Best David Porritt Podcasts (2026)

1
On technology in education: Emma de Goederen, Matthew Clark, Rhiannon Phillips-Bianco - 'Leading Stories' 44:56

Play Pause

11M ago44:56

44:56

Send us a text Emma de Goederen, Matthew Clark, Rhiannon Phillips-Bianco, Richard Human and David Porritt discuss their experiences of how technology is utilised in schools and colleges across Britain, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands. From primary and secondary schools to teacher training university, they share their insights. Emma is a lecturer…

1
What did David and Richard learn from Season 3 of 'Leading Stories'Episode 48:51

11M ago48:51

48:51

Send us a text David and Richard discuss the episodes that have made up Series 3 of 'Leading Stories'. In this episode they share their reflections and learning having spent time with more wonderful people. To learn more about David Porritt and Richard Human visit their LinkedIn pages.By David Porritt & Richard Human

1
On the business of education: Jing Lai and Robert Zou - 'Leading Stories' 39:43

11M ago39:43

39:43

Send us a text In this week's episode of Leading Stories, we sit down with two remarkable individuals shaping international education and commerce. Hanjing (Jing) Lai is the Co-founder of Peng Ge Learning Center, an innovative institution bridging cultural and academic gaps for international students. Through her work, Jing creates supportive learn…

1
On being a project leader and not a maintenance leader: Tony Sainsbury - 'Leading Stories' Part 2 21:06

12M ago21:06

21:06

Send us a text Tony Sainsbury OBE has dedicated his career to disabled sports since the mid-1970s, when he began coaching at the Manchester & District Disabled Sports Club. He served as Great Britain's Paralympic Team Chef de Mission from 1980 to 1996, managing the team through five Summer Games. He helped establish the British Paralympic Associati…

1
"If they can do that, what can I do?": Tony Sainsbury - 'Leading Stories' Part 1 34:50

12M ago34:50

34:50

Send us a text Tony Sainsbury OBE has dedicated his career to disabled sports since the mid-1970s, when he began coaching at the Manchester & District Disabled Sports Club. He served as Great Britain's Paralympic Team Chef de Mission from 1980 to 1996, managing the team through five Summer Games. He helped establish the British Paralympic Associati…

1
On being curious without memory and desire: Linda Wes - 'Leading Stories' 32:48

12M ago32:48

32:48

Send us a text Linda specialises in coaching leaders who navigate complex organisational environments and manage diverse stakeholder relationships. She understands the unique challenges faced by executives who find themselves juggling with competing demands, often struggling to perform at their peak potential. Drawing on her diverse professional ba…

1
On life-long learning and the importance of higher education: Nina Arnhold - 'Leading Stories' 32:06

1y ago32:06

32:06

Send us a text Dr. Nina Arnhold, an expert in international higher education, currently spearheads higher education operations and analytics in South Asia, with particular emphasis on India at the World Bank. As Global Lead for Tertiary Education, Nina also has a coordinating role for the Bank's higher education work. Since joining the organisation…

1
On finding joy: Dawn Aytoun - 'Leading Stories' 28:49

1y ago28:49

28:49

Send us a text Dawn Aytoun is an accomplished education professional who has recently transitioned into a Product and Programme Manager role at Life Lessons Education. Since June 2024, she has been working in a hybrid capacity between Cornwall and London, leveraging her extensive background in education to drive innovative educational initiatives. …

1
On being an international educator: Lisa Dooijeweerd - 'Leading Stories' 31:11

1y ago31:11

31:11

Send us a text Lisa Dooijeweerd is the Assistant Head of the Early Years Campus at Bromsgrove International School Thailand. Her journey in international education began as part of the first cohort at NHL Stenden, where she studied International Teacher Education for Primary Schools. This innovative program allowed Lisa to combine her passion for e…

1
On a life in sport, law and business: Rowena Samarasinhe - 'Leading Stories' 46:16

1+ y ago46:16

46:16

Send us a text Rowena Samarasinhe is the Founder of GENSport and a Consultant at LEVEL. With almost 20 years of dedicated experience in the sports industry, she has made significant contributions across football, athletics, and other Olympic sports. Her early career included a notable stint in motorsports while employed by a top ten London law firm…

