Episode 93

How Mercy Corps Is Leading Through Funding Cuts and AI Disruption

We speak to Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps

In this final episode of the season, we speak to Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps, about leading through one of the most volatile periods the humanitarian sector has faced in years.

Mercy Corps operates in some of the most fragile places on earth. Over the past year, Tjada and her team have had to navigate sudden US government funding cuts, geopolitical uncertainty and rising global need — all while continuing to innovate, including with AI.

So how do you lead when programmes are shut down overnight?
How do you stay transparent when you don’t have all the answers?
And how do you embrace AI without losing sight of human judgement, fairness and trust?

Tjada shares how she stayed “ahead of the grief curve” as a leader, why showing your values matters more than ever, and how innovation doesn’t have to mean moonshots — sometimes it’s about disciplined, human-centred experimentation.

Alongside the interview, we reflect on what recent headlines from PwC, Accenture and others reveal about the future of skills, promotions and leadership in an AI-shaped workplace.

As we close this season, this episode asks:

How do you lead with integrity when everything feels uncertain?

Earlier in the episode, Zoe and Paul reflect on what recent headlines reveal about the pace of AI change — from PwC’s decision to protect human judgement in entry-level roles, to Accenture linking promotions to AI tool usage, and the viral essay arguing that AI disruption is accelerating faster than most leaders realise. Together, these stories frame the wider leadership tensions explored in our conversation with Tjada.

Show Notes & Links

Zoe and Paul discussed:

PwC on preserving human subjectivity in decision-making:
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/pwc-says-ai-cannot-replace-human-subjectivity-in-decision-making/

Accenture linking promotions to AI tool usage:
https://www.theguardian.com/accenture/2026/feb/19/accenture-links-staff-promotions-to-use-of-ai-tools

Matt Shumer – Something Big Is Happening:
https://shumer.dev/something-big-is-happening

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Editing and production - Paul Thomas

Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music

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