"Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast" - Leadership Lessons from Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.
What if your biggest leadership challenge isn’t strategy, but culture? Jens Drewes shares how a culture-first approach drives execution, trust, and results — and the habits every leader needs to thrive.
In this episode, Andrea Ross, accredited executive,team coach & leadership development consultant goes deep with Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, to unpack a truth most leaders ignore:
• Culture isn’t a “nice-to-have.”
• It’s your strategy’s make-or-break.
In his first year as CEO, he’s rolling out a new strategy built on the company’s culture – with people and customers at the heart of every decision.
The result?
Sharper execution. Stronger teams.
Deeper customer trust.
Inside this episode:
→ Why leadership behaviour is the real transformation strategy
→ How to turn values into lived daily actions (not posters on the wall)
→ The CEO balancing act: profit, people, and service
→ How to align strategy from the boardroom to the front line
→ Building trust in a digital-first world — without losing the human edge
You’ll also hear:
→ The leadership principle most leaders fail to live
→ Why strategy fails without cultural buy-in
→ How to keep AI tools human-centred
→ The 3 habits Jens recommends for every emerging leader today
If you’re leading through change — or want to — this episode is your blueprint.
Because culture doesn’t support strategy.
It drives it.
Connect with Jens Drewes:
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-drewes-813a7932/
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics → https://www.linkedin.com/company/hellmann-worldwide-logistics/
Want to know how healthy your team really is?
Take the free Team Health Check — a quick, AI-powered snapshot of your team’s trust, clarity, and alignment.
In just a few clicks, you’ll uncover what’s working, what’s holding you back, and where to focus next.
You’ll also get access to a complimentary consultation with Andrea Ross to help you turn insights into action.
Start here → www.thecareerestablishment.com/team-health-check-assessment
Looking for deeper diagnostics?
Explore our suite of AI-enhanced tools:
→ Team Psychological Safety: Gauge how safe your team feels to speak up, take risks, and innovate
→ Leadership Edge: Discover your leadership strengths and blind spots
→ Trusted Leader: Measure the trust you’re building — and how to strengthen it
These tools are built to give leaders fast, actionable insights to lead with more clarity, trust, and impact.
🎙️ Hosted by Andrea Ross
Founder of The Career Establishment | Executive & Team Coach | Culture Transformation Expert | Training Facilitator I Leadership Development Consultant
Let’s connect:
→ Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.thecareerestablishment.com/newsletter
→ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrearosscoachtrainer/
→ andrea.ross@thecareerestablishment.com.
→ Book a Consultation with me here: https://calendly.com/andrearossthecareerestablishment/introductory-call
🌐 www.thecareerestablishment.com
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"Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast" - Leadership Lessons from Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.
What if your biggest leadership challenge isn’t strategy, but culture? Jens Drewes shares how a culture-first approach drives execution, trust, and results — and the habits every leader needs to thrive.
In this episode, Andrea Ross, accredited executive,team coach & leadership development consultant goes deep with Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, to unpack a truth most leaders ignore:
• Culture isn’t a “nice-to-have.”
• It’s your strategy’s make-or-break.
In his first year as CEO, he’s rolling out a new strategy built on the company’s culture – with people and customers at the heart of every decision.
The result?
Sharper execution. Stronger teams.
Deeper customer trust.
Inside this episode:
→ Why leadership behaviour is the real transformation strategy
→ How to turn values into lived daily actions (not posters on the wall)
→ The CEO balancing act: profit, people, and service
→ How to align strategy from the boardroom to the front line
→ Building trust in a digital-first world — without losing the human edge
You’ll also hear:
→ The leadership principle most leaders fail to live
→ Why strategy fails without cultural buy-in
→ How to keep AI tools human-centred
→ The 3 habits Jens recommends for every emerging leader today
If you’re leading through change — or want to — this episode is your blueprint.
Because culture doesn’t support strategy.
It drives it.
Connect with Jens Drewes:
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-drewes-813a7932/
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics → https://www.linkedin.com/company/hellmann-worldwide-logistics/
Want to know how healthy your team really is?
Take the free Team Health Check — a quick, AI-powered snapshot of your team’s trust, clarity, and alignment.
In just a few clicks, you’ll uncover what’s working, what’s holding you back, and where to focus next.
You’ll also get access to a complimentary consultation with Andrea Ross to help you turn insights into action.
Start here → www.thecareerestablishment.com/team-health-check-assessment
Looking for deeper diagnostics?
Explore our suite of AI-enhanced tools:
→ Team Psychological Safety: Gauge how safe your team feels to speak up, take risks, and innovate
→ Leadership Edge: Discover your leadership strengths and blind spots
→ Trusted Leader: Measure the trust you’re building — and how to strengthen it
These tools are built to give leaders fast, actionable insights to lead with more clarity, trust, and impact.
🎙️ Hosted by Andrea Ross
Founder of The Career Establishment | Executive & Team Coach | Culture Transformation Expert | Training Facilitator I Leadership Development Consultant
Let’s connect:
→ Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.thecareerestablishment.com/newsletter
→ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrearosscoachtrainer/
→ andrea.ross@thecareerestablishment.com.
→ Book a Consultation with me here: https://calendly.com/andrearossthecareerestablishment/introductory-call
🌐 www.thecareerestablishment.com
Part 2: The Saudi Shift – Future Leaders and Female Power {Ep. 74}
Talent Talk with Andrea Ross
42 minutes 16 seconds
5 months ago
Part 2: The Saudi Shift – Future Leaders and Female Power {Ep. 74}
Saudi Arabia isn’t following leadership trends.
