AWS - Conversations with Leaders

Tanuja Randery (VP and Managing Director of EMEA for AWS) interviews Dmitry Gurski, CEO and co-founder of Flo Health, the world's leading women's health app that supports over 70 million monthly users. The conversation explores Gurski's journey from pharmaceutical chemistry to software development, and how he built Flo Health into Europe's first femtech unicorn, with a focus on the company's commitment to women's health, data privacy, and making health services accessible to underprivileged women through gifting 25 million subscriptions.

Discover what it takes to compete at the highest level in the sporting world in this honest conversation with Jess Corones, General Manager of Performance Support and Olympic Campaign at Swimming Australia. Fresh from Australia's success at the Paris Olympics, Corones shares powerful insights on building high-performance cultures, managing team dynamics in pressure-filled environments, and leading with empathy while maintaining high standards. Learn how Swimming Australia's approach to performance excellence can help your organization become more resilient and achieve its goals. Whether you're leading a small team or a large enterprise, these strategies will help you unlock your team's full potential.

Hear from Prabhakar Appana, SVP and Head of AWS Ecosystem at HCLTech, about their leadership in Generative AI implementation. Prabhakar discusses HC Tech's holistic approach to Generative AI, emphasizing the importance of data strategy, security, and sustainability, while sharing success stories across healthcare, banking, and insurance sectors.

Discover how emotional intelligence is revolutionizing cybersecurity leadership in this episode of AWS Executive Insights, featuring Hart Rossman, VP of Global Services Security. Beyond technical expertise, security leaders must cultivate empathy, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills within their workforce in order to avoid burnout, reduce human errors, and realize greater productivity. Learn how AWS is transforming traditional DevSecOps team management by integrating emotional intelligence training with incident response capabilities, leading to faster resolution times and more resilient security operations. Rossman also discusses how empathy and psychological safety are becoming critical differentiators in building high-performance security teams. This conversation is essential for any leaders looking to elevate their teams' effectiveness through enhanced emotional intelligence and cultural transformation. Watch now to uncover the critical connection between EQ and security excellence.

Frank Ford, Partner at Bain & Company, discusses how organizations can drive meaningful change through "micro-battles" - a method of tackling tough business problems in small, winnable chunks that can later be scaled across the organization. He explains why traditional large-scale transformations often fail (with only 12% success rate) and how focusing on specific, time-bound challenges with clear sponsorship can lead to more effective organizational change.

Hear from Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, in a discussion about the company's remarkable transformation from a telecom provider to a global technology leader. Dowidar shares his leadership philosophy of being bold while creating an innovation-friendly culture that doesn't punish failure, emphasizing how this approach has helped e& become one of the fastest-growing brands in the world with operations in 38 markets. The conversation also delves into e&'s strategic partnership with AWS and their joint vision for advancing digital transformation in the UAE and broader Middle East region, with particular focus on AI adoption and closing the digital divide.

Step inside AWS's cutting-edge approach to network protection with AWS VP and Distinguished Engineer Tom Scholl. In this eye-opening conversation, discover how threat detection tools like MadPot are helping AWS identify and disrupt DDoS-as-a-service providers who sell attack capabilities on the dark web. Scholl reveals how AWS's massive network scale provides unique insights into emerging threats, enabling proactive security measures and even the take down of criminal organizations like Anonymous Sudan. He also discusses AWS's approach to seamless security integration and the importance of implementing strong "front door" security measures to reinforce potential entry points in your network. This conversation is a must-watch for CISOs and security leaders looking to enhance their cloud security posture in 2025 and beyond.

Join AWS executives Tony Chor (VP, Builderworks) and Becky Weiss (VP, Distinguished Engineer) as they discuss implementing generative AI in enterprise software development. This conversation reveals how organizations are finding unexpected value in AI-powered "outer loop" tasks like documentation and ticket management, rather than just code generation. The executives share insights on managing workforce concerns, highlight how junior engineers are often leading AI adoption, and discuss the democratization of development through AI tools. Whether you're navigating developer resistance to AI or looking to maximize its benefits, this discussion offers practical perspectives on integrating generative AI into development workflows, complete with strategic advice for leaders on experimentation and adaptation in this rapidly evolving technology landscape.

