Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)

Is AI coming for your job—or just changing how you work? In this episode, Wall Street Journal technology columnist Christopher Mims shares a grounded, deeply informed perspective on how AI is reshaping productivity, creativity, jobs, and knowledge work. From the pitfalls of overhyping generative AI to the rise of agentic systems and the enduring role of classic AI, Christopher unpacks what leaders need to know now. He also highlights how experts benefit most from AI, what happens when organizations anchor too heavily on AI tools, and why handwritten notes, walking meetings, and skepticism are critical in the AI age. Key highlights from the episode: Why experts extract more value from generative AI How CEOs are freezing junior hiring while boosting senior productivity Mims’ concept of “work slop” and how to avoid it Why hallucinations are structural in AI and require human oversight Tips for AI adoption that preserve creativity and context

How does a 100-year-old manufacturing leader reinvent itself through autonomy and AI? In this episode, Caterpillar CTO Jaime Mineart shares how her team is transforming industrial work sites using robotics, machine intelligence, and real-time data. From mining to construction, the company is applying decades of engineering expertise to modern digital challenges, partnering with customers to co-develop scalable automation solutions. Key highlights from the episode: How autonomy is expanding beyond mining into quarries and construction What makes Caterpillar's AI adoption strategy unique—and replicable Inside the Helios platform and NVIDIA partnership powering data-driven insights Why the company pledged $100M to upskill the workforce of the future Lessons from scaling R&D with real-world customer involvement

1048: What if the hiring process wasn't broken—but reimagined? Anthony Moisant, Chief Information Officer and Chief Security Officer at Indeed, details how his teams are building trusted systems, tackling AI bias, and leveraging background agents and AI sourcing to solve the “black hole” of hiring. He also reflects on the importance of early-career talent, skill-based hiring, and the balance of self-learning and leadership-led growth. The conversation covers: Why trust is foundational to AI innovation at Indeed How “invite to apply” transforms the candidate experience The future of work through agentic systems and AI sourcing Balancing self-driven learning with leadership-created space

1047: What does it take to lead tech—and the enterprise—in 2026? In this episode of Technovation, we feature a panel from our October 2025 Metis Strategy Summit where Steven Norton speaks with three top executive recruiters: Craig Stephenson (Korn Ferry), Jamey Cummings (JM Search), and Scott Robbin (Heidrick & Struggles). Throughout the conversation, each recruiter gives their perspective on the evolving mandate of the CIO. The conversation covers: The convergence of data, security, digital, and operations under the CIO How talent strategy and succession planning are changing What makes a technology leader board-ready The rise (and ambiguity) of the Chief AI Officer Offshore workforce trends and leadership development

Enterprises aren't failing at AI. They're failing at data. Daniel Docter, Managing Director at Dell Technologies Capital, shares why the biggest barrier to enterprise AI isn't models or talent—it's the fractured, unstructured, and context-free data that most companies still struggle to harness. In this episode of Technovation, Daniel and Peter High explore: Why data context is critical to enabling enterprise reasoning How Redis and other startups are fixing the AI performance gap What Dell Technologies Capital looks for in early-stage enterprise AI How corporate VC has evolved into a founder-enabling force Why the next five years will reward enterprises that fix their data layer

Digitization was just the first step. True digital transformation in healthcare is only beginning. Dr. Michael Pfeffer, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Stanford Health Care, shares how he and his team are moving beyond electronic health records to deliver real-time, AI-powered care. From building ChatEHR, a secure, embedded LLM interface, to developing Stanford's FIRM framework for responsible AI, Pfeffer provides a behind-the-scenes look at one of the nation's most advanced digital health systems. In this episode, you'll learn: Why “digitized” isn't the same as “digital” How Stanford built the first integrated LLM in clinical workflows What makes healthcare AI safe, useful, and equitable Where AI adds real clinical value and where it doesn't The vision behind precision health at scale

