Simply Briefed

Pimm

Welcome to Simply Briefed, where we bring clarity to complex topics — especially AI — through focused, expert-led conversations. Each episode dives into a specific subject, guided by guests chosen for their expertise rather than their backstory. Together, we break down big ideas, cut through hype and jargon, and translate complexity into practical insights you can use in your work and everyday life. Designed for curious professionals across the Nordics and beyond, the podcast blends Nordic clarity with global perspective ✨ Produced by Pimm Website: https://www.pimmsthlm.com/simply-briefed

  1. Sep 16

    Ep 40 Too Early — or Time to Pay Attention?

    How do we know whether a technology is still hype, simply too early — or starting to become something that really matters? In this episode, Kristine Lium talks with Leo Rundgren Olsen, Junior Portfolio Manager at DNB Disruptive Opportunities and co-author of Postkort fra fremtiden / Postcards from the Future. Leo works in a field where a big part of the job is to look ahead, read weak signals and decide what may create long-term value — and what is more likely to be noise. That makes his perspective useful far beyond investing. Because whether we are navigating our own AI transition, developing an organisation or thinking about building something new, we are all trying to answer the same question: what is worth paying attention to, and where should we put our effort? Using the S-curve — a simple way of describing how new technologies often develop slowly at first, then accelerate once they reach a turning point — they explore why “we tried it and it didn’t work” can be a dangerous conclusion, why many organisations still add AI on top of old ways of working, and what happens when intelligence and execution become easier to access. The conversation moves through productivity, value creation, analytical imagination and one of the episode’s strongest ideas: as intelligence becomes more available, good judgement may become even more valuable. A practical conversation about what to observe, what to experiment with — and when it might be time to act. Leo Rundgren Olsen is a Junior Portfolio Manager at DNB Disruptive Opportunities and co-author of Postkort fra fremtiden / Postcards from the Future. As the youngest equity fund manager in Norway, he works with one of the hardest questions in investing: how to recognise meaningful change before it becomes obvious. His work focuses on emerging technologies, competitive advantage and where long-term value may be created as industries change. Book: https://hegnarbok.no/products/postkort-fra-fremtidenX: https://x.com/ung_investor Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leorundgrenolsen/

    Ep 40 Too Early — or Time to Pay Attention?
  2. Sep 2

    Ep 39 Don’t Reinvent the Wheel — Use It to Get Up to Speed

    Don’t Reinvent the Wheel — Use It to Get Up to Speed AI makes it easier than ever to create ideas, analyse possibilities and move fast. But having more ideas does not automatically create more innovation. So what actually turns a good idea into something people use, value and are willing to pay for? In this episode, Kristine talks with Melanie Tschugmall, co-founder of CRO2go and an experienced Revenue and Go-to-Market leader who has worked across SAP, Zühlke Group and startup environments, leading international teams across strategy, innovation and execution. Melanie’s work centres on a simple question: how can companies turn strategy into predictable, sustainable growth? Through CRO2go, she helps companies build scalable Revenue Systems and establish Go-to-Market as a CEO-level priority, drawing on Silicon Valley GTM methodologies and adapting them to European and international markets. Together, Kristine and Melanie explore why companies often resist knowledge developed elsewhere, why strong products can still fail commercially, and how proven playbooks can help organisations avoid unnecessary reinvention. From “painkiller vs vitamin C” to the danger of “not invented here”, the conversation looks at what Europe can learn from Silicon Valley, what Europe already does well, and how combining proven systems with local strengths could help companies move from good ideas to repeatable commercial success. Because sometimes the smartest way forward is not to reinvent the wheel — but to use the wheel that already works and build something better from there. CRO2GO Melanie Tschugmall