1
On servant leadership and working with others to find 'wet ground': Dr Matt Paschall - 'Leading Stories' 39:31

1+ y ago39:31

39:31

Send us a text Dr. Matthew Paschall serves with United World Mission in Budapest. He has served 15 years in pastoral ministry in California and New York and 15 years in cross-cultural mission in France, Senegal and Hungary. Matt earned his Masters of Divinity from Talbot Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry in Global and Contextual Leade…

1
What did David and Richard learn from Season 2 of 'Leading Stories' 37:15

1+ y ago37:15

37:15

Send us a text David and Richard discuss the seven episodes that have made up Series 2 of 'Leading Stories'. In this episode they share their reflections and learning having spent time with eight wonderful people. To learn more about David Porritt and Richard Human visit their LinkedIn pages.By David Porritt & Richard Human

1
On possibly being sacked by Microsoft and then becoming a YouTube star: Andy Haslam - Leading Stories 40:50

1+ y ago40:50

40:50

Send us a text Andy began his educational journey at Queen Mary’s Grammar School in Walsall. Despite not excelling academically, he managed to secure a place at Staffordshire Polytechnic (now Staffordshire University), where he studied Computer Science. His final year project, a route planner for Windows, marked the beginning of his tech career in …

1
On cross-cultural coaching and the benefits of therapy: Sara Lodge & Mark Sykes - Leading Stories 34:24

1+ y ago34:24

34:24

Send us a text Sara Lodge is director of Beehive Coaching & Leadership Development Ltd. Apart from a couple of breaks, one working in marketing and one on the Leadership Fast Track of the West Yorkshire Police, she has been in the field of learning and development since 1985, working in places as diverse as Japan, Africa, Canada, Austria and France…

1
On the importance of asking for help when times are tough: Teacher and Wellbeing advocate, Rhiannon Phillips-Bianco - Leading Stories 44:52

1+ y ago44:52

44:52

Send us a text In this episode Rhiannon shares the time when her own mental health suffered and how this changed her view of what is important in life. As a passionate class teacher and wellbeing leader, Rhiannon works closely with staff, students and parents to support them in prioritising wellbeing and mental health. Rhiannon develops wellbeing p…

1
On successfully changing careers midlife: Andy Homden - Leading Stories 34:32

1+ y ago34:32

34:32

Send us a text Andy trained as a teacher in the UK and Australia, and has worked in international education for most of his career. As a teacher and school leader he specialised in curriculum design and school start-ups. He is now CEO of Consilium Education, an educational consulting company of highly experienced education professionals offering su…

1
On the importance of helping others: Firefighter, Bike Restorer and YouTuber: Andy Ferns - Leading Stories 35:00

1+ y ago35:00

35:00

Send us a text A passionate and avid cyclist, Andy Ferns is driven to help others in every way possible to repair, customize, and restore their bicycles. When not tinkering in his workshop or out riding, he splits his time between his wife Tina, their children, and serving the community as a dedicated full-time firefighter. For as long as Andy can …

1
On the importance of not giving up: Serdar Ferit - Leading Stories 37:45

1+ y ago37:45

37:45

Send us a text Fuelled by a vision to inspire future generations to create positive change, filmmaker Serdar Ferit and his partner, Paulina Tervo, established Lyfta in 2016. Their platform was meticulously crafted to empower educators with cutting-edge tools, enabling them to delve into intricate global themes and cultural phenomena within the clas…

1
On changing history and supporting female entrepreneurs: Jill Pay - Leading Stories 41:39

1+ y ago41:39

41:39

Send us a text Jill Pay is a retired official of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She was Serjeant at Arms in the House of Commons. Jill is the first woman to have held the position. Her appointment was unusual in that the position had hitherto normally been reserved for those with a military background. Jill's position conferred responsibilit…

