Podcasts about ctos

Lindsey S. Mignano is the founder of SSM Legal, an entrepreneurial Silicon Valley corporate lawyer representing emerging technology companies and industry-adjacent firms and small businesses. Her practice spans technology company business formation and expansion into US markets, M&A (flips, entity or asset sales), commercial and technology transactions, and venture financing. Lindsey has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers every year from 2016-2024, an honor awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40. In 2025, she was awarded the Super Lawyers distinction for the first time at the age of 40, an honor awarded to only 5% of attorneys. Separate from her law practice, Lindsey speaks often about diversity issues in the fields of law, tech, and venture. In 2023, Lindsey founded Venture Betches, a venture fund of funds, and Syndicate Betches, a real estate syndicate fund of funds, both with a social justice mission to bring investment opportunities to historically underrepresented accredited limited partners who identify as female and/or BIPOC/minorities.

How do you apply your leadership skills to a new, mission-driven industry and effectively lead teams across multiple technical domains? In this episode, Simone Kalmakis (VPE @ Viam) shares her playbook for successfully transitioning between industries from health-tech and climate to her current work in robotics and AI. We deconstruct the leadership models she uses to prioritize her time, manage multiple technical experts, and why she focuses on "depth with 1-2 teams > breadth". Plus, her framework for onboarding in a new domain, the lifecycle of a leadership "deep dive," and communication practices that build trust and empower your entire organization to stay aligned and motivated.ABOUT SIMONE KALMAKISSimone Kalmakis is the VP of Engineering at Viam, a platform unlocking AI, data, and automation for devices in the physical world. She has deep experience applying AI and machine learning to big data and big missions, and is known for building healthy engineering organizations that drive business value and real-world progress.Prior to Viam, Simone was Senior Director of Engineering at Arcadia, a climate tech company building an API platform for residential utility data to power solutions that fight climate change. Before that, she served as Director of Engineering at Flatiron Health, where she helped accelerate the development of cancer treatments through real-world data.Simone began her career at Microsoft, developing machine-learned relevance algorithms for Bing. She's also a successful founder––after Microsoft, she built and sold Symbi, a roommate-matching startup. She holds a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Yale University. ToolHive Unlocks the Full Value of MCP & Your AI AgentsSo you've invested in AI agents for code generation, but they're limited to experiments or even stuck on the shelf. To do real, valuable work, those AI agents need access to your data and systems.ToolHive helps you confidently connect the pieces by making it simple and secure for you to use the Model Context Protocol (MCP).ToolHive includes a pre-vetted registry of MCP servers, containerizes every MCP server for consistency and leans on built-in security to keep your secrets safe.Leaders trust ToolHive to put MCP into production and put their AI agents to work.ToolHive is open source, so get started for free at toolhive.dev Join us at ELC Annual 2025ELC Annual is the premier event for engineering leaders. This is our biggest event of the year: 1,000+ CTOs, VPs & Directors in San Francisco @ ELC Annual 2025 for two days of leadership breakthroughs, tactical peer learning & curated connections!

Today, Steve talks with Dr. Kathleen Perley, founder of DemystifAI and faculty and AI advisor to the deans at Rice Business. Dr. Perley explains why leadership matters when implementing AI in your business, and shares how to bridge the gap between tech-savvy CTOs and non-technical folks. Dr. Perley and Steve also discuss the possibilities and boundaries of artificial intelligence.  Key Takeaways: AI has some exciting use cases. Executives should be involved in the implementation of AI. Business will fall behind if they don't embrace artificial intelligence.  Tune in to hear more about: How Dr. Perley got into the AI field (1:33) The role of the C-suite in AI implementation (8:17) Dr. Perley's new book about AI (18:57) Standout Quotes: “If you don't have at least a couple sleepless nights where you get a little bit anxious about the unknown in terms of job displacement, falls into the wrong hands—that should be a concern.” - Dr. Kathleen Perley “I think part of the reason why AI implementation is failing today is that leadership issue. They're maybe unsure of this technology, don't have what they feel like is appropriate technical background to navigate it. And so they've completely delegated it, versus leaning in and learning the technology themself.” - Dr. Kathleen Perley “If you have AI skills, and I'm not talking building, but leveraging these AI tools in terms of skills, you're 70% more likely to get hired. Those individuals are garnering about a 56% wage premium right now. All of your A-players, if you're not leaning into AI as an organization, are going to start looking elsewhere because they know that they need those skills and that exposure for their own career development.” - Dr. Kathleen Perley Read the transcript of this episode Subscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter From the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

Today, Steve talks with Dr. Kathleen Perley, founder of DemystifAI and faculty and AI advisor to the deans at Rice Business. Dr. Perley explains why leadership matters when implementing AI in your business, and shares how to bridge the gap between tech-savvy CTOs and non-technical folks. Dr. Perley and Steve also discuss the possibilities and boundaries of artificial intelligence.  Key Takeaways: AI has some exciting use cases. Executives should be involved in the implementation of AI. Business will fall behind if they don't embrace artificial intelligence.  Tune in to hear more about: How Dr. Perley got into the AI field (1:33) The role of the C-suite in AI implementation (8:17) Dr. Perley's new book about AI (18:57) Standout Quotes: “If you don't have at least a couple sleepless nights where you get a little bit anxious about the unknown in terms of job displacement, falls into the wrong hands—that should be a concern.” - Dr. Kathleen Perley “I think part of the reason why AI implementation is failing today is that leadership issue. They're maybe unsure of this technology, don't have what they feel like is appropriate technical background to navigate it. And so they've completely delegated it, versus leaning in and learning the technology themself.” - Dr. Kathleen Perley “If you have AI skills, and I'm not talking building, but leveraging these AI tools in terms of skills, you're 70% more likely to get hired. Those individuals are garnering about a 56% wage premium right now. All of your A-players, if you're not leaning into AI as an organization, are going to start looking elsewhere because they know that they need those skills and that exposure for their own career development.” - Dr. Kathleen Perley Read the transcript of this episode Subscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter From the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

This episode of the AI Edge Podcast for Enterprise Marketers explores the critical intersection of marketing strategy and technological advancement, specifically focusing on AI adoption through robust collaboration with the office of the CTO.Join hosts Yadin Porter de Leon and Jessica Hreha as they welcome Kit Colbert, CTO of Invisible Technologies, a distinguished leader with over two decades of experience in technology innovation, including a significant tenure at VMware. Kit provides invaluable insights into fostering effective partnerships between CTOs and marketing teams for successful AI integration.Key discussion points include:Topic Objectives: Defining the characteristics of successful collaboration between marketing and the CTO's office in the context of new AI technology adoption, drawing on illustrative examples from VMware's strategic journey.Strategies and Tactics: Methods for marketing teams to discern the strategic intent behind emerging AI technologies, and how to translate complex technical AI capabilities into compelling value propositions. The episode also examines the merits of a "hybrid" build/buy approach for enterprise AI solutions.Teams and Tools: An analysis of the similarities and distinctions between AI transformation and digital transformation, identifying essential new skills and training for marketing teams, and establishing a framework for evaluating AI tools within a collaborative marketing/CTO paradigm.Business Impact: Quantifying the significant business impact derived from an aligned marketing and CTO office on AI adoption, and its direct influence on enhancing customer engagement and driving sales performance.The episode concludes with a "lighting round," offering concise updates on recent developments, projects, or announcements in generative AI and their implications for enterprise marketers. Reach out to us on LinkedInYadin Porter de Leon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/porterdeleon/Suzanne Ambiel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-ambiel-a77807/Jessica Hreha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicahreha/Michelle Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-moore-sfbay/Maila Ruggiero: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-ai-la-ruggiero-b5132817a/Contact the show yadin@techvillagemedia.comLearn more about the VMware Marketing AI Council and the global marketing generative AI success. https://enter.amcpros.com/marcom/entry/vmware-marketing-ai-council-innovates-and-empowers/

