Making Waves - We lift the lid on issues that matter to European Software Leaders

Boardwave

Making Waves is the podcast series from Boardwave, the European software leaders networking community. In each episode we lift the lid on the issues that matter to European Software leaders. Jane Wakefield, spent 18 years covering technology for the BBC, and is now our host and expert interviewer. In each episode she talks to industry luminaries, CEOs and Founders about issues that make a difference to the way software executives build their businesses and shape the industry.

Episodes

  1. 14/06/2023

    Putting AI to work: what all businesses need to know about artificial intelligence

    What benefits can this world-changing tech bring to the software industry and what are the pitfalls? Do companies need to create policies for how their staff use the tech? Should businesses simply integrate Open AI’s platforms into their systems or are there better alternatives?  And what are the longer-term implications for the world of work. Will machines become so much better at our jobs that we are no longer needed?  All this and more discussed with our three experts in Making Waves

    29 min

  2. 15/05/2023

    From Excitement to Caution: Unraveling the Debate on AI's Rapid Development

    Get ready to dive into the exciting world of AI in business in our latest podcast episode! Recorded live at TED, we bring you a panel of AI experts and industry professionals, including Tom Graham, CEO & Co-Founder of Metaphysic.ai, Anima Anandkumar, Sr. Director of AI Research at NVIDIA, and Yejin Choi, Professor of AI, Washington University, who will provide valuable insights into the challenges and benefits of integrating AI into everyday tasks.  We discuss the importance of transparency, regulation, and concerns over bias and accuracy in AI systems. This is just part one of a two-part series where we investigate the potential impacts of AI advancements on the job market, the role of governments in AI regulation, and the cautious approach businesses need to adopt when incorporating AI into their workflows.  Join us to explore the ongoing debate between excitement and fear surrounding the rapid development of AI systems. Don't miss out on this must-listen episode!

    27 min

  3. 24/03/2023

    Tackling Diversity Head-On

    “Targets are what we’re after – clear, measurable targets with stretch goals that can really help us as a society.” Melissa Di Donato, Boardwave Patron and CEO, Suse How can women lift up their female colleagues in the workplace? What can businesses do to bring true equity to the boardroom? And are targets better than quotas when it comes to fair hiring policies? In episode 6 of our podcast series, we further explore the gender diversity issues facing companies today, learning how CEO, Melissa Di Donato and angel investor, Shruthi Chindalur have grappled with gender bias throughout their careers. Along with Wilson Sonsini, Partner, Richard Goold, they share their advice on how businesses can actually tackle diversity head on. Join us as we learn how female-focused growth programs help women succeed, and why every business needs to take the lead in changing the gender landscape.

    30 min

  4. 27/02/2023

    Tech’s Diversity Problem - What Does it Really Look Like?

    It is no secret that the tech industry struggles with diversity. The numbers of women and people from ethnically diverse backgrounds remain low and has done for decades. In this first of a two-part episode of Making Waves, we explore some of the problems around diversity in tech and hear testimony from people in the industry about what it feels like to be the odd one out - whether that be the only woman in the room or the lone black programmer in a software firm. In part two, which will be available in March, we’ll look at the solutions and offer some practical tips for businesses determined to tackle this issue.

    26 min

  5. 31/01/2023

    Advice on Starting, Growing and Scaling Your Start-up

    In this episode, we hear three software leaders' advice on how to get set up for success in the early days and how to scale once you have achieved “product-market fit”. We also get their thoughts on your first external investment round.   Felix Van de Maele is a Boardwave Nextwaver and CEO of Collibra, which he started at 23 from his bedroom in a university in Belgium. Today, he has built Collibra into one of the biggest success stories in European software, living in New York, building a global leader with $200m ARR and $5bn valuation from his current investors.  Hala Zeine was previously Chief Product Officer at Celonis in Germany, a similarly successful European-founded global business. Hala left to join Blackstone 18 months ago as an investor. (Blackstone are a Boardwave partner & sponsor). Her earlier career was spent in a series of ever more senior roles at SAP. Jonathan Mckay is a Boardwave Committee Member & Patron, he also a serial Chair and Investor. Jonathan has worked at some of the most successful global software firms in his long career, spending time in both the UK and Silicon Valley. Today, he is one of Europe’s most successful early-stage investors.

    29 min

  6. 26/10/2022

    Attracting Talent and Retaining Your People in a Post Pandemic World

    The world of work, looks very different today than five years ago. The Pandemic combined with the “War for Talent” in European software have catalysed a change in working practices.   What’s the best way to recruit, retain & engage staff in a turbulent and troubled economic climate? And why is there such a war for talent in the European software industry?   In our upcoming “Making Waves” podcast we look at what companies need to do to retain and engage their staff following the years of upheaval caused by the COVID pandemic. Also, what role does the employer have, in the near term, in supporting their employees when there is a “cost of living squeeze” as we are seeing now across Europe. We are joined by Chano Fernadez, Co-CEO of Workday, one of the world’s largest and most successful Enterprise Software companies and a Boardwave Nextwaver, Abakar Saidov, CEO of Beamery and Anastasia Leng, CEO of Creative X to discuss these important issues.

    29 min

  7. 28/09/2022

    Managing Through a Challenging Economy

    Changes in the way we worked during the pandemic forced organisations to invest in new software systems to support, amongst other things, hybrid working. As software became an even more essential business tool than before, valuations in technology companies reached new heights.  Now, just as the world begins to shake off the pandemic, we face new macro-economic head winds caused by, amongst other things, a terrible war in Ukraine. In the last nine months software and technology valuations have gone into reverse as we enter an inevitable global recession. In this second episode of our podcast series, "Making Waves”, we look in more detail at the consequences of a challenging economy for European software with our three guests. We are joined by Anastasia Leng, CEO of CreativeX, and a Boardwave Nextwaver, who having face previous business challenges, has a pragmatic stance as she leads the growth in her business and recently concluded a successful investment round. We also get a view from the Venture Capital world, as we talk to Martin Ward, Venture Partner at Accel Partners. The episode starts with a view of the market from one of Europe’s leading tech bankers, Varun Sunderraman, Partner at Arma Partners.

    28 min

  8. 13/07/2022

    European Software: How To Win Big Globally Against Silicon Valley & The Rest

    Inaugural episode of  Boardwave's members podcast series. In episode one we interview Boardwave Patrons; Leo Apotheker & Adam Hale. As well as Founder Phill Robinson and Lindsey Armstrong. And talk about how the European Software Industry can build more world-class companies. We take a look at the issues and look at our strengths and weaknesses compared to the crucible of software, Silicon Valley.

    36 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Making Waves is the podcast series from Boardwave, the European software leaders networking community. In each episode we lift the lid on the issues that matter to European Software leaders. Jane Wakefield, spent 18 years covering technology for the BBC, and is now our host and expert interviewer. In each episode she talks to industry luminaries, CEOs and Founders about issues that make a difference to the way software executives build their businesses and shape the industry.

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