EA Rockett, VP Legal at Adobe and "legal CTO," discusses how to effectively implement generative AI within organizations through a structured yet enabling approach. Rockett shares Adobe's six-dimensional framework (A through F) for evaluating AI use cases, which helps teams think through everything from the technology and data inputs to the intended audience and objectives. The conversation also explores how organizations can move beyond the "do more with less" mindset to embrace AI ethically, emphasizing the importance of starting with AI ethics rather than policies and procedures to create a foundation for responsible AI implementation.

Ever wonder how AWS protects the data of millions of customers while staying ahead of evolving security threats? Get a peek behind the curtain as AWS CISO Chris Betz discusses threat intelligence tools and cloud security at scale. In this candid conversation, AWS Enterprise Strategist Clarke Rodgers sits down with Betz to discuss AWS's philosophy of "invisible security" - protecting customers seamlessly without disrupting their operations. Learn how AWS leverages tools like MadPot, Sonaris, and GuardDuty to detect emerging threats and enhance security operations. Betz also shares valuable insights on board communication, talent development, and building versus buying security solutions at scale.

How is AI transforming professional soccer? Join AWS Enterprise Strategist Matthias Patzak and Hendrik Weber, SVP of Sports-Technology Innovation at Bundesliga (DFL), for an inside look at how Germany's premier football league is revolutionizing the fan experience through real-time data analytics. Weber discusses how the DFL collects and uses real-time match data, including player tracking and event annotation, to enhance live commentary and support team strategies. Tune in to hear about the company's data-driven AI journey and the challenges it faced balancing experimentation against fan expectations. Discover how one of Europe's top leagues leverages data strategy to stay competitive in the evolving world of sports entertainment.

Ruth Buscombe, a leading Formula 1 strategist, takes us behind the scenes of high-stakes racing strategy and leadership. She shares valuable lessons about data-driven decision making, the importance of clear communication in large teams, and how handling failure and pressure are crucial elements of success in both motorsport and business.

In this Executive Insights podcast episode, FT Group CEO John Ridding discusses how he led the organization's successful digital transformation while maintaining its journalistic integrity, pioneering the digital subscription model and leveraging new technologies like AI, all while ensuring the FT's culture and values remain strong through clear principles and inclusive leadership.

In this episode, AWS Enterprise Strategist Tom Soderstrom sits down with Ron Keesing, Chief AI Officer at Leidos, a Fortune 300 company. As a newly minted CAIO, Ron aims to infuse AI into Leidos' strategy at every level, moving from centralized AI projects to a distributed model of excellence across the organization. Listen in as Ron shares insights from his 20+ years of experience, including strategies for measuring AI success, creating effective human-AI partnerships, and managing AI governance at scale. Whether you're an aspiring AI leader or scaling AI in your organization, this discussion offers valuable insights from a pioneering AI executive.

In this episode, AWS's Tom Godden sits down with Matt Fitzpatrick, former Senior Partner of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and current CEO of Invisible Technologies. Drawing from his experience leading major enterprise AI initiatives, Fitzpatrick reveals why only 8% of AI models succeed and outlines practical strategies for scaling AI in your organization. Join the discussion as our experts unpack the realities of enterprise-wide AI adoption, from building effective AI business cases to managing organizational change and upskilling your workforce for the AI future. Learn how to position your company for success in the AI era.

Harry Kraemer, former CEO of Baxter and Kellogg School of Management professor, discusses value-based leadership through four key pillars: self-reflection, balanced perspective, true self-confidence, and genuine humility. Drawing from his experience leading a $15 billion global organization, Kraemer emphasizes that leadership is 90% about people and communication. He advocates for daily self-reflection and measuring success through significance rather than material achievements.

