How to be a COO
Jennifer Geary on adapting to complexity, human-first leadership, and why sustainability is not optional anymore
Listen now on Apple and Spotify.
What does it take to lead a company?
It’s no longer enough to just “execute well.” CEOs and COOs are navigating an increasingly complex environment: shifting regulations, AI disruption, post-pandemic work culture, and rising pressure around sustainability.
This week, we revisit our conversation with Jennifer Geary, author of the bestselling How to Be a Chief Operating Officer and her newest title How to Be a Chief Sustainability Officer. Jennifer joined us to unpack what operational leadership really looks like now—from aligning strategy to culture, to applying pressure on your software vendors to meet ESG standards.
Jennifer Geary is a former MD, COO and CRO with over 25 years of experience in finance, technology, risk and legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit. She served as Managing Director, EMEA for a Nasdaq-quoted software company, and as COO and CRO at several fintechs in the UK and US.
She is also an author, speaker, board advisor and mentor to emerging businesses. She has attained qualification as a chartered accountant, PRINCE 2 practitioner, CISA and CISSP, with recent certifications in Sustainable Finance and ESG Investing and Ethical AI.
We discuss:
The 3 enduring pillars of operational leadership
What AI can (and can’t) do for COOs
How to make sustainability real in scale-ups, not just the FTSE 250
Post-IPO pressure: why compliance becomes the job
Why the COO's role is deeply, fundamentally human and irreplaceable
Key takeaways:
Start with strategy, but don’t stop there. True COO leadership comes from being the operational bridge between strategy and the real world.
Sustainability is your job even if you're not a CSO. From software procurement to social impact, operational leaders in scale-ups should be leading the charge on ESG.
AI can’t replace judgment.
Culture is the invisible operating system.
You need to build informal intel systems to truly know what’s happening in your company.
Want to know what really changes after you IPO?
Where to find Jennifer:
How to Be a Chief Operating Officer by Jennifer Geary
How to Be a Chief Sustainability Officer by Jennifer Geary
If you’ve found this newsletter valuable, share it with a friend or colleague, and consider subscribing if you haven’t already.
Best,
Beth and Brandon