1
On Leadership, Culture, Learning & Reflecting: Season One Finale 37:06

2y ago37:06

37:06

Send us a text In this finale episode of the first series, hosts David and Richard take a look back at the incredible guests they've had the privilege of speaking with over the past 9 episodes. From Paralympic gold medalist Marc Woods, who shared his inspiring story of overcoming adversity, to Maasai leader and conservationist James Laizer, discuss…

1
On leading in the Maasai community in northern Tanzania: James Laizer - Leading Stories 33:40

2y ago33:40

33:40

Send us a text James Laizer has over 20 years of experience working in natural resources management in Africa, terrestrial and marine and public and private sectors. He was a socio-economic and ecological researcher, working with indigenous communities, local and national governments, donors, and investors in forested and savannah landscapes in Tan…

1
On the power of coaching young people: Heather Torrens - Leading Stories 38:42

2y ago38:42

38:42

Send us a text Following a successful career as a professional musician, Heather moved into education where she has enjoyed responsibilities such as Senior leader at St Clement's CE Infant and Bethany CE Junior Schools, Specialist Leader of Education for Spirituality and Values, Music and R.E. Her roles have included Acting Assistant Head, Tutor fo…

1
On Reluctant Leadership, Resilience & Building Your Professional Network: Nick Escritt - Leading Stories 33:59

2y ago33:59

33:59

Send us a text Nick is a husband, father, cyclist and contracts and procurement professional with over 30 years project execution experience in the international engineering construction industry. In this episode Nick shares how his love of partying brought a premature end to his university degree and how he has become a reluctant leader in an indu…

1
On being a life-long learner: Dr Sam Mathis - Leading Stories 30:01

2y ago30:01

30:01

Send us a text Dr. Samantha Mathis has had a far-reaching journey, herself. She is a retired Royal Air Force officer with more than 25 years of experience in the defense, development/NGO, and diplomatic sectors. Now an experienced professional, career, and leadership coach, she has an extensive background in leadership, learning, and organizational…

1
On What It Takes To Become A Great Teacher & Leader in Education: Matthew Clark - Leading Stories 37:08

2y ago37:08

37:08

Send us a text Matthew Clark is the current Director of Primary Education at Tenax Schools Trust in Kent. He is also a Fellow at Chartered College of Teaching and a Visiting Fellow at the Ambition Institute. In this episode Matthew shares his teaching story and thoughts on education and what it takes to be a 'good' teacher. To learn more about Davi…

1
On Digging Holes: James Laizer -Leading Stories 9:06

2y ago9:06

9:06

Send us a text James Laizer has over 20 years of experience working in natural resources management in Africa, terrestrial and marine and public and private sectors. He was a socio-economic and ecological researcher, working with indigenous communities, local and national governments, donors, and investors in forested and savannah landscapes in Tan…

1
On Developing People, Outdoor Learning, Charity Governance & Finance: Andy Robinson - Leading Stories 40:56

2y ago40:56

40:56

Send us a text Andy is the CEO of the Lindley Educational Trust and has significant experience in outdoor learning & development solutions, charity governance and financial management. He lives in Bakewell and is committed to ensuring children and young people are provided with opportunities to engage with and appreciate the natural environment. Li…

1
On Becoming A Leader & Framing our Life Goals: Emma de Goederen - Leading Stories 34:51

2y ago34:51

34:51

Send us a text After many years working as a primary class teacher and a school leader in Northumberland and The Hague Emma is now a lecturer-researcher in international primary education at NHL Stenden's Meppel campus. In this episode Emma shares with us her thoughts on becoming, and being, a leader and how NLP helps frame her life goals - one of …

1
On Aligning Team Goals & The Importance of Investing Time In Your People: Marc Woods - Leading Stories 30:29

2y ago30:29

30:29

Send us a text Marc Woods is a British former swimmer, who competed at five Paralympic Games, (Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004) winning 12 medals. After he retired from international swimming in 2004, he went on to commentate for both BBC Sport and Channel4 at the Paralympics in Beijing, London, Rio and Tokyo. At …