David Craig is a man who knows a thing or two about leading major organisational change projects, from his background as a partner at McKinsey advising companies on strategy to turning around Thomson Reuters’ largest – but “unloved” – financial and risk division, and spearheading its subsequent separation and reincarnation as Refinitiv.

In his new book, Bluebook: How bold leadership unlocked a $27bn success story, Craig shares lessons from this practical education in transformation, including the importance of taking tough calls early on.

“I wasn't brave enough and certainly not confident enough,” he says, reflecting on his early days at Thomson Reuters where he was charged with heading up the integration of the two companies. “I was still that new McKinsey guy.”

Perhaps it was this reflection that provided the rocket fuel to his plans with Refinitiv. The company launched in October 2018 under the new majority ownership of private equity firm Blackstone.

Ten months later – and a year and a half after the $20bn carveout deal was first struck – Refinitiv’s owners agreed its acquisition by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) for $27bn, marking a $7bn exercise in value creation. LSEG’s purchase closed in January 2021, by which point the financial data and technology platform had been overhauled and its Tradeweb electronic marketplaces business IPOed.

“Something that frustrates me with many organisations is they haven't realised the value of time. It's important to make decisions properly, but it's also important to make them quickly. I see too many organisations bogged down in ponderous decision-making, bureaucracy, and lack of accountability. [With Refinitiv] we really saw the benefit of speeding things up.”

Credits:

Presenter: Antonia Garrett Peel

Producer: Inga Marsden

Artwork: Jenny Hardy

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As of 2026, the UK space industry is a significant and strategic driver of the national economy, contributing over £19 billion in revenue and supporting tens of thousands of high-skilled jobs. Satellite-based services and data underpin roughly 18% of UK GDP, equivalent to approximately £454 billion of the wider economy. And the sector is growing exponentially.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. For the space industry to fully realise its potential it needs more of the right people to understand what’s happening and get involved. People like policy makers, investors, regulators, planners, communicators, lawyers and consultants.

Dr Alice Bunn, the president of UK Space, and her panel of guests, Sam Alden co-CEO of Space Solar, Nick Shave managing director of Astroscale and Anushka Sharma founder of Naaut, discuss the surprising, awe inspiring business of space and make the compelling case for why more companies and investors should get involved.

Contributors:

Host:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Guests:

Nick Shave, Managing Director of Astroscale

Nick Shave FRAeS | LinkedIn

Astroscale: Overview | LinkedIn

Sam Adlen, CEO of Space Solar

Sam Adlen | LinkedIn

Space Solar: Overview | LinkedIn

Anushka Sharma, founder of Naaut

Anushka Sharma | LinkedIn

Naaut: About | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

Impact of Space on Everyday Life

• Practical Applications
• Environmental Monitoring
• Global Security

Sustainability and Innovation in Orbit

• Space Debris
• Manufacturing in Microgravity
• Space-Based Solar Power

Economic and Regulatory Landscape

• Cost Reduction
• Investment and Finance
• Regulation and Policy

The Future of Space Exploration

• New Platforms
• Academic Contribution

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Cortney Stapleton, CEO of the Bliss Group, outlines her journey from the non-profit sector to leading the 50-year-old marketing and comm firm, emphasizing a leadership philosophy grounded in intellectual curiosity where employees are given an opportunity to innovate and learn from failure.

In this week's episode, she discusses the firm's proactive response to industry disruption, specifically their co-development of a custom, agentic AI tool designed to generate deep B2B insights while maintaining client security. She also covers her strategies for navigating a polarised media landscape and her role as a co-founder of Exponent Women, an organisation dedicated to empowering women in the deal-making profession.

Credits:

Presenter: Éilis Cronin

Producer: Inga Marsden

Artwork: Jenny Hardy

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