1045: AI is no longer a side experiment—it's a core capability. But are your people, partnerships, and governance models ready for it? In this special Metis Strategy Summit panel episode, three seasoned technology leaders explore what it really takes to build trust, scale talent, and lead responsibly in the age of AI: Paul Ballew, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, National Football League Lakshman Nathan, EVP & CIO, Paramount Mark Sherwood, EVP & CIO, Wolters Kluwer Moderated by Peter High, the conversation dives into transformation through the lens of distributed governance, workforce readiness, and the human element behind every AI ambition. Key themes from the panel include: How the NFL's “One-to-One” fan engagement model blends personalization and privacy What happens when $2B in savings depends on department-level AI strategy (Paramount) Why “value realization” starts with your CFO and ends with trust (Wolters Kluwer) The limits of centralization—and why distributed innovation may win out How to balance Copilot rollouts with responsible AI guardrails

What happens when a former startup CEO brings performance management discipline into city government? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with San José Mayor Matt Mahan about applying data-driven decision-making, KPIs, and accountability—practices familiar to tech leaders—to the public sector. Drawing from his experience running venture-backed startups, Mahan explains how focus, measurement, and feedback loops are reshaping how City Hall operates. Key topics include: Applying startup-style performance management to government Using dashboards and metrics to improve accountability Prioritizing outcomes over activity Leveraging AI to improve city services at scale Building a workforce ready to use new technology responsibly

How do you build and scale digital innovation inside a 170-year-old company? Luke Gebb, EVP of Global Innovation at American Express, joins Peter High to share how Amex Digital Labs brings emerging technologies to market through a disciplined stage-gate process. Gebb outlines how his team incubates and graduates products that become core to Amex's customer experience—from peer-to-peer payments to blockchain-based travel rewards. He also shares lessons in navigating cross-functional execution, partnering with big tech, and launching products customers actually use. Key topics include: Amex's stage-gate innovation model Scaling peer-to-peer payments via PayPal/Venmo Building customer-centric discovery tools with GenAI Passport: Using NFTs to enhance travel experience Collaborating across engineering, legal, and compliance

AI can't fix what the healthcare system fundamentally gets wrong. In this episode, Liam Donohue, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 406 Ventures, shares why his firm is betting on value-based care—and why AI risks breaking the system if applied to the wrong incentives. From launching EdTech's earliest funds to shaping 406 Ventures' sector focus in healthcare, cybersecurity, and infrastructure, Liam offers hard-won lessons in disciplined investing, operator-first teams, and systemic transformation. Key highlights: Why fee-for-service economics undermine care innovation How value-based care reshapes both incentives and outcomes The real reason AI is booming in revenue cycle management Lessons from WelbeHealth: rethinking elder care and payments Liam's take on what makes a founder truly backable

What if AI is repeating the same mistakes society made during the Industrial Revolution? In this episode of Technovation, Peter is joined by Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics and Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management Simon Johnson. Throughout their conversation, they explore why automation has historically failed to deliver shared prosperity and why artificial intelligence may be following the same path. Drawing on centuries of economic history, Johnson explains how mechanization once displaced workers faster than new jobs were created, fueling inequality and social unrest. Together, they discuss what today's AI leaders must learn from history, why institutions matter more than technology alone, and how workforce anxiety is an early warning sign of deeper structural problems. Key topics include: Automation vs. job creation AI's impact on entry-level and knowledge work Workforce polarization and regional inequality Lessons from the Industrial Revolution for today's leaders What it takes to align innovation with shared prosperity

Most enterprises aren't struggling with AI because of technology. They're struggling because they're trying to scale pilots instead of platforms. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Atilla Tinic, CIO of Qualcomm, about how the company is moving beyond one-off AI use cases to build an enterprise AI platform designed for scale. Tinic explains why unified and validated data is essential for AI accuracy, how Qualcomm enables developers and business teams through a centralized AI marketplace, and why security must be embedded into AI architecture from day one. Key topics include: Why data governance is foundational to AI success How Qualcomm structures AI as a reusable enterprise platform The rise of AI agents and autonomous systems Cybersecurity challenges introduced by AI and how AI helps defend against them

What does it actually take to move AI from experimentation to enterprise-wide impact? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Leigh-Ann Russell, Chief Information Officer and Global Head of Engineering at Bank of New York (BNY), about how one of the world's most systemically important financial institutions is operationalizing AI at scale. Leigh-Ann shares how BNY trained 99% of its 50,000-person workforce on AI, moved beyond pilots into deep enablement, and empowered employees across technical and non-technical roles to build AI agents that drive real productivity gains. Key topics discussed include: Training nearly the entire workforce to become AI-literate Moving from AI pilots to enterprise-wide enablement Empowering employees to build and deploy AI agents Reducing cognitive load while improving speed and resilience Leading AI adoption through hands-on executive behavior

