Resonant Insights On Leadership: A Compilation

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

Podcast episode production by Dante32.

42:18

“I used to be the largest dairy consumer on the planet. I used to eat so much dairy and meat. The more that I looked into the dairy industry, the more that I saw that it was the singular, most inhumane industry on the planet, that we've all been lied to, including myself, for years. I always believed that the picture on the milk carton, the cow standing next to her calf in the green field with the red barn in the back was true. It’s certainly the complete opposite.” – Richard (Kudo) Couto Richard (Kudo) Couto is the founder of Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), an organization solely dedicated to investigating extreme animal cruelty cases. ARM has led high-risk undercover operations that have resulted in the shutdown of illegal slaughterhouses, animal fighting rings, and horse meat trafficking networks. Recently, they released a damning investigation into two industrial dairy farms outside of Phoenix, Arizona supplying milk to Coca-Cola’s Fairlife brand. What they uncovered was systemic animal abuse, environmental violations, and a devastating betrayal of consumer trust. While Fairlife markets its products as being sourced "humanely," ARM’s footage tells a very different story—one of suffering, abuse, and corporate complicity. Despite the evidence, this story has been largely ignored by mainstream media—likely due to Coca-Cola’s massive influence and advertising dollars.…

29 days ago 15:12

MP3•Episode home

(00:00) Introduction to Leadership Insights
(02:10) Christine Sandman Stone on Leadership vs. Development
(03:18) Arne Saupe on Leadership Culture and Talent
(04:54) Jorie Sax on Empowering Creativity and Innovation
(06:19) Thulasi Kethini on Fostering Curiosity
(08:26) Tony Newcome on Connecting and Supporting Your Team
(10:43) Christine Sandman Stone on Setting Meaningful Goals
(11:16) Arne Saupe on Vision
(11:55) Tony Newcome on Mentorship
(14:03) Christine Sandman Stone on Being a First-Time Leader
(14:45) Conclusion: Reflecting on Effective Leadership

Christine Sandman Stone is the former Global Head of Product & Engineering Operations & Strategy at Groupon. Arne Saupe is the former CTO at Farmer’s Fridge and newly appointed CTO at Wellfound Foods. Jorie Sax heads United Airlines’ Innovation Lab. Thulasi Kethini is the Executive Director and Head of Data Engineering at JPMorgan, Tony Newcome is CTO at ActiveCampaign.

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.

126 episodes

#Tech #MBA #Entrepreneur #Business #DragonSpears

Resonant Insights On Leadership: A Compilation

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

published 29 days ago

MP3•Episode home

(00:00) Introduction to Leadership Insights
(02:10) Christine Sandman Stone on Leadership vs. Development
(03:18) Arne Saupe on Leadership Culture and Talent
(04:54) Jorie Sax on Empowering Creativity and Innovation
(06:19) Thulasi Kethini on Fostering Curiosity
(08:26) Tony Newcome on Connecting and Supporting Your Team
(10:43) Christine Sandman Stone on Setting Meaningful Goals
(11:16) Arne Saupe on Vision
(11:55) Tony Newcome on Mentorship
(14:03) Christine Sandman Stone on Being a First-Time Leader
(14:45) Conclusion: Reflecting on Effective Leadership

Podcast episode production by Dante32.

126 episodes

#Tech #MBA #Entrepreneur #Business #DragonSpears

All episodes

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Resonant Insights On Building Teams: A Compilation 16:56

