Leaders In Tech

David Mansilla

Welcome to the leaders in tech podcast. This show focuses on talking with top CIO / CTOs and industry leaders and learning how they are leveraging human and technology resources on growing their business exponentially.

  1. Sep 27

    What 40 Years in Tech Taught Abhay Salpekar About Staying Unstoppable

    Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, host David Mansilla welcomes Abhay Salpekar, Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Deep Neural. Abhay is a seasoned strategic technology and AI executive with a proven track record of aligning technology strategy with business objectives across startups and multibillion-dollar enterprises. Join us as Abhay walks through his journey from electrical engineering and mainframes to leading today's most advanced AI cybersecurity and quantum-readiness initiatives. He breaks down how technology is evolving exponentially and what professionals must do to stay adaptable and resilient in a fast-changing world. Key Takeaways & What You’ll Learn: AI-Driven Cybersecurity: How traditional security models are transforming into autonomous, context-aware adaptive security meshes.Securing AI Agents: The emergence of agent identities, Model Context Protocols (MCP), and cryptographic "agent passports" to authenticate and control autonomous AI agents.Preparing for Quantum Computing: Why organizations must begin building quantum-proof products to withstand the leap beyond binary computing.The Skills Life Cycle (SLC): How tech professionals can spot S-curve patterns in their careers and pivot before their current skills become commoditized.Foundations Over Trends: Why mastering core logic and architectural principles is the key to surviving every technological hype cycle. Drop a comment below: What skill are you focusing on to future-proof your tech career? Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell for more interviews with leading voices in technology! #AISecurity #QuantumProof #TechLeadership #LeadersInTech #Cybersecurity #DigitalTransformation

  2. Sep 11

    How Giving Away Software for Free Built a Massive Tech Revenue Engine

    Welcome back to another inspiring episode of the Leaders in Tech Podcast, hosted by David Mansilla! In this episode, we sit down with Aviram Hassan, CEO and Co-Founder of Mentar, a cutting-edge developer infrastructure platform based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Aviram shares his unique journey from high school acting and philosophy to military intelligence, technical sales, and eventually launching his own software startup.  Learn how his diverse background equipped him to lead through uncertainty, build open-source software, and transform how modern software engineering teams test and deploy code.   📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: • Unconventional Pathways into Tech: How early passions for video gaming and creative arts can foster deep problem-solving and coding skills. • The Value of Creative Skills in Leadership: Why acting and philosophy build high-performing communication, empathy, and emotional resilience under pressure. • The Best Role Before Founding a Company: How working in Solutions Engineering bridges the gap between high-level tech and enterprise sales. • Building Developer Infrastructure: How Mentar enables developers and AI agents to test components against real environments locally without breaking system workflows. • Open-Source Strategy for Growth: Launching open-source software first, gathering authentic user feedback, and scaling into commercial success. • Resilient Founder Mindset: Navigating global crises, economic shifts, and startup pressures while keeping family and core values first.   🔔 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and turn on Notifications so you never miss an episode with top industry leaders! #LeadersInTechPodcast #AviramHassan #DavidMansilla #Mentar #DeveloperInfrastructure #OpenSourceSoftware #SolutionsEngineering #SoftwareDevelopment #TechStartups #DigitalTransformation

  3. Aug 28

    How to Turn "Misfit" Departments Into High-Performing Teams

    Welcome to another episode of Leaders in Tech! In this episode, host David Mansilla sits down with Daniel B. Waltz, a recently retired Healthcare CIO with over three decades of experience driving technology and digital transformation across major health systems. Dan shares his inspiring journey from a computer programmer with a background in Organizational Development to leading major Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementations and scaling IT organizations from 50 to 250 personnel. Discover how Dan applied basketball strategy, emotional intelligence, and servant leadership to build resilient teams and improve patient care through technology. 📌 Key Takeaways from this Episode: EQ Over IQ: Why emotional intelligence and human relationships are mandatory skills for modern technology leaders. Servant Leadership in Action: How putting your team's needs first builds trust, drives performance, and creates lasting corporate culture. Strategic Playbooks for Tech: Applying sports coaching strategies to execute complex, multi-site Epic EHR deployments on tight timelines. Purpose-Driven IT: Understanding the human impact behind healthcare tech—why digital tools exist to serve patients and their families. Navigating Career Transitions: Knowing when it’s time to step up, when to move on, and mastering the art of letting go into retirement. Follow & Subscribe: Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more insights from top industry leaders! #Leadership #ServantLeadership #HealthcareIT #CIO #EmotionalIntelligence #TechLeadership #EpicSystems #TeamStrategy #RetirementTransition #Mentorship

  4. Aug 21

    Why Keeping a "Safe" Job Might Be Your Biggest Risk

    Pursuing a stable job and embarking on a business venture are two distinct paths that necessitate distinct skill sets and attitudes. While a secure job provides certainty and stability, launching a business requires one to take risks and handle ambiguity. It takes a lot of courage, determination, and resilience to jump into a new venture, especially when it involves leaving the comfort of a stable job. One must be prepared to take calculated risks, be adaptable, and embrace the challenges that come with entrepreneurship. As a result, this course of action is not for the faint of heart, and those who choose to undertake it must be ready for the ups and downs that come with it. “Wayne Lipkus formed his own computer consulting business, Lipkus & Associates Computer Consultants Inc. in 1988. He has designed and created numerous computer software programs for several different industries; such as, Field Service, Food Production, Engineering, Financial, R&D and Legal. He created the Network Anti-counterfeiting Tracking and Enforcement (N.A.T.E.) computer system to track information on thousands of suspected and confirmed infringers, the S.A.M.S (Structured Asset Management System) to help engineers out in the field and the GoTrade365 Field Service ERP Software solution. Wayne credits his success with the wonderful people he has been lucky to have worked with over the years. Individuals from all over globe and in countries like Canada, USA, South America, Latin America, India and Ukraine, have all contributed to his growth both professionally and personally. Wayne loves the excitement of new ventures and relishes in the creative process. When not working Wayne loves spending time with his family first and playing hockey and skiing to clear the mind.” www.gotrade365.com