What if the key to enterprise AI wasn’t a tool, but a mindset? Mark Bloom, Global CIO at AJ Gallagher, joins Technovation to share how the 70,000-person insurance giant is scaling AI by leading with data quality and cultural alignment—not flashy tools. In this episode, Bloom details: How Gallagher eliminated 800+ data silos to centralize insight and enable AI Why crowdsourcing use cases from employees unlocked adoption at scale The shift from efficiency gains to revenue-focused AI How culture helped overcome resistance to data consolidation His dual perspective as both CIO and board member

What really drives cybersecurity investment and why is “threat” often the last reason? In this episode, Rakesh Loonkar, co-founder of Transmit Security and general partner at Picture Capital, shares a contrarian take on how cybersecurity product categories emerge and why compliance and platform shifts often matter more than actual threats. Drawing on decades of experience as both operator and investor, Rakesh explains how he evaluates risk timing, founder mindset, and market inflection points. Key highlights from the episode: Why most cyber spend starts with compliance, not attacks How to invest ahead of platform shifts like AI and cloud A three-part model for understanding cyber spending behavior The risks of financial-only boards in technical startups Lessons from building Trusteer, Transmit, and Picture Capital

What if your AI strategy is your business strategy? In this episode, three top tech leaders share how they're embedding AI not as a standalone initiative, but as a lever for enterprise transformation. Mojgan Lefebvre (Travelers), Pawan Verma (Cencora), and Glenn Remoreras (Breakthru Beverage) reveal how they've partnered with boards, business units, and frontline teams to scale AI from proof of concept to performance. Highlights include: How Travelers reduced onboarding from 2 hours to 2 minutes Cencora's framework for board-level AI education Breakthru's use of summits to build AI literacy across leadership The role of generative AI in operational redesign Balancing experimentation with responsible governance

What does it really take to design for resilience in an AI-first world? In this panel from the Metis Strategy Summit, Amtrak CDO Judith Apshago, GE Aerospace CIO David Burns, and Zoetis CDTO Keith Sarbaugh explore how resilient infrastructure is becoming the backbone of enterprise trust, uptime, and AI scalability. Tune in to learn how these leaders are: Responding to cloud outages and software disruption in real time Building AI literacy, governance, and use-case portfolios at scale Extending cyber defense and IT support to vulnerable supply chain partners Using edge computing and sensors to enable predictive diagnostics Converging IT and OT teams to enhance infrastructure intelligence

1036: What does it mean to manage a digital workforce? In this episode of Technovation, we feature a panel from our most recent Metis Strategy Summit where three top executives explore how AI is reshaping work, both automating tasks, and changing the nature of management itself. Peter High speaks with: Jennifer Charters, Chief Information Officer at Lincoln Financial Prasanna Gopalakrishnan, Chief Product & AI Officer at ADP Daniel Marcu, Global Head of AI Engineering at Goldman Sachs Together, they discuss: Why AI agents require new thinking about team structure and oversight How CIOs and CHROs must partner to build enterprise AI fluency The risks of shadow AI and the need for secure platforms How habit loops and performance incentives impact AI adoption What it takes to balance innovation speed with organizational readiness

Our broadcast today features a panel from our most recent Metis Strategy Summit on the topic of Delivering the Product Operating Model (and Mindset) at Scale. In this panel episode, we explore the limits and lessons of scaling the product operating model. Sal Companieh (Cushman & Wakefield), Jim Fowler (Nationwide), and Diane Schwarz (Smurfit WestRock) reflect on where product thinking thrives and where it breaks down. Here are 5 takeaways from their candid discussion: Why “readiness” must come before model The risks of forcing product teams into fragmented structures When to co-create with business leaders—and when to slow down How agile funding models can clash with CapEx culture What to do when the organization “doesn't want the service”