In this must-see BlackHat 2025 interview, Doug White sits down with Michael Callahan, CMO at Salt Security, for a high-stakes conversation about Agentic AI, Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, and the massive API security risks reshaping the cyber landscape. Broadcast live from the CyberRisk TV studio at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, the discussion pulls back the curtain on how autonomous AI agents and centralized MCP hubs could supercharge productivity—while also opening the door to unprecedented supply chain vulnerabilities. From “shadow MCP servers” to the concept of an “API fabric,” Michael explains why these threats are evolving faster than traditional security measures can keep up, and why CISOs need to act before it's too late. Viewers will get rare insight into the parallels between MCP exploitation and DNS poisoning, the hidden dangers of API sprawl, and why this new era of AI-driven communication could become a hacker's dream. Blog: https://salt.security/blog/when-ai-agents-go-rogue-what-youre-missing-in-your-mcp-security Survey Report: https://content.salt.security/AI-Agentic-Survey-2025_LP-AI-Agentic-Survey-2025.html This segment is sponsored by Salt Security. Visit https://securityweekly.com/saltbh for a free API Attack Surface Assessment! At Black Hat 2025, live from the Cyber Risk TV studio in Las Vegas, Jackie McGuire sits down with Apiiro Co-Founder & CEO Idan Plotnik to unpack the real-world impact of AI code assistants on application security, developer velocity, and cloud costs. With experience as a former Director of Engineering at Microsoft, Idan dives into what drove him to launch Apiiro — and why 75% of engineers will be using AI assistants by 2028. From 10x more vulnerabilities to skyrocketing API bloat and security blind spots, Idan breaks down research from Fortune 500 companies on how AI is accelerating both innovation and risk. What you'll learn in this interview: - Why AI coding tools are increasing code complexity and risk - The massive cost of unnecessary APIs in cloud environments - How to automate secure code without slowing down delivery - Why most CISOs fail to connect security to revenue (and how to fix it) - How Apiiro's Autofix AI Agent helps organizations auto-fix and auto-govern code risks at scale This isn't just another AI hype talk. It's a deep dive into the future of secure software delivery — with practical steps for CISOs, CTOs, and security leaders to become true business enablers. Watch till the end to hear how Apiiro is helping Fortune 500s bridge the gap between code, risk, and revenue. Apiiro AutoFix Agent. Built for Enterprise Security: https://youtu.be/f-_zrnqzYsc Deep Dive Demo: https://youtu.be/WnFmMiXiUuM This segment is sponsored by Apiiro. Be one of the first to see their new AppSec Agent in action at https://securityweekly.com/apiirobh. Is Your AI Usage a Ticking Time Bomb? In this exclusive Black Hat 2025 interview, Matt Alderman sits down with GitLab CISO Josh Lemos to unpack one of the most pressing questions in tech today: Are executives blindly racing into AI adoption without understanding the risks? Filmed live at the CyberRisk TV Studio in Las Vegas, this eye-opening conversation dives deep into: - How AI is being rapidly adopted across enterprises — with or without security buy-in - Why AI governance is no longer optional — and how to actually implement it - The truth about agentic AI, automation, and building trust in non-human identities - The role of frameworks like ISO 42001 in building AI transparency and assurance - Real-world examples of how teams are using LLMs in development, documentation & compliance Whether you're a CISO, developer, or business exec — this discussion will reshape how you think about AI governance, security, and adoption strategy in your org. Don't wait until it's too late to understand the risks. The Economics of Software Innovation: $750B+ Opportunity at a Crossroads Report: http://about.gitlab.com/software-innovation-report/ For more information about GitLab and their report, please visit: https://securityweekly.com/gitlabbh Live from Black Hat 2025 in Las Vegas, Jackie McGuire sits down with Chris Boehm, Field CTO at Zero Networks, for a high-impact conversation on microsegmentation, shadow IT, and why AI still struggles to stop lateral movement. With 15+ years of cybersecurity experience—from Microsoft to SentinelOne—Chris breaks down complex concepts like you're a precocious 8th grader (his words!) and shares real talk on why AI alone won't save your infrastructure. Learn how Zero Networks is finally making microsegmentation frictionless, how summarization is the current AI win, and what red flags to look for when evaluating AI-infused security tools. If you're a CISO, dev, or just trying to stay ahead of cloud threats—this one's for you. This segment is sponsored by Zero Networks. Visit https://securityweekly.com/zerobh to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-346

In this must-see BlackHat 2025 interview, Doug White sits down with Michael Callahan, CMO at Salt Security, for a high-stakes conversation about Agentic AI, Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, and the massive API security risks reshaping the cyber landscape. Broadcast live from the CyberRisk TV studio at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, the discussion pulls back the curtain on how autonomous AI agents and centralized MCP hubs could supercharge productivity—while also opening the door to unprecedented supply chain vulnerabilities. From “shadow MCP servers” to the concept of an “API fabric,” Michael explains why these threats are evolving faster than traditional security measures can keep up, and why CISOs need to act before it's too late. Viewers will get rare insight into the parallels between MCP exploitation and DNS poisoning, the hidden dangers of API sprawl, and why this new era of AI-driven communication could become a hacker's dream. Blog: https://salt.security/blog/when-ai-agents-go-rogue-what-youre-missing-in-your-mcp-security Survey Report: https://content.salt.security/AI-Agentic-Survey-2025_LP-AI-Agentic-Survey-2025.html This segment is sponsored by Salt Security. Visit https://securityweekly.com/saltbh for a free API Attack Surface Assessment! At Black Hat 2025, live from the Cyber Risk TV studio in Las Vegas, Jackie McGuire sits down with Apiiro Co-Founder & CEO Idan Plotnik to unpack the real-world impact of AI code assistants on application security, developer velocity, and cloud costs. With experience as a former Director of Engineering at Microsoft, Idan dives into what drove him to launch Apiiro — and why 75% of engineers will be using AI assistants by 2028. From 10x more vulnerabilities to skyrocketing API bloat and security blind spots, Idan breaks down research from Fortune 500 companies on how AI is accelerating both innovation and risk. What you'll learn in this interview: - Why AI coding tools are increasing code complexity and risk - The massive cost of unnecessary APIs in cloud environments - How to automate secure code without slowing down delivery - Why most CISOs fail to connect security to revenue (and how to fix it) - How Apiiro's Autofix AI Agent helps organizations auto-fix and auto-govern code risks at scale This isn't just another AI hype talk. It's a deep dive into the future of secure software delivery — with practical steps for CISOs, CTOs, and security leaders to become true business enablers. Watch till the end to hear how Apiiro is helping Fortune 500s bridge the gap between code, risk, and revenue. Apiiro AutoFix Agent. Built for Enterprise Security: https://youtu.be/f-_zrnqzYsc Deep Dive Demo: https://youtu.be/WnFmMiXiUuM This segment is sponsored by Apiiro. Be one of the first to see their new AppSec Agent in action at https://securityweekly.com/apiirobh. Is Your AI Usage a Ticking Time Bomb? In this exclusive Black Hat 2025 interview, Matt Alderman sits down with GitLab CISO Josh Lemos to unpack one of the most pressing questions in tech today: Are executives blindly racing into AI adoption without understanding the risks? Filmed live at the CyberRisk TV Studio in Las Vegas, this eye-opening conversation dives deep into: - How AI is being rapidly adopted across enterprises — with or without security buy-in - Why AI governance is no longer optional — and how to actually implement it - The truth about agentic AI, automation, and building trust in non-human identities - The role of frameworks like ISO 42001 in building AI transparency and assurance - Real-world examples of how teams are using LLMs in development, documentation & compliance Whether you're a CISO, developer, or business exec — this discussion will reshape how you think about AI governance, security, and adoption strategy in your org. Don't wait until it's too late to understand the risks. The Economics of Software Innovation: $750B+ Opportunity at a Crossroads Report: http://about.gitlab.com/software-innovation-report/ For more information about GitLab and their report, please visit: https://securityweekly.com/gitlabbh Live from Black Hat 2025 in Las Vegas, Jackie McGuire sits down with Chris Boehm, Field CTO at Zero Networks, for a high-impact conversation on microsegmentation, shadow IT, and why AI still struggles to stop lateral movement. With 15+ years of cybersecurity experience—from Microsoft to SentinelOne—Chris breaks down complex concepts like you're a precocious 8th grader (his words!) and shares real talk on why AI alone won't save your infrastructure. Learn how Zero Networks is finally making microsegmentation frictionless, how summarization is the current AI win, and what red flags to look for when evaluating AI-infused security tools. If you're a CISO, dev, or just trying to stay ahead of cloud threats—this one's for you. This segment is sponsored by Zero Networks. Visit https://securityweekly.com/zerobh to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-346