18 hours ago16:56

16:56

In this compilation episode, we look back on wisdom from renowned tech executives about how to build and foster great teams. Featuring insights from Fred Lee, Dan Kirsche, Jorie Sax, Steve Caudill, Christina Garcia, and Dom Scandinaro, who share their perspectives on the importance of diverse and well-structured teams. Key topics include team composition, sharing knowledge, effective scaling, fostering interpersonal relationships, and creating rich organizational culture. These leaders emphasize the significance of nurturing talent and fostering diversity to build world-class teams capable of overcoming challenges and driving innovation. (00:00) Introduction to Building Teams (01:39) Fred Lee knows that great teams will naturally build great products (02:42) Dan Kirsche on building teams with complementary skills (03:07) Jorie Sax recommendations team-driven ideation (03:42) Steve Caudill champions diverse teams (04:17) Christina Garcia on owning and communicating mistakes (05:32) Jorie Sax discusses the balance of structure and freedom (06:57) Dom Scandinaro on scaling teams and workflows (07:59) Dan Kirsche on coaching to a teammate’s skillset (08:42) Jorie Sax unpacks interdepartmental communication (10:34) Christina Garcia on having a great culture (12:39) Fred Lee on cross-department connections (14:04) Dan Kirsche explains how he both challenges and supports his team (16:03) Christina Garcia reminds us to be in service of your team Fred Lee is CTO at PartsSource. Dan Kirsche is the newly promoted CTO at Chamberlain. Jorie Sax is head of United Airlines Innovation Lab. Steve Caudill is former CTO at Rand McNally. Christina Garcia is SVP of Engineering at Echo Logistics. Dom Scandinaro is CTO at Cameo. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Best Of: Growth and Continuous Innovation with Chris Brown 28:11

15 days ago28:11

28:11

At the start of last year, we had a really inspiring conversation with Chris Brown and are excited to reshare it this year, in our “Best Of” series. Originally published 01/25/24. An exceptional company culture builds when steadfast employee commitment meets deep trust by customers. Chris Brown encountered this when he joined Relativity as Chief Product Officer in 2018. Chris joined the team in the early stages of their transition to SaaS and embraced the moment of disruption and opportunity—a familiar territory in his career, which included ten years at Orbitz Worldwide. From the perspective of CPO, Chris offers unique insights into the transition period from on-prem to SaaS, addressing legacy technology, embracing the customer as a co-innovator by building plentiful touchpoints, and the intricate SaaS sales process. Speaking on what SaaS can inimitably provide, Chris muses on “a continuous stream of innovation at high availability” and customer success. In this episode, Chris looks ahead to the future to discuss how AI and LLMs will impact the law industry and finding effective uses for the technology. He shares how one of the oldest industries in the world can embrace the best of AI’s capabilities while mitigating the risks by including the law's critical element: human decision-making and validation. With experience as a CEO and CPO, Chris shares the distinctions between the roles that stem from the needs of a particular company and offers how his arrival at Relativity reflected intentional scaling that led to further success. In discussing the Chicago startup environment and continued growth at Relativity, Chris talks about acquiring the contract review company Heretik and considering an acquisitive approach as one path of innovation and building a strong product portfolio. (02:24) – Introducing Chris Brown (04:56) – CPO vs. CEO (06:30) – Sales in the SaaS world (08:59) – Relativity (10:58) – Building an effective SaaS company (15:43) – Co-innovating with customers (17:59) – AI and the law industry (22:18) – Looking ahead (23:59) – An acquisitive approach Chris Brown is the Chief Product Officer at Relativity , a cloud review software that helps users “organize data, discover truth, and act on it.” Previously, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Orbitz Worldwide and CEO and Board Member of Kapow! Chris earned a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne. If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts , Google 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Resonant Insights On Leadership: A Compilation 15:12