What if the most defensible companies of the AI era aren't the ones building the infrastructure—but the ones using it to rethink workflows? In this Technoventure episode, Peter High speaks with Jamie Montgomery, Founder and Managing Partner of March Capital, about why the firm is investing heavily in the AI application layer—not chips, not clouds, but the companies delivering real task-based outcomes. Key topics explored: Why workflow-based moats beat data moats in the new venture cycle How application-layer companies are scaling faster with leaner GTM The ripple effects of AI CapEx on the U.S. economy and tax base March Capital's bets on open-source LLMs and scientific discovery Why Montgomery believes AI “bailed out” the U.S. and VC industry alike

What's stopping AI from scaling across the enterprise? For Madhu Ramamurthy, CIO of Zurich North America, it's not the technology. It's the culture. In this episode, Madhu shares how he's navigating the paradox of AI: a tool with unprecedented potential, surrounded by institutional resistance, unclear regulations, and cultural misalignment. He outlines Zurich's approach to responsible AI deployment, organizational change, and ethical tech use. Key highlights include: How “organizational antibodies” can kill innovation before it scales The case for explainability and governance in AI development Why domain expertise is more valuable than tech fluency Building AI-native teams outside of legacy systems Madhu's warning on digital flattery and sycophantic AI

What does it really take to scale AI across a global enterprise? In this episode, Jaime Montemayor, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at General Mills, shares the AI playbook behind the company's digital transformation from foundational investments in cloud and data governance to business-led innovation across supply chain, e-commerce, and marketing. With 96% of General Mills’ supply chain data now clean and governed, Jaime's team is shifting from predictive analytics to agentic architectures that enable scalable, AI-powered automation. Key insights include: Why cloud migration came before ERP modernization How trust and business integration drive AI adoption Building a connected data foundation to serve every segment Agentic AI use cases in supply chain and marketing Org design strategies to “lift and shift” innovation at scale

What does it take to transform IT from a bottleneck into a business accelerator? In this episode, Waco Bankston, Chief Information Officer at NiSource, shares how he's repositioning the IT organization to support growth, enable speed, and shift decades of technical and cultural inertia. Leading a 6.5-year enterprise transformation effort, Waco discusses the discipline required to modernize legacy systems while instilling a new execution culture. Key insights from the episode include: Building a modern tech foundation to support future acquisitions Restructuring outsourced/insourced IT mix through platform consolidation Shaping team behavior through leadership-by-experience Establishing unified governance across AI, cybersecurity, and innovation Leading with operational safety and customer-back design

What does it take to reimagine a 10,000-employee enterprise for a digital-first future? In this episode, Unum CTO Gautam Roy breaks down how he transformed the company's operating model, culture, and technology foundation by reshaping experiences from the customer backward. Gautam shares how Unum evolved from applications to journeys to value streams; how AI, data, and automation have become levers for acceleration; and how innovation culture and continuous learning drive enterprise adaptability. Highlights: Unum's shift to digital-first architecture and “moments that matter” How AI, data, and automation remove friction across operations Building predictive, proactive technology employee experience Creating safe spaces and recognition models for innovation Developing a future-focused, cross-functional learning culture

What if your company's greatest advantage isn't the product—but the purpose behind it? Mike Hayes, Managing Director at Insight Partners and former COO of VMware, believes mission clarity is more than culture—it's a strategic asset. Drawing on 20 years as a Navy SEAL and senior tech executive, Mike shares why knowing “who you want to be” is a superpower for founders and boards. In this episode, Mike and Peter High discuss: How purpose-led companies outperform in high-growth markets Mike's “Three Circles” framework for aligning talent to mission What Insight Partners looks for in founder-VC alignment How to say no (with clarity) when everything seems urgent Why values-based leadership scales in unpredictable markets

What does it take to evolve IT into a forward-looking innovation engine? Mike Blandina, CIO of Snowflake, shares how he’s reimagined IT as “Enterprise Technology” as a way to describe what ‘IT’ really does: lead a solutions-first mindset at Snowflake designed for the AI era. In this conversation, Mike reflects on his first eight months leading tech at one of the world's most AI-forward data cloud companies. Key highlights include: The philosophy behind the Enterprise Technology rebrand Building Raven and RevOps—AI agents replacing 250+ dashboards The Customer Zero model for product influence Governance and localization strategies for responsible AI Redefining staff models to include digital agents

1029: What if your hiring strategy were fueled by the largest contingent workforce dataset in the world? Magnit CEO Chandra Dhandapani joins Technovation to explore how data is reshaping how companies think about talent—from role design to sourcing strategy to real-time labor cost insights. Chandra also shares lessons from her journey from CIO to CEO and offers perspective on why automation—not AI—is the skill trend to watch.