In this episode, we're speaking with David Villaseca, Chief Digital Officer at Moeve, a global energy company based in Southern Europe. Tom Soderstrom, AWS Enterprise Strategist, interviews David about Moeve's bold pivot to sustainable energy and reveals how Moeve's "Positive Motion" strategy, including divesting 70% of its oil assets, is driving both environmental impact and business growth. By 2030, Moeve aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 55% and derive over half its EBITDA from renewable sources. Their "Green Digital" approach, leveraging IoT, AI, and data analytics, has yielded impressive returns, with some AI initiatives seeing ROIs exceeding 300%. Join us to hear why sustainability isn't just ethically sound, but can also be highly profitable, attracting sustainability-minded customers and top talent while positioning companies like Moeve as trendsetters in their industries.

In this episode of AWS Executive Insights Podcast, Tanuja Randery speaks with Paulo Rosado, founder and CEO of OutSystems, about how his company created technology that decreases the cost of software changes. The conversation explores how OutSystems is adapting to the AI era, with Rosado sharing insights on how AI is compressing development timelines and discussing the future of software development, while also delving into leadership lessons and the importance of maintaining a startup mindset while scaling globally.

In this episode, Brian Bohan, Director of Consulting Partner COE at AWS, sits down with Mahmoud Elmashni, Managing Partner at IBM Consulting, to explore how IBM is leveraging generative AI to transform client success. Mahmoud shares IBM's "Four P's" framework (People, Process, Partnerships, and Platform) and discusses how the company is training its 160,000-person organization to harness gen AI effectively. The conversation delves into how gen AI is accelerating modernization timelines from years to months, improving ROI for clients, and driving practical applications across industries from public sector to financial services.

Aleksy Zayet, Chief Technology & Cloud Architect of PrivatBank, shares how Ukraine's largest bank completed a remarkable 43-day cloud migration amid the Russian invasion in 2022. Under missile attacks and with critical infrastructure being destroyed, PrivatBank's journey from on-premises to AWS cloud showcases an extraordinary story of resilience, demonstrating how crisis can accelerate digital transformation while maintaining essential financial services for more than half of Ukraine's population.

In this episode, Clarke Rodgers, Director of AWS Enterprise Strategy, interviews Matt Garman, CEO of AWS, exploring the company's deeply rooted security culture. Garman, who was also AWS's first product manager, discusses how security has been "priority zero" since the company's inception. From upholding cloud security best practices to navigating AI security challenges, Garman discusses how AWS embeds security into every aspect of its operations. He also delves into the AWS shared responsibility model and discusses how AWS approaches data sovereignty, offering valuable perspectives for business leaders and security professionals looking to strengthen their cloud security posture.

Get the inside scoop on BMW Group's data and AI transformation journey in this discussion with Marco Görgmaier, VP of Enterprise Platforms, Data and AI. Listen in as AWS Enterprise Strategist Matthias Patzak interviews Marco about how BMW Group is revolutionizing its operations through generative AI. From AI-powered quality control to customer service innovations, you'll hear how BMW is balancing innovation with security, managing data governance, and building a future-ready vision for global scale and resilience. Whether you're interested in automotive industry trends, data governance in large enterprises, or the future of manufacturing, this conversation offers valuable insights into how traditional manufacturers can successfully embrace the AI revolution.

Hear from Ira Rubenstein, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at PBS, as he discusses the transformation of public media for the streaming age. Drawing from his 20+ years of experience championing digital innovation in Hollywood, Rubenstein details PBS's evolution into a sophisticated digital platform delivering 400 million streams monthly. He highlights PBS's unique challenges as a membership organization of 300+ local stations, its commitment to accessibility, and innovative approaches to digital fundraising. The discussion emphasizes PBS's role as a national treasure adapting to rapid technological change while maintaining its core mission of providing free, educational content to all Americans.

In this episode, CEO of Technology Innovation Institute Dr. Najwa Aaraj shares her journey from Princeton researcher to leading one of the UAE's most innovative organizations, discussing her leadership principles and vision for technological advancement. She provides insights into TII's groundbreaking work in AI including the Falcon LLM, the importance of open-source innovation, and her commitment to using technology for societal benefit while fostering a diverse, collaborative research environment spanning 84 countries.

