Maven Cast

Ensono

Maven Cast—powered by Ensono—brings together seasoned industry leaders and subject matter experts for deep-dive conversations on top-of-mind business and technology issues to help you drive better digital transformation decisions and outcomes. 

Episodes

  1. 09/26/2025

    Revolutionizing insurance IT pt. 3: Slaying the agility dragon

    Insurance carriers know that agility is essential for staying competitive. But what does it really take to overcome the obstacles to agility in a world of legacy constraints, shifting regulations, and relentless market pressure? In this episode, Ensono's Chief Strategy Officer Brian Klingbeil welcomes back veteran industry leaders Holly Olive, Phil Ratcliff and Greg Black for a candid, practical conversation about the realities of building a nimble insurance IT environment now.  Drawing on decades of experience, the panel unpacks the true cost of agility, the persistent obstacles that keep carriers stuck, and the strategies that actually move the needle. You’ll hear:  Why data—internal and external—is the lifeblood of agile product development How legacy infrastructure and rigid contracts stifle innovation (and what to do about it) The critical role of cloud-native and low-code solutions in speeding time-to-market How AI and new Insurtech tools are transforming code documentation and legacy modernization The cultural and regulatory hurdles unique to insurance—and how to overcome them Real-world examples of incremental wins and missed opportunities Whether you’re wrestling with outdated platforms, searching for ways to unlock new business models, or simply looking to future-proof your IT strategy, this episode delivers actionable insights and fresh perspectives from those who’ve been in the trenches. Tune in for a deep dive on what it really means to be agile in today's insurance environment and how to get there, one step at a time.

    18 min
  2. 08/25/2025

    Unlocking the art of the possible in a z17 world

    When IBM announced the launch of the z17 in April 2025, the enterprise’s silent engine let out a triumphant roar. Not simply a performance upgrade or even a new set of capabilities, it marked a revolutionary turning point, upending long held assumptions about what is and isn’t possible on this iconic platform: AI can happen on the mainframe; security and agility aren’t at odds; the mainframe is not just a system of record, but a system of real-time intelligence in its own right.   In this 1:1 conversation recorded live at the IBM Innovation Studio in New York City before an intimate audience, Tina Tarquinio, IBM’s Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE, and Lisa Dyer, SVP of Mainframe Services at Ensono, zoom out from use cases to explore the big-picture implications of this watershed moment in the mainframe’s trajectory, including:  What the launch of the z17  represents for the future of enterprise technology Assumptions enterprise leaders need to let go of to truly seize this moment How organizations should rethink “modernization” when their most intelligent, secure and sustainable platform is the one they already have The one question C-suite leaders need to ask themselves in light of this shift And more! It's time to start seeing the mainframe as the future of secure, intelligent infrastructure. This inspiring conversation between two esteemed mainframe experts will have you thinking bigger and bolder than ever about the potential of your organization's most business-critical system.

    14 min
  3. 06/27/2025

    Forget everything you think you know about mainframe modernization

    For any organization running a mainframe, modernization is likely a top priority or an ongoing initiative. But what does it truly mean to “modernize” the mainframe? Is it just marketing jargon or boardroom theory? Do the outcomes modernization promises really require the actions enterprises often take? Is mainframe modernization even possible?  In this Maven Cast episode, Ensono 2025 IBM Champions, enterprise IT experts and mainframe mavens Steven Perva and Paul Buchanan bring unfiltered candor and from-the-trenches clarity to the ubiquitous—but often ambiguous—concept of mainframe modernization. They challenge conventional wisdom about what a modernized mainframe really is, separate hype and delusion from reality, and make the case for bucking the status quo in favor of a client-focused, people-led approach to optimizing the remarkable strengths of this critical platform—one that has stood at the forefront of innovation since it helped put a man on the moon. They also offer a bold prediction about the forces that will truly shape the mainframe’s future.  You’ll hear:  Why “modernization” is a misnomer for a platform that has always led the pack The right and wrong ways to think about hybrid cloud AI, automation, open source: which buzzword du jour delivers the biggest ROI? How AI has helped mainframe technologists overcome the challenges of remote work The mainframer toxic trait that automation is helping to correct What tech prognosticators get wrong about the next big shift on the horizon And much more These two veteran technologists go beyond acronyms to deliver real talk about the future of the platform they love. Along the way, they outline the assumptions IT and business leaders should question, and the steps they should take—and avoid—to help guide mainframe modernization in the right direction.

    25 min

About

Maven Cast—powered by Ensono—brings together seasoned industry leaders and subject matter experts for deep-dive conversations on top-of-mind business and technology issues to help you drive better digital transformation decisions and outcomes.