Leaders with Ambition · 2026-04-13 · 43 min
In this episode of Leaders with Ambition, host Nicky Acuña Ocaña is joined by Kerri Vermeylen, Chief Marketing Officer at Sidley Austin LLP, for an honest and reflective conversation on leadership, career evolution, and building a long‑term career in legal marketing. Kerri shares her unconventional journey from growing up in the Midwest United States to studying and living abroad in Oxford and France - experiences that sparked a lifelong connection to Europe and ultimately led her to build a global career from Brussels. What began as a short study stint evolved into a 30‑year international chapter shaped by curiosity, courage, and openness to opportunity. She reflects on the pivotal moments of serendipity that shaped her career - including a chance dinner conversation that led to her first role in a law firm - and how saying yes to unfamiliar environments helped her discover where she thrives: in fast‑paced, intellectually demanding, people‑driven organisations.
Ep.96 Rhys Calcott - “The career is in your hands; every choice you make has an impact.”51 / 100Ep. 95- ''Dave Harvey- “Networking, networking, networking - the earlier you start, the better.”Ep. 94 Julie Chodos- “Feedback is a gift - if people think you can take it, they’ll tell you more.”Ep. 93 Allyson Stewart-Allen- “If you don’t try it, you’ll never know what it could have been.”Ep. 91 Kathleen Ford - ''Networking is a skill that improves with practice.''