In this episode, Magali Anderson—former Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer at Holcim and board member at Anglo American and the Capitals Coalition—shares her remarkable journey from offshore oil rigs in Nigeria to leading one of the world’s largest cement companies through a sustainability transformation .

Mag reflects on her early career as a field engineer without the safety net of the internet, building resilience as the only woman on a rig, and how those formative experiences shaped her leadership style . She opens up about her gradual shift toward environmental stewardship, the influence of science and family, and her mission to “repay a 30-year debt to the planet” .

The conversation explores how Holcim embedded climate and biodiversity into its core strategy—moving beyond carbon to science-based nature targets, scalable low-carbon products, regenerative quarry rehabilitation, and climate adaptation solutions . Mag also discusses the realities of being a Chief Sustainability Officer: influencing without authority, pushing traditional industries out of their comfort zones, and why the role has become even tougher in today’s geopolitical climate .

Now serving on boards and mentoring startups, Mag shares her belief that transformation can come from both inside corporations and from disruptive innovators—and introduces her “Secret Society of Sustainability Spies,” empowering employees to drive change without waiting for permission .

A powerful conversation on resilience, adaptability, scalable impact, and the courage required to change business from within.