Security leadership requires a holistic approach across physical and digital domains — and Amazon's diverse business portfolio presents unique challenges and opportunities in both realms. In this interview with Steve Schmidt, Amazon's Chief Security Officer, we'll explore how Amazon implements security across AWS, amazon.com, Whole Foods, Prime Video, Kuiper and more. Join the conversation as Clarke Rodgers, Director of AWS Enterprise Strategy asks Steve about how Amazon standardizes security across businesses, leverages generative AI to improve application security, and enables comprehensive threat intelligence through tools like MadPot. Listen now to learn how modern security leaders can combine physical and information security to combat evolving threats from both cyberattacks and human espionage.

In this episode, Edith Cooper, Amazon Board Member and former Goldman Sachs CHRO, discusses leadership, organizational culture, and human connection in the modern workplace. Cooper shares insights from her experiences at Goldman Sachs and as co-founder of Medley, a coaching organization. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining customer centricity, fostering authentic human connections, and leveraging data and technology while preserving human expertise. Cooper highlights how Amazon's culture manifests through its governance practices and discusses the evolving relationship between HR and technology in driving organizational success. Throughout, she stresses the enduring importance of human skills in an AI-driven world.

In this panel discussion, leaders from diverse industries share insights on navigating technological advancement as non-traditional technical executives. The conversation features perspectives from PBS, Bayer Crop Science, and Workhuman, exploring how leaders can develop digital fluency and drive organizational transformation. Panelists discuss strategies for continuous learning, fostering innovation, and building cross-functional collaboration. They emphasize the importance of vulnerability in leadership, creating structured learning programs, and maintaining curiosity while leading through change. The discussion provides practical advice for executives facing the challenges of rapid technological advancement, highlighting the balance between technical understanding and effective leadership.

Hear from Amazon CSO Steve Schmidt, AWS CISO Chris Betz, and AWS VP, Security Assurance Sara Duffer for an insightful panel discussion about the evolution of security best practices in the modern era. Learn how emerging technologies are reshaping the risk landscape, how to prep for new compliance regulations, and how to enact the right governance strategies to keep your organization secure at every level.

In this fireside chat, Indra Nooyi, Amazon board member and former PepsiCo CEO, shares insights on leadership in the era of technological transformation. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity, continuous learning, and balancing detailed knowledge with big-picture thinking. Nooyi discusses the challenges of leading organizational transformations, integrating technology into business strategies, and the evolving role of board members. She highlights the need for leaders to understand and communicate technological changes effectively, shape boards to meet company needs, and balance risk management with innovation. She also offers advice on selecting CTOs and fostering a culture of adaptation in rapidly changing business environments.

In this fireside chat from AWS re:Invent 2024, Dr. Swami Sivasubramanian, VP of AI & Data at AWS, discusses key developments and strategies in artificial intelligence. He emphasizes AWS's comprehensive approach to AI innovation, addressing challenges like model accuracy and data integration. He highlights lessons from implementing AI at scale, including the importance of hands-on experience and adapting management styles. He offers insights on moving AI projects from prototype to production, focusing on real-world effectiveness and cost management. The discussion covers AWS's latest tools for data preparation and AI implementation, strategies for cost optimization, and the future outlook of AI in business.

In this fireside chat from AWS re:Invent 2024, Matt Garman, CEO of AWS, discusses key trends and opportunities in cloud computing. He emphasizes AWS's commitment to customer success, continuous innovation in foundational services, and the transformative potential of generative AI. He also highlights the importance of security, data management, and upskilling to fully leverage cloud capabilities. He encourages enterprises to think creatively about AI applications and to learn from startup agility.

In this special behind-the-scenes episode, join AWS VP of Technology Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec and Director of AI Product Marketing Susanne Seitinger as they dive deep into AWS's history with AI/ML, inspiring customer use cases, answers to executive's frequently asked questions, and more information about what makes our stack enterprise-ready by design. This episode originally aired in May, 2024.

Gamification is a powerful tool for driving digital transformation by engaging employees, fostering teamwork, and providing clear metrics for success. By understanding your audience, designing engaging experiences, and aligning gamification initiatives with broader business objectives, you can accelerate the adoption of new technologies.Hear from Tom Godden, Director of Enterprise Strategy at AWS.

