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The B Continued Podcast
The B Continued Podcast is a space for honest conversations with the leaders shaping the future of work. Each episode dives beneath the job titles and strategies to explore the real human stories behind change, the breakthroughs, the setbacks, the uncomfortable truths and the unexpected lessons that define modern leadership.
We speak to HR Directors, Commercial Leaders, Founders, ESG specialists and culture-shapers who are navigating today’s biggest organisational challenges: hybrid work, inclusion, digital acceleration, talent scarcity, sustainability, social mobility, and the shifting expectations of a new generation.
B Continued. Because real change doesn’t happen in one moment. It’s built, challenged and continued.
The B Continued Podcast
Is HR Ready to Lead the AI Revolution? - Ep. 6 Ft. Jacky Simmonds
In Episode 6 of The B Continued podcast, we are joined by Jacky Simmonds, Chief People Officer at Experian. With a career leading people strategies at giants like EasyJet, TUI, and VEON, Jacky brings unparalleled experience in navigating large-scale digital and technological transformations.
In this episode, Jacky joins Jess Hilton and Ralph Tribe to discuss the evolving role of HR in a world of constant disruption. From the "rebalancing" of hybrid work and inclusion initiatives to the rapid adoption of Generative AI, Jacky shares how leaders can remain "human-centered" while embracing the speed of modern technology.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The Leadership Test: Why being comfortable with "not knowing" is now a core requirement for modern leaders.
The AI Dual Role: How HR must simultaneously help the organization embrace AI while transforming its own internal function.
The Speed of Change: Why Generative AI is moving faster than any previous technological shift.
Augmentation over Replacement: Why human judgment, EQ, and insight will become even more valuable as transactional work is automated.
The 2030 Vision: Why keeping people at the center of the organization remains the most critical mission for HR leaders.
Chapter Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: The new test of leadership in an uncertain world.
00:54 – Jacky’s background: From travel sectors to data technology at Experian.
02:04 – The 5-year shift: Putting people and mental health back at the center of business.
03:59 – Rebalancing the scales: Personal views on hybrid work and inclusion initiatives.
05:32 – Leading in a BANI world: Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible.
07:56 – The "Human-Centered" leader: Why ambiguity requires more humanity, not less.
11:51 – Leadership without all the answers: Learning from non-exec board experiences.
14:41 – The adoption of AI: Why this technological shift is faster than anything before it.
17:21 – Meet Nadia: Experian’s AI-powered leadership and goal-setting coach.
20:19 – HR Transformation: Which operational tasks will be augmented or replaced?.
24:30 – Leveling the playing field: How AI tools can remove inherent biases in recruitment.
31:00 – The importance of human judgment: Avoiding the trap of AI hallucinations.
35:34 – Launching a Talent Marketplace: Using AI to personalize the employee experience.
39:41 – Is AI optional? Why People Leaders can't afford to be left behind.
43:51 – HR in 2030: Ensuring trust and integrity remain the heart of the profession.
