April 14, 2025
Episode 16: Rob West, Founder & CEO, Thunder Said Energy
If you are interested in the energy transition -- as someone in the industry, an investor, or a policymaker -- this is an interview for you. Rob West is the founder and CEO of Thunder Said Energy (poetry fans will get the name). He's one of the most respected and widely read analysts in the energy field. Rob and Jeff have a lively discussion on the future of solar, nuclear, gas and other energy sources but through a practical and pragmatic lens -- going deeper than the platitudes that can dominate this discussion. Rob says he likes technologies that are deflationary in cost, that are practical for people who use them, and that unlock possibilities that would not have existed previously. Rob's perspective on the solar supply chain may sound stuffy but it's an insightful analysis that Rob says comes down to one word: semiconductors. Back to the Thunder Said name. Here's a clue: "If we screw up the energy transition we can create bad wastelands. We create a wasteland on the planet, or we create a wasteland for countries that frankly decarbonize wrong."
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April 1, 2025
Episode 15: Dave Nason, Chairman & CEO, TIAA Wealth Management & Advice Solutions
Dave Nason is part of the leadership team of one of America's most important financial institutions, TIAA, which has helped millions of people prepare for a secure retirement. He leads TIAA's retail and individual advice offer, which has more than $2.3 billion in annual revenues. In his career, Dave has been in the center of major crises in the private and public sectors. During the global financial crisis, he worked at the U.S. Treasury with Secretary Hank Paulson, earning the agency's highest award for public service. Later, he was a risk and compliance leader for GE Capital. In this interview with Jeff, Dave discusses what he learned from Secretary Paulson ("The most important decision you can make as you get more and more seniors is who you listen to and who's around your table."), the need for authenticity in leadership, and why you should "take bets" on people.
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March 24, 2025
Episode 14: Geoff Beattie, Chairman & CEO, Generation Capital
Geoff Beattie is one of the most respected business leaders in Canada. His influence reaches into the U.S. and globally through his work on corporate boards, including GE. In this episode, the Jeffs/Geoffs discuss whether leaders are born or made, what directors are actually supposed to do, and the current state of American-Canadian relations. Geoff says the statements coming out of D.C. about Canada are "destablizing" but not "devastating." He adds that while Canada is a success story, the reality of a changing relationship with its biggest trading partner may provoke further improvements in productivity and efficiency in Canada.
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February 18, 2025
Episode 13: Amy Wallace, Author and Writer
Amy Wallace is an award-winning author and writer who has interviewed and profiled business leaders and celebrities (Beyonce!), and co-authored two books. She collaborated with Jeff Immelt on HOT SEAT: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company. Amy and Jeff discuss why a "nose for BS" is important in non-fiction storytelling, what she learned writing about GE, and what the successes of Joe Rogan and Donald Trump tell us about the future of media and communications.
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January 14, 2025
Episode 12: Rob Portman, Former U.S. SenatorFounder
of the Portman Center for Policy Solutions
Rob Portman is a Cincinnati guy and growing up, he dreamed of fixing potholes in his hometown. His early affinity for public service led him to serve Ohioans in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate for nearly a quarter century. He also was a member of President George W. Bush's cabinet, serving as the U.S. Trade Rep and the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Respected by peers as informed and constructive, Portman is forging new alliances today as founder & chair of the Portman Center for Policy Solutions at the University of Cincinnati. In this discussion with Jeff Immelt (a friend since they were both 18), Portman explains how he built trust with his Senate peers, his hopes for greater electoral participation by Americans, and for renewed U.S. leadership in global trade.
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January 6, 2025
Episode 11: Blair Effron, Co-Founder & Partner at Centerview Partners
How do you find top talent in a competitive industry like investment banking? "The best people...always have something that I can't describe, but I know it when I see it, and I know how it's going to come across to clients." That's Blair Effron, co-founder and parter of Centerview, a global investment banking firm. In this episode of Leaders & Friends, Blair tells Jeff Immelt why he took the risk of forming his own firm and why it's been successful. Plus, Blair details his optimism about the economy. "In my world, we are trained to be cautious and skeptical. That said, I think we have a tailwind that is going to last at least a good 12 to 18 months." Watch to learn more, including the risks that Blair thinks could upset that scenario.
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December 17, 2024
Episode 10: Sue Siegel, Board member, CEO advisor, Senior lecturer at MIT
Sue Siegel is a board member, CEO advisor and senior lecturer at MIT. She has been an operator, entrepreneur and investor. Sue is also one of the leading thinkers in healthcare, having spent a lifetime driving innovation and growth. In this episode of Leaders & Friends, Jeff and Sue cover Sue’s career, her views on healthcare trends, and what it takes to be a good board member. Don't miss her comments on the importance of effective communications for business leaders!
