Social historian Jan Lucassen on vocation and our need for recognition
Jan Lucassen is one of the world’s top experts on the history of work. His recent book The Story of Work is the first truly global history of work, from the age of the hunter-gatherer to the present day. Jan Lucassen is Emeritus Professor at the free University of Amsterdam and an honorary fellow at
Read MoreTheatre critic and author Arifa Akbar on the power of instinct and deadlines
Arifa Akbar is chief theatre critic of The Guardian and author of a memoir, Consumed, which has just been shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award. Arifa has been arts correspondent and literary editor of The Independent. She has written for newspapers and magazines ranging from The Observer to the FT and is a trustee of
Read MoreMathematician Christina Pagel on the challenge of communication in a pandemic
Christina Pagel is a mathematician and Professor of Operational Research at University College, London. The first female director of the Clinical Operational Research Unit at UCL and an honorary researcher at Great Ormond Street Hospital, she has been one of the most prominent scientists in the media during the pandemic. At the start of the
Read MoreEntrepreneur Chris Barez-Brown on how to have fun at work
Chris Barez-Brown is an entrepreneur, author and founder of Upping Your Elvis, a business that aims to help people find more energy and fun at work. He has worked with companies ranging from Coca-Cola to Citibank and Nike. His books include How to Have Kick-Ass Ideas, Shine: How to Survive and Thrive at Work, and
Read MoreFT editor-at-large Gillian Tett on “anthrovision”, money and power
Gillian Tett is a bestselling writer, journalist and chairman of the US editorial board at the Financial Times. She has a PhD in social anthropology and it’s this anthropological perspective that has played such a key part in her award-winning journalism and inspired her brilliant new book, Anthro Vision. She’s best known for predicting the
Read MoreComedian Robin Ince on the power of curiosity, wonder and doubt
Robin Ince is a comedian, author, broadcaster and, in his words, “professional idiot”. He’s the co-creator and presenter of the BBC Radio 4 show The Infinite Monkey Cage, which has won multiple awards and the author of I’m a Joke and So Are You. He won Celebrity Mastermind, is in the Guinness Book Records for
Read MoreThe Art of Work: highlights from Work Interrupted
How do we find fulfilment as we pay the bills? In my podcast Work Interrupted, I talked to people from a range of working backgrounds – business, journalism, the arts, healthcare, music, books, broadcasting, academia – to find out how their work was changing in the light of the pandemic. As we start to come
Read MoreRachel Clarke, doctor and bestselling writer on truth, beauty – and humour.
Rachel Clarke is a doctor, campaigner and bestselling writer. She started off as a TV journalist, making documentaries about subjects ranging from the Monica Lewinsky scandal to the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She retrained as a doctor in her late twenties and is now a palliative care doctor and a passionate
Read MoreJulia Hobsbawm, entrepreneur and writer on generosity and motivation
Julia Hobsbawm is an entrepreneur, writer and expert on connectedness in the machine age. She founded the network and media business Editorial Intelligence and the Social Capital Network for BAME professionals and was awarded an OBE for services to business in 2015. Her books include Fully Connected and The Simplicity Principle, which won two awards
Read MoreDouglas Board, leadership coach on how to rise to the top without losing your soul
Douglas Board is a leadership and career coach and a senior research fellow at the former Cass Business School. He was a senior civil servant and a headhunter before embarking on a portfolio career as a writer, coach and board member. He has been Chair of the Refugee Council, treasurer of the Diana, Princess of
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