Episodes

What does it actually take to move AI from experimentation to enterprise-wide impact? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Leigh-Ann Russell, Chief Information Officer and Global Head of Engineering at Bank of New York (BNY), about how one of the world’s most systemically important financial institutions is operationalizing AI at scale. Leigh-Ann shares how BNY trained 99% of its 50,000-person workforce on AI, moved beyond pilots into deep enablement, and empowered employees ...

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

What really drives cybersecurity investment and why is “threat” often the last reason? In this episode, Rakesh Loonkar, co-founder of Transmit Security and general partner at Picture Capital, shares a contrarian take on how cybersecurity product categories emerge and why compliance and platform shifts often matter more than actual threats. Drawing on decades of experience as both operator and investor, Rakesh explains how he evaluates risk timing, founder mindset, and market inflection points. ...

What if your AI strategy is your business strategy? In this episode, three top tech leaders share how they’re embedding AI not as a standalone initiative, but as a lever for enterprise transformation. Mojgan Lefebvre (Travelers), Pawan Verma (Cencora), and Glenn Remoreras (Breakthru Beverage) reveal how they’ve partnered with boards, business units, and frontline teams to scale AI from proof of concept to performance. Highlights include: How Travelers reduced onboarding from 2 hours to 2 min...

What does it really take to design for resilience in an AI-first world? In this panel from the Metis Strategy Summit, Amtrak CDO Judith Apshago, GE Aerospace CIO David Burns, and Zoetis CDTO Keith Sarbaugh explore how resilient infrastructure is becoming the backbone of enterprise trust, uptime, and AI scalability. Tune in to learn how these leaders are: Responding to cloud outages and software disruption in real time Building AI literacy, governance, and use-case portfolios at scale Extending ...

1036: What does it mean to manage a digital workforce? In this episode of Technovation, we feature a panel from our most recent Metis Strategy Summit where three top executives explore how AI is reshaping work, both automating tasks, and changing the nature of management itself. Peter High speaks with: Jennifer Charters, Chief Information Officer at Lincoln Financial Prasanna Gopalakrishnan, Chief Product & AI Officer at ADP Daniel Marcu, Global Head of AI Engineering at Goldman Sachs Togethe...

Our broadcast today features a panel from our most recent Metis Strategy Summit on the topic of Delivering the Product Operating Model (and Mindset) at Scale. In this panel episode, we explore the limits and lessons of scaling the product operating model. Sal Companieh (Cushman & Wakefield), Jim Fowler (Nationwide), and Diane Schwarz (Smurfit WestRock) reflect on where product thinking thrives and where it breaks down. Here are 5 takeaways from their candid discussion: Why “readiness” must come...

What if the most defensible companies of the AI era aren’t the ones building the infrastructure—but the ones using it to rethink workflows? In this Technoventure episode, Peter High speaks with Jamie Montgomery, Founder and Managing Partner of March Capital, about why the firm is investing heavily in the AI application layer—not chips, not clouds, but the companies delivering real task-based outcomes. Key topics explored: Why workflow-based moats beat data moats in the new venture cycle How ...

What’s stopping AI from scaling across the enterprise? For Madhu Ramamurthy, CIO of Zurich North America, it’s not the technology. It’s the culture. In this episode, Madhu shares how he’s navigating the paradox of AI: a tool with unprecedented potential, surrounded by institutional resistance, unclear regulations, and cultural misalignment. He outlines Zurich’s approach to responsible AI deployment, organizational change, and ethical tech use. Key highlights include: How “organizational antibod...

What does it really take to scale AI across a global enterprise? In this episode, Jaime Montemayor, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at General Mills, shares the AI playbook behind the company’s digital transformation from foundational investments in cloud and data governance to business-led innovation across supply chain, e-commerce, and marketing. With 96% of General Mills’ supply chain data now clean and governed, Jaime’s team is shifting from predictive analytics to agentic architectures...

What does it take to transform IT from a bottleneck into a business accelerator? In this episode, Waco Bankston, Chief Information Officer at NiSource, shares how he’s repositioning the IT organization to support growth, enable speed, and shift decades of technical and cultural inertia. Leading a 6.5-year enterprise transformation effort, Waco discusses the discipline required to modernize legacy systems while instilling a new execution culture. Key insights from the episode include: Building...

What does it take to reimagine a 10,000-employee enterprise for a digital-first future? In this episode, Unum CTO Gautam Roy breaks down how he transformed the company’s operating model, culture, and technology foundation by reshaping experiences from the customer backward. Gautam shares how Unum evolved from applications to journeys to value streams; how AI, data, and automation have become levers for acceleration; and how innovation culture and continuous learning drive enterprise adaptability...

What if your company’s greatest advantage isn’t the product—but the purpose behind it? Mike Hayes, Managing Director at Insight Partners and former COO of VMware, believes mission clarity is more than culture—it’s a strategic asset. Drawing on 20 years as a Navy SEAL and senior tech executive, Mike shares why knowing “who you want to be” is a superpower for founders and boards. In this episode, Mike and Peter High discuss: How purpose-led companies outperform in high-growth markets Mike’s “T...

What does it take to evolve IT into a forward-looking innovation engine? Mike Blandina, CIO of Snowflake, shares how he’s reimagined IT as “Enterprise Technology” as a way to describe what ‘IT’ really does: lead a solutions-first mindset at Snowflake designed for the AI era. In this conversation, Mike reflects on his first eight months leading tech at one of the world’s most AI-forward data cloud companies. Key highlights include: The philosophy behind the Enterprise Technology rebrand Build...

What if your hiring strategy were fueled by the largest contingent workforce dataset in the world? Magnit CEO Chandra Dhandapani joins Technovation to explore how data is reshaping how companies think about talent—from role design to sourcing strategy to real-time labor cost insights. Chandra also shares lessons from her journey from CIO to CEO and offers perspective on why automation—not AI—is the skill trend to watch. Key topics covered include: 12% YoY surge in automation roles vs. 2% in A...

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

What does it take to scale AI from 800 siloed experiments into enterprise-wide impact? Doug Schmitt, President of Dell Technologies Services and CIO of Dell, joins Peter High to unpack the company’s enterprise AI playbook—a journey from fragmented innovation to four scalable platforms used across software development, customer service, supply chain, and sales. Highlights from this episode: How Dell consolidated 800 AI initiatives into 4 core platforms Why Doug sees AI as both tech and busine...

What does it take to play the long game in innovation? Venture capitalist Brad Feld has spent four decades answering that question as a founder, mentor, and early-stage investor in companies like Fitbit, MakerBot, and Techstars. In this episode, Feld unpacks the enduring impact of mentorship, the logic behind his “Give First” philosophy, and how startups and enterprises alike can benefit from ecosystem thinking. Key insights include: How a childhood visit to Frito-Lay inspired a tech career Wha...

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

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

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

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

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

What if your innovation team operated more like a venture fund than a lab? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Andres Vazquez, Chief Digital Intelligence Officer of América Móvil, about how he leads open innovation at scale, evaluating thousands of companies a year to drive customer value, operational efficiency, and revenue. Key topics explored include: How Andrés acts as a “VC without capital” inside a $46B telecom Why América Móvil avoids trendy tech experiments withou...