That question brought senior leaders from finance, technology, and investment to Home House in London (12 February 2026) to celebrate the launch of the second edition of the Financial Times Guide to Leadership: How to Build Trust and Get Results by Marianne Abib-Pech, published by Pearson.
The event opened with remarks from Sumitra Karthikeyan before a wide-ranging discussion between author, leadership expert Marianne Abib-Pech (www.marianneabibpech.com) and media coach Alan Stevens on modern leadership, curiosity, trust, and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping future organisations, followed by a Q&A with the audience. Conversations continued late into the evening, reflecting both the intellectual depth of the themes explored and the strong professional community surrounding the book.
Reflecting on the London launch, Marianne Abib-Pech said:
“It was a real pleasure to see so many leaders, seasoned or emerging, corporate or entrepreneurial, attending the London book launch. It is testimony to the depth of the book and its relevance in today’s world. Leadership is a state of mind with a purpose: to shape a different society.”
First published more than a decade ago, the newly revised edition has been substantially rewritten to reflect a world transformed by geopolitical uncertainty, multigenerational workforces, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence. While the original edition focused on core leadership foundations such as self-awareness, influence, and execution, the second edition expands into themes of trust, continuous learning, burnout, neuroscience, and the deeply human dimensions of leadership in an increasingly complex era.
Throughout both her corporate and entrepreneurial journeys, Abib-Pech has witnessed the best—and the worst—of leadership and is deeply committed to sharing her insights and experience to support others in their own paths. Leadership, she argues, is no longer something granted by title but something earned continuously through decisions, relationships, and the ability to turn uncertainty into direction. In a world where certainty is scarce, steadiness, curiosity, and disciplined learning are becoming the defining traits of effective leaders.
Beyond strategy and execution, Abib-Pech’s work also reflects a more personal dimension of leadership. At the London launch of her latest book, she spoke openly about curiosity and impact, and the importance of embracing complexity as a source of learning and innovation. For her, leadership is not confined to boardrooms, but is ultimately about unlocking human potential and shaping society through everyday actions and choices.
The London launch will be followed by an exclusive Paris book launch, to be held at the French Senate on 24th February, this time with a focus on societal leadership. The launches signal a broader, important conversation about what responsible, future-facing leadership looks like, and how individuals across sectors can contribute to building more resilient organisations and societies.

Guests included and Dorothy Chou Director of the Public Engagement Lab at DeepMind; Xavier Destriau, CFO of ZIM Shipping Services; David Gigauri, Partner at Gryphon Holdings; Chris Goodwin, Senior Environmental Sustainability Manager at Arsenal Football Club and Sport Industry Group 30 Under 30 Leader; Andrew Graham, Founder of Mrs and Mrs Smiths; Sumitra Karthikeyan, Global Head of Strategy at JP Morgan Commercial & Investment Banking; James Mawson, Founder and CEO of Mawsonia; Jacopo Meneguzzo, Principal at PFH Holdings; Paul Rutten, Founder of Concert Bio; Phil Sanderson, former CFO of Velocys; Amanda Schlump, former Director at The Milken Institute; and Hans Van Geloven, CFO of VTTI.