Podcast•Feb 25, 2026•21 min
High-Performing Leadership Teams Are Built, Not Bought
In this episode of So What from BCG, Georgie Frost talks with Khadija Benhamada, former Chief of Staff and now Chief People Officer at Merck, and Judith Wallenstein, Global Leader of BCG’s CEO Advisory Practice, about how to deliberately build high‑performing leadership teams. They explain that such teams require clear purpose, psychological safety, trust, and a diversity of thought, and that CEOs must take personal responsibility for shaping the team’s dynamics, hiring for future potential, and fostering collective intelligence. The conversation also highlights the critical partnership between CEOs and chief people officers in driving culture, making courageous talent decisions, and navigating today’s heightened uncertainty and scrutiny.
