Think Ahead

ESG has become one of the most polarising topics in business. Yet beneath the headlines and political debates lies a more
fundamental question: how can organisations create long-term value for both shareholders and society?

Host of Think Ahead, Sergei Guriev, Dean and Professor of
Economics at London Business School, sits down with Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at London Business School, to explore a more evidence-led approach to sustainability.

Alex introduces the concept of rational sustainability, arguing that sustainability should be treated neither as an ideology nor as a
box-ticking exercise, but as a strategic and financial discipline grounded in
evidence, materiality and long-term thinking.

Together, Sergei and Alex discuss why ESG has become so
politically charged, the limitations of universal sustainability metrics, how
leaders can navigate trade-offs, and what it takes to embed sustainability into core business decision-making.

Whether you are leading a business, investing for the future or simply trying to make sense of the evolving sustainability landscape, this
episode offers practical insights on how to focus on what truly creates value.

Host:
Sergei Guriev is Dean and Professor of Economics at London Business School. An internationally recognised economist, he is the host of London Business School’s podcast, Think Ahead. The podcast brings together thought leaders and distinguished guests to explore the ideas, trends and challenges shaping the future of business and society.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergei-guriev/

Guest:
Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School. He has authored 'Grow the Pie' (2020), 'May Contain Lies' (2024), and 'The Madness of Markets' (2026). He joins us as a leading expert on sustainable business, corporate purpose and long-term value creation.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedmans/

Learn more:

• Alex Edmans' website | https://alexedmans.com/

• Alex Edmans' latest book, 'The Madness of Markets' | https://alexedmans.com/madness/

• Why ESG needs a rethink | https://www.london.edu/think/why-esg-needs-a-rethink

• Could "Rational Sustainability" replace ESG? | https://www.london.edu/think/could-rational-sustainability-replace-esg

• Why we should not view ESG as something niche | https://www.london.edu/think/why-we-should-not-view-esg-as-something-niche

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:40 Why ESG has become so polarised

05:35 Introducing rational sustainability

11:45 Materiality, trade-offs and what really matters

16:30 Integrating sustainability into business strategy

22:00 What effective sustainability leadership looks like

31:30 What comes next for sustainability

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As AI transforms decision-making, ESG faces growing scrutiny, and longer lives reshape careers, business leaders must navigate a world of accelerating change and increasing uncertainty. In this special Season 3 wrap-up, Sergei Guriev, Dean and Professor of Economics at London Business School and host of Think Ahead, reflects on the biggest ideas, debates and lessons from ten conversations with leading economists, strategists, technologists and business executives.

From agentic AI and leadership under uncertainty to corporate purpose, sustainability, consumer behaviour and the future of the global economy, this episode brings together the insights that matter most for leaders preparing for what comes next. A common theme emerges throughout: while technology and disruption are changing the business landscape, human judgement, strategic clarity and continuous learning remain essential.

Featuring insights from London Business School faculty and industry leaders, watch the episode to understand:

Why AI is a leadership challenge as much as a technology challenge

How effective leaders create clarity and make difficult trade-offs in uncertain environments

Why sustainability and corporate accountability remain business priorities despite the ESG backlash

How longevity, lifelong learning and changing consumer expectations are reshaping work and markets

What a more fragmented global economy could mean for organisations and decision-makers

For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.london.edu/think⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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In a world where artificial intelligence is transforming how organisations operate, leaders face a critical challenge: how to harness AI’s speed and scale while maintaining trust, fairness and human judgement. 

In this episode of Think Ahead, Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics and Dean at London Business School, is joined by Keyvan Vakili, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Academic Director of the Data Science and AI Initiative, and Riham Satti, co-founder and CEO of MeVitae. Together, they explore why so many organisations are still struggling to move beyond AI pilots and proofs of concept, and what it really takes to translate experimentation into meaningful impact. 

Drawing on both academic research and real-world experience, the conversation examines how AI is reshaping hiring and people decisions, the risks of bias in data-driven systems, and the importance of transparency, accountability and verifiability in building trustworthy AI. The episode also highlights a central tension: as automation accelerates, the value of distinctly human capabilities such as empathy, judgement and critical thinking only increases. 

Tune in to learn: 


Why organisations struggle to scale AI from pilots to adding real business value 


How to build trust in AI systems, from transparency to governance and accountability 


The risks of bias in hiring algorithms and how to mitigate them through better data and design 


Why human judgement, context and soft skills are becoming more valuable in the age of AI 


Practical guidance on whether to build AI tools in-house or partner externally 

Whether you are leading AI adoption, shaping organisational strategy, or navigating the future of work, this episode offers clear, evidence-based insights into how leaders can use AI responsibly while strengthening human capability and long-term value. 

For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.london.edu/think⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  

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Decisions about who to hire, promote and reward shape organisational performance, culture and fairness. For decades, we have heavily relied on intuition. As data and AI become more embedded in the workplace, leaders face a critical question: how should evidence and human judgement work together in people decisions? 

Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics and Dean of London Business School, is joined by Isabel Fernandez‑Mateo, Adecco Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School, and Khyati Sundaram, Founder of Applied. 

Together, they explore how data, analytics and artificial intelligence are reshaping people management across the employee lifecycle. Drawing on academic research and real‑world experience, the conversation examines how AI is changing behaviour for both employers and candidates, and why leadership judgement, context and trust still matter more than ever. 

Watch the episode to understand: 


Why intuition‑driven people decisions often reinforce bias rather than predict performance 


How AI is transforming hiring and why it is creating new challenges for employers 


Where data improves fairness and outcomes, and where human judgement must still lead 


What responsible, evidence‑based people management looks like in practice 

For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.london.edu/think⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  

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As AI evolves from offering advice to taking action, organisations face a critical question: who is really in charge?

To discuss, Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics and Dean at London Business School, is joined by Dr Ekaterina Abramova, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Management Science and Operations at London Business School, and Sue Preston, Worldwide Vice President and General Manager of Advisory and Professional Services at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Together, they explore how leaders can retain control, ensure safety and maintain trust as AI systems become more autonomous. From agentic AI and execution risk to fairness, bias and shadow AI, the conversation bridges cutting-edge academic research with real-world experience from global AI deployments.

The discussion unpacks why human oversight must be meaningful, not symbolic, and how organisations can design governance, guardrails and operating models that allow AI to scale responsibly without undermining trust.

Tune in to learn:

· Why the shift from AI copilots to autonomous agents changes the risk profile for organisations

· What meaningful human oversight really looks like when machines plan and act

· How bias and fairness emerge in autonomous systems and why they must be designed for early

· The organisational and cultural changes needed to deploy trustworthy AI at scale

For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.london.edu/think⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  

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