While Everyone Learns AI, 6 Senior Leaders Are Quietly Betting on This (I Asked Them)

I asked 6 senior leaders from Google, Spotify, Microsoft, Canva, Deel, and Dexory one question: what are the most future proof skills for 2026 and what gets you hired? This episode explores the future of work and identifies the most in demand skills. And their answers had nothing to do with AI literacy or prompt engineering... 🎙️ Recorded live at Panathēnea Festival 2026, Athens, Greece ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction — the question I asked 6 tech leaders 0:51 Ana Sandra Ruiz Entrecanales — Global Head of Growth, Spotify 3:13 Duncan Clark — Managing Director EMEA, Canva 5:30 Yanna Andronopoulou — General Manager Greece/Cyprus/Malta, Microsoft 7:30 Shuo Wang — Co-Founder & CRO, Deel 9:41 Evan Kotsovinos — VP Privacy, Safety & Security, Google 10:42 Oana Andreea Jinga — Co-Founder & CPO, Dexory 15:12 The pattern — what all 6 leaders are quietly betting on If you're an ambitious millennial navigating career ambition and the future of work with the rise of AI, this one is for you. What you'll get from this episode: → The hiring red flag Canva MD says you're probably making right now (it's not a bad CV) → Why 3 out of 6 leaders independently named the exact same skill when asked what beats AI → Google's VP: "Someone has to tell AI what to do, make sure that's you" → Why Deel's co-founder says forget specialisation → The interview technique Dexory uses to instantly spot the genuinely curious from those going through the motions 🔔 Subscribe for bi-weekly conversations with expert peers helping millennials navigate work-life chaos, career transitions, and leadership in their 30s. ⸻ Follow Angeliki: LinkedIn: /angelikigalanopoulou ⸻ Follow The Adaptive Times: Subscribe to the newsletter: https://shorturl.at/t1DAp YouTube: https://shorturl.at/Y1QBx Instagram: /theadaptivetimes Tiktok: /theadaptivetimes ⸻ 📩 ABOUT THE ADAPTIVE TIMES The Adaptive Times is a podcast for high-achieving corporate millennials navigating the tension between the career they built, the life they actually want and the ever changing work landscape in the era of AI. Without burning down bridges and while staying happy. Hosted by Angeliki Galanopoulou, who's living this exact change. She left Google in March 2026 without a backup plan to take a career break, build this podcast and explore what's next. Topics: career reinvention, leadership, AI, building on the side, and the mindset work that makes it all possible. #futureproofskills #aiproofcareer #futureofwork #skillsfor2026 #careeradvice #techcareers #careerdevelopment #leadershipadvice #googlecareer #futureofwork2026