Tech Leaders Intel Xebia

Stephen Marjot understands what needs to happen in order to make business transformations in the BFSI field a success. Yes, the company must be fully committed, and risks must be mitigated, but it is equally important that transformations must help the staff make them happen as much as help families and small businesses thrive. In an increasingly digital world where customer demands are growing, transformations must be based around people internally rather than the other way around. Serving the colleague so they can serve the customer is how an organization ensures its own prosperous, sustainable, transformative outcomes.  

Join host Nick Goodwin on this illuminating episode of Tech Leaders Intel as he talks with Stephen about the vitality of framing transformations as journeys for both customers and colleagues alike using Appian low-code solutions. During his years of consulting in insurance and oil and gas retail, he set transformations in motion but didn’t get to see them through to completion. In his current position as Head of Change Centre of Excellence with Natwest.

NatWest Group, the UK's largest business bank, has been honored with the Celent Model Risk Manager of the Year Award for its successful initiative to simplify and automate change and risk governance processes. This award recognises the company's ability to reduce multiple assessment cycle times using patterns of governance.

Stephen places the utmost importance on creating a solid problem statement, and for him the solution lies in simplifying processes to create value and organizing projects around people to mitigate risks and make the most valuable products. They dive deep into topics such as:
Reconciling change with risk governance in the transformation processCreating a “colleague journey” to parallel the customer journeyHearing who is “making the most noise” to recognize transformation impedimentsThe goal of reducing transformation times from 73 days to 73 minutesHow Appian engaged with Natwest’s issues and goals as a true partner…and lots more. Lots of transformation tips, notes, and details abound, so this is an episode that requires your full focus.

Opinions expressed in this episode are solely Stephen’s own and do not express the views or opinions of his employer. Any discussion around vendors in no way suggests a positive endorsement.  

For more of Stephen’s business transformation wisdom, reach out to him on LinkedIn.

For this episode of "Tech Leaders Intel," host Andreas Giesa interviews Dr. Timm Neu, Team Lead and Product Owner at Volkswagen. Having gained a global outlook on his profession and life, Timm took a long and winding path to get to Volkswagen; he has studied law, worked in India and the US, and even served a stint with the German embassy in Luxembourg! Timm then spent about 10 years in IT law, including as General Cousel of Cleverbridge and Group Legal Cousel at Volkswagen. He eventually transitioned into IT products and international software development steering. Timm shares his general technology leadership insights based on his career experiences and as a product owner. Throughout the conversation, it’s clear that Timm is all about the value of bridging the gap between IT and business, as well as facing the challenges of managing legal compliance in large, international corporations head-on. The conversation also touches on implications and issues at hand for coming legal tech evolutions, highlighting the need for balance in growth and compliance.  

And that’s not all. Andreas and Timm get into the weeds on salient tech topics such as:
Legal tech challenges and winning strategiesThe importance of involving legal counsel in the early phases of product consultingThe need for the commitment to legal compliance in large corporationsLegal and technology challenges of startups and large companies alikeBalancing legal and technology considerations in business growth…and of course, much more. Timm is a highly insightful individual with a strategic mindset, not to mention a thorough understanding of the intricacies of law and dynamism of current technology trends, all of which are boosted by his intercultural acumen and showcase his unique expertise and leadership in the legal technology sphere. Connect with Timm through LinkedIn for more of his know-how.

This week on Tech Leaders Intel, our Mark Jacks sits down with Viator’s Head of Data and Revenue Management, Kiran Padavala. Viator is an Experience Marketplace that inspires travelers to plan and book unique experiences. As a part of the TripAdvisor family, they are continuing to scale following impressive trading results and ambitious plans. Kiran is an experienced technology leader, with a developed playbook that focusses on the core pillars, enablers and metrics to enable successful scaling of technology teams on a global level. 
 
One thing that’s evident about Kiran from the outset, is that, through hands on experience, really knows about what it takes to scale, understanding that people are involved as much as processes. He knows that culture and workflow are as paramount to a successful scaling-up as any roadmap, and stresses cohesion and honesty in the digital transformation process. As the episode progresses, Kiran runs through his playbook, and touch on topics such as: 
 
Understanding the context behind a company’s growth story How to maintain a cohesive team culture and sense of purpose whilst of scaling up Practices for managing and synchronizing distributed teams Selecting the right toolset Effectively connecting autonomous teams to “the mothership” Ensuring the alignment of vendors with the company’s transformation roadmap How and why success looks different for data teams What to look for when processes aren’t scaling as expectedBeing upfront and honest about when processes don’t workWhat an effective onboarding process looks like for a scaling team  
You’ll find these and many more insights on this episode of TLI. It’s a listen chock-full of valuable gems for enterprising business leaders looking to adopt scalable technologies and processes. Press play to get started, and for more from Kiran, reach out to him on LinkedIn. 