In this must-see BlackHat 2025 interview, Doug White sits down with Michael Callahan, CMO at Salt Security, for a high-stakes conversation about Agentic AI, Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, and the massive API security risks reshaping the cyber landscape. Broadcast live from the CyberRisk TV studio at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, the discussion pulls back the curtain on how autonomous AI agents and centralized MCP hubs could supercharge productivity—while also opening the door to unprecedented supply chain vulnerabilities. From “shadow MCP servers” to the concept of an “API fabric,” Michael explains why these threats are evolving faster than traditional security measures can keep up, and why CISOs need to act before it's too late. Viewers will get rare insight into the parallels between MCP exploitation and DNS poisoning, the hidden dangers of API sprawl, and why this new era of AI-driven communication could become a hacker's dream. Blog: https://salt.security/blog/when-ai-agents-go-rogue-what-youre-missing-in-your-mcp-security Survey Report: https://content.salt.security/AI-Agentic-Survey-2025_LP-AI-Agentic-Survey-2025.html This segment is sponsored by Salt Security. Visit https://securityweekly.com/saltbh for a free API Attack Surface Assessment! At Black Hat 2025, live from the Cyber Risk TV studio in Las Vegas, Jackie McGuire sits down with Apiiro Co-Founder & CEO Idan Plotnik to unpack the real-world impact of AI code assistants on application security, developer velocity, and cloud costs. With experience as a former Director of Engineering at Microsoft, Idan dives into what drove him to launch Apiiro — and why 75% of engineers will be using AI assistants by 2028. From 10x more vulnerabilities to skyrocketing API bloat and security blind spots, Idan breaks down research from Fortune 500 companies on how AI is accelerating both innovation and risk. What you'll learn in this interview: - Why AI coding tools are increasing code complexity and risk - The massive cost of unnecessary APIs in cloud environments - How to automate secure code without slowing down delivery - Why most CISOs fail to connect security to revenue (and how to fix it) - How Apiiro's Autofix AI Agent helps organizations auto-fix and auto-govern code risks at scale This isn't just another AI hype talk. It's a deep dive into the future of secure software delivery — with practical steps for CISOs, CTOs, and security leaders to become true business enablers. Watch till the end to hear how Apiiro is helping Fortune 500s bridge the gap between code, risk, and revenue. Apiiro AutoFix Agent. Built for Enterprise Security: https://youtu.be/f-_zrnqzYsc Deep Dive Demo: https://youtu.be/WnFmMiXiUuM This segment is sponsored by Apiiro. Be one of the first to see their new AppSec Agent in action at https://securityweekly.com/apiirobh. Is Your AI Usage a Ticking Time Bomb? In this exclusive Black Hat 2025 interview, Matt Alderman sits down with GitLab CISO Josh Lemos to unpack one of the most pressing questions in tech today: Are executives blindly racing into AI adoption without understanding the risks? Filmed live at the CyberRisk TV Studio in Las Vegas, this eye-opening conversation dives deep into: - How AI is being rapidly adopted across enterprises — with or without security buy-in - Why AI governance is no longer optional — and how to actually implement it - The truth about agentic AI, automation, and building trust in non-human identities - The role of frameworks like ISO 42001 in building AI transparency and assurance - Real-world examples of how teams are using LLMs in development, documentation & compliance Whether you're a CISO, developer, or business exec — this discussion will reshape how you think about AI governance, security, and adoption strategy in your org. Don't wait until it's too late to understand the risks. The Economics of Software Innovation: $750B+ Opportunity at a Crossroads Report: http://about.gitlab.com/software-innovation-report/ For more information about GitLab and their report, please visit: https://securityweekly.com/gitlabbh Live from Black Hat 2025 in Las Vegas, Jackie McGuire sits down with Chris Boehm, Field CTO at Zero Networks, for a high-impact conversation on microsegmentation, shadow IT, and why AI still struggles to stop lateral movement. With 15+ years of cybersecurity experience—from Microsoft to SentinelOne—Chris breaks down complex concepts like you're a precocious 8th grader (his words!) and shares real talk on why AI alone won't save your infrastructure. Learn how Zero Networks is finally making microsegmentation frictionless, how summarization is the current AI win, and what red flags to look for when evaluating AI-infused security tools. If you're a CISO, dev, or just trying to stay ahead of cloud threats—this one's for you. This segment is sponsored by Zero Networks. Visit https://securityweekly.com/zerobh to learn more about them! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-346

JooBee Yeow joined us on The Modern People Leader to talk about why HR must stop overfunctioning and start diagnosing real business problems—especially when revenue is on the line. We discussed how HR leaders can step out of their silo, challenge assumptions, influence revenue growth, and flip the HR pyramid to prioritize high-impact, strategic work.---- Sponsor Links:

Engineering leadership has never been more challenging, or more critical. In this episode, Rob sits down with Pat Kua, seasoned technology leader, author of three books including Building Evolutionary Architectures, and creator of the popular Level Up newsletter for technical leaders.Pat reveals how today's engineering leaders are navigating unprecedented industry turbulence: from AI disruption and talent shifts to economic uncertainty and constant organizational change. Drawing from his 20+ years coaching CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and emerging tech leads, he shares practical strategies for making decisions without perfect information and building resilient, adaptable teams.Key insights include:Why embracing uncertainty is a defining leadership skill, not a weaknessHow to apply agile principles beyond code—from team structures to strategic decisionsThe critical importance of creating "forcing functions" that drive continuous learningWhy exposure to high-performing teams transforms your entire worldviewPractical approaches for leading through AI adoption and industry shiftsFrom small startups to global enterprises, Pat's guidance helps leaders focus on what they can control while building systems that thrive in constant change. Whether you're a first-time manager or seasoned executive, discover how to turn uncertainty into competitive advantage.Have someone in mind you'd like to hear on the show? Let us know on X at @CircleCI!

"If we were building Box today, what would we do?” Ben Kus (CTO @ Box) deconstructs their playbook for enterprise AI innovation. We cover their journey to reimagine & reorient the company to a new technical vision, how they run a “multi-speed” org that balances startup agility and & enterprise-grade stability, and their “platform first” approach to build AI features. Ben also explains why security/compliance was foundational from "day negative one" in their AI strategy, the evolution of agentic AI, determining the right guardrails for AI agents & the future of multi-agent systems, enterprise trends & more. ABOUT BEN KUSBen Kus is the Chief Technology Officer at Box, where he leads technology and AI strategy to help enterprises securely unlock insights from their unstructured data. Ben's career spans engineering, product leadership, and startup innovation—including co-founding Subspace (acquired by Box) and being an early employee at BigFix (acquired by IBM), where he later served as Chief Architect of Mobile Security. Ben holds a degree in Computer Science from UC Berkeley. ToolHive Unlocks the Full Value of MCP & Your AI AgentsSo you've invested in AI agents for code generation, but they're limited to experiments or even stuck on the shelf. To do real, valuable work, those AI agents need access to your data and systems.ToolHive helps you confidently connect the pieces by making it simple and secure for you to use the Model Context Protocol (MCP).ToolHive includes a pre-vetted registry of MCP servers, containerizes every MCP server for consistency and leans on built-in security to keep your secrets safe.Leaders trust ToolHive to put MCP into production and put their AI agents to work.ToolHive is open source, so get started for free at toolhive.dev Join us at ELC Annual 2025ELC Annual is the premier event for engineering leaders. This is our biggest event of the year: 1,000+ CTOs, VPs & Directors in San Francisco @ ELC Annual 2025 for two days of leadership breakthroughs, tactical peer learning & curated connections!

Today, we're talking to Mahesh Guruswamy, CPTO at Kickstarter. We discuss how to effectively deliver bad news in corporate settings, why CTOs can no longer be the "nice guy" in today's business environment, and how AI tools are reshaping both personal and professional life. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about Mahesh and pick up a copy of the bo

What does it really take to move from a GenAI prototype to a production-ready system? In this episode, AWS AI Engineering Specialist Dennis Traub breaks down the hard truths behind scaling, securing, and monitoring AI systems — and why the future belongs to startups who learn how to productionize AI fast. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why most GenAI prototypes fail when pushed to production The role of MCP (Model Context Protocol) in securely connecting AI to APIs How agentic workflows differ from simple prompt chains Why observability and cost monitoring are non-negotiable for startups The AWS Bedrock + Agent Core stack for startups scaling AI in Europe Counterintuitive lessons: when not to use AI

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Engineering leadership is undergoing a seismic shift, requiring playbooks to be rewritten, in real-time. In this special episode, hosts Patrick Gallagher and Jerry Li give you an inside look at the ELC Annual 2025 experience, and how the two-day conference will equip you with new mental models, skills, and frameworks required to lead.Get a preview of tactical takeaways from deep operational dives into companies like OpenAI, Amplitude, and HeyGen. Discover how the conference will help you redesign your innovation engine, transform your team's workflows, and blur the lines between engineering, product, and business to drive impactful change. Through a unique mix of tactical sessions, peer-led roundtables, and curated mentorship, you'll learn how to find the community and coaching needed to lead through uncertainty and invest in your own career growth.To learn more & get tickets, go to sfelc.com/annual2025Use code podcast15 for 15% off tickets - group tickets / discounts available. ABOUT ELC ANNUALThe playbook for engineering leadership is being rewritten. ELC Annual 2025, happening September 10-11 in San Francisco, is where you'll gain the insights, strategies, and deep connections needed to lead in this new era. 50+ speakers, 50+ peer-led roundtables discussions, 1:1 matching to expand your network. Insights, connections & support.Join the community of engineering leaders who are co-creating the future of our field.Listener Discount → Use code podcast15 for 15% offGroup Tix → For teams looking to attend together, special group discounts can be found under the 'Tickets' section of our website!Secure your ticket at sfelc.com/annual2025 ToolHive Unlocks the Full Value of MCP & Your AI AgentsSo you've invested in AI agents for code generation, but they're limited to experiments or even stuck on the shelf. To do real, valuable work, those AI agents need access to your data and systems.ToolHive helps you confidently connect the pieces by making it simple and secure for you to use the Model Context Protocol (MCP).ToolHive includes a pre-vetted registry of MCP servers, containerizes every MCP server for consistency and leans on built-in security to keep your secrets safe.Leaders trust ToolHive to put MCP into production and put their AI agents to work.ToolHive is open source, so get started for free at toolhive.dev Join us at ELC Annual 2025ELC Annual is the premier event for engineering leaders. This is our biggest event of the year: 1,000+ CTOs, VPs & Directors in San Francisco @ ELC Annual 2025 for two days of leadership breakthroughs, tactical peer learning & curated connections!

