
Olympian insights: Leadership meets elite sports
Oliver Zeidler shares his journey from swimmer to World Champion rower, balancing sport, business, and a beginner’s mindset....
October 6, 2025 • by Julia Binder, Knut Haanaes in I by IMD Podcasts • Podcast available
Knut Haanaes and Julia Binder explore the front lines of the energy transition with Paul Watkinson, revealing the politics, tech, and strategies shaping a sustainable world....
Apple SpotifyThis week, Knut and Julia are joined by Paul Watkinson, a seasoned climate negotiator who enabled the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Just weeks before COP 30 in Brazil, they discuss the current state of global climate efforts and the need to overcome domestic political, social, and financial barriers to decarbonization.
The conversation delves into the uneven pace of the energy transition, the pivotal but complex role of China in clean tech, Europe’s regulatory challenges, and the essential need for a “just transition” to build public support.

Climate negotiator and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe
Paul Watkinson is a veteran climate negotiator who played a key role in the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. With decades of experience in international climate policy, he advises governments and organizations on decarbonization strategies, sustainable development, and global climate action.

Professor of Sustainable innovation and Business Transformation at IMD
Julia Binder, Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation, is a renowned thought leader recognized on the 2022 Thinkers50 Radar list for her work at the intersection of sustainability and innovation. As Director of IMD’s Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, Binder is dedicated to leveraging IMD’s diverse expertise on sustainability topics to guide business leaders in discovering innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. At IMD, Binder serves as Program Director for Creating Value in the Circular Economy and teaches in key open programs including the Advanced Management Program (AMP), Transition to Business Leadership (TBL), TransformTech (TT), and Leading Sustainable Business Transformation (LSBT). She is involved in the school’s EMBA and MBA programs, and contributes to IMD’s custom programs, crafting transformative learning journeys for clients globally.

Lundin Chair Professor of Sustainability at IMD
Knut Haanaes is a former Dean of the Global Leadership Institute at the World Economic Forum. He was previously a Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group and founded their first sustainability practice. At IMD he teaches in many of the key programs, including the MBA, and is Co-Director of the Leading Sustainable Business Transformation program (LSBT) and the Driving Sustainability from the Boardroom (DSB) program. His research interests are related to strategy, digital transformation, and sustainability.

November 4, 2025 • by Susan Goldsworthy in Podcasts
Oliver Zeidler shares his journey from swimmer to World Champion rower, balancing sport, business, and a beginner’s mindset....

October 23, 2025 • by David Bach, Felix Zeltner in Podcasts
Gideon Rachman on Trump, China, and Europe’s resilience – and why liberal democracy, though under pressure, still has a future....

October 20, 2025 • by Omar Toulan in Podcasts
At OWP Singapore, IMD’s Omar Toulan speaks with business leader Dan Luo on driving growth and profitability at global brands like Heinz, Lego, and Fonterra....

October 13, 2025 • by Jean-François Manzoni in Podcasts
Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget explains how advanced tech and a unique ‘library of strengths’ are reshaping food production and laundry solutions worldwide....
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