Talent First

TALENT FIRST TOOLKIT: In this week's episode of the  Talent First Toolkit , I'm talking about one of the biggest misconceptions I see among senior technology and cybersecurity leaders: that finding your next executive role starts when you quickly update your LinkedIn profile or send your resume to a recruiter. It doesn't. In this episode, I explain why the most successful executive car...

SEASON SIX: In this week's episode of Talent First, 'Strictly Security', I chat to Karen O'Reilly Smith, Global CISO and advisory board member. We talk security and the business, building teams and what really happens when companies suffer a breach. We also talk about the rapidly evolving role of the CISO and why mentorship is so crucial for the future of the industry. If you are a...

TALENT FIRST TOOLKIT: A new mini series that co-exists with our regular programming! This week, should senior technology leaders even bother with LinkedIn anymore? I explore why LinkedIn still matters, the three biggest mistakes I see technology and cybersecurity leaders making, and how those mistakes often lead to frustration, inconsistency, and overwhelm. I share practical insight into what recr...

Season Six: Episode 1, Part #2 - This week's episode of the award-winning Talent First is a continuation of my conversation with India James, security leader and expert in the expansion and resilience of energy and critical infrastructure. We talk about OT security and its growing importance, OTS careers, and how all security leaders can use their artistry to prepare their organisation for bre...

SEASON SIX - ‘Strictly Security’: Part #1 - In this week’s episode of Talent First, and our first for Season Six, I chat to India James about why cybersecurity is both an art and a science. We explore the role creativity, intuition and judgement play in modern security leadership, and why the strongest security professionals are often the ones who can think beyond frameworks and controls. India al...

SEASON FIVE: In this week’s episode of Talent First, I chat to Andrea Rosales, data scientist and AI researcher and innovator, about what it really takes to adopt AI inside organisations beyond the hype. We talk about how companies are evaluating large language models and AI tools for enterprise use, and what decision makers should be looking for when the market is moving this quickly. Andrea shar...

BONUS EPISODE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to the wonderful Wendi Pannell, Founder of Pannell Consulting, about what really happens inside tech companies as they grow — and why execution so often becomes the problem. We talk about the point where companies should be flying, strong teams, clear vision, but everything still seems to rely on the founder. Wendi shares what’s act...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Jean Olive, CIO and AI innovator, about leadership, real AI transformation beyond optics and what it really takes to build high-performing technology teams. We talk about her leadership philosophy and how to create environments that stay human-centred, even in complex or political organisations. We also explore AI adoption and the...

SEASON FIVE: In this episode of Talent First , I chat to Sandra Falque about her new innovative learning tool for kids, Jules Stories . Sandra shares the inspiration behind Jules, how she designed the product, and the learning goals at its core — creating an experience that supports children’s development while keeping storytelling at the heart of it. We explore the technology behind the platform,...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I talk to Darrell WIlkerson, Founder of TRiSM Now, about the realities of adopting AI inside modern organisations. As companies race to experiment with new tools and platforms, much of the conversation around AI focuses on productivity and innovation. But where does security fit into the picture, and who is ultimately responsible once AI sys...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Barbara Wittmann, CIO and Founder of Digital Wisdom Collective, an organisation that helps companies to build Human Infrastructure that enables technology adoption, sustain growth, and lets them navigate complexity with wisdom. We talk about how to empower teams to use AI responsibly and confidently, the importance of people in AI...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Jody Warren, Co Founder of Gentia AI. And what a great product AND story this is. For too long, identifying where work actually hurts people has meant reactive processes, manual admin, and guesswork. Gentia doesn’t just record risk, it makes the invisible visible. By analysing organisational systems, policies, leadership practices...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I am joined by Karen Higgins-Carter, Chief Information and Digital Officer and independent director and board member.  We discuss AI adoption and adaptive change in organizations, exploring a framework for boards, focusing on the top of the pyramid: business model change, rather than only on personal productivity or operational efficiency. K...

BONUS EPISODE - In this week's episode of Talent First, it's just me! My first ever solo episode in 3 years of hosting this show. And this week, I am talking all things language - from resumes, to executive LinkedIn branding, and from job ads to feedback, there's advice and examples for everyone looking to hire and be hired in technology and cybersecurity. LISTEN OUT for the special of...

SEASON FIVE: In this week’s episode I chat to Amy Patel, VP of Product Innovation at McKesson about AI transformation, tools, and leading effectively amidst change.  We delve into her career experiences, and her involvement with the Girls Empowerment Network. Amy shares her insights on leadership in times of disruption, emphasizing the need for a learning stack mindset, upskilling, and adopting ne...

SEASON FIVE: This week, I chat to Kevin Shields, Co Founder of Crafting Tomorrow about a topic that has been the main focus of this season of Talent First and that is parenting in the AI age. We discuss the different eras of AI - ANI, AGI and ASI (and whether the latter will happen) as well as what the average person needs to know now. We also talk about the different apps available to kids, and w...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Tara Steele, Founder of The Safe AI for Children Alliance. We talk about a range of sensitive topics - from AI companions and grief bots, to the state of education around AI and the hidden impacts this iteration of technology will have on children if safeguards are not put in place. About Our Guest: Tara Steele is Director of The S...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode, I chat to Emma Derbi and Rachael Medhurst, the Founders of Positive Cyber Solutions. We chat compliance, security (and how they are not one and the same) and what businesses of all sizes need to do to be secure. We also talk about where companies are getting lost when it comes to compliance and how AI is confusing the landscape. About our guests: Rachael Me...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Anna Sarjantson, Founder of Screen-Safe about the impact that social media and AI is having on our young people, and how we as parents, teachers and adults need to 'normalize the awkward' and have those conversations about online behaviour that are so necessary today. We also talk about her services for parents and schools,...

SEASON FIVE: This week, I welcome back the wonderful Wendy Goucher, Cyber Consultant at Arcanum and author of the Nettie in Cyberland series for children, and the Canon Doyle stories for our older relatives. We chat about just how much the tech landscape has changed in the past three years since her first appearance, and how we can continue to protect our families in these increasingly complex dig...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I speak to Rob Griesmeyer and Kevin Johnson about their company Screenz.ai and the huge benefits to AI screening and assessments when it comes to interview - for both the candidate and the hiring team. We talk nervous interviewees, open questions and the data that helps TA teams make the best choices when it comes to top talent. About our gu...

SEASON FIVE - In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Ben Tasker, Senior AI Learning Strategist for National Grid. After all the news about AI generated layoffs, I wanted to learn more about how tech professionals can prepare and not panic when it comes to this iteration of tech. We talk about upskilling, reskilling (and how to find the time), as well as how to hire for skills not tr...

SEASON FIVE: *Sensitive subject matter*. In this week's episode of Talent First, I welcome back one of my favourite guests to the show, Nadja El Fertasi, Founder of Thrive with EQ who talks to me about her most recent offshoot of this venture, Shield with EQ. Nadja's mission is to empower individuals and families to build their personal Emotional Firewalls against scams, deepfakes, and onl...

SEASON FIVE: This week sees the return of the wonderful Lisa Ventura who talks to me about her new venture the AI and Cyber Security Association whose mission is to secure the future of AI and defend the future of security by supporting companies with training, policy and governance and risk mitigation around the use of AI integration. We chat about her career to date, the features and benefits of...

SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode, I chat to Christopher Carter, Chairman and CEO at Approyo and four time best-selling author. We talk all things SAP migration, the security risks and how Approyo helps mitigate them through their range of services, and what really makes for successful change management. About Our Guest: Since 2011, Carter's worked with companies in over 55+ different in...