On this episode, Pete and Julie welcome Joe Wilson, Colonel U.S. Air Force Reserve and Global CTO at Workday, to share lessons from his 30-year journey in tech and service, offering insights into the modern approach to scalable innovation, the skills-based future of talent, and why back-office operations deserve front-line focus. Joe provides a candid look at how employers can better support veteran talent and why a “we before me” mindset matters more than ever in today's world of work, and what a recent sabbatical, 30 years in the making, taught Joe about work and life.  Joe shares his lens and POV's on the state of SaaS technology, the power of platform over point solutions and the “platform mindset”, AI “DIY,” and the next decade of back-office innovation. Plus, advice for organizations falling behind on transformation, and where CTOs should focus in 2025! Connect with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joewilson/ Connect with Workday: www.Workday.com Connect with the show:    LinkedIn:  http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0  X: @HRPayroll2_0 @PeteTiliakos @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0

Join AWS Enterprise Strategists Arvind Mathur and Matthias Patzak as they explore how technology leaders can effectively engage with their CEOs about agentic AI. Drawing from a LinkedIn blog Matthias recently published, this episode reveals five essential steps for success: focusing on business impact over technology, building cross-functional transformation teams, picking the right use case, running parallel pilots at scale, and measuring real business outcomes. Learn why CTOs must proactively experiment with emerging technologies like agentic AI before C-suite conversations arise. Whether you're a technology leader looking to drive 10X value from your AI implementations or a business executive exploring AI's transformative potential, this discussion offers valuable insights for navigating the agentic AI revolution.Watch on AWS Executive Insights

Today, we're talking to Etienne de Bruin, Founder of 7CTOs. We discuss why organizations need to operate in a "liquid" state between frozen and boiling, how complex adaptive systems impact technology leadership, and why financial savvy is becoming increasingly crucial for CTOs in the modern business landscape. Thanks to Fin for sponsoring this episode. To learn more about the #1 AI agent for customer support, go to fin.ai/cto All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To buy a copy of "Liquid," go to: https://ctosentinel.com/liquid/ To learn more about 7CTOs, check out their website here.

Today, we're talking to Anurag Goel, Founder at Render. We discuss why it's essential to simplify cloud infrastructure in the age of AI, how developers are being impacted by the challenges of working with LLM APIs, and why it's more crucial than ever to focus on product development instead of managing complex cloud configurations. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about Render, check out their website here.

 In this candid conversation between old friends and former co-founders, Hannit Cohen—VP R&D at Easy and Chedva's past CTO at Emerj—shares her journey through tech's boom-bust cycles from the late '90s and ever since. From starting as a programmer in the Israeli army to becoming one of the few female CTOs in tech, Hannit discusses the strategic choices that shaped her career, including the difficult decision to step back from deep tech to raise her three children. They explore what it truly means to build diverse teams (Hannit's current team is 50% women), the importance of creating psychologically safe work environments, and why asking "What do you want to be when you grow up?" never gets old. The conversation touches on the harsh realities of raising money as female co-founders, the myth of work-life balance, and why the best managers plan for their employees' careers beyond the current company. Key Topics: Navigating tech's cyclical nature through multiple boom-bust cycles Strategic career planning: From programmer to CTO by 35 The difficult choice between high-level tech roles and family time Building truly diverse teams The evolution (or lack thereof) of workplace culture for women in tech Why "unlimited vacation days" is the greatest scam in tech The challenges of being self-employed when you love coding but hate business Raising money as female co-founders doing "soft" social good work Creating psychological safety and shutting down inappropriate workplace behavior Mentoring as the most enjoyable part of leadership Notable Quotes: "You don't have to have a wonderful idea to succeed. You need to have a decent idea... What matters more than that is the execution on all bases." "At the time, programming was a world of the youngs... You knew for sure that your only way to have a career in this world will be to become an executive." "The higher you get, the percentage [of women] goes down a lot." "You don't have to live with this masculine bullshit around you." "When I look at my job, I think that's a very crucial part of it, to look at my people and tell, okay, they're working here now, but it's only a step." Hannit's Powerful Question: "What do you want to do when you grow up?" (Asked to herself and her team members at every stage of their careers) Resources Mentioned: Hannit Cohen on LinkedIn Emerj - The startup Chedva and Hannit co-founded The Curiosity Lab - Strategy sessions for leaders by Chedva Chedva's newsletter - Weekly musings and questions

Today, we're talking to Robert Duffy, CTO at HealthEdge. We discuss what CTOs are really saying about AI behind closed doors, how to scale AI initiatives across large organizations, and why balancing innovation with regulatory compliance is crucial in healthcare technology. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about HealthEdge, check out their website here

How do you build a high-performing engineering team in the AI era? And will AI make fundamental engineering skills obsolete?In this episode, Mohan Krishnan, Head of Engineering at Grab, shares lessons from leading multiple transformational engineering teams. Drawing from his experience at Grab, Bukalapak, BBM Emtek, and Pivotal Labs, Mohan explains why core engineering fundamentals still matter, even in the age of AI, and will become even more valuable than ever. He discusses building disciplined, high-performing engineering teams and the importance of hands-on leadership. We also explore the unique challenges and vast potential of the tech landscape in Southeast Asia.Key topics discussed:Why foundational skills like TDD and system design are becoming more critical in the age of generative AIHow to effectively use AI as a pair programmer for upskilling and idea generation, while avoiding the pitfalls of “vibe coding”Mohan's “sports team” analogy for building successful engineering teams with discipline, a mix of seniority, and a culture of deep learningThe importance of hands-on technical leadership, and why even CTOs should “dive deep” to set the right engineering barThe state of engineering talent in Southeast Asia and what's needed to bridge the gap in deep tech and AI developmentActionable career advice for junior and mid-career professionals navigating the AI-infused software industryTimestamps:(00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:08) Career Turning Points(00:06:03) Things We Should Learn in the AI Era(00:09:53) AI as a Pair Programmer(00:13:58) The Danger of Outsourcing Our Thinking to AI(00:17:29) The Dopamine Hit of Using AI(00:20:36) Building a Successful Transformational Engineering Team(00:25:33) The Discipline Rigor in An Engineering Team(00:29:14) Understanding & Delivering Outcomes for the Business(00:32:21) Having a Tough Approach as an Engineering Leader(00:39:07) Going Back as an IC at Google(00:45:40) The Importance of Being Hands-On with Recent Technologies for Leaders(00:52:40) Hands-on vs Micromanagement(00:55:11) Engineering Talents in Southeast Asia(00:58:06) Building Tech Talents in Southeast Asia(01:01:17) Bridging the AI Gap in Southeast Asia(01:04:03) Should We Still Pursue a Tech Career in the AI Era?(01:07:24) 2 Tech Lead Wisdom_____Mohan Krishnan's BioMohan Krishnan, based in Singapore, is currently a Head of Engineering at Grab. Mohan Krishnan brings experience from previous roles at Google, Bukalapak, BBM and Pt. Kreatif Media Karya. Mohan Krishnan holds a 1998 - 2002 Bachelor of Engineering in Multimedia, Electronics at Multimedia University. With a robust skill set that includes Ruby on Rails, Multithreading, Web Services, HTML, Services and more.Follow Mohan:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mohangkLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/228.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

