In this episode of The Shift Code Podcast, host Pierre Le Manh is joined by Pearson’s CEO, Omar Abbosh, to explore what happens when AI changes how people learn, work, and lead faster than institutions can adapt. Omar explains why traditional education must evolve toward lifelong learning, why assessment becomes more important when answers are instantly available, and how Pearson is building its strategy around assessment, next-generation education powered by AI, early careers, and enterprise skilling. He also shares why companies need to rethink skills as roles change and what leaders must get right when driving transformation. At the center of it all is a distinctly human challenge: AI can improve analysis, productivity, and decision support, but motivating people, exercising judgment, and building trust remain critical leadership responsibilities.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why traditional education must evolve toward lifelong learning and alternative skills pathways
• How AI can support teachers and learners without removing the effort required for real learning
• Why assessment becomes even more important when learners can access AI-generated answers instantly
• How Pearson’s “one plus three” strategy builds growth around existing competitive strengths
• Why CEOs should use AI as a thought partner while keeping people-related decisions firmly human
• How enterprises can manage AI costs through multiple providers and fit-for-purpose models

Omar Abbosh is the Chief Executive Officer of Pearson, the global lifelong learning company, where he leads the organization’s strategy around assessment, next-generation education powered by AI, early careers, and enterprise skilling.

Before joining Pearson in January 2024, Omar served as President of Industry Solutions at Microsoft, helping customers create value through digital transformation. Prior to Microsoft, he spent more than three decades at Accenture, holding senior leadership roles including Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Executive of the company’s Communications, Media & Technology business, where he led a team of 100,000 people and a $9 billion business unit.

• Omar Abbosh on LinkedIn
• Pearson Website
• Pierre Le Manh on LinkedIn
• Project Management Institute Website
• Project Management Institute LinkedIn

In this episode of The Shift Code Podcast, host Pierre Le Manh is joined by Chad Latz, Chief Innovation Officer at Burson, to analyze the shifting mechanics of strategic communications. As generative search engines replace traditional lookup tools, brands face a zero-click reality where algorithms mediate public perception. Chad shares how Burson uses advanced cognitive models to calculate unexpected shareholder returns and predict public reactions in seconds, giving leaders an objective framework to protect their license to operate.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to measure reputation as a tangible financial asset using Reputation Capital
• Why Generative Engine Optimization is the new battlefield for brand visibility
• How Decipher uses cognitive AI to forecast audience reactions in real time
• The operational realities and hidden compute costs of scaling enterprise AI adoption
• How to build organizational trust by letting team members build customized agents

Chad Latz is Burson's Chief Innovation Officer, leading a team of AI-focused practitioners and partners across data, technology, and academia. In 2017, he articulated the agency's first AI strategy, and in 2023 he led the development and launch of Decipher, a cognitive AI platform that forecasts audience belief and engagement across reputation management, consumer marketing, and healthcare. He's been recognized on PRWeek's Power Book 50 and its "Dashboard 25: AI Edition," and PRovoke Media's 25 Most Innovative Professionals. A frequent industry speaker and commentator, Latz has presented at the Oxford University Generative AI Summit and been featured in PRWeek and Axios Communicators on AI and misinformation.

• Chad Latz on LinkedIn
• Burson Website
• The Reputation Economy Report
• The Credibility Paradox Report
• Pierre Le Manh on LinkedIn
• Project Management Institute Website
• Project Management Institute LinkedIn

In this episode of The Shift Code Podcast, host Pierre Le Manh is joined by Paul Coxhill, Chief Operating Officer and President of LIONS Intelligence, to dive into the operational and strategic realities behind the world’s largest marketing and advertising festival.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to structure portfolio governance across 20,000+ attendees and multiple global stakeholders
• Why brand marketing is gaining renewed importance in the context of AI-driven discovery
• How AB InBev built internal systems to deliver creative outcomes consistently
• Where the boundary currently sits between AI capability and human creative judgment
• How to measure creative ROI at the enterprise level

Paul is Chief Operating Officer of LIONS – the group of businesses including WARC, Effie, Contagious and Acuity Pricing and the home of Cannes Lions – and President of the LIONS Intelligence digital and learning businesses. As an ex-CMO and leading industry voice, Paul is a passionate advocate for the role of marketing as a driver of business growth and the power of creativity to accelerate marketing impact. He is an IAA Board Member and Fellow of the Marketing Society.

Episode Resources:

• Paul Coxhill on LinkedIn
• LIONS Intelligence Website
• Cannes Lions Website
• Pierre Le Manh on LinkedIn
• Project Management Institute Website
• Project Management Institute LinkedIn