Good Leaders Podcast Episode 4 – Atif Choudhury: ‘Play to your strengths – and know you can’t know it all’

What makes a good leader? At Pioneers Post, we’re interested in leaders who are both trying to make a difference, and doing business differently. In our Good Leaders podcast, founding editor Tim West meets some of the best and brightest of social enterprise, impact investing and mission-driven business for a series of candid conversations. This month: Atif Choudhury of Zaytoun and Diversity & Ability.

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How did a kid from a London council estate end up advising the UN on inclusion? In this podcast, we hear the story of social entrepreneur Atif Choudhury, the founder of Zaytoun, the world’s first Fairtrade Palestinian olive oil cooperative, and of Diversity & Ability, a social enterprise supporting “individuals, organisations and social justice projects to create inclusive cultures where diversity is valued and people can thrive”. 

The two social enterprises may seem unrelated. But Choudhury explains how they both address marginalisation and injustice in their own way: “both Diversity & Ability and Zaytoun are there to talk about the wonders of people who don't get to tell their stories.” 

He talks to Tim West about his journey, balancing family life and work, and the difference between innovators and leaders. 

People expect founders to be CEOs immediately – but there's no CEO school that founders necessarily go to

“​​A lot of founders can create organisations, because that's their spark, that's innovation that lives with them. But people expect founders to be CEOs immediately – but there's no CEO school that founders necessarily go to. And that's the challenge.” 

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