  5. Aug 14

    Mastering AI & Quantum Shifts: What Every Tech Leader Needs to Know Now

    What does it take to lead at the absolute edge of technological innovation? 🚀 In this episode of the Leaders in Tech Podcast, host David Mansilla is joined by Chris Murphy, a technology leader representing the CTO Office (EMEA) at Viavi Solutions. Chris shares fascinating insights into the invisible infrastructure powering our connected world, the imminent rise of 6G and quantum networks, and what these shifts mean for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and remote teams. Whether you're curious about the mechanics of modern telecommunications or trying to navigate leadership in an AI-driven era, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and mind-bending discussions. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Building Resilient Infrastructure: Why stress-testing your systems (and your business) in the lab prevents real-world disasters.The Evolution to 6G & Open RAN: How flexible, decoupled networks are changing global connectivity.Quantum Computing & Post-Quantum Security: The upcoming threats to encryption and how industries are preparing today.Leading in the Age of AI: Empowering software developers and teams to adapt as AI tools transform the workplace.The Human Side of Remote Work: Balancing the freedom of global, dispersed teams with the need for authentic human connection. Subscribe to the Leaders in Tech Podcast for more inspiring conversations with technology pioneers and business leaders shaping tomorrow! #TechLeadership #5G #6G #Telecommunications #OpenRAN #QuantumComputing #Cybersecurity #FutureOfTech #RemoteWork #Podcast #LeadersInTech

  6. Jul 30

    The Cybersecurity Mistake That Costs Companies Millions

    Welcome to another episode of Leaders in Tech hosted by David Mansilla! In this episode, we welcome Thom Langford, air CTO at Rapid7 and former CISO at Publicis Groupe and Velonetic. Thom takes us through his fascinating career path—from early days setting up 640K memory PCs and Vax VMS systems to building enterprise cybersecurity programs from scratch. Beyond tech stacks and vulnerability management, Thom opens up about his personal battle with burnout and addiction, offering powerful lessons on mental health, leadership, and setting workplace boundaries. Key Takeaways & What You’ll Learn: The Security Paradox: Why absolute security stops business innovation, and how CISOs must manage compromise and complexity. Unconventional Career Paths: How a corporate identity theft crisis launched Thom’s CISO career. Mental Health in Cybersecurity: Overcoming burnout, dealing with "secrets and failure," and why normalizing mental health discourse saves careers. Empathetic Leadership: The rule of "Public Support, Private Correction," providing air cover for your team, and leading with trust. Work-Life Balance: Practical strategies for tech professionals, including learning to decline unnecessary meetings and setting hard boundaries. 🔔 Subscribe & Stay Connected: If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of Leaders in Tech! #Cybersecurity #CISO #Rapid7 #LeadersInTech #ITLeadership #ThreatIntelligence #VulnerabilityManagement #MentalHealthInTech #ExecutiveLeadership #WorkLifeBalance #TechPodcast #IncidentResponse #BusinessContinuity #CareerJourney #EmpathyInLeadership

  7. Jul 16

    How to Leverage Machine Learning to Monetize Your Fractional Expertise

    In this episode, host David Mansilla is joined by Azam Beyk, a former professional football player, telecom engineer, and the visionary founder of Neoma. From surviving the ruins of the Yugoslavian war in Croatia to facing career-ending sports injuries, Azam’s path to tech leadership was anything but traditional. He opens up about the painful two-year emotional transition of rebuilding his life, how he went from deep-tech engineering to corporate pre-sales, and why he ultimately stepped away from corporate life to build an AI platform that is modernizing how enterprises and high-tech vendors collaborate. If you want to build a deeply aligned, resilient, and human-centric organization, Azam’s unique leadership perspective will change how you view your business. Key Takeaways from This Episode:The "New Moon" Philosophy: The inspiration behind his startup, Neoma, representing the power of starting fresh and embracing personal/business reinvention in the era of AI.The Ultimate Business Skill—Resiliency: How surviving geopolitical displacement and physical setbacks created an unshakeable mindset capable of handling the emotional roller coaster of entrepreneurship.Translating Tech to Business Value: Learning the critical executive skill of bridging the gap between deep technical code and high-level business strategy.The Corporate Football Pitch: A genius team-building strategy where Product acts as Defense, Sales as the Offense, and Marketing as the Midfielders.Human-Centric Future of Work: How Neoma leverages AI to accelerate B2B digital transformation while opening decentralized, flexible financial opportunities for modern tech contributors.The Ultimate Golden Rule: Why leading with mutual value—"Loving for others what you love for yourself"—is the key to achieving global peace and successful collaboration. #LeadersInTech #TechPodcast #DigitalTransformation #AIStartup #BusinessLeadership #CareerPivot #MindsetShift #OvercomingAdversity #EntrepreneurMindset #Neoma

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Welcome to the leaders in tech podcast. This show focuses on talking with top CIO / CTOs and industry leaders and learning how they are leveraging human and technology resources on growing their business exponentially.