James Walker, Chief Admin Officer at DXC Technology, joins Scott Hamilton to discuss his unconventional career journey from music industry rigging and Disney storytelling to leading technology operations at major financial institutions and IT services firms. They explore the evolution of AI-powered coding, the importance of storytelling in business, the challenges of remote work culture and trust-building, mental health in the workplace, and balancing operational efficiency with sustainability. James shares insights on mentorship, the future of work, and why building authentic relationships remains crucial in an increasingly digital world. The conversation touches on everything from technical debt and productivity tools to Brussels sprout soup and re-releasing 40-year-old punk tracks on streaming platforms.Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

Ismail Amla joins Scott Hamilton on The Third Half for a thoughtful, deeply human conversation about leadership, learning from failure, curiosity, and building things that last in a world that won’t stand still.

From a BBC Micro bought by his dad, to boardrooms spanning Network Rail, UK Sport, academia, startups and global consulting, Ismail’s career has been anything but linear. He reflects on studying computer science “last century”, surviving the dot-com crash as a first-time CEO, and the leadership lessons that only show up when things fall apart.

The conversation moves through startups versus corporates, moving a family from Bolton to New York, and why failure might be the most expensive and valuable MBA you’ll ever earn. Ismail shares sharp insights on why technology is perhaps no longer the differentiator it was, and why storytelling, diversity and trust now matter more than scale.

There’s also a timely dive into AI, technical debt, sustainability and ESG not as buzzwords, but as real leadership responsibilities with real societal impact.

It’s thoughtful, candid, occasionally funny, and refreshingly honest — a conversation about privilege, responsibility, and building cultures where curiosity and experimentation aren’t side projects, they’re business as usual.

Phillippa Mole joins Scott Hamilton on The Third Half for an energising conversation about curiosity, reinvention and following what makes your heart sing. From studying sport and art at York to a masters in sports psychology at Loughborough, Phillippa's career has been refreshingly unconventional—sports psychologist, broadcaster, bobsleigh brakewoman for Great Britain, and now celebrated coach and artist.

She shares stories from her broadcasting days at BBC and GMTV, scaling the walls of Broadcasting House to pitch herself, mastering live TV under pressure, and presenting the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The conversation moves through her time hurtling down ice tracks at 80mph in the World Cup, her early work in sports psychology with elite athletes, into nearly 20 years of coaching leaders and teams through Fresh Air Coaching, and her evolution from fixing individuals to working systemically with entire organisations.

Now in a creative new chapter, Phillippa reflects on returning to painting, exhibiting her work and exploring the feelings and movements that have shaped her journey. She discusses the parallels between sport, broadcasting, coaching and art—and why creativity might be the truest test of character. It's warm, insightful and genuinely inspiring—a celebration of someone who's embraced every twist, trusted her instincts and found meaning in the beautiful unpredictability of life.