This podcast features AWS enterprise strategists Jonathan Allen and Jake Burns discussing cloud migration insights. Drawing from their own extensive experience, they offer actionable guidance for organizations at any stage of migrating to the cloud. Key lessons include starting promptly, securing workforce buy-in, and maintaining simplicity. They dispel myths about migration complexity and emphasize speed's role in risk reduction. Technical advice covers efficient tool usage and minimal refactoring approaches. Practical tips include clear goal communication, strategic outsourcing, and starting with low-risk workloads.

In this episode, hear from Dame Amanda Blanc, Aviva's Group CEO. Drawing on her journey from her humble background growing up in Wales to being awarded the Damehood for her significant contributions to the business world, our guest shares valuable lessons on the importance of continuous learning, embracing feedback, and driving innovation. Gain actionable insights on: leveraging AI and cloud technology to enhance customer experience, strategies for accelerating diversity and inclusion, balancing sustainability goals with business responsibilities, and the critical role of customer-centricity in shaping insurance products and services.

In this episode, Vivek Gurumurthy, CIO and SVP of Verizon Consumer Group, discusses the company's digital transformation journey. He shares insights on evolving customer expectations, the shift to a digital-centric business model, and the importance of personalized experiences. Highlights include Verizon's focus on leveraging AI and cloud technologies to enhance customer interactions and empower frontline employees. He also emphasizes the critical role of cultural change and employee reskilling in successfully implementing these technological advancements across the organization.

Hear from Des Traynor, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Intercom, about the revolutionary impact of AI on customer service. Traynor shares insights into Intercom's AI journey, including the recent launch of their advanced AI agent, and discusses how their product management philosophy of "starting with the problem" has shaped their strategy. The episode offers valuable perspectives on fostering innovation, the current state and future of AI in customer support, and provides actionable advice for executives aiming to improve customer experience in the AI era.

In this episode, Kumar Chebrolu, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP and Elevance Health's Chief Data and Digital Transformation Officer Ashok Chennuru discuss how cloud migration creates the foundation for exceptional "whole health" human-centric experiences in healthcare at scale with AI and generative AI. They explore how unified data management, digital transformation, and strategic technology choices are empowering healthcare organizations to better understand patient needs, personalize experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and offer insights executives can apply to their own industries.

In this episode, Dynatrace CEO Rick McConnell shares his insights on Dynatrace's mission to help organizations navigate the increasing complexity of modern software environments, and how the company's observability platform and AI-powered capabilities are empowering digital transformation. McConnell also highlights his unique approach to building a high-performing, collaborative culture that balances competitiveness with empathy and work-life harmony, and his perspecitve on what factors make an effective CEO.

In this episode, AWS Enterprise Strategists provide a roadmap for organizations who may feel they've missed the first-mover advantage with generative AI. They share practical advice on overcoming common barriers like analysis paralysis, managing risk, and upskilling teams. Listeners will learn how to unlock the true potential of generative AI by starting small, lowering the cost of failure, and leveraging the scalability and flexibility of the cloud, and get insight into a realistic, action-oriented perspective for organizations determined to catch up and thrive in the generative AI era.

The rapid advancement of generative AI is fundamentally reshaping the modern workplace. As organizations grapple with the challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology, leaders must develop strategic approaches to effectively integrate AI and empower their workforce. In this episode, AWS Enterprise Strategists Tom Soderstrom, Matthias Patzak, and Arvind Mathur will explore the evolving role of AI in the workplace and provide actionable insights to help organizations navigate this dynamic landscape. Learn more at: https://aws.amazon.com/executive-insights/workforce/

Many corporate innovation programs fail due to a disconnect between an organization's stated cultural values and its actual people practices. This episode explores how talent strategy - from performance evaluation to compensation philosophy - can either support or undermine an organization's innovation efforts, providing real-world examples of companies that have grappled with this challenge.

