Next in our roundup of MBA podcasts, we’re turning our sights to schools based in Europe. In this article, we’ll highlight podcasts from top business schools across the Atlantic, spotlighting everything from fascinating faculty research to stories from leading CEOs.
Alliance Manchester Business School: Original Thinking Podcast
Alliance Manchester Business School’s Original Thinking Podcast presents to its listeners a discussion with the sharpest minds in business. In this podcast, professors, researchers and business experts converge to unpack the challenges of today and the possibilities of tomorrow.
Recent episodes span topics as diverse as:
- AI as a Force for Social Good
- The Future of Multinationals
- Nature on the Balance Sheet
- Lessons from Covid-19
- Business Transformation and Corporate Sustainability
Since its release in 2020, the podcast has aired 110 episodes.
Original Thinking can be streamed on:
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- YouTube
- Transistor.fm
Other podcasts by Manchester Business School include:
- Think Out Loud
Cambridge Judge: Business Debate Podcast
Cambridge Judge’s Business Debate Podcast features the faculty and wider community of the Judge Business School. The podcast sheds light on the crucial topics tackled by faculty research, diving deep into questions of management, trade, the economy, and technology. It is hosted by Michael Kitson, University Senior Lecturer in International Macroeconomics at Cambridge Judge.
Recent episodes have included an examination of “Post Brexit-Britain” and the issues that face it, in which several senior lecturers, CEOs, professors and college fellows, gathered to discuss the issues facing Britain following its exit from the European Union—or an exploration of “Technology and Work,” in which senior lecturers and college fellows joined the podcast’s host to unpack the the relationship between the two.
Judge launched their podcast in 2018 and have since released 19 episodes.
You can stream the Business Debate Podcast on:
- SoundCloud
- iTunesU
- University’s Streaming Media Service
Esade: Career Beats
ESADE’s Career Beats presents short flashes of career expertise that are every bit as practical, insightful, and relevant as they are bite sized. Episodes are released every month, are 20 minutes long, are hosted by Carmen González, Associate Director of Esade Careers, and feature a career expert who shares their advice on the best way to advance your professional life.
One recent episode, named “Maximize Your Career: Expert Tips for Success,” unpacked the challenge of finding a role that aligns with our values and lends purpose to our career. Another, titled “Boost Your Confidence to Boost Your Career,” examined the role that self-esteem and confidence play in professional advancement and the trick to understanding your own unique value.
The podcast has released 27 episodes since its launch in 2021.
Career Beats can be streamed on:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
ESMT Berlin: Campus 10178
ESMT Berlin’s podcast, titled “Campus 10178,” takes a long look at the inner workings of the world of business. It examines the research that drives business practice, the theory that influences which decisions are made, and the most pressing topics of leadership and innovation. A new 45-minute episode is released every month, and guest speakers range from top scholars to executives and policymakers.
Recent episodes include a discussion with Johanna Rüdiger, head of social media strategy in the culture and documentaries department at Deutsche Welle, who examines social media platforms and the extent to which they engage Gen Z consumers. Another saw Christoph Burger and Jens Weinmann, both of ESMT, present their book, “Leveraging Digital Innovation: Lessons for Implementation.” The authors examined the evolving role of IT, emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI, and robotic process automation across various industries.
The podcast has released 37 episodes since its launch in 2019.
Campus 10178 can be streamed on:
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
Other podcasts by ESMT include:
- Research-Practice Partnerships
HEC Paris: Knowledge
HEC Paris’s podcast delivers to its listeners in-depth analyses of the research conducted by faculty at HEC. The podcast, titled “Knowledge,” has two prongs: the first takes a shorter format and aids understanding of current news; the second takes a longer format and examines the impact of HEC research. Expansive, wide-ranging, and comprehensive, the podcast aims to broaden the perspectives of all who listen.
Recent episodes include one titled “How Online Violence Grows Into Clan Abuse and Popular Justice,” which roots its argument in the eruption of violence seen in the UK’s during summer 2024, and which explores the role of social media, the importance of regulation, and the possibility of mitigating such violence. Another explores Stakeholder Theory with Honorary Doctorate Edward Freeman, author of “Strategic Management.”
The podcast has been running since 2024 and has aired 7 episodes.
You can stream Knowledge on:
- RSS
Other podcasts by HEC Paris include:
- Tomorrow is Our Business
IESE: Real Leadership
IESE’s podcast aims to spotlight the humans behind the world’s business leaders. Titled “Real Leadership,” it explores the candid stories and real-life struggles that paved the journeys to success of those in leadership positions. Each episode features both a world class business leader and an IESE professor, who together discuss the truth of success, the details of career progression, and the lessons that listeners can learn.
Recent topics covered include “Culture Clashes and Difficult Decisions” with Arjen Schouten, or “The Narrative, the Collaborative, and the Ugly,” with Geoffrey Moore.
There are 9 episodes of the podcast, which launched in 2023.
