LEADING talks to leaders at the top of a wide range of organisations to discover how they learnt to lead, the big decisions they’ve taken and the advice they offer to others.

From the worlds of business, charity, the arts, sport, technology and healthcare, CEOs share their take on leading vital causes, famous brand names, multi-million-pound enterprises and fast-growing start-ups. The podcast is presented by the journalist James Ashton.

This time, hear from Claire Horton, chief executive of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, the London institution that has cared for more than three million animals since it was set up in 1860. Last year it helped over 5,000 dogs and cats across three centres and is braced for a post-lockdown surge in activity.

Battersea has campaigned successfully for the introduction of Lucy’s Law which has made it illegal for anyone other than a breeder to sell puppies or kittens commercially.

Horton worked at the NSPCC early in her career. She was also chief executive of the University of Warwick Students’ Union and chief operating officer at the Variety Club of Great Britain before taking the helm at Battersea in 2010.

She is joined on the podcast by James Mason, who became chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire at the beginning of 2020. The tourism body is dedicated to driving visitors back to the region post-pandemic to boost an industry that is worth £9bn a year in better times.

Its greatest hits include attracting the Tour de France to Yorkshire in 2014, but Mason must rebuild trust among the councils and businesses that fund it after his predecessor quit following concerns over spending and the treatment of staff.

He spent 12 years as a broadcast journalist before becoming chief operating officer at Bradford City Football Club and also held the same role at the sports agency First Point USA.

James Ashton’s book The Nine Type of Leader (bit.ly/NINEbook) is available to order now.

Find out more about this series @leadingpod or at leadingpod.com