1028: How can AI be designed from the customer back and not the model forward? Hari Gopalkrishnan, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Bank of America, joins Peter High to share how one of the world's largest financial institutions grounds its AI strategy in user behavior. From developing Erica to enabling employees with tools like Ask Merrill, Hari explains why every AI solution must begin with real customer or employee friction.

1027: What does it take to scale AI from 800 siloed experiments into enterprise-wide impact? Doug Schmitt, President of Dell Technologies Services and CIO of Dell, joins Peter High to unpack the company's enterprise AI playbook—a journey from fragmented innovation to four scalable platforms used across software development, customer service, supply chain, and sales.

6: What does it take to play the long game in innovation? Venture capitalist Brad Feld has spent four decades answering that question as a founder, mentor, and early-stage investor in companies like Fitbit, MakerBot, and Techstars. In this episode, Feld unpacks the enduring impact of mentorship, the logic behind his "Give First" philosophy, and how startups and enterprises alike can benefit from ecosystem thinking.

1026: What if your company's data could become a public good and a competitive moat? Beaumont Vance, SVP of Data and AI at Paychex, shares how his team transforms payroll and HR data into real-time economic insight, powering everything from AI copilots to U.S. government response efforts. With 1 in 11 U.S. workers on the platform and 39 million client interactions annually, Paychex treats data as infrastructure.

1025: What does it take to go from CIO to CEO? For Saul Van Beurden, tech leadership was the ideal proving ground. Now CEO of Consumer, Small, and Business Banking at Wells Fargo, Saul shares how his background in IT helped him lead at enterprise scale. In this episode, he speaks with Peter High about the strategic, operational, and cultural mindset shifts that enabled his rise—and why CIOs are uniquely positioned to lead beyond technology.

1024: Where is AI actually moving the needle in industrial operations? In this episode, Anil Bhatt, Chief Information and Digital Officer of Norfolk Southern, shares how the $12B freight rail company is turning AI into measurable value — without overhyping its potential. Topics include: A disciplined approach to AI deployment with measurable ROI Norfolk Southern's “3 As” framework for enterprise data strategy Copilot adoption to augment associate workflows Lessons from customer-centric redesign of freight experiences The role of AI in enabling safety, resilience, and transformation

1023: What does it really take to scale AI responsibly across a global enterprise? In this episode, Ramon Richards, Chief Technology Officer at T. Rowe Price, shares how his team is advancing AI capabilities with discipline and speed—balancing innovation with the need for risk controls, data readiness, and workforce enablement. Ramon unpacks T. Rowe Price's multi-pronged approach to artificial intelligence, from founding an AI Labs function to piloting autonomous agents, all while modernizing infrastructure and investing in talent development.

5: How can venture investors consistently identify the next breakout market? Barry Eggers, Founding Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, reveals the firm's thesis-driven approach to venture capital of using early “learning investments” to test conviction, then scaling fast into emerging markets before the crowd arrives. In this episode, Barry shares insights from Lightspeed's foundational bets in enterprise tech, Snap's billion-dollar rise, and how the firm built multi-company portfolios around early themes like flash storage and analytics.

1022: What if your innovation team operated more like a venture fund than a lab? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Andres Vazquez, Chief Digital Intelligence Officer of América Móvil, about how he leads open innovation at scale, evaluating thousands of companies a year to drive customer value, operational efficiency, and revenue.

1021: Is your infrastructure ready to flex? In this episode of Technovation, Manish Kumar, EVP of Digital Energy at Schneider Electric, explains how buildings can become interactive energy assets with the help of AI, real-time data, and distributed energy systems. He shares the strategy behind Schneider's Energy Command Center model, which reduced energy use by 25 GWh across 23 buildings, and outlines how AI can be deployed both locally and enterprise-wide to drive sustainability and efficiency.