 AI in Schools: Strategy Over Shiny Tools with Kyler CheathamWhen it comes to AI in school districts, rushing in without a clear why can cost millions, crush teacher buy-in, and derail your entire tech strategy.In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Kyler Cheatham, a system architecture expert in AI and predictive analytics, to break down what districts are getting wrong and how to get it right.Kyler shares hard truths about AI adoption in K-12 and higher ed:Why CTOs must own their “I don't knows”How to avoid the “move fast and break things” trapThe real cost of chasing buzzwords without solving actual problemsWhy 50% of your implementation team should be end usersHow to keep vendors honest and ensure they meet your district's needsWhether you're a district leader, tech director, or educator navigating AI, this conversation will give you the questions, strategies, and fail-safes you need before signing that next contract. 00:00 – Welcome and introduction 02:17 – Kyler's background in AI and education technology 04:26 – The toughest challenges districts face with AI adoption 07:00 – Teachers as “speedboats, tugboats, and anchors” 09:14 – Advice for CTOs feeling overwhelmed 12:32 – The dangers of rushing into AI for the sake of hype 15:43 – Why vendor partnerships can make or break implementation 20:00 – Building a core team with 50% end users 22:58 – “Phase Zero” and defining your why before selecting tools 32:21 – The AI sticker joke—and why labels aren't strategy 35:15 – Two wins and two losses Kyler sees in AI adoption 40:42 – Final advice for districts, CTOs, and vendors 46:25 – Closing thoughts and how to connect with Kyler Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting these important conversations: 

What happens when a distinguished engineer who shaped the cloud-native landscape decides to retire at 42? Kelsey Hightower, a pivotal figure in the Kubernetes community and former Google engineer, shares brutally honest insights from his 25-year journey. This isn't a conversation about the next hype cycle; it's a masterclass in the timeless principles of infrastructure, maintenance, and technical strategy. From the fallacy of technology replacement to the hard business realities that should drive engineering decisions, Kelsey provides a minimalist's guide to navigating complexity. Learn why most companies should embrace managed services, why engineers who can't link commits to revenue are at risk, and what the future of AI really means for the systems we build and maintain. Technical insights for CTOs and engineering leaders: -

What if your engineering team didn't just write code, but owned product discovery, wrote the launch messaging, and handled early sales? In this episode, Michael Grinich, CEO and founder of WorkOS, deconstructs their playbook for collapsing the product/engineering stack: no design leads, only one PM, and engineers who own product end-to-end. Michael breaks down how they teach product thinking, build with deep customer insight, and why his most important job is often to "cut scope." You'll learn how to remove the "lossy translation layers" between teams, build a culture of curiosity and customer obsession, and ship higher-quality products, faster.ABOUT MICHAEL GRINICHMichael is the founder and CEO of WorkOS, a developer platform that enables companies to become Enterprise Ready through features like Single Sign-On (SAML). Their customers include many of the fastest-growing startups including Webflow, Drata, Loom, and +200 others. Before WorkOS, Michael co-founded Nylas and studied CS at MIT. ToolHive Unlocks the Full Value of MCP & Your AI AgentsSo you've invested in AI agents for code generation, but they're limited to experiments or even stuck on the shelf. To do real, valuable work, those AI agents need access to your data and systems.ToolHive helps you confidently connect the pieces by making it simple and secure for you to use the Model Context Protocol (MCP).ToolHive includes a pre-vetted registry of MCP servers, containerizes every MCP server for consistency and leans on built-in security to keep your secrets safe.Leaders trust ToolHive to put MCP into production and put their AI agents to work.ToolHive is open source, so get started for free at toolhive.dev Join us at ELC Annual 2025ELC Annual is the premier event for engineering leaders. This is our biggest event of the year: 1,000+ CTOs, VPs & Directors in San Francisco @ ELC Annual 2025 for two days of leadership breakthroughs, tactical peer learning & curated connections!

This conversation is a must-listen for engineering leaders, CTOs, and operations professionals who are curious about how to deploy AI in complex, physical systems. It covers everything from telemetry data to orchestration engines, the role of human validation, AI-assisted SDLC, and team culture in AI adoption. If you're building or managing AI-first systems that interact with the real world, this episode offers hands-on insight and strategic direction.

Staris AI is pioneering a new approach to application security, moving beyond traditional vulnerability scanning to create what they call "total context security." With $5.7 million in funding, the company is building an AI-powered platform that doesn't just find security issues but provides complete context about business risk and automated fixes. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I sat down with Adam Cecchetti, CEO and Co-Founder of Staris AI, to learn about his transition from bootstrap founder to venture-backed CEO and his vision for creating an immune system for applications on the internet. Topics Discussed: The evolution from bootstrap companies to venture-backed scaling How 200+ customer discovery conversations shaped Staris AI's product direction Creating the "total context security" category in a crowded application security market The impact of AI on both security threats and solutions Building founder-led sales processes before transitioning to broader marketing Long-term vision of creating an immune system for internet applications GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Conduct extensive customer discovery before building: Adam and his co-founder talked to over 200 CISOs, CTOs, and CIOs before finalizing their product direction. The key insight: "People do not need more to do. They do not need more work, they do not need more bugs. They don't need bugs cheaper or better or faster. They really need this problem to start shrinking." This extensive research revealed that the market didn't need another tool to find vulnerabilities—they needed solutions that actually reduced their security workload. Define what you don't do to clarify positioning: Adam shared a powerful insight from his previous company: "I sold more work telling people what I didn't do versus what we did do." In crowded markets like security, clearly articulating what you don't do helps prospects understand your unique value proposition. For Staris AI, being explicit about not being "an ASPM" or other specific security categories helps differentiate their total context approach. Leverage founder networks for initial traction: Rather than launching broad marketing campaigns, Adam is using his 25 years of industry relationships for initial customer acquisition. "We're going back to a lot of our people we had talked to initially when we started the company, as well as some old customers and colleagues and friends to be able to say, hey, let's do some proof of concepts." This approach allows for rapid iteration and product refinement based on trusted customer feedback. Create category names that are immediately understandable: While evaluating options like "next gen pen testing" and "AI security co-pilots," Adam chose "total context security" because it clearly communicates value. The name immediately conveys what the solution does—providing complete context at every step of the security process. In technical markets, clarity often beats cleverness in category naming. Time market expansion carefully: Despite having funding and proven traction, Adam is deliberately waiting until Q4 to ramp marketing efforts. "We've been really laser-like focused on building a great product, getting a good story for our customers, understanding what truly provides them value before we kind of went out and mass broadcasted that message." This disciplined approach ensures product-market fit before scaling go-to-market efforts.   //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co   //   Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM 

Art Hu, Global CIO at Lenovo, shares proven strategies for implementing AI at scale in one of the world's largest technology companies. Learn how to navigate uncertainty, build organizational agility, and drive real business value from AI investments.In this episode, you'll learn:Why "no regret" AI investments beat waiting for perfect solutions • How to transform fear of job loss into workforce empowerment • The framework Lenovo uses to evaluate AI opportunities across every business function • Why pull-based learning environments outperform top-down AI mandates • How software engineers are expanding beyond code to become business architectsKey insights covered:✓ Agility as competitive advantage: Accept that AI technologies chosen today won't remain cutting-edge in six months. Build organizational agility instead of seeking guaranteed outcomes.✓ Reframe the AI conversation: AI automates specific tasks within jobs, not entire positions. Leaders must help teams decompose roles and reconstruct them around uniquely human contributions.✓ Create environments, not mandates: Lenovo built hundreds of approved AI agents across legal, marketing, finance, and HR. When employees experiment with relevant tools, they naturally request advanced training.✓ Leadership requires hands-on experience: Senior executives must personally engage with AI tools to lead effectively. You cannot manage what you don't understand.Art Hu oversees technology strategy for a company selling four devices per second globally. His dual perspective as both Global CIO and Chief Delivery & Technology Officer provides unique insights into bridging the gap between AI potential and practical business outcomes.Perfect for: CIOs, CTOs, business executives, and technology leaders navigating AI transformation in their organizations.

From Coding to Catalyst: The Evolution of Technology Leadership

In this episode of Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Patrick and Shelli chat with Steve Gall, CTO of M1 Finance, a personal finance platform. Steve talks about his journey helping scale M1 from a few engineers to a platform managing over $10 billion in client assets. Steve shares insights about the ways that he and M1 have managed risk, navigated compliance in this highly regulated industry, and deftly adjusted technical strategies during rapid growth.Steve highlights a commitment to centering the user, providing a safe, stable, trustworthy experience even in the midst of a shifting fintech landscape, and while his company was quickly scaling. He shares the challenges, the opportunities, and the strategies involved in growing the M1, stressing the importance of resilience, empathy, and adaptability in leadership. The conversation closes with a chat about Steve's passion for pinball and a great list of his recommended reads for CTOs.(00:00) Welcome Steve Gall, CTO of M1 Finance(01:32) Steve's Background and Role at M1 Finance(04:26) Childhood Investment Interests(07:23) The Concept Behind M1 Finance(13:16) Regulatory Challenges and Growth(16:33) Transition to Self-Clearing Broker Dealer(20:33) Achieving Hockey Stick Growth(23:09) Navigating Organizational Challenges(25:24) Scaling and Downsizing(28:03) Handling Workforce Reductions with Empathy(31:53) Pinball, Personal Insights and Recommended Reads(38:08) Closing ThoughtsSteve Gall is the Chief Technology Officer at M1 Finance. He serves on the board at B2 Bank and is involved with P33 Chicago. Past roles include Technical Architect at Avionos LLC, and Senior Associate at Acquity Group (part of Accenture Interactive). He started his career at Alcon Labs after earning a Bachelors in Computer Science at Purdue University.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