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December 9, 2024
Episode 9: Robert Siegel, Lecturer in Management - Stanford Graduate School of Business
Rob Siegel is one of the most respected professors at one of the world's most admired business schools, the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He teaches a course in system leadership with Jeff Immelt that "explores how leaders at the world's leading companies are driving frame-breaking transformational change" in their organizations. In this discussion with Jeff, Rob describes what makes a good teacher. "There's also sometimes a humbleness," he says, that can lead to insightful discussions in the classroom (BTW, Rob is "overwhelmingly positive" on young people). Rob also describes the need to reassess skills training for leaders in a world of constant crisis and increasingly rapid technology change. This is the focus of his new book, "The System Leader: Mastering the Cross-Pressures That Make or Break Today's Companies," which outlines how leaders can develop their skills in this environment. The book comes out in June 2025 and is based on the work he and Jeff have been doing at Stanford for the past seven years. This episode of Leaders & Friends is a lively look at where leadership is heading. That and more in just 21 minutes.
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December 2, 2024
Episode 8: Joe Hogan, Director, President and CEO of Align Technology, Inc.
Joe Hogan and Jeff Immelt have known each other for decades, going back to their days at GE Plastics and GE Healthcare. Joe went on to become a highly successful CEO at ABB, the Swiss engineering company, and now at Align Technology, a medical technology company focused on orthodontics and restorative dentistry. In this episode of Leaders & Friends, Jeff and Joe discuss the role of ambition, curiosity, and courage in growing as a leader. Joe also reflects on what it was like making the transition from leading an American business to a European one. Joe also explains why Align has flourished over the past few years, including the "power of momentum."
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November 21, 2024
Episode 7: Jamie Miller, Chief Financial Officer at PayPal
Jamie Miller has worked in the world's largest private company, Cargill, and one of the largest public companies, GE. She's led a manufacturing business and been a chief information officer. Today, she is the CFO at PayPal, the online payment system that allows people to send and receive money around the world. She tells Jeff that these diverse experiences have taught her what it takes to get through tough times: "You have to know what your compass is, and in my case it was, I always put the company first in terms of the decisions we made." It's a great conversation in which Jamie says why, as CFO, she feels "like an owner," what the future holds for business, and what she looks for in leaders. A famous Mike Tyson quote even gets a mention.
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November 12, 2024
Episode 6: Joe Mastrangelo, CEO of Eos Energy Storage
Joe Mastrangelo has more than 30 years experience across a wide range of energy technologies so he knows what's needed for the transition to cleaner, more reliable energy sources. At startup Eos, he's leading a team that is building batteries that perform in the harshest conditions. Joe also discussed how Eos brought manufacturing back to the U.S. and built a supply chain that 94 percent in the U.S. He also talks about the biggest mistake he made regarding his career. What did he learn? "What you're trying to do is build up this base of experience that allows you to make better decisions as you grow your career."
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October 15, 2024
Episode 5: John Chiminski, Catalent Pharma Solutions (former)
This is a lively discussion on private equity, public companies, boards, and working in healthcare with John Chiminski, who has done them all. The former CEO of Catalent Pharma Solutions, John has definitive views on these and other topics. Here's a sample: "Public company boards, no matter how hard we've tried...continue to fail companies."
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October 1, 2024
Episode 4: Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO, Baker Hughes
Lorenzo Simonelli leads Baker Hughes, a global energy technology company focused on the energy transition. Lorenzo provides insights on "regionalization" vs. globalization, what he looks for in rising leaders, and how he adapted to changing assignments both personally and professionally. It's a great discussion with an informed, energetic, and respected leader.
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September 18, 2024
Episode 3: Karan Bhatia, Google Head of Public Affairs
What went wrong with globalization? Google global public affairs leader Karan Bhatia and Jeff Immelt seek to answer this question. They also discuss the role of AI in business and how politics are changing global business strategy. Bhatia has unique insight into the role of the government in business, and how to navigate a protectionist world. He also discusses how his leadership style has evolved, moving from government to GE to Google…noting the importance of learning and adaptability.
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August 21, 2024
Episode 2: Jeff Zucker,CEO, RedBird IMI
The benefit of experience is realizing what you know and what you don't know. Further, time gives you the chance to meet a lot of people. It is your "choice" to build chance meetings into relationships. Some leaders do it, some don't. The power of experience is bringing your relationships ... your network ... to life for the benefit of others.
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August 13, 2024
Episode 1: Rafael Santana, CEO of Wabtec
What are the biggest challenges global CEOs face today? What traits do CEOs look for in emerging leaders? How can you manage the personal impacts of relocating for work? PAJ founder and former GE CEO Jeff Immelt discusses these questions with Rafael Santana, CEO of Wabtec, one of the world's leading transportation technology companies.
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