1020: What happens when the CIO responsible for powering AI also has to manage its energy demands? Richard Donaldson, SVP & CIO of Duke Energy, joins Technovation to discuss the unique position utilities now face: supporting exponential growth in data center power needs while simultaneously using AI to optimize grid performance, customer experience, and internal operations. In this episode, Richard and Peter explore: The intersection of AI and national energy infrastructure How one data center can require as much power as a nuclear reactor Strategies for responsible AI rollout and internal enablement Customer journey innovation in a highly regulated industry Why the utility CIO role is now central to digital transformation

1019: What does it take to build a high-performing IT organization from scratch while navigating a carve-out, preparing for IPO, and pivoting into acquisition? In this episode of Technovation, Kirk Ball, Chief Information Officer at Worldpay, shares his 15-month journey leading digital transformation, tech modernization, and cultural reinvention at a global payments company doing business in 135+ countries. Ball reflects on the leadership decisions, cloud strategies, and AI integration efforts that helped stand up a scalable, resilient tech function, even as plans shifted from IPO to M&A.

4: Former Cisco CEO John Chambers returns to discuss why AI is scaling faster than any tech wave before it, including the internet. Now the CEO of JC2 Ventures, Chambers shares lessons from advising 24 AI-native startups and offers a strategic lens on how leaders, companies, and countries can win or be left behind.

1018: How is Experian transforming from a data company into a technology-first innovator? In this episode, Kathleen Peters, Chief Innovation Officer at Experian, joins Peter High to reveal how her team is scaling Generative AI, agentic AI, and behavioral analytics to fight fraud, streamline decisioning, and make advanced modeling accessible to everyone. Kathleen shares how Experian's global Innovation Labs evolved from blue-sky R&D to delivering real-world impact, from the Experian Assistant, a natural-language AI that can build models in minutes, to cutting-edge behavioral analytics that distinguish humans, bots, and AI agents in real time.

1017: As Senior Vice President for Enterprise Business & Digital Transformation and Chief Information Officer at Lockheed Martin, Maria Demaree is leading one of the world's largest aerospace and defense companies through a sweeping digital and cultural transformation. In this episode of Technovation with Peter High, Maria shares how Lockheed Martin's 1LMX program is uniting more than 122,000 employees worldwide under a mission-driven approach to digital enablement, process modernization, and cultural cohesion. She explains how her dual background in business leadership and IT shapes her strategy, the power of connecting global factories through data, and the role of AI and quantum computing in accelerating delivery for national security customers.

1016: The AI workforce won't replace humans—but it will reshape how work gets done. On this episode of Technovation with Peter High, Salesforce EVP & CDO Joe Inzerillo joins to explore the rise of agentic AI and how it's transforming work, from org structure to customer engagement. Joe draws on lessons from Disney, SiriusXM, and now Salesforce to unpack the “Customer Zero” model, how digital labor changes work design, and why empathy is the superpower for AI leadership.

1015: "No one cares about AI if the Wi-Fi doesn't work." As CIO of the U.S. Department of State, Dr. Kelly Fletcher leads a global team delivering secure, resilient, and modern technology across 190 countries. In this episode of Technovation with Peter High, Dr. Kelly Fletcher, Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of State, shares how she leads technology strategy for 100,000 users across 190 countries. Kelly discusses her dual mandate of operational excellence and cybersecurity, including the department's rapid response to the 2023 Microsoft hack. She also explains how AI is reducing “toil” for diplomats, the rollout of StateChat and DocuChat, and the transformative potential of low-earth orbit satellite communications for global connectivity. With past leadership roles at the Department of Defense and the Navy, Kelly reflects on cultural differences across agencies, her philosophy on experimentation, and the future of cloud and cross-government collaboration.

3: Marina Levinson shares her journey from CIO to venture investor to startup advisor, revealing the skills, relationships, and mindset shifts needed to thrive across roles, how her experience as a tech buyer sharpened her investment approach, how she built bridges between enterprise executives and startups, and highlights such as how CIOs can play a bigger role in innovation ecosystems, why BGV invests in vertical AI rather than infrastructure, lessons from AiDASH, COVU, and Interactly.ai, what makes a solution “must-have” vs. “nice-to-have”, and advice for executives pursuing public or private board roles.

