Dave Zaboski - Artist & Former Animator at Disney, Warner Bros. and Sony (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Fantasia 2000)

From animating some of the most iconic films of all time to painting for the Dalai Lama and co-founding a tech startup, Dave Zaboski has spent a lifetime turning thoughts into things - and teaching others to do the same.

In this episode, Dave reflects on his time inside Disney’s second golden age, what it means to “solve for the light,” and why culture matters more than process when building high-performing creative teams. We talk about plussing, power, and presence - and how real collaboration needs care as much as skill. Dave shares lessons from leaving Disney to follow a deeper calling, and why he believes AI must be guided by human intention, not simulation. A conversation full of warmth, wisdom, and creative truth.

You can connect with Dave on LinkedIn here

This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.

These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.

Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.

Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.

Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?

Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.

✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)

✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort

✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community

✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.

Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.

🚀 Learn more and apply here

Laura Baker - Managing Director at Fearless (Founding member of FIFTY, ex-industrial designer)

From Post-It notes in the dark to leading one of the most respected design consultancies in the UK, Laura Baker’s path into leadership was anything but planned.

In this episode, Laura shares how an unexpected client decision thrust her into leadership, how a gut-punch moment around burnout reshaped how she leads, and why she believes legacy is about leaving things better than you found them. We talk about building trust, reframing value when you’re no longer “doing the work,” and the quiet power of step-by-step leadership. Laura also offers a thoughtful take on where the creative industry is heading, why she’s not scared of AI, and the real skills designers should be doubling down on right now.

You can connect with Laura on LinkedIn here

This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative director with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.

These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.

Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.

Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.

Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?

Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.

✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)

✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort

✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community

✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.

Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.

🚀 Learn more and apply here

Stan Reimgen - Co-Founder at Big (ex-Commerzbank, Zalando, Microsoft, Tomorrow Bank)

From launching mobile banking for 1.5 million customers at Commerzbank to building sustainable innovation with pioneers like Zalando, Microsoft, and Tomorrow Bank, Stan Reimgen’s journey is a masterclass in purpose-driven design leadership.

In this conversation, we explore his shift from business school to hands-on design, the power of experimentation, and what it really means to create work that helps the planet - not just the product roadmap. Stan opens up about parenthood, purpose, and why designers need to reclaim their creative fire before the industry burns them out.

You can connect with Stan on LinkedIn here

This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative director with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.

These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.

Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.

Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.

Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?

Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.

✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)

✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort

✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community

✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.

Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.

🚀 Learn more and apply here

S1. E2. : Charmaine Wyland – User Focused Design Leader, (Ex-Gumtree, Just Eat, Expedia, SapientRazorfish)

From e-learning in Dublin to redesigning legacy media platforms and leading massive digital transformations for big brands in both the USA and UK, Charmaine Wyland’s creative leadership journey is anything but linear - and all the better for it.

In this episode, Charmaine reflects on her serpentine career path, shares what it really takes to grow high-performing teams, and offers a masterclass in navigating change with empathy and clarity. We talk design maturity, rebrands, AI’s impact, and how she used storefronts to train her design team’s eye for homepage design. Charmaine also opens up about her proudest work at Racing Post, how she stress-bakes her way through deadlines, and why she’s always been more interested in how people think than what they make.

This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative director with three decades of experience leading teams for Disney, Apple, Microsoft, Paramount, LinkedIn and more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.

These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.

Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.

Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.

S1 E1 : Kevin Frank - Creative Leader (ex-Apple, LinkedIn) and Author of Raising Creative Teams

Kevin Frank has spent three decades leading creative at some of the world’s most iconic brands, from launching global campaigns at Apple to redefining brand and culture at LinkedIn. Along the way, he’s earned recognition from Cannes, D&AD, and AdAge’s In-House Agency of the Year and Best Places to Work lists.

In this episode, Kevin opens up about the hard lessons of leadership, why relationships matter more than awards, and the moment at Apple that changed how he saw creative direction forever. We also talk about his new book, Raising Creative Teams, and why the best creative leaders are in the business of helping others shine. A Cordial Fox Production. Hosted by Adam Jennings. Produced by Adam Jennings and Jasmin Egner

For the last 30 years, I’ve led creative teams across every discipline.

One thing’s always been true - the most interesting conversations happen with creative people.

So I started recording them.

Awaiting Approval is a podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

And Season One is packed with the kinds of guests I wish I’d had access to when I was starting out.

From Apple, Microsoft, Paramount, LinkedIn, and more - these are raw, honest, unscripted conversations about leading with creativity, integrity, and courage.

💥 Season One guests include:

Kevin Frank | Laura Baker | Dave Zaboski | Kevin Parry | Rashmi Lopez | Roger Rohatgi | Stan Reimgen | Lou Maxon | Bill Snebold | Jane Cook | Charmaine Wyland | Dr Chris Arnold | Jason Giles

👇 Watch the trailer

🔔 Follow the podcast

🎧 First episode drops this week

I’m proud of this line-up - and so grateful to every guest for showing up with honesty, humour and heart. And a special thank you to my partner Jasmin for all her work and support.

This is a new podcast where I sit down with seasoned leaders from across the creative industries to talk honestly about the work, the lessons, and the leadership moments that shaped them.

The episodes are real, unfiltered, and always end with the same simple question.

How each guest interprets that question? That’s up to them!

And you’ll need to subscribe to find out what the question is.

This trailer gives you a taste of what’s to come.

I hope you’ll subscribe and join me.

- Adam