Power vs Leadership: What Most CEOs Get Wrong, with Pierre Lorenceau

After 25 years building a global business, Pierre Lorenceau realised something uncomfortable: The problem with capitalism isn’t profit. It’s leadership. In this episode, Pierre shares how he went from founding and scaling Leaders League across 14 countries to selling the company, and investing his capital in climate tech. But this isn’t a story about money. It’s about power, ego, purpose, and what business is really for. In this conversation, you’ll learn: • The difference between power and leadership • Why most people misunderstand capitalism • Why stakeholder alignment beats shareholder obsession • The 3 traits every conscious leader must develop • Why profit is the engine, not the mission • What climate tech investing actually looks like • Why the planet burning changed his entire career • Why manipulation is not leadership • How to build companies that grow the pie instead of fighting over it Pierre also explains why businesses that align employees, suppliers, communities, and shareholders outperform and why climate software may be one of the most powerful levers for decarbonisation. Chapters: 00:00 From Law Student to Founder at 21 04:30 Building Leaders League Across 14 Countries 07:00 Power vs Leadership (Most People Get This Wrong) 12:40 Why He Sold His Company 14:20 “The Planet Was Burning” 16:00 What Is Conscious Capitalism? 19:00 Stakeholder vs Shareholder Capitalism 22:00 The 3 Traits of Conscious Leaders 28:00 Profit Is an Engine, Not the Purpose 38:00 Businesses That Blend Mission & Model 40:30 The Real Role of Business Today 43:30 Advice for the Next Generation This episode is for anyone thinking about: Leadership Conscious capitalism Climate investing Purpose-driven entrepreneurship The future of business Reimagining capitalism starts with reimagining power.