How can operational leaders shape strategy, culture, and growth? Matt Hotson, Group Chief Operating Officer at Mishcon de Reya, shares how a distinctive approach to leadership and execution is helping one of the UK’s most entrepreneurial law firms stay purposeful and future-focused. At Mishcon, he leads everything outside of the practice of law –building the foundations, systems, and culture that enable lawyers to deliver great work for their clients.

In this episode, Matt discusses the firm’s evolving strategy and its renewed five-year vision, the importance of codifying values with broad input, and how culture is seen as somewhat fluid and constantly shaped by the people who join. He also explores how the firm is responding to emerging technological risks and opportunities.

Reflecting on his own path, Matt shares why making bold decisions, acting on 70% certainty, and relentlessly executing the plan have all been essential to building momentum and purpose at such a high scale.

How can a purpose-driven innovation scale without compromising care? Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+, shares how she’s helping pioneer the global expansion of Cognitive Simulation Therapy (CST) - the world-leading non-drug treatment for dementia.

Brain+ is a publicly listed health tech company championing Ayla, a proven digital CST intervention that can delay cognitive decline for up to six months. Devika discusses the opportunities and challenges of scaling CST through the UK’s care home sector while ensuring that ethics, clinical standards, and public trust remain central to the approach.

In this episode, Devika reflects on the strategic and emotional dimensions of leading a mission-led business in a high-regulation, high-stakes sector. She explains why raising awareness, building clinician and caregiver trust, and testing narratives are just as vital as product design. She also opens up about the balancing act between purpose and profit, the importance of board support, and the ongoing work of aligning commercial delivery with personal mission.

Relentlessly Getting Stuff Done

World-leading Non-drug Treatment for Dementia