In this episode, Tanuja Randery, Managing Director of EMEA at AWS, is joined by Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy. They explore how Octopus is leveraging technology and data to reinvent the energy industry, with the goal of providing customers with greener power at a lower price point. Greg shares insights into Octopus' unique company culture and the principles that have guided the rapid growth and innovation of the business.

Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize industries and organizations, but how much will it cost your business, and how do you measure return on that investment? In this episode, get practical guidance on estimating the costs of generative AI adoption, from model selection to infrastructure requirements. Learn how to quantifying the productivity gains and efficiency improvements enabled by generative AI, strategies for upskilling your workforce, and advice on driving organization-wide adoption of generative AI capabilities.Resources:Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

The concept of 'business resilience' traditionally centers on an organization's capacity to handle failures and endure disruptions. However, truly resilient businesses go beyond mere response strategies; they proactively design and rigorously test plans to prevent such setbacks. In fact, the most resilient businesses don't just withstand disruption, they create it. In this discussion, AWS Enterprise Strategists Miriam McLemore, Chris Hennesey, and Clarke Rodgers will explore the notion of business resilience through the lens of a 'disruptor's mindset.' They will highlight how embracing innovation not only fosters a competitive edge, but also propels the entire industry forward.

Explore the critical role of emotional intelligence in leadership with Rich Hua, AWS's Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership, Innovation and Transformation Programs. Rich discusses how leaders can manage their own stress and mindset to effectively lead digital transformation and innovation initiatives in the age of rapid AI advancements. He also shares strategies for cultivating trust, psychological safety, and generative disagreement within organizations to unlock the full potential of human-AI collaboration.

In the evolving landscape of cloud technology, effectively managing finances is paramount to organizational success. However, while many organizations reap the benefits of cloud services, they often have blind spots that reduce financial visibility and control. This episode, co-written by AWS Enterprise Strategist Chris Hennesey and Rich Hoyer, co-founder of FinOptik, examines four common blind spots that can evade even the most vigilant executives' radars.Read more on the AWS Enterprise Strategy blog: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/enterprise-strategy/

Many companies have found that a cloud center of excellence (CCOE) can accelerate their migrations to the cloud and broader digital transformations. These CCOEs take many forms, which is appropriate because each company has unique challenges to overcome. Nevertheless there are certain patterns and antipatterns for using a CCOE, and in this episode Enterprise Strategist Mark Schwartz will clarify the purpose of a CCOE, its composition and operation, and the impact you should expect from it. Hear more on these topics on the Enterprise Strategy blog: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/enterprise-strategy/

Hear from Mike Linton, co-founder and CTO of Parsyl, a data-powered risk management and insurance solution for essential supply chains. By leveraging real-time data and generative AI, Parsyl is able to offer more transparent pricing that incentivizes customers to improve efficiency and sustainability within their supply chains, ultimately reducing waste and emissions. This novel approach has allowed Parsyl to quickly scale and reshape what the insurance industry can look like.Resources:Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

Join Tanuja Randery, AWS VP and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa, in a conversation with Nuno Teles, Managing Director for Diageo Great Britain. Nuno shares insights into the company's commitment to talent development, as well as his own leadership journey and the influential mentors who have shaped his approach. This episode offers a unique glimpse into the strategic and human-centric perspective driving one of the world's leading consumer brands, including how they're using AI to personalize their customers' experience.

In this special episode, listen in on a panel from AWS Summit Washington DC 2024, featuring: Elizabeth Kelly, Director, US AI Safety Institute, National Institute of Standards & Technology; Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. , U.S. House of Representatives; Michael Sellitto, Head of Global Affairs, Anthropic; Dr. Radha Plumb, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Department of Defense; and Olivia Igbokwe, Head of Federal Affairs and Federal AI, AWSLeaders from government and industry discuss the rapid advancements in generative AI technology and the critical need to ensure its responsible development and use. Experts explore the opportunities AI presents, such as improved healthcare and national security, as well as emerging challenges around mitigating risks like disinformation and misuse. The conversation highlights the importance of public-private partnership, global coordination, and iterative research to advance AI safety and enable ethical innovation.