29 days ago15:12

15:12

In this episode, we look back on invaluable leadership insights shared by renowned executives across the technology industry. Featuring wisdom from Christine Sandman Stone, Arne Saupe, Jorie Sax, Thulasi Kethini, and Tony Newcome, the discussion delves into the distinct skill sets required for leadership, the importance of fostering a culture of innovation, and the critical need for supportive and open communication within teams. These leaders unpack practical advice for setting meaningful goals, building complementary partnerships, and maintaining resilience. We learn about the ways leadership requires courage, decisiveness, and the ability to connect deeply with team members. Their words provide a rich tapestry of experiences and strategies to inspire aspiring and current leaders. (00:00) Introduction to Leadership Insights (02:10) Christine Sandman Stone on Leadership vs. Development (03:18) Arne Saupe on Leadership Culture and Talent (04:54) Jorie Sax on Empowering Creativity and Innovation (06:19) Thulasi Kethini on Fostering Curiosity (08:26) Tony Newcome on Connecting and Supporting Your Team (10:43) Christine Sandman Stone on Setting Meaningful Goals (11:16) Arne Saupe on Vision (11:55) Tony Newcome on Mentorship (14:03) Christine Sandman Stone on Being a First-Time Leader (14:45) Conclusion: Reflecting on Effective Leadership Christine Sandman Stone is the former Global Head of Product & Engineering Operations & Strategy at Groupon. Arne Saupe is the former CTO at Farmer’s Fridge and newly appointed CTO at Wellfound Foods. Jorie Sax heads United Airlines’ Innovation Lab. Thulasi Kethini is the Executive Director and Head of Data Engineering at JPMorgan, Tony Newcome is CTO at ActiveCampaign. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Building Trust While Leading Change with Toner Babovac 39:42

6 weeks ago39:42

39:42

Today, Patrick and Shelli are joined by Toner Babovac, the Technology Managing Director and Senior Location Executive at IBM. In our chat, Toner delves into his long career at IBM and how building trust has allowed him to drive innovation while coordinating a large team. He highlights the role of effective communication, in particular the importance of video calls and in-person meetings for fostering a strong team culture, especially in a hybrid work environment. Toner also shares his approach to leadership and coaching, emphasizing the difference between mentoring and coaching, and the importance of asking thoughtful questions to help teammates arrive at their own answers. We talk about ways to simplify complex projects, and close with a discussion on the future of hybrid work. (00:24) Introducing Toner Babovac (03:23) Building Trust in Business Relationships (08:31) Importance of In-Person Collaboration (11:45) Mentoring vs. Coaching (18:33) Simplifying Complex Problems (23:17) The 80/20 Rule in Manufacturing (25:34) Encouraging Introverts to Share Insights (33:04) Navigating Hybrid Work Environments (39:01) Final Thoughts Toner Babovac is the Technology Managing Director and Senior Location Executive at IBM. He’s had a long career at IBM, holding VP positions, and working in software leadership and sales. Previously he was Principal Account Manager at Amazon Web Services, and Vice President at PSC Group. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at Bradley University then later did grad work at Harvard Business School and at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his responsibilities at IBM, he is a musician, an active speaker, presenting “Toner Talks”, and he teaches Personal Finance at Peoria Central High School. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Impatience, Impact, and Exceeding Expectations with Jay Topper 50:39

8 weeks ago50:39

50:39

In today’s episode Patrick and Shelli welcome Jay Topper, Chief Customer Officer at Fabric, to discuss his extensive career, leadership practices, and retail trends in 2025. In our wide-ranging discussion, Jay emphasizes the importance of curiosity, self-awareness, and a 'hero culture' within organizations to foster quick and effective change. As an advocate for rapid execution and overcoming complacency, he offers practical advice for leaders to push their teams, but not push them away. Jay unpacks how to strike a balance between speed and thoughtful decision-making to achieve attainable and sustainable successes. (00:23) Welcome Jay Topper (02:15) Jay's Role at Fabric (03:47) Retail Industry Insights for 2025 (09:00) Navigating Technology and AI in Retail Tech (14:30) Pushing for Speed in your Teams (23:56) Building a Hero Culture (26:36) Handling Crisis with Levity (29:11) Building Trust in a New Company (41:42) Embracing Impatience (44:31) The Value of Being Proven Wrong (49:02) Closing Thoughts Jay Topper, Chief Customer Officer at Fabric, is a US Army and Coast Guard veteran, who earned a Bachelors degree at the US Coast Guard Academy, and a Masters degree at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. After a decade serving our nation, he’s had an exceptional 30 year civilian career, holding technology leadership roles like Chief Digital Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer at Chico's FAS, FTD, Vitacost, and Rosetta Stone. He hosts his own podcast for Fabric exploring leadership and retail tech, called “Chiefly Digital.” 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Piloting Transformation in Tamper Evident Solutions with Ben Rogers 21:37

