In this episode, I have Rene Carayol, an internationally renowned keynote speaker who specializes in diversity, leadership, and culture. His clients include Google, the world bank, Barclays and IKEA. He has worked with Prime Minister David Cameron, Sir Richard Branson, and Nelson Mandela. His latest book Spike is leading the strengths-based revolution.

I’m going to kick us off with a question about your origin story. I read that you started your career in IT at a retailer. Then you moved to Pepsi and you’re now seen as a leading expert on leadership, diversity, and inclusion. Was there a defining moment that you look back on in getting you to the place that you are today?

Yes, there was. It’s a story. I spent 10 years at Marks and Spencer’s, which was a British retailer. They taught me everything about management, but not so much about leadership. Then the phone rings and it’s Pepsi, and they’re looking for a board director. I just knew that got the wrong person. It was never going to be me as life without it. I’d never been in a boardroom.

I got the job. Before I know, I’m in Purchase, New York. It’s April 1992 BG, before Google, and on my very first day of work, as life would have it, it was a board meeting. I’m in the boardroom on the board of Pepsi. I’d never been in a boardroom before. I’m shaking hands with my colleagues. In those dark days of April, 1992, there’s seven of us on the board. Seven men, all American apart from me, I didn’t look like them.

I didn’t sound like them, we’re shaking hands, getting to know each other and the door bursts open and in walks Larry, chief executive. Larry says, Jeff, I’d like to introduce you to your board director, Rene Carayol. Let me tell you a little bit about Rene. Larry has no notes. Larry has no Google. Larry starts to tell my life story. Rene’s parents left Gambia in West Africa in the early 1960s, heading for London, the mother country, there a British colony.