Me vs We: The Greatest Lesson Any Good Leader Can Learn with Venture Philanthropist, Paul Donovan - Episode 3

12/12/24 • 40 min

When you’re driven by a personal purpose, as Paul Donovan has been, then the focus that you pour into a business becomes so much more powerful.

Now in what he describes as his ‘third career’, Paul’s philanthropic endeavours give him the drive to change lives - one such endeavour being The Artis Foundation, of which he’s a Patron.

Paul’s illustrious career is studded with fascinating stories of turning around companies and finding his own mission, particularly through his prior CEO roles at ODEON, Arqiva and Eircom.

His is a journey well-worth exploring, as he joins Brandpie Founder Dave Allen for episode 3 of Pivot Points.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Paul’s self-described ‘third career’ proving the power of personal pivots in writing your story
Shift from a "me" to a "we" mindset in approaching leadership
The power of mentorship, with advice for young professionals on proactively seeking out experienced guides
The inspiring story of how Paul led the turnaround of Odeon Cinemas, revitalising the company's culture and customer experience
Paul's passion for philanthropy and his current mission to revolutionise primary education

Paul Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-donovan-643136/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/

When you’re driven by a personal purpose, as Paul Donovan has been, then the focus that you pour into a business becomes so much more powerful.

Now in what he describes as his ‘third career’, Paul’s philanthropic endeavours give him the drive to change lives - one such endeavour being The Artis Foundation, of which he’s a Patron.

Paul’s illustrious career is studded with fascinating stories of turning around companies and finding his own mission, particularly through his prior CEO roles at ODEON, Arqiva and Eircom.

His is a journey well-worth exploring, as he joins Brandpie Founder Dave Allen for episode 3 of Pivot Points.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Paul’s self-described ‘third career’ proving the power of personal pivots in writing your story
Shift from a "me" to a "we" mindset in approaching leadership
The power of mentorship, with advice for young professionals on proactively seeking out experienced guides
The inspiring story of how Paul led the turnaround of Odeon Cinemas, revitalising the company's culture and customer experience
Paul's passion for philanthropy and his current mission to revolutionise primary education

Paul Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-donovan-643136/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/

Previous Episode

Become a Cultural Chameleon: How Baker Tilly’s CEO Adapts to New Business Cultures with Francesca Lagerberg - Episode 2

When you take on leadership in a new business, the people you rely on might not be sitting in the same places you’re used to.
Our latest Pivot Points Podcast guest is Baker Tilly International’s CEO, Francesca Lagerberg - a leader whose experience with handling changes within a firm is equally as shrewd as with personal change.
Francesca joins Brandpie’s Founder, Dave Allen, to discuss the fusion of tech with humanity, the role of joy in being an effective leader, embracing cultural shifts, and how you find your advocates in the midst of a change programme.
Key takeaways from this episode:

Learning to handle cultural shifts between firms
How to handle the emotional spectrum that comes with new roles
Making ‘big dog’ vs ‘small dog’ decisions
Fusing technology with the human side of business
Finding change advocates and allowing for naysayers

Francesca Lagerberg
https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescalagerberg/
Baker Tilly International
https://www.linkedin.com/company/baker-tilly-international/
https://www.bakertilly.global/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/

Next Episode

Ditching Profit for Prosperity: How to Build a Long-Term Institution with Griffith University Professor, Nick Barter - Episode 4

This week’s podcast guest is one whose biggest pivot was finding a way for businesses to better fulfil their potential, but shifting from the corporate world to academia - Griffith University’s, Nick Barter.

Nick talks Dave through the need for narrative and purpose beyond profit, bringing emotion into decision-making, and why your demography is your destiny.

This episode covers:

Professor Nick Barter's career journey from business to academia, driven by his desire for long-term value creation
The importance of an organisation's narrative and purpose beyond pure profit
Incorporating emotional and purpose-driven decision-making in business, and where it often competes with more technical solutions
Generational changes in decision-making based on our growing need for long-term sustainability

Nick Barter
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-barter-a50775/

Griffith University
https://www.linkedin.com/school/griffith-university/

Connect with Dave Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveallenbrandpie/
Learn more about Brandpie: https://www.brandpie.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandpie/