simon Squibb:https://www.simonsquibb.com/
Watch and listen
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalSkillsPodcast
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/5T0HisMfolG2JbrQIKqNuV
Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/global-skills-podcast/id1846851119
Podbean:https://globalskillspodcast.podbean.com/

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I’m joined by Tom Verboven, Senior Director at Mercer Talent Enterprise based in Dubai, to explore the future of talent and the changing world of work. Tom shares his international experience across Belgium, the UAE, Lebanon, the UK, and the US, and explains why making the right talent decisions can have a major impact on organizational success.
We explore skills-based organizations, internal talent mobility, reskilling, and upskilling, and why companies need to understand both the skills they have today and the capabilities they will need tomorrow. Tom also explains why talent teams need to collaborate more closely and why having a clear strategy, culture, and focus on key skills can help organizations build stronger talent ecosystems.
We also dive into AI, human skills, assessment, and the future of leadership. Tom shares why organizations may need to assess more for wisdom, judgment, creativity, and experience as AI takes on more knowledge-based tasks. We discuss bias, “noise” in assessment, and how AI could potentially make some aspects of talent evaluation more consistent
 
Connect With Tom Verboven
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-verboven-b85a691
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
#GlobalSkillsPodcast #TomVerboven #FutureOfWork #TalentStrategy #SkillsBasedOrganization #FutureSkills #TalentManagement #TalentAssessment #AIandHR 

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Deepak Bhootra, a seasoned sales leader, executive coach, and entrepreneur, to explore the skills that can shape our careers and professional success. Deepak shares his journey from growing up in North India and learning the fundamentals of selling from his grandfather to building a global corporate career and eventually moving into entrepreneurship, coaching, and professional development.
We explore why sales is more than simply selling a product or service and why it can be one of the most valuable skills for career growth. Dr. Deepak Bhootra explains how learning to communicate your value, sell yourself, understand people, navigate cognitive biases, and handle rejection can transform the way you approach your career. We also discuss career transitions, redundancy, resilience, and why continuous learning is essential in an evolving world of work.
One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation is that sales is ultimately about understanding people and creating value. Whether you're building a business, looking for your next opportunity, leading a team, or changing careers, the ability to communicate, adapt, recover from setbacks, and understand different perspectives can make a significant difference. Dr. Deepak Bhootra offers practical insights into sales, leadership, career development, and the importance of continually investing in yourself.
Connect With Dr. Deepak Bhootra
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepakbhootra/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
#GlobalSkillsPodcast #DeepakButra #SalesSkills #SalesLeadership #CareerGrowth #CareerDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #B2BSales #Leadership #CommunicationSkills 