17 weeks ago21:37

21:37

In this episode of Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Patrick Emmons and Shelli Nelson chat with Ben Rogers, the President of TydenBrooks, a global leader in the manufacture of tamper evident safety and security seals. Ben has had a notable career at Madison Industries, primarily focusing on growth and strategic acquisitions. Ben unpacks his roles, specifically discussing his customer focused approach to innovating tamper evident products. He explains the importance of providing tamper evidence in real-time through digital capabilities, addressing theft and contamination issues in the medical and transportation sectors, and leveraging customer feedback for product development. Ben shares anecdotes from his career, emphasizing the significance of speed and rapid iteration, resource allocation, the value of trust in customer communication, and the role the Covid pandemic played in encouraging leadership growth and transformation. (00:26) Welcome Ben Rogers (01:34) Ben's Role at TydenBrooks (02:43) Innovative Solutions in Tamper Evidence (05:33) Challenges in the Supply Chain (07:19) Career Path and Lessons Learned (11:11) Developing Digital Products (14:07) Customer Collaboration and Feedback (16:39 Reflections on Innovation and Speed (20:26) Final Thoughts Ben Rogers has spent his entire career at Madison Industries, recently taking on the role of president at TydenBrooks. Previously Ben served as general manager of direct to consumer at Conair Industries. Ben earned his Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University graduating cum laude with concentrations in finance and entrepreneurship. And he was also captain of the Cornell football team. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Driving Data-Informed Growth in Financial Services with Michael Lambert 28:41

20 weeks ago28:41

28:41

In this episode of Innovation and Digital Enterprise, we sit down with Michael Lambert, Chief Innovation Officer at Wintrust Financial. Michael discusses his role in driving innovation and technological advancements within Wintrust, focusing on the significant growth and transformation he has witnessed during his tenure. We chat about strategies for leveraging data to make informed decisions, and about the fundamental importance of building strong relationships to fostering a supportive workplace culture. Shelli, Patrick, and Michael discuss the role of AI and automation in the financial services sector and specifically the importance of AI oversight, governance, and human in the loop. Michael shares insights into the ways that Wintrust is able to maintain a community-focused approach while embracing forward-looking technological solutions, like AI. (00:24) Introducing Michael Lambert, Chief Innovation Officer (01:40) Michael's Role at Wintrust Financial (03:14) Technological Innovations at Wintrust (05:50) Maintaining Relationships Amidst Growth (08:46) Leadership and Change Management (13:46) The Role of AI and Automation (16:59) AI Dataset Analysis (20:25) Future of AI and Emerging Roles (26:35) Data Security and AI Training Michael Lambert is the Chief Innovation Officer at Wintrust Financial. Before stepping into his current role, Michael served as the Senior Vice President of IT Services and the Chief Technology Officer at Wintrust. In his early career, he served as Director of Operations at Open Solutions Group, and as Lead Data Proof Operator at Algonquin State Bank. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Penn Foster Group. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Balancing Security, Trust, and Transformation with Deepak Kaimal 31:14

