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Tom Allen
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Computing editor Tom Allen talks to tech execs about their challenges, their passions and, of course, their technology - from AI to zero-days, and everything in between.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Siobhan Wilson, Oracle: AI agents rely on trust, not tech

    Recorded at Oracle’s AI World Tour in London, UK country leader Siobhan Wilson tells us what AI actually means for IT leaders right now. She unpacks Oracle’s push to embed agentic AI across infrastructure, data platforms and applications, arguing that the real shift is from chasing AI hype to delivering measurable outcomes at speed. We also covers major UK‑specific investments, including sovereign cloud and clinical AI, before closing on a critical question for IT leaders: how to balance trust, security and accountability as more responsibility is handed over to AI agents. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    8 min

  2. 2 MAR

    Peter Brown: How is Lloyds Keeping AI Honest?

    Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's biggest financial services companies, with an estimated one in two British citizens acting as customers. In this episode Tom speaks to Peter Brown, engineering lead at Lloyds, about how the bank has applied AI at massive scale across retail banking, complaints and internal operations. Peter explains how AI tools support colleagues and how they were built with not just an outcome, but the bank's core purpose in mind. He also gives a clear account of agent-based systems, how Lloyds defines and governs them, and why language matters when talking about AI with senior stakeholders. We also cover the skills shift AI demands from leaders and teams, and Peter's own reflections on leadership, inclusion and the value of clarity and trust at scale Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    23 min

  3. 16 FEB

    Kara Flook: Dancing Towards a Workforce Revolution

    Demands on technology professionals are changing constantly, but hiring hasn't kept up: people still look for coding ninjas rather than recruiting the skills that will really make a difference in the AI age, says E.ON's emerging technology lead Kara Flook. In this episode, Tom and Kara discuss her journey from a dance background to a career in technology, as well as the growing importance of soft skills; the need to challenge stereotypes; and the significance of diversifying the tech workforce. Kara emphasises the role of education in shaping perceptions of tech careers, and offers insights into how companies can redesign their recruitment processes to be more inclusive. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    20 min

  4. 2 FEB

    ING Debbie Janeczek: Cyber resilience at scale

    In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, host Penny Horwood is joined by Debbie Janeczek, Global CISO at ING, to explore what cyber resilience really means for a global financial institution operating in an increasingly volatile threat landscape. Drawing on her background in military intelligence and financial services, Debbie discusses how ING is moving beyond compliance to embed resilience into the way technology is designed, built and operated. The conversation covers the impact of major regulations such as DORA, the shift from reactive defence to proactive resilience, and the challenges of simplifying complex security stacks without increasing risk. Debbie also shares how automation, threat intelligence and AI are reshaping security operations, why third-party risk has become one of the biggest exposure points for global banks, and how ING is preparing for emerging threats such as post-quantum cryptography. Beyond the technology, the discussion highlights the growing role of the CISO as a business enabler and value creator, rather than a blocker. The episode concludes with a candid look at leadership under constant pressure, strategies for avoiding burnout in “always-on” security roles, and how the industry can do more to attract and support diverse talent in cybersecurity.     Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    23 min

  5. 19 JAN

    Kiran Mahil: Digitising trust in retail banking at Nationwide

    Penny Horwood is joined by Kiran Mahil, CIO of Retail Products at Nationwide Building Society, to explore how digitisation and automation are reshaping retail banking while preserving trust, fairness and accessibility. Kiran explains her role overseeing Nationwide’s core banking platforms, retail products and technology strategy, and outlines how the mutual’s values influence its approach to digital transformation. Rather than focusing solely on online channels, Nationwide is pursuing a multi-channel strategy that combines modern cloud-based platforms with continued investment in branches, ensuring no customers are left behind as services evolve. Automation is being used to reduce costs, streamline routine tasks and improve resilience, enabling frontline staff to focus on complex customer needs. Kiran also discusses what “good digitisation” looks like in financial services, emphasising seamless customer journeys, strong security, effective use of data and AI, and technology ecosystems that are easier and more efficient to run. Kiran shares insights into the scale and complexity of integrating Virgin Money into the Nationwide brand and platforms, from aligning technology and partners to maintaining resilience, momentum and staff engagement. The episode closes with a discussion on widening digital access and preparing the future workforce. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    23 min

  6. 5 JAN

    Rolf Krolke: Surviving Scale at Access Group

    Access Group runs a vast, acquisition-led IT estate while supporting mission-critical services such as NHS payroll. Tom speaks with regional technology director Rolf Krolke about how the organisation designed a scalable reference architecture that delivers resilience, flexibility and near-zero downtime across private and public cloud environments. Rolf unpacks the practical realities of active-active design, modular infrastructure and operating at global scale, alongside the mistakes IT leaders make when modernising complex estates. Listen now to learn more about designing for failure, managing technical debt and keeping transformation aligned with real business risk. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    15 min

  7. 01/12/2025

    Alexandra Ebert: The AI Workslop Problem

    Alexandra Ebert, advisor to regulators like the FCA and IEEE, as well as chief AI and democratisation officer at Mostly AI, joins Tom to discuss the modern AI landscape. She warns that too many organisations are rushing to “get more GenAI” without doing the groundwork, arguing that AI needs to be a strategic capability rooted in solid data foundations and alignment between technology and business rather than a shiny add on. She also highlights the pitfalls of “AI workslop," where employees lean too heavily on generative tools, producing more work with less originality, and urges CIOs to rethink governance and training around AI-augmented workflows. We also touch on the economics of Big Tech, with Alex suggesting that hyperscalers’ massive infrastructure spending is driving AI hype to justify their ROI. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    15 min

  8. 24/11/2025

    Katia Gil Guzman: Why OpenAI's EU Dev Lead Says ‘No’ to Vibe Coding

    In this bonus episode Tom Allen sits down with Katia Gil Guzman, a founding member of OpenAI’s Developer Experience team, to explore how AI coding is evolving beyond the hype. Katia explains why OpenAI actively discourages “vibe coding” for anything beyond small experiments, arguing that enterprise-ready AI tools should behave more like software engineers - producing pull requests, following project rules and aligning to established guardrails. She also discusses how companies can improve the trustworthiness of AI-generated code; why you probably don't need multi-agent orchestration; and what the next 12-24 months hold for the AI space. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood  Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing tomallen@thechannelcompany.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    30 min
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About

Computing editor Tom Allen talks to tech execs about their challenges, their passions and, of course, their technology - from AI to zero-days, and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Allen
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 The Channel Company
  • Show Website
    Ctrl Alt Lead

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