The future of work is already here, and in this episode, I'm joined by Deepak Parija, Chief Talent Officer at Wipro, where he leads talent, leadership, learning, and workforce transformation for more than 230,000 employees across 60 countries. Deepak shares how organizations can embrace AI while keeping people at the centre of every transformation, and why continuous learning has become essential for both individuals and businesses.
Together, we explore how the role of talent leaders is evolving beyond traditional HR to focus on building future-ready workforces. Deepak explains why digital literacy, human skills, and lifelong learning are no longer optional, and how organizations can use AI responsibly to unlock growth, develop talent, and prepare employees for the jobs of tomorrow.
One of my biggest takeaways is that technology alone won't shape the future of work—people will. Deepak reminds us that while AI can enhance productivity, human qualities like empathy, curiosity, adaptability, and leadership will remain the skills that truly set individuals and organizations apart. Whether you're a leader, HR professional, educator, or simply looking to future-proof your career, this conversation offers practical insights into building a workforce that's ready for what's next.
Connect With Deepak Parija
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-parija-b83a863/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I sit down with Stefania Giannini, former Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO and former Minister of Education, Universities and Research in Italy, to explore how education must evolve to prepare learners for an AI-powered future. Together, we discuss why the challenge isn't simply a skills shortage, but a skills waste problem, where talent exists but isn't being fully developed or utilized.
We explore the growing importance of lifelong learning, personalized education, multilingualism, and the role AI can play in helping learners unlock their full potential. Stefania also shares why schools and universities must move beyond standardized learning models and focus on developing curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to ask better questions in a rapidly changing world.
Whether you're an educator, policymaker, business leader, parent, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers valuable insights into building education systems that are more inclusive, human-centered, and future-ready. As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, this episode is a powerful reminder that preparing people for the future of work starts with transforming how we learn today.
Connect With Stefania Giannini
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefania-giannini-2bb1ab16a/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Dave Hockham, Associate Head of School at the University of Greenwich, National Teaching Fellow, researcher, and education leader, to explore why creativity and human-centered skills are becoming more valuable than ever in the age of AI. Dave shares his remarkable journey from studying theatre and clowning to leading transformational change in higher education, revealing how curiosity, adaptability, and saying "yes" to new opportunities shaped his career and approach to learning.
Together, we discuss the growing disconnect between education and industry, why organizations need to rethink learning and development, and how employers can better support people through mentoring, onboarding, continuous professional development, and lifelong learning. Dave explains why transferable skills, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking are essential for building a future-ready workforce, while highlighting the importance of creating stronger partnerships between education providers and employers.
Whether you're a business leader, HR professional, educator, learning and development specialist, or someone planning your next career move, this episode is packed with practical insights for navigating the future of work. We explore workforce development, employability, leadership, skills mapping, innovation, and the human capabilities that AI cannot replace—offering valuable takeaways for anyone passionate about building a more adaptable, inclusive, and resilient workforce.
Connect With Dr. Dave Hockham
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-david-hockham-sfhea-ntf-757a0853
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
#GlobalSkillsPodcast #FutureOfWork #FutureSkills #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #HigherEducation #SkillsGap #Upskilling #CareerDevelopment #SkillsBasedHiring #SkillsMapping#FutureWorkforce

I'm joined today by Mark Ramos, a global learning and AI transformation leader who has held senior roles at Google, Novartis, and Cornerstone, and is a Fellow at Harvard's Graduate School of Education Learning Innovation Laboratory. We talk about why human agency might be the resource under the most threat in the workplace right now, and what happens to skills, careers, and middle management as AI takes over more of our daily tasks.
Mark shares a great real-world example of transferable skills in action, the thinking behind Google's internal "Googler to Googler" teaching culture, and his honest take on cognitive offloading, cognitive atrophy, and what he calls learning slop. He makes the case that healthy skepticism, not blind trust, is the real skill of the AI era. This conversation goes deeper into human potential than I expected, and I think anyone thinking about their own learning path will find something here worth taking away.
 
Connect With Marc Ramos
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcsramos/ 
 
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 
 

In this special solo episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I wanted to step away from my usual guest interviews and explore a question that has been sitting with me for years: if employers say they can’t find skilled people, and job seekers say they can’t find opportunities, what’s really going wrong?
Drawing on my experience in recruitment, workforce transformation, and skills intelligence, I share the story of a candidate who faced more than 1,000 job rejections before securing a role with a leading technology company and rapidly progressing in their career. That experience shaped my belief that talent is far more abundant than we think. The real challenge is that our systems often struggle to identify, understand, and connect people’s skills to opportunity. As AI continues to reshape work, I believe we need to rethink how we define, measure, and recognise capability.
Throughout this episode, I explore why traditional hiring practices are failing both employers and job seekers, how transferable skills are becoming increasingly valuable, and why a shared skills language could transform the future of work. I also discuss the growing importance of skills-first hiring, lifelong learning, and workforce intelligence, and why making skills visible may be one of the most important challenges facing education, employers, and policymakers today.
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 
#GlobalSkillsPodcast
#SkillsGap
#SkillsFirstHiring
#TalentManagement
#AIandWork
#TransferableSkills
#FutureSkills