Marie Holive sits down with Mario Azar, Chairman and CEO of Black & Veatch, to explore what it takes to deliver critical infrastructure under pressure. Mario shares what’s different about leading a 100% employee-owned company and how ownership changes accountability, decision-making, and execution when timelines are tight.
Together, they unpack the leadership implications of the data-center boom, the real-world trade-offs leaders must navigate, and practical ways to build an “owner’s mindset” that improves outcomes in any high-stakes environment.
Listen in for clear, actionable leadership insights you can apply immediately, especially if you’re leading growth, complexity, or rapid delivery.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Podcast episode starts
(02:08) What is human critical infrastructure?
(04:10) What does it mean to be 100% employee owned
(07:02) What is driving the acceleration in data centers?
(10:59) How is Black & Veatch dealing with the impact of AI
(14:11) Speed vs resilience, how do you choose?
(17:16) Practical tips for leading through growth
(24:02) Podcast episode wrap up
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