How do you drive meaningful AI transformation across 150 software engineers without mandates or force? Peter Gostev, Head of AI at Moonpig, reveals the technical strategies and organizational approaches behind scaling AI adoption from 130 to 400+ users while navigating the gap between industry hype and implementation reality. From managing complex integration challenges where 80% of AI projects involve traditional software engineering to implementing three-pillar strategies (tool adoption, automation workflows, experimental features), Peter shares hard-earned insights on building AI capabilities through process re-engineering rather than simple automation. Technical insights for CTOs and engineering leaders: •

Daniel Brady is the Co-CEO of Orita, a software company that improves email deliverability. As a neuroscientist turned data scientist, he has helped leading e-commerce brands organize their data sets. Daniel has also worked with CEOs, CTOs, and other leaders to build eCommerce companies. In this episode… Email marketing promises big returns, but many brands unknowingly sabotage their success. They blast generic campaigns, over-segment based on recency, and trigger inbox fatigue that leads to declining engagement, retention, and revenue. How can e-commerce brands rebuild trust, retain overlooked buyers, and turn emails from a cost center into a compounding asset? Neuroscientist turned machine learning strategist Daniel Brady has developed a behavior-driven approach to email marketing. By analyzing long-term customer behavior beyond recent clicks, brands can use intelligent segmentation to both reduce email volume and boost conversions. Daniel recommends recategorizing inactive subscribers, validating leads before sending campaigns, and treating email engagement as a dynamic two-way relationship. He also emphasizes the importance of rethinking post-signup flows, preventing deliverability spirals, and aligning marketing cadence with buyer behavior. Join William Harris in today's episode of the Up Arrow Podcast as he chats with Daniel Brady, Co-CEO of Orita, about turning email marketing into a scalable, intelligent revenue driver. He explains how neuroscience informs strategic audience segmentation, the impact of acquisition on retention, and how to adapt as you scale.

Influencing without authority is the hidden superpower of security leadership—and a crucial skill every engineering leader must master. In this episode, Srinath Kuruvadi (Head of Cloud Security @ JPMorgan Chase) breaks down how to influence without formal authority and advocate when ROI isn't immediately clear. We cover tactics for shaping problems from the POV of other stakeholders, Plus, strategies to establish shared outcomes, insights on optimizing your time, emerging AI x security trends, and how his team is operationalizing curiosity & experimentation through The Innovation Lab.ABOUT SRINATH KURUVADISrinath Kuruvadi is a globally recognized cybersecurity executive and cloud security leader with over two decades of experience driving security innovation at some of the world's most influential technology companies, including Netflix, Meta, Google, Lyft, and JPMorgan Chase. Currently serving as Managing Director and Head of Cloud Security at JPMorgan Chase, he leads the enterprise-wide security strategy across APIs, containers, and cloud platforms, shaping the future of banking technology.Srinath's approach blends deep technical expertise with executive-level risk management. At Netflix, he headed cloud security for one of the largest AWS environments globally, pioneering scalable governance and identity systems that supported massive data throughput. At Meta and Google, he led the development of custom infrastructure security systems protecting billions of users, including Facebook's Blackbird SIEM+SOAR platform.Beyond his executive roles, Srinath is a strategic advisor and angel investor, with five successful startup exits including Bridgecrew, Lightspin, Oxeye, Gem Security, and Kivera. He is also a trusted advisor to venture capital firms like YL Ventures and Glilot Capital Partners, and served on Amazon's Global CISO Advisory Council.He holds multiple patents in web application security, database protection, and abuse detection, and has authored research on algorithmic solutions in industrial systems. Srinath is also multilingual and committed to lifelong learning, exemplified by a sabbatical that took him to over 35 countries for cultural, linguistic, and creative growth.With a Master's degree in Computer Science from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor's from BITS Pilani, Srinath is known for transforming security from a blocker into a business accelerator.Join us at ELC Annual 2025ELC Annual is the premier event for engineering leaders. This is our biggest event of the year: 1,000+ CTOs, VPs & Directors in San Francisco @ ELC Annual 2025 for two days of leadership breakthroughs, tactical peer learning & curated connections!

Send us a textTammy Wincup has served for over 25 years as a business executive at the intersection of technology and education. Tammy is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Securly, the leading digital safety and wellness company serving over 22,000 K-12 schools globally to keep students safe, secure, and ready to learn. Before Securly, Tammy was a partner at Rethink Education, an impact venture fund investing in global education technology. For almost a decade, Tammy was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at EVERFI, a leading education technology company. She also served as the President of Revolution Foods and the Founding President of Protocol, a media company covering the intersection of technology and policy.

Mindset and cultural change is hard in any topic area in any organization, and that is no different with open source either. It often boils down to fear. People aren't sure the new direction will wok out, they might misconceptions about it and in general they are reluctant to leave their current practice behind, whether or not it actually works.In this MOSE Shorts segment Federico Gonzalez Waite shares how leaders and CTOs in the Mexican government navigated through the changes that were required to be able to leverage open source solutions. And what fears and misconceptions he had to resolve on the way.Learn more about:- The two most common fears about relying on OSS- How to ensure that the right people are in leadership positions- Educating decision makers- In hierarchical cultures, like Mexico, it is challenging to initiate change from the bottom, and how to make it happen with open-minded managers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Gravitas WINS Conversations is a must-listen for senior technology leaders—especially CTOs—who want to scale not just systems, but themselves. In conversation with Joseph Jude, CTO coach and author Viktor Nyblom breaks down what separates elite performers from the rest. It's not knowledge or skill, it's clarity, energy, and transformation. This episode explores why even the best leaders need coaches, what human connection offers that AI can't, how to avoid burnout, and the importance of being both intense and kind. If you're leading teams, feeling stuck, or craving purposeful leadership, this is for you.

Guest: Greg Neuenhuis – Private Equity Advisor, Chairman & AI Expert Topic: Unlocking Generative AI for Private Equity & Portfolio Companies

On our latest episode of The Future of the Firm podcast, Ben Tye, CEO of Gate One Consulting, caught up with Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, to discuss what clients want from growth and CX work today.  Ben shared his insights on the following matters and more:    While clients rarely begin by stating "we need to grow our business", this desire for growth is behind many of the challenges they raise, such as CRM system issues or new product launch hurdles. It is therefore crucial for consultants to link these discrete problems back to the ultimate business outcome of driving growth in order to tailor the services firms offer.  While traditional buyers like COOs, CTOs, CPOs, CFOs, chief digital & information officers, and chief transformation officers still buy services, consultants need to be careful not to assume these roles are buying the same services as they were historically. For instance, a chief people officer might now be more interested in technology and data insights. This leads to more cross-functional buying, plus two or three buyers may be involved, rather than a single sponsor, making the sales process more complex. Clients want support around the technological, operational, and data aspects of AI.   The need for ethical and responsible AI use is increasingly important to clients and is also driving consulting demand. Where AI-driven decisions influence customer experience or service delivery getting those right is particularly critical.  Clients are actively identifying and developing a backlog of AI use cases. Firms can help them manage these as a portfolio, using clear decision criteria to quickly determine if a proof of concept is viable. Interestingly, "edge cases" from this portfolio, rather than the immediately obvious ones, often prove to be the most impactful.    If you enjoyed this conversation, don't miss our sister podcast, Business Leader's Voice. In a recent episode, we talked to Andrew Brothers, former Chief Information Officer at Primark, about targeting tech investment as a CIO. 

What happens when two experienced CTOs sit down to debunk the latest tech trends? Raz Schweiger-Shuty, CTO at auxmoney, joins Tobi for an unfiltered discussion about the hypes, myths, and wastes of resources that plague modern tech companies. After taking over a 17-year-old fintech platform with no prior CTO, Raz made controversial decisions that flew in the face of conventional wisdom: stopping a microservices migration, questioning Kubernetes adoption, and focusing on measurable business value over engineering trends. His ""dinosaur CTO"" perspective offers a refreshing antidote to tech hype. This conversation cuts through the noise with practical insights on: •

In this episode of All Things Marketing and Education, Elana Leoni sits down with Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN (Consortium for School Networking), to unpack the biggest takeaways from CoSN's 2025 State of EdTech District Leadership report.With over three decades of experience leading conversations around technology in education, Keith offers a grounded, systems-level view of where K–12 technology leadership is headed. From the rise of AI to the persistent gaps in cybersecurity readiness, Keith shares what's keeping CTOs up at night—and where they see real opportunity for change.Together, Elana and Keith explore:Why 91% of EdTech leaders now sit at the decision-making table and what that means for vendorsThe dramatic rise of generative AI as the #1 tech priority, even as 27% of districts still lack a defined approachWhy most districts are underestimating major cybersecurity threats, despite being the #1 target for ransomwareHow workforce shifts are changing the makeup of EdTech leadership (and how still to communicate with buyers)What it really looks like to be a trusted thought partner, not just a vendor on the exhibit floorThis episode offers essential context for anyone working to align technology solutions with the real-world needs of school and district leaders. Keith shares not only what the data says, but how it feels on the ground, with honest insights about policy, pressure, and the practical realities of K–12 tech leadership in 2025.