Real Leadership can be streamed on:
- Spotify
- Apple podcasts
- Amazon podcasts
IMD: CEO Dialogue
IMD’s podcast, CEO Dialogue, is looking at all leaders and all things leadership. Each episode takes a different CEO and shares their story—the values they live by, the inspiration that drives them, and the companies they run.
Recent episodes include a discussion with Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, titled “Why Novo Nordisk’s CEO Has Learned to Trust His Gut Feeling;” or with Henkel’s Carsten Knobel, titled “A CEO Who Sticks to His Strategy.”
The podcast has released 25 episodes since its launch in 2021.
CEO Dialogue can be streamed on:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
Other podcasts by IMD include:
- Capital Conversations
- Management cast
- Management Under the Microscope
- Mike and Amit Talk Tech
- Should I Fly
- The Interview
- The Female Quotient
INSEAD: Knowledge Podcasts
INSEAD’s Knowledge podcasts span diverse topics and delve into disparate themes. The school splits the show into the following categories:
- Career
- Economics & Finance
- Entrepreneurship
- Family Business
- Leadership & Organisations
- Marketing
- Operations
- Responsibility
- Strategy
Recent episodes have examined topics such as “Leaders Who Tell Stories Rule the World,” with Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, which explored the power of storytelling in bringing about change, or “Coaching As Collaboration,” with D. Deasy and E. Lie, which explained the benefits of group coaching.
The Knowledge podcast has aired 38 episodes since its launch in 2019.
London Business School (LBS): The Why Podcast
The LBS podcast, titled “The Why,” unpacks the burning questions that drive academic research. It platforms the mysteries that inspire research to start and details the issues that LBS faculty are exploring. Each episode is 30 minutes long, released weekly, and dedicated to a discussion with LBS faculty.
One recent episode explored the benefits of prosocial behavior with host Katie Pisa and guest Jonathan Berman. Named “Why Being Kind and Acting Sustainably Can Pay Off,” the episode explained how “doing good” can lead to “looking good.” In another, named “Why Leaders Should Allow Time for Deep Work to Make Happier and Healthier Employees,” Pisa sat down with Dan Cable, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at LBS, to discuss his research on managing both time and tensions in the workplace.
The podcast has been running since 2023. There are 25 episodes.
You can stream The Why Podcast on:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
Other podcasts by LBS include:
- What We Did Next
- think ahead
- Good Business
- Entrepreneurship Now
- Leadership Playbook
Oxford Saïd: The Future of Business
Oxford Saïd’s “The Future of Business” is asking the big questions. “How can business be shaped and deployed to tackle urgent global challenges?”, its hosts wonder, and “how do we pack in more impact?” Hosted by current MBA students at Saïd, the podcast approaches its chosen issues from the broad and diverse perspectives of its hosts, MBA, and wider-school community. Born from a conversation held across a table in an Oxford pub, the podcast distills the fascinating chats of MBA students in order for them to be shared far and wide.
In one such recent episode, “Not Getting Tangled,” the hosts discuss regulation with Jordan Zele, Oxford Saïd MBA and Nattawan Kularbkeo, a fellow student and Senior Investigation officer at SEC Thailand. The episode explored the necessity of regulation, dismantled its presumed negative impact on growth, and examined the fundamental role of regulators. Another, named “Founding a Fintech,” told the story of a financial inclusion startup in Latin America. Diego Rojas discussed, with Oxford MBA classmate Katherine Dellar, his experience of starting a Fintech business without a financial background, covering the assistance of the Oxford community and the importance of financial inclusion in developing countries.
The podcast has aired 47 episodes over 4 seasons since its launch in 2018.
The Future of Business can be streamed on:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
Other podcasts by Oxford Saïd include:
- The Application
- Transformational Healthcare
- Leadership 2050
SDA Bocconi: The Talent Show
SDA Bocconi’s new podcast series has been created in partnership with FT Talent. Titled “The Talent Show,” it’s a podcast that is for under-30s, by under-30s; specifically, by Bocconi alumna Virginia Stagni. Each episode guides its listeners on how to drive change in their fields, and on how to excel in competitive and coveted spaces. Bocconi alumni and professors feature on every episode and share their experiences and expertise. Positioned on the frontline of an ever-evolving world, the podcast is a masterclass on innovation and a hub of curiosity.
One recent episode was titled “How to Understand the Good and Bad Sides of Finance;” alongside guest speaker and finance professor Hannes Wagner, host Stagni examined all things finance, corporate governance, and social responsibility. Another, named “How to Become an Effective Leader for Environmental Change” and featuring guest researcher Stefano Pogutz, explored the necessary steps for businesses to break away from greenwashing and pave the way for genuine change.
Since its release in 2022, the podcast has aired 16 episodes.
The Talent Show can be streamed on:
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- Spreaker
Other podcasts by SDA Bocconi include:
- Think Diverse
- Story Scanner
- Clarity in a Messy World
- Executive Chats