22 weeks ago31:14

31:14

In this episode of the Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Shelli and Patrick chat about industry advancements and leadership with Deepak Kaimal, Chief Technology Officer at COMPLY. He was previously CTO at Exostar, and held that role when this episode was recorded. Exostar, founded in 2000 by industry leaders like Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin, provides secure collaboration and risk management solutions to the defense and life sciences sectors. Deepak shares his journey from an engineering student in Mumbai to becoming the CTO of this pivotal player in secure technology. We discuss Exostar's mission, the balance between secure collaboration and innovation, and trends in identity and access management. Deepak emphasizes the importance of curiosity, dealing with change, and leading teams in ways that foster a culture that balances trust, security, and innovation. (00:25) Meet Deepak Kaimal (02:49) Deepak's Early Education and Career Journey (07:05) The Founding and Mission of Exostar (10:40) Balancing Security and Innovation at Exostar (16:11) Trends in Identity and Access Management (18:17) Leadership and Technological (22:35) The Excitement of New Tech Advancements (29:13 Final Thoughts and Advice for Leaders Deepak Kaimal is currently the Chief Technology Officer at COMPLY, a compliance solution provider for global financial services firms. Previously, at Exostar, he oversaw the design, development, operations and evolution of The Exostar Platform. Prior to Exostar, Deepak served as CTO at ArrowStream and VP of Engineering at Flexera. Earlier in his career, Deepak held roles at Cars.com, JPMorgan Chase, Rolls-Royce, Capgemini, and Intiqua International. He earned a degree in Engineering from the University of Mumbai. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Manage Complexity, Maintain Quality: Hospitality Tech with Jeff Miller 28:51

27 weeks ago28:51

28:51

Today we talk with Jeff Miller, Chief Product Officer at Coates Group, about his extensive experience in retail and restaurant technology, emphasizing the role of digital transformation in enhancing customer and employee experiences across Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs). We explore the integration of digital and in-store experiences, the significance of mobile ordering and loyalty programs, along with the challenges of managing a complex partner ecosystem. Looking forward, Patrick, Shelli, and Jeff discuss AI-driven innovations, the transition from static to dynamic digital environments, and the physical and technological trends that are reshaping the industry. Jeff highlights the importance of scalable innovation, and goes deep on his commitment to balancing technological advancements, while maintaining essential human connections. (00:27) Meet Jeff Miller (01:21) Jeff's Role at Coates Group (03:51) From Construction Engineering to Tech Consulting (11:28) Innovations in the QSR Space (15:28) Global Growth and Customer Connection (15:41) Evolution of Menu Boards (16:17) Optimizing Customer Experience (17:54) Challenges in Restaurant Technology (19:29) Traditional vs. New QSRs (25:42) Future of Customer Interactions Jeff Miller is the Chief Product Officer at Coates Group, and former Vice President of Retail Technology at Foxtrot. He has more than a decade of expertise in the retail and restaurant technology space, specializing in creating modern in-store experiences that seamlessly integrate with digital technology to enhance customer experiences. Prior to his leadership roles, Jeff earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Building Collaborative, User-Centered Product Teams with Kal Walkden 27:29

29 weeks ago27:29

27:29

On today’s show, we chat with Kal Walkden, the Vice President of Product Engineering at Double Good . Double Good’s virtual fundraising app connects teams with their supporters to help athletes, coaches, and students raise funds through popcorn sales. Focusing on seamless ease-of-use for both the fundraisers and their supporters, Double Good turns online snack sales into “uniforms, safety pads, cleats, calculators, test tubes, travel opportunities, and brand new experiences.” Kal's extensive expertise in product and technology leadership has been vital in advancing Double Good’s mission. He talks to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise about how Double Good's virtual platform flourished during the pandemic, a key pivot during a moment that challenged traditional in person fundraising. Kal explains the significance of user-centered design, and the adoption of the Spotify engineering model to enhance his team’s efficiency. We talk hiring practices, core values, future growth strategies, and how Kal’s 25+ years of hands-on leadership has successfully shaped tech-driven organizations. (00:25) Meet Kal Walkden: VP of Product Engineering at Double Good (01:13) Double Good's Journey and Success (06:09) The Spotify Engineering Model (13:51) Implementing the Spotify Model at Double Good (19:38) Challenges and Future Goals Kal Walkden is the Vice President of Product Engineering at Double Good. His past roles include Chief Technology Officer at Paladin; Head of Engineering at HelloFresh; CTO at Lextegrity; CTO at ForeverCar. He currently serves as a mentor at Code Platoon. He holds a Bachelors in Computer Engineering and a Masters in Parallel and Distributed Computing both from Northwestern 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
How Local Content Creators are Reshaping Marketing with Emily Steele 32:52