1014: “The speed is so incredible. I can't tell if I'm getting older and I'm slower, or if just the speed of this technology is so exponentially faster.” As CIO of Analog Devices, Nancy Avila leads digital transformation for a $9.5B semiconductor company at the forefront of AI innovation. In this episode of Technovation with Peter High, Nancy Avila, Chief Information Officer of Analog Devices, shares how she returned from retirement to lead IT, data, and AI strategy at a company powering intelligent edge technologies. Nancy outlines her three-pillar strategy of operational excellence, process optimization, and innovation highlighting the company's shift toward enterprise-wide adoption of agentic AI. She details how AI agents are boosting engineering productivity, improving anomaly detection in manufacturing, and transforming internal knowledge access. Nancy also discusses her approach to transparent decision-making in AI and cloud spend, how CIOs can shape business strategy in technical organizations, and her experience serving on public boards.

1013: Wyndham's Scott Strickland on AI, loyalty, and how digital innovation is reshaping hospitality. In this episode of Technovation, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Chief Commercial Officer and longtime CIO Scott Strickland joins Peter High to share how Wyndham is redefining hospitality with digital innovation, from its owner-first philosophy and the new Wyndham Gateway loyalty initiative to the creation of a guest engagement platform that powers mobile check-in, digital tipping, and personalized upsells; Strickland also discusses Wyndham's $350M technology modernization journey, how it prepared the company for AI adoption, the role of data and personalization in shaping future guest experiences, the impact of user-generated content and micro-influencers, and practical leadership lessons for CIOs aiming to expand into broader commercial roles, proving that in hospitality, where there's a Wyndham, there's a way.

1012: Sokwoo Rhee, EVP of Innovation at LG Electronics and Head of LG NOVA, reveals how LG is rethinking corporate innovation through ecosystem-led venture building. In this episode we explore LG NOVA's venture into healthcare, energy optimization, and AI innovation, including Primefocus Health and PADO, plus how public-private partnerships (like with West Virginia) power new business creation. Learn why LG is focused on vertical AI use cases, how they identify 5-10 year opportunities, and what it takes to build cross-sector teams for impact.

1011: Build with AI. Lead with people. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Jennifer Charters, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Lincoln Financial. Jennifer shares how she's shaping the future of IT and innovation at the $18.5B insurer by investing in AI while doubling down on what makes transformation succeed: people. She discusses Lincoln's evolving enterprise AI strategy, why a model-agnostic approach matters, and how her team is redesigning workflows and talent models in parallel. From regulatory complexity to the rise of AI agents, Jennifer emphasizes the need to prepare rather than predict the future, and to keep human connection at the center of it. Key topics include: A 401(k)-style framework for IT budgeting and innovation How Lincoln's model-agnostic AI architecture supports agility AI use cases in development, cybersecurity, and customer experience Partnering with HR to future-proof skills and change readiness

2: What if every human had an army of agents working for them? Aaref Hilaly, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures and veteran investor in AI-native startups, joins Peter High to discuss the transformative potential of agentic AI, the mindset he looks for in founders, and how legal, healthcare, and education sectors are poised for disruption. Key highlights from the conversation: How AI is reshaping venture investment strategy The role of agents in redefining work and productivity Why legal and healthcare are prime for automation Lessons from Hilaly's time as a founder Emerging trends like vibe coding and invisible apps

1010: Simplify to accelerate. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Richard Jardim, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). Richard shares how his team is modernizing one of North America's leading banks by focusing on technology simplification, speed, and agility in service of building a relationship-oriented bank for a modern world. He details CIBC's transformation journey, from migrating core platforms to the cloud and leveraging proprietary online banking infrastructure, to developing digital talent, integrating AI, and preparing for quantum computing. Richard also reflects on the importance of curiosity, communication, and adaptive leadership in today's fast-moving tech environment. Key topics include: How CIBC simplifies its 1,200+ app footprint to increase agility The bank's strategy for scaling internal IP and AI skills Bridging business and technology through vertical CIO alignment Quantum computing as both risk and opportunity in financial services