On the newest episode of Tech Leaders Intel, Lewis Bicknell sits down with Mark O’Brien, a senior platform manager with the Leeds Building Society. At the start of his career Mark didn’t expect to find himself in such a role having earned a degree in mathematics and working in fields such as development and architecture. He took up a service operations role for LBS and changed the way it works, transformed from batch process-oriented to event-driven organization, which helped fine-tune the Society’s web presence and make it more responsive for potential homeowners using technologies such as AI and SRE. All of which helped the organization elevate its customer experience through gleaning insight from the large amounts of data they collect.

Moreover, Mark didn’t see himself cut out for management. However, he enjoys leadership, building durable professional relationships, and bringing people together from various teams to work on problems. It is through these lenses that Mark approaches his everything related to his work and career, and it’s fascinating to listen to him apply it to the innovations emerging today. Join Lewis and Mark as they discuss:
Managing people vs. managing managersThe importance of building meaningful long-term relationships with suppliersKeeping options open for career advancement vs. focusing on obtaining a particular roleThe impact of technology failures being made real for ordinary peopleDelivering solutions vs. delivering experiencesThe key differentiator of being purpose-driven rather than profit-drivenHis sense of the technology challenges for 2024…and of course, much more. Mark is ultra-focused on using technology to the bottom of issues that hamper the customer experience for homebuyers, and we are sincerely grateful for his wisdom on this episode of TLI! You can connect with Mark on LinkedIn, and find out more about his work at leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk.

In this insightful episode, host Louis Bicknell engages in a thought-provoking conversation with guest Nicholas Bobb, who serves as a trustee of The Data Lab and boasts an extensive background in the financial services industry. Nicholas Bobb's story is particularly compelling as he traces his roots back to the West Indies, detailing his transformative journey to becoming a seasoned data professional in Scotland. Throughout the episode, Nik places a strong emphasis on the critical role of diversity within the realm of data analysis.

Key topics discussed in the episode include:

Nicholas Bobb's Personal Journey: His transition from an immigrant from the West Indies to a prominent figure in Scotland's data scene.Diversity in Data Analysis: The importance of having diverse perspectives in data-related fields and how it can lead to more innovative solutions and better decision-making.Evolution of Data in Finance: How data has revolutionized the financial services industry, changing the way financial institutions operate and make decisions.Data Skills in Education: The integration of data analytics skills into undergraduate curricula, preparing the next generation of professionals for the data-driven economy.Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The need for collaboration between different fields of study to enhance data analysis and utilize data effectively across various sectors.Mentorship and Networking: The role of mentorship in personal and professional growth, and how networking can open doors to new opportunities in the data science field.Challenging Stereotypes: The necessity to confront and dispel the common stereotypes associated with data analysts to foster a more inclusive and dynamic environment.Data's Role in Sports and Gaming: An exploration of how data analytics is becoming increasingly influential in the sports and gaming industries, transforming how performance is measured and strategies are developed.Involvement with The Data Lab: Nick encourages listeners to engage with The Data Lab's initiatives, which aim to support and promote data science and its applications.The episode serves as an inspiring narrative that not only sheds light on Nik's personal and professional growth but also delves into the broader implications of data in today's world. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on the diverse applications of data science and consider how they might contribute to or benefit from the initiatives spearheaded by The Data Lab.

What makes a leader? Not just an executive title or self-appointed honorific on social media, but someone who can take the breadth of their living and professional experience and channel it into enriching the work of their peers and championing their ideas and efforts to improve their field of expertise.

That’s what Carolina Restrepo, a Products, Technology and Innovation Manager at Vanderlande and 2023 Next CIO award-winner, aims to do. Carolina drives innovation and value by emphasizing storytelling as an approach to illustrate the positive changes that technological processes can bring to firms. As someone born in Colombia and having lived all over the world, not to mention a background spanning from industrial engineering to product management in technology, she understands acutely how complex processes lead to winning outcomes.

Host Mark Jacks leads a discussion with Carolina spanning a wide variety of topics including:
The use of storytelling to convey messages and explain trends & processesHow she adapted in transitioning from industrial engineering to being a leader in technologyThe importance of defining the value technology can bring to an organizationBeing a relatable role model to empower women in the tech industryInclusivity and valuing different voices in taking on feedbackWhat winning a Next CIO Award means for someone in her positionThis discussion with Carolina is full of candor and sincerity, qualities which have made her a renowned leader. She is a leader’s leader, and this episode is a vital lesson for those aspiring to make it to the top of their field.