31 weeks ago32:52

32:52

“It’s marketing through people instead of at them,” says Emily Steele, CEO and Co-founder of Hummingbirds. In this episode of Innovation and the Digital Enterprise we talk with Emily about how Hummingbirds is leveraging hyperlocal content creators to drive brand awareness and sales. Emily shares her journey from running a local marketing agency to founding Hummingbirds, emphasizing the power of word-of-mouth marketing and community-driven content. She explains Hummingbirds’ unique approach of fostering relationships between local businesses and hyperlocal content creators, who serve as community-scale advocates for the brand. We discuss how in our oversaturated digital marketing landscape, Hummingbirds delivers meaningful, authentic, relationship-driven results. We close our conversation chatting about Emily’s future goals and plans for growth, and the challenge of scaling while maintaining that authenticity. (01:28) Emily Steele on the beginnings of Hummingbirds (02:36) The power of local influence (08:12) Scaling, Community Building and Exploring new verticals (11:51) The Hummingbirds community (16:52) Emily's journey to entrepreneurship (18:13) Building a successful brand and Achieving rapid growth (20:36) Strategies for success (24:38) Measuring impact and ROI (27:44) Exciting opportunities ahead (30:29) Fun facts about Hummingbirds Emily Steele is the CEO and Co-founder of Hummingbirds , a SaaS company helping brands connect to local customers through digital word-of-mouth marketing. Before launching Hummingbirds, Emily proved a passionate advocate for local Des Moines businesses as the owner of Love Local . She has a Bachelor's in business administration, from Drake University, and studied at Richmond, the American International University in London. When she’s not championing local business, she helps organize The Water Ride , an annual bike ride that raises funds for clean water efforts in Ghana. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Continuous Learning and Sharing from Engineer to Executive with Ann Yeung 37:58

33 weeks ago37:58

37:58

Wouldn’t it be great if your boss had a user guide for achieving success under their leadership? Ann Yeung’s team at GEICO , where she serves as the Vice President of Engineering, Head of Enterprise Engineering, received one. In her “user guide,” Ann shares her expectations, values, and tools for successful collaboration that go well beyond pet peeves to establish communicative, empowered teams. In this episode, Ann discusses her transition to GEICO and the critical role of managing corporate functions during transformation. She shares her journey from individual contributor to leader and how she applies the lessons she’s learned along the way. Ann offers how her perspective has changed over time, (ex. how experience is important but unique application to any particular scenario is key) and outlines how her leadership values match her personal values: integrity, transparency, and direct communication. As a leader, Ann ensures that her approach includes two critical elements: understanding the problem from the lens of the business stakeholders and carving out time for reflection. Ann discusses welcoming feedback and challenging her teams with growth opportunities with intentional mentorship. She discusses how, as an engineer at heart, her love of data couples with empirical evidence to guide her decision making and the importance of responsible leadership. (2:10) – Enterprise engineering at GEICO (4:22) – Playbook for success (8:46) – Transition to leadership (13:46) – “Ann Yeung User Guide” (20:47) – Building relationships and trust (23:34) – Opening the door to feedback (27:52) – Recovery (30:09) – Decision-making (32:06) – Empowering your team Ann Yeung is the Vice President of Engineering, Head of Enterprise Engineering at GEICO . Ann is a senior technology executive and business strategist with over twenty years of experience in various industries, including roles at Northwestern Mutual, Capital One, and US Foods. She is the Director of Women Who Code Chicago Network and serves on the Board of Directors for Chinese American Service League and STEM Forward. Ann earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Leading a Global, Multi-Year, Cloud Transformation with Megan Williams 30:31

