A new podcast series from HistoryExtra is set to examine what today’s business leaders can learn from some of history’s most influential figures.
History’s Greatest Leaders, hosted by entrepreneur and broadcaster Mike Soutar, will feature eight weekly episodes, each focusing on a different iconic leader through conversations with leading historians.
The series will unpack the qualities that defined these leaders, such as crisis management, decision-making, and the ability to inspire others.
Each episode pairs Mike with a historian who specialises in the subject, offering listeners insights into both the historical context and its relevance to modern leadership.
The first episode features Tracy Borman discussing Elizabeth I, while later episodes include Taylor Downing on Winston Churchill, Christopher Harding on Tokugawa Ieyasu, Simon Sebag Montefiore on Catherine the Great, Chris Holliday on Walt Disney, Shushma Malik on Zenobia, Nicholas Morton on Genghis Khan, and Janina Ramirez on Joan of Arc.
Mike said: “It was a privilege to sit down with historians of this calibre to talk about some of the most influential historical figures.
“We put eight remarkable leaders under the microscope, and asked what we can learn from them today. What the historians uncovered in every conversation went far beyond what I expected going in.”
Dr Dave Musgrove, also involved in the project, commented: “This is a series we’ve wanted to make for a long time, and one we’re really proud of.
“The concept is simple – eight brilliant historians, eight iconic leaders, one question – but Mike asks exactly the right questions to draw out something genuinely fresh from every conversation. The leadership lessons feel surprisingly relevant, whoever you are.”
History’s Greatest Leaders launches today, 20 July.