Learn how to automate tasks, save time, and increase your profit. No Coding required!

Welcome to a special FirstMark Deep Dive edition of the MAD Podcast. In this episode, Matt Turck and David Waltcher unpack the explosive impact of generative AI on engineering — hands-down the biggest shift the field has seen in decades. You'll get a front-row seat to the real numbers and stories behind the AI code revolution, including how companies like Cursor hit a $500M valuation in record time, and why GitHub Copilot now serves 15 million developers.Matt and David break down the six trends that shaped the last 20 years of developer tools, and reveal why coding is the #1 use case for generative AI (hint: it's all about public data, structure, and ROI). You'll hear how AI is making engineering teams 30-50% faster, but also why this speed is breaking traditional DevOps, overwhelming QA, and turning top engineers into full-time code reviewers.We get specific: 82% of engineers are already using AI to write code, but this surge is creating new security vulnerabilities, reliability issues, and a total rethink of team roles. You'll learn why code review and prompt engineering are now the most valuable skills, and why computer science grads are suddenly facing some of the highest unemployment rates.We also draw wild historical parallels—from the Gutenberg Press to the Ford assembly line—to show how every productivity boom creates new problems and entire industries to solve them. Plus: what CTOs need to know about hiring, governance, and architecture in the AI era, and why being “AI native” can make a startup more credible than a 10-year-old giant.Matt Turck (Managing Director)LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/turck/X/Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattturckDavid WaltcherLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwaltcherX/Twitter - https://x.com/davidwaltcherFIRSTMARKWebsite - https://firstmark.comX/Twitter - https://twitter.com/FirstMarkCap(00:00) Intro & episode setup (01:50) The 6 waves that led to GenAI engineering (04:30) Why coding is such fertile ground for Generative AI (08:25) Break-out dev-tool winners: Cursor, Copilot, Replit, V0 (11:25) Early stats: Teams Are Shipping Code Faster with AI (13:32) Copilots vs Autonomous Agents: The Current Reality (14:14) Lessons from History: Every Tech Boom Creates New Problems (21:53) FirstMark Survey: The Headaches AI Is Creating for Developers (22:53) What's Now Breaking: Security, CI/CD flakes, QA Overload (29:16) The New CTO Playbook to Adapt to the AI Revolution (33:23) What Happens to Engineering Orgs if Everyone is a Coder? (40:19) Founder opportunities & the dev-tool halo effect (44:24) The Built-in Credibility of AI-Native Startups (46:16) The Irony of Dev Tools As Biggest Winners in the AI Gold Rush (47:43) What's Next for AI and Engineering?

We're pausing the pod this week as we gear up final planning for ELC Annual 2025 - the premier event for engineering leaders. New episodes return next week (on a biweekly schedule!). This is our biggest event of the year… 1,000+ CTOs, VPs & Directors in San Francisco @ ELC Annual 2025 for two days of leadership breakthroughs, tactical peer learning & curated connections! We'd love for you to join us.

The generative AI revolution has created an insatiable demand for efficient, powerful computing. How is a key industry leader like AMD navigating this critical inflection point?In CXOTalk episode 884, Michael Krigsman sits down with Mark Papermaster, CTO and Executive Vice President of AMD, to explore the future of AI infrastructure. Discover AMD's strategy for winning in the AI era, which hinges on a tight integration of hardware and software, a commitment to open ecosystems, and a relentless focus on energy efficiency.Mark shares invaluable insights for technology leaders on the rise of hybrid AI, the future of tailored language models, and the leadership practices required to foster innovation and agility in this fast-paced environment. ===+

How do you build a foundation model that can write code at a human level? Eiso Kant (CTO & co-founder, Poolside) reveals the technical architecture, distributed team strategies, and reinforcement learning breakthroughs powering one of Europe's most ambitious AI startups. Learn how Poolside operates 10,000+ H200s, runs the world's largest code execution RL environment, and why CTOs must rethink engineering orgs for an agent-driven future.

00:00 – 00:15 — Introduction & Wheel of Doom Live check & goat tribute: The show opens with Sam and Mike confirming they're live and dedicating the episode to their late homestead goat, Krusty, acknowledging his impact on their energy and lifestyle . Wheel of Doom & scoring updates: They spin the infamous Wheel of Doom, recap last week's all-time high score, and discuss viewer suggestions to improve the wheel's design and the underlying scoring algorithm . Positive affirmations kickoff: In a tonal shift, they recite a series of uplifting affirmations—trusting the universe, attracting success—to set a hopeful mood after the morbid opener . Occult & conspiracy primer: A deep dive into “interdimensional demonic intelligence,” haunted regions, and the idea of fallen angels manipulating leadership, setting the stage for the show's blend of paranormal and geopolitical themes . Catherine Austin Fitts discussion: Hosts debate Fitts's sudden prominence—her Bush-era credentials versus recycled '90s conspiracies—questioning whether she's a genuine whistleblower or part of the mirage . Grid-down survival scenario: A video outlines how quickly society unravels when the power grid collapses, using Texas's near-miss in 2021 as a case study, and sketches the cascading failures—fuel shortages, hospital shutdowns, civil unrest—if it went national . Birkin bag origins: They marvel at Jane Birkin's prototype Hermès bag—its design born from an overhead-bin mishap—and note its looming Sotheby's auction, tying fashion to doomscroll culture . 00:15 – 00:30 — Ghost Town & Strange Finds Cold War ghost town for sale: A realtor's clip showcases a 100-acre, 43-home radar station in Finland, MN—overgrown, possibly contaminated—sparking fantasies of doomsday cults or Airbnb-style retreats . Reframing Jesus's resurrection: A Baha'i-perspective video argues that Jesus's teachings matter more than the resurrection miracle, prompting Sam and Mike to reflect on faith, church burnout, and spiritual practice . Mysterious Sri Lanka structure: They react to explorers finding a solitary white edifice in dense jungle—speculating on its origin, purpose, and cinematic quality . DMT, aliens & death: A bizarre mash-up video links UFO encounters to DMT experiences and mortality, leaving hosts both fascinated and skeptical of this incomplete puzzle . 00:30 – 00:45 — Tech & Strength Big Tech in uniform: Sam can't believe top CTOs from OpenAI, Meta and Palantir were sworn in as Army Reserve lieutenants—no boot camp, no public vetting—raising alarms about private data controlling military R&D . World's strongest grip: A clip profiles an arm-wrestling phenom whose grip strength defies belief; the hosts discuss training methods, human potential, and the absurdity of televised strength feats . 00:45 – 01:00 — Paranormal & UFOs Demonic watchers & Nephilim: Returning to biblical conspiracies, they explore a video on fallen angels and the watchers, debating the reality of demonic intelligence shaping our world . High-wire UFO crash: A rumor video claims alien craft crashed onto power lines above a highway; Sam lambastes its implausibility, noting how fighter jets could intercept any rogue drone . 01:00 – 01:15 — Fasting & Smuggling Angus Barberi's 382-day fast: A 1965 hospital case study reveals Barberi shed 276 lbs in 382 days on water, black coffee, and electrolytes—emerging at 180 lbs with no loose skin, baffling medical experts . Hosts' fasting banter: Sam and Mike share their own intermittent-fast plans, rib each other about homeopathic ban requests, and drop a shout-out to “the number one podcast” on Earth . Utah crude-oil smuggling: A news video covers a family indicted for shipping $300 million of Mexican crude into the U.S. under false waste declarations, blending greed, corruption, and border intrigue . 01:15 – 01:30 — Geopolitics & Blackouts Vanishing Boeing cargo planes: Three 777 freighters bound for Luxembourg disappear near Iranian airspace amid regional strikes—no proof of covert arms runs, but global eyebrows raise . Iran's digital blackout: After blaming cyber-threats, Iran forces a near-total internet shutdown; Starlink terminals smuggled in reactivate connections, highlighting “Black Mirror”-style information warfare . Cartoon news on ritual war: An animated briefing frames Israel's preemptive strikes, Iranian warnings, and proxy clashes as a deadly ritual game—Sam likens the visuals to dystopian satire . New World Order conspiracies: They unpack a spoof news segment on puppet-master elites fueling perpetual conflict, questioning which flavor of authoritarianism we'll ultimately choose .   Watch Full Episodes on Sam's channels: - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamTripoli - Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/SamTripoli Sam Tripoli: Tin Foil Hat Podcast Website: SamTripoli.com Twitter: https://x.com/samtripoli Midnight Mike: The OBDM Podcast Website: https://ourbigdumbmouth.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/obdmpod Doom Scrollin' Telegram: https://t.me/+La3v2IUctLlhYWUx    

