Innovation is easy to praise and hard to protect, especially when markets tighten and uncertainty takes over. Ivanka Visnjic, Professor of Innovation at ESADE Business School, board member, and trusted advisor to global leadership teams, operates exactly in that tension. In this conversation, she breaks down how leaders turn innovation and sustainability from ambition into execution, without losing credibility in the boardroom or missing quarterly realities.

From the collapse of Yugoslavia to Brussels press rooms, Brexit, and multi-million-dollar exits, Nigel Gardner explains why honesty, judgment, and calm under pressure matter more than any governance playbook.

A trailblazing finance leader reflects on resilience, authenticity, and what it truly means to lead, but on your own terms.