    Ep 39 Don’t Reinvent the Wheel — Use It to Get Up to Speed
  3. Aug 19

    Ep 38 Summer Edition Adrian McDonald Revisit

    Halfway through 2026, Nordic innovation is showing plenty of momentum. But how do we turn individual successes into something that strengthens the whole region? In this Simply Briefed Summer Edition, we revisit Kristine’s conversation with Adrian McDonald, CEO of Epicenter, about what it takes to move from promising companies and breakthrough ideas to a stronger, more connected Nordic innovation ecosystem. They explore how knowledge can travel between entrepreneurs and established companies, why spaces and networks that bring people together matter, and whether we’re doing enough to learn from both the successes and struggles of those building what comes next. Because perhaps innovation needs more than capital, technology and great ideas. It also needs bridges, shared knowledge — and people we can learn from and look up to. We celebrate our athletes, artists and other stars. Is it time we got equally curious about our entrepreneurs? A conversation about Nordic ambition, collaboration and what becomes possible when one success helps make the next one a little more possible. About the guest: Adrian McDonald is CEO of Epicenter Group and a long-time company builder with experience spanning big tech, startups and scaleups. Today, his work sits at the intersection of these worlds, connecting founders, growing companies, established enterprises and investors across one of the Nordics’ largest tech ecosystems. With a career that has included Microsoft and the scaleup world, Adrian brings both an enterprise and entrepreneurial perspective to the question of how great ideas grow — and how stronger connections across the ecosystem can help more of them succeed. Adrian McDonald CEO of Epicenter

    Ep 38 Summer Edition Adrian McDonald Revisit
  4. Jun 17

    Ep 34 Using AI with Confidence: How Security Matters

    Using AI with Confidence: How Cybersecurity Matters AI is opening up new ways of working — helping us understand information faster, connect ideas, support decisions, and remove friction from everyday tasks. But as AI becomes more useful, we also give it more access: to our documents, our systems, our workflows, and sometimes even our decisions. So how do we make sure we can use AI with confidence? In this episode of Simply Briefed, Kristine sits down with Steven Antoniou from Lenovo to explore cybersecurity in the AI era — not as a fear-driven topic, but as one of the key pillars that makes AI adoption possible. Together, they discuss why security is not only about protecting systems anymore. It is also about understanding what AI tools can see, what they can do, and how organisations stay responsible when AI starts acting on their behalf. The conversation moves from AI as a tool to AI as something closer to a digital colleague: something that needs access, boundaries, visibility, and clear rules. Steven explains why organisations often fall into two extremes — blocking everything or allowing everything with only a policy in place — and why neither creates the confidence people need to actually use AI well. In this episode, we explore: Why cybersecurity can enable AI adoption instead of slowing it down What organisations need to understand before rolling out AI tools Why visibility is the first step toward protection The risks of shadow AI and AI features appearing inside tools we already use Why policies are not enough unless they can be supported in practice How safe structures can give people the confidence to experiment, create, and move forward A key takeaway from the conversation is simple: The safest organisations will not necessarily be the ones that use the least AI. They will be the ones that understand what their AI tools can access, what they are allowed to do, and how to make safe use easier than risky shortcuts. Because cybersecurity is not there to stop the future from happening. Done well, it is one of the foundations that lets us move into it with more confidence. Steven Antoniou has over 20 years of experience in IT and telecommunications, working at the intersection of cybersecurity, endpoint management, and emerging AI governance. In his role at Lenovo, he supports enterprises in gaining visibility and control over their device estate, strengthening their security posture, and aligning with evolving regulatory frameworks such as the Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2) and the EU AI Act. His focus areas include AI security and governance, endpoint and network protection, risk and compliance, and digital experience monitoring. LinkedIn: Mail: AI security, cybersecurity, AI governance, Lenovo, endpoint security, network protection, shadow AI, agentic AI, AI adoption, digital trust, EU AI Act, NIS2, risk and compliance, Simply Briefed

    Ep 34 Using AI with Confidence: How Security Matters

About

Welcome to Simply Briefed, where we bring clarity to complex topics — especially AI — through focused, expert-led conversations. Each episode dives into a specific subject, guided by guests chosen for their expertise rather than their backstory. Together, we break down big ideas, cut through hype and jargon, and translate complexity into practical insights you can use in your work and everyday life. Designed for curious professionals across the Nordics and beyond, the podcast blends Nordic clarity with global perspective ✨ Produced by Pimm Website: https://www.pimmsthlm.com/simply-briefed

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