35 weeks ago30:31

30:31

Does the “I don’t know how we’re gonna do this?” feeling ever fade? In large-scale transformation, Megan Williams, VP of Global Technology Strategy and Transformation at TransUnion , doesn’t think so. Leading global, multi-year transformation programs continues to prompt the major questions: What is our vision? What is the approach? With over 20 years of experience, the initial intimidation remains, but Megan and her teams persist. In this episode, Megan shares how guiding TransUnion’s transformation from on-premise data centers to the cloud has evolved over her four years from a “lift and shift” to a modernization transformation. Growing up in South Africa, Megan’s career has spanned three continents giving her an exceptional glimpse into the work cultures of different countries. Megan highlights the similarities (think: personalities) and differences (think: daily schedule) that she’s experienced and the importance of relating to teams across the globe. Diving deeper into leadership, Megan discusses how her approach can be summed up as vulnerability and transparency. How can she make thousands feel like six people in a garage? She embraces public conversations and welcomes a challenging question. Megan offers a glimpse into her leadership style with a story of how her continued presence at a daily call had a surprising result and how adjustment is necessary when your intentions fall out of alignment with your impact. Megan shares how effective communication can lean on conversation and support from different ways of connecting. (01:40) – Joining TransUnion (05:05) – Journey to technology (10:52) – A career across three continents (15:00) – Large transformation programs (18:57) – Vulnerability and transparency (24:51) – “Overcommunication” Megan Williams is the VP of Global Technology Strategy and Transformation at TransUnion . She has over 20 years of experience spanning software development to leading global, multi-year transformations and implementing large, complex program delivery in fast-paced technical industries. Megan earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
AI, Analytics, and the Future of FinTech with Srikanth Geedipalli 37:48

37 weeks ago37:48

37:48

Out of approximately 5,000 lending institutions nationwide, Srikanth Geedipalli and the team at Experian have developed relationships with 3,000 of them, and the list continues to grow. As Senior Vice President of AI Product Management and Commercialization, Srikanth is spearheading the productization and democratization of data. In this episode, Srikanth explains how he promotes innovation at Experian, accounting for its size, role as a trusted brand, and regulated and compliance-oriented processes. He shares his career journey in three parts—banker, strategy executor, and AI and analytics executive—and how the positionalities create a full picture of the issues he’s trying to solve. Srikanth shares how Experian has embraced its rich data history in building analytic and AI ecosystems that have made these resources more affordable to clients beyond the big banks. As a leader, Srikanth endorses the “crawl, walk, run” method on the boldest visions. He shares how to balance focusing on niche solutions and a wider vision. Srikanth discusses how he encourages his team to move as quickly as possible and how rapid innovation can continue to push boundaries and work symbiotically with approval chains and compliance. In discussing artificial intelligence, Srikanth shares how he sees the future of AI, specifically gen AI, its rapidly approaching role in all products, an anticipated boom of gen AI agents, and how to embrace the transformative technology in your life and for the next generation. (03:30) – Journey to Experian (05:45) – Productizing and democratizing data (09:26) – Innovation in a large organization (12:58) – Engendering trust and confidence (15:57) – Having a big vision (17:13) – Client profile (19:44) – Inspiration (21:19) – Acting like a small business (24:33) – Team incentives (28:28) – Where is gen AI heading? (31:30) – Gen AI agents (33:32) – What should you do? Srikanth Geedipalli is the Senior Vice President of AI Product Management and Commercialization at Experian . Previously, he served as Head of US Strategy at BMO Financial Group, a strategy consultant for McKinsey & Company, and an analytics leader at Capital One. Srikanth earned an MS in Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. 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.…

Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

1
Cross-Team Connections and Logistics Solutions with Christina Garcia 36:46

39 weeks ago36:46