Dr. Al Zeitoun is packed for departure, but first he's sharing the three films that shaped his 26-year journey as a global thought leader in project management and leadership development.

His surprising first choice? Tommy Boy—the Chris Farley comedy that Al sees as the ultimate masterclass in stakeholder engagement and unlikely leadership. "It's a story of an opportunistic mindset shift," he explains, finding profound lessons about resilience and team building in David Spade's mentorship of an underdog heir.

Next comes Remember the Titans, Denzel Washington's football epic that speaks to Al's passion for integration and creating success from unlikely places. Growing up in Cairo as the son of lifelong learners, Al connects deeply with stories of teams overcoming division through shared purpose and mutual respect.

His final selection, A Few Good Men, tackles the dark side of command-and-control culture. Al uses Jack Nicholson's explosive courtroom breakdown to explore why psychological safety matters more than ever in complex organisations—even when lives are on the line.

Between discussions of "getting onto the balcony rather than the dance floor" and his philosophy that "success is our worst enemy," Al reveals why curiosity and experimentation drive real leadership. Plus: his choice of lightly salted pistachios for the journey and why Pat Lencioni's team dynamics classic is his essential moon reading.

Mission duration: 45 minutes of pure leadership gold.

Nelly Wilson is ready for lunar departure, but first she's revealing the three films that shaped her journey from finance major to Google Cloud's youngest-ever Global Head of AI Services for Weather and Climate.

Her opening choice? Singing in the Rain—Gene Kelly's technicolor masterpiece that captures Hollywood's transition from silent films to talkies. "It really showcases how you're able to adapt to the change that is coming," Nelly explains, finding parallels between 1950s cinema innovation and today's AI revolution. She champions excellence over perfection, learned from watching Kelly's demanding choreography standards.

Next comes Patton, George C. Scott's powerhouse performance as the controversial WWII general. Growing up watching military films with history-loving grandparents, Nelly connects with Patton's authenticity and resilience. "Whether it's right or wrong, he really believed what he was fighting for," she notes, exploring the delicate balance between strong leadership and political awareness.

Her final selection surprises: The Hangover, the Bradley Cooper comedy about friendship through chaos. "You can't take life too seriously," Nelly laughs, appreciating how disasters become learning experiences and strengthen relationships. She quotes Steve Jobs: "You can only connect the dots looking backwards."

Between discussions of optimism, postmortems at Google, and why "success isn't always being well-liked," Nelly shows why AI's future is in thoughtful hands. Plus: endless orange gummy slices and Arthur Brooks' wisdom on career transitions.

Mission duration: 45 minutes of next-generation leadership insights.

From high school dropout to VP of Operations at MiTek, John Khoury's journey proves that authentic leadership can emerge from the most unexpected places. This self-made leader discovered his superpower isn't traditional storytelling—it's planting powerful ideas that stick, whether he's renaming a "Delivery Control Centre" to the more inspiring "Solution Hub" or assembling his "deadly viper squad" of analytics experts.

His lunar film selection reflects the emotional range he seeks as a leader: Reservoir Dogs for its raw authenticity and edge that centred him as a young adult learning to navigate the world; The Intouchables for its celebration of genuine connection across differences and the profound joy of mentoring others to fly; and Inception for Christopher Nolan's masterful exploration of how the right idea, planted at the right moment, can transform everything.

John's insights on leading at scale—from connecting with difficult clients that stumped IBM to learning that not every relationship has to work—reveal a leader who's mastered the delicate balance between authenticity and effectiveness. His vision of building a drive-in cinema on the moon, complete with lunar landers as cars, perfectly captures his ability to blend the practical with the inspirational. Armed with endless Twisties and the controversial masterpiece Shantaram, he's ready for his cosmic adventure.

Since recording this episode, John has become the Vice President of Operations at MiTek.