Agiliway is transforming how startups and growth-stage companies scale their software engineering capacity. In this episode, we talk with Mark Koelsch, North American President of Agiliway, to unpack how offshore development teams can solve the exact problems many startups and CTOs face when trying to grow efficiently and affordably.If you're searching for software development outsourcing that doesn't compromise on quality, this conversation explains how offshore engineering teams—especially Ukraine developers—are helping startups scale fast, stay resilient, and access elite talent without the burden of building in-house.Mark Koelsch brings real-world solutions to the forefront: how to navigate business continuity in challenging environments like Ukraine, why non-technical founders rely on Agiliway to build from concept to MVP, and how teams are leveraging AI in software development to automate repetitive coding tasks while solving complex problems.Whether you're a startup founder, tech lead, or operations executive, this episode shows how Agiliway provides the tools, teams, and insight to help you scale smarter—not just faster. You'll walk away with clear strategies on custom software, talent sourcing, and sustainable growth with offshore teams.0:00 – Intro to Mark Koelsch & Agiliway0:42 – What Agiliway really does (clarifying software services)1:30 – Mark's journey from ML architect to Agiliway co-founder2:45 – How Agiliway helps startups and small businesses scale3:27 – Operating during the Ukraine conflict & business continuity5:00 – Supporting clients with AI in software development6:00 – What AI can and can't do in real-world development6:54 – Agiliway's success stories with custom software builds7:40 – How to get in touch with Mark and the Agiliway teamTo check out the YouTube (video podcast), visit: https://www.youtube.com/@drchrisloomdphdDisclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphdWe couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:CashApp- https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphdVenmo- https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4Spotify- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-loo/supportBuy Me a Coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJxClick here to schedule a 1-on-1 private coaching call: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/book-onlineClick here to check out our bookstore, e-courses, and workshops: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/shopClick here to purchase my books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PaQn4pFor audiobooks, visit: https://www.audible.com/author/Christopher-H-Loo-MD-PhD/B07WFKBG1FFollow our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/chL1357Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drchrisloomdphdFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_drchrislooFollow us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thereal_drchrislooFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drchrisloomddphdFollow our Blog: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/blogFollow the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NkM6US7cjsiAYTBjWGdx6?si=1da9d0a17be14d18Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@drchrisloomdphd1Subscribe to our Medium newsletter: https://medium.com/@drchrisloomdphdSubscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6992935013231071233Subscribe to our email list: https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/Thank you to all of our sponsors and advertisers that help support the show!Financial Freedom for Physicians, Copyright 2025

Building Human-Centric Engineering Teams: Culture, Motivation, & Purpose

Are your teams feeling the intense pressure to "produce more" in an era increasingly dominated by AI?Join hosts Ben Lloyd Pearson and Dan Lines as they unpack a major shift in how engineering organizations must now approach productivity. Dan reveals the urgent challenges he hears directly from CTOs and VPs, who are grappling with how to define their AI strategy for genuine productivity gain, accurately measure its true impact, and understand the resulting implications for their workforce.In this episode, Ben and Dan explore why traditional software engineering intelligence (simply having metrics and information) is no longer sufficient in 2025. Together, they explore productivity's nuanced meaning and discover how organizations can shift from passive data observation to an active improvement mindset, and get a look at what defines a developer productivity insights platform.Check out:Register for Beyond Copilot: What's Next for AI in Software DevelopmentSurvey: Discover Your AI Collaboration StyleFollow the hosts:Follow BenFollow AndrewReferenced in today's show:Why Your AI Coding Assistant Keeps Doing It Wrong, and How To Fix ItAs a developer, my most important tools are a pen and a notebookThe problem with shadow developmentSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

Show Notes: Alex Lugosch and Ilya Druzhnikov, founders of True PMF, explain that True PMF is a rapid prototyping and discovery service for startups and established companies who are releasing a new product or testing a new market and don't have the tools or six to eight months to try new experiments for product market fit. The firm uses cold calling tools to test out different ideas and pitches to potential clients, focusing on understanding the reactions of potential buyers. Ilya explains how their tool saves time and money by improving the cold call process. First Steps in a Cold Call Strategy Alex and Ilya work with a founder to identify their target audience and use tools like ZoomInfo to gather a list of people that fit that profile. They then use cold calling tool to test out different ideas and iterate different pitches to potential clients. They also train the founder to do cold calls, helping them understand the process and find what resonates with potential buyers. The firm often stacks rank lists of 20 audiences to test in the next 20 days, with each experiment taking about two sessions of an hour each. At a certain point, they do turnover, where the founder takes over to learn how to do the process. They use several list building services, data validation services, and dialers to build tight lists, accessing many people at the C-suite that most founders can only dream of contacting. Within one or two calls, they find that those people are picking up on their pitches and talking to them, which is a significant improvement from the traditional six-month process of trying to determine if something is a product market fit. The Cold Call Conversation and Analysis Ilya explains the process, beginning from when they contact the founder, building the initial list, finding direct phone numbers for 80-100 people, and loading them into their enterprise-grade tech stack that few startups can afford.  He goes on to explain how they start the conversation.  They try to make the pitch relevant to the founder and explain that their solution could save time and money while having a positive impact on the bottom line. After the call, the transcript goes directly into the AI model, which produces an analysis of the conversation and offers recommendations on how to proceed. The next step is to determine the outcome of the call. In a typical calling session, there are sometimes upwards of 14 or 15 connects. As the conversation gets closer to the target, the conversations become more rich, with more follow-up emails, scheduled demos, and referrals. It's an iterative process until discovering the audience is interested in the topic and/or the call can be referred to the right person. Cold Calling Techniques The conversation turns to the importance of effective cold pitching techniques. They mention the importance of recognizing what's currently relevant to the client. They also discuss the concept of partnering one person to take a pitch and then alternate to the other person without giving feedback. The key to getting better at cold pitching is focusing on the elements that work in the previous pitch. This technique can be applied to other situations as well, such as listening to each other's tone of voice and understanding their preferences. Alex emphasizes that these techniques are not meant to scale sales but to provide relevant information about messaging and product features that can be used in outbound campaigns that are scalable, such as emails, LinkedIn messages, or conferences. Ilya and Alex give an impromptu example of an opening conversation with mid-market private equity owned portfolio companies. Ilya explains that their informs more effective marketing strategies. This approach helps clients narrow down their ideas about the persona, develop stronger content that connects with their target market(s),  and ensures that their marketing efforts are highly effective. Cost of SDRs Cold Calling The discussion revolves around the cost of cold calling sales development representatives (SDRs) and their effectiveness in B2B product spaces. Emphasis is placed on understanding the messaging and the potential for managing costs. They mention a company with 400 clients across Europe that raised over $50 million and had six SDRs, but none of them were effective. They also mention that a multinational tech startup with a large B2B sales team cannot afford six CROs to run their sales team. They advise against giving cold calls to unskilled SDRs, as they may not be adaptable enough to handle complex situations. However, cold calling is a good prototyping tool, as it allows companies to reach a wider audience, gain insights and understanding of their market, and potentially increase their revenue. Examples of How TruePMF Serves Clients Alex and Ilya initially focused on high-growth e-commerce brands, but later discovered that they needed to target established e-commerce brands looking for margin expansion. They created a new list of these brands and tested it with CTOs, which proved more relevant. Then, they called private equity partners, specifically tech stack operating partners, to expand their reach. This allowed them to sell their solution across multiple brands. Another example is a smaller company with 20 clients, all big enterprise clients, looking to sell to private equity firms. Ilya also discusses the process of selling a product before building it, and emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in the sales process.   About the Founders of TruePMF.com Alex Lugosch, a FinTech founder and executive at a wholesale, e-commerce company, and the B2B credit space, and Ilya Druzhnikov, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, have both been working with founders and CEOs to help them understand Product Market Fit. They have worked in various industries, including B2B wholesale, e-commerce, and angel investing. The website, Pmf.com, is by referral only, and they have a bias for working with serious people who are serious about their business. They require founders to attend every call, including the CEO, Chief Revenue Officer, and Head of Sales. The company has sold their product to 400 companies across Europe and is coming to the United States. Timestamps: 00:02: Introduction to True PMF and Their Unique Approach 03:28: Explaining the True PMF Service  06:35: Detailed Walkthrough of the Process 10:47: Iterative Improvement and Audience Targeting  16:29: The Role of Cold Calling in Business Development  34:04: Client Examples and Success Stories  40:23: Background of Alex and Ilya  Links:  Website: https://truepmf.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.