It’s setting them.
In Part 2 of this bold and insightful conversation, David Jones (CEO of Mercer Talent Enterprise) returns to explore how Saudi and UAE organisations are reshaping the global leadership narrative — with female leaders rising, young talent accelerating, and cultural shifts driving innovation.
This episode is packed with real data, powerful case studies, and grounded advice for HR leaders, executives, and future-focused organisations across the GCC.
What we unpack:
1. The Rise of Female Leadership in Saudi
→ Why female workforce participation surged from 9% to 29% in under a decade
→ How nationalisation policies are leveling the playing field
→ The corporate shifts making the biggest impact — from flexible structures to visible sponsorship
2. The Cultural & Economic Ripple Effect
→ How inclusive leadership is shifting Saudi’s global image
→ Why brands are prioritizing gender-aligned teams to reflect customer power
→ What Saudi’s transformation means for regional benchmarks
3. Building Future-Ready Leaders
→ The paradoxes modern leaders must navigate
→ Why followership is just as important as leadership
→ The surprising innovation potential inside call centres and frontline teams
Data + insights you’ll remember:
✅Saudi now outpaces India in female workforce growth
✅Innovation scores are often highest in frontline staff
✅Gen Z talent expects empowered leadership, not micromanagement
✅Many high-potential women are still invisible without structured assessments
Tools & strategies covered:
✅ Thriving Index – uncover strengths + traits that drive workplace performance
✅ Element X – benchmark well-being at individual and org-wide levels
✅ Lighthouse platform – the "Netflix of assessments" for GCC talent teams
✅ Advice for HR: how to design inclusive pipelines, avoid tokenism, and unlock hidden leaders
Books by David Jones:
The Future of Assessments
Game Changers (female leadership in MENA)
Unlocking the Paradox of Plenty
🎧 Listen if you’re:
Leading HR, talent or strategy in Saudi or the UAE
Supporting the rise of female leaders in your org
Rethinking leadership models to match the speed of change in the region
An emerging/leader looking for guidance to rise
Connect with our guest, David Jones
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-barrie-jones/
- Website: https://thetalententerprise.com/
Follow our Host, Leadership Coach and Learning and Development specialist Andrea Ross
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/feed/
- Email: andrea.ross@thecareerestablishment.com
- Follow The Career Establishment
- Website: www.thecareerestablishment.com
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-care…iewAsMember=true
- Instagram: @TheCareerEstablishment
Want more insights like this?
Subscribe for future-focused leadership content:
www.thecareerestablishment.com/newsletter
Talent Talk with Andrea Ross
"Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast" - Leadership Lessons from Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.
What if your biggest leadership challenge isn’t strategy, but culture? Jens Drewes shares how a culture-first approach drives execution, trust, and results — and the habits every leader needs to thrive.
In this episode, Andrea Ross, accredited executive,team coach & leadership development consultant goes deep with Jens Drewes, CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, to unpack a truth most leaders ignore:
• Culture isn’t a “nice-to-have.”
• It’s your strategy’s make-or-break.
In his first year as CEO, he’s rolling out a new strategy built on the company’s culture – with people and customers at the heart of every decision.
The result?
Sharper execution. Stronger teams.
Deeper customer trust.
Inside this episode:
→ Why leadership behaviour is the real transformation strategy
→ How to turn values into lived daily actions (not posters on the wall)
→ The CEO balancing act: profit, people, and service
→ How to align strategy from the boardroom to the front line
→ Building trust in a digital-first world — without losing the human edge
You’ll also hear:
→ The leadership principle most leaders fail to live
→ Why strategy fails without cultural buy-in
→ How to keep AI tools human-centred
→ The 3 habits Jens recommends for every emerging leader today
If you’re leading through change — or want to — this episode is your blueprint.
Because culture doesn’t support strategy.
It drives it.
Connect with Jens Drewes:
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-drewes-813a7932/
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics → https://www.linkedin.com/company/hellmann-worldwide-logistics/
Want to know how healthy your team really is?
Take the free Team Health Check — a quick, AI-powered snapshot of your team’s trust, clarity, and alignment.
In just a few clicks, you’ll uncover what’s working, what’s holding you back, and where to focus next.
You’ll also get access to a complimentary consultation with Andrea Ross to help you turn insights into action.
Start here → www.thecareerestablishment.com/team-health-check-assessment
Looking for deeper diagnostics?
Explore our suite of AI-enhanced tools:
→ Team Psychological Safety: Gauge how safe your team feels to speak up, take risks, and innovate
→ Leadership Edge: Discover your leadership strengths and blind spots
→ Trusted Leader: Measure the trust you’re building — and how to strengthen it
These tools are built to give leaders fast, actionable insights to lead with more clarity, trust, and impact.
🎙️ Hosted by Andrea Ross
Founder of The Career Establishment | Executive & Team Coach | Culture Transformation Expert | Training Facilitator I Leadership Development Consultant
Let’s connect:
→ Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.thecareerestablishment.com/newsletter
→ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrearosscoachtrainer/
→ andrea.ross@thecareerestablishment.com.
→ Book a Consultation with me here: https://calendly.com/andrearossthecareerestablishment/introductory-call
🌐 www.thecareerestablishment.com
