CTO Confessions Brought to you by IT Labs

Air travel is one of the cogs keeping businesses running, and that’s why it’s vital that airports run as smoothly as possible, and technology plays a crucial role in keeping things flowing. To learn more about how it all goes down and all the gears moving in the background, we talked to Maruice Jenkins, Director Information Systems and Telecommunications at Miami International Airport, who guided...

We live in the era of distractions, and truth be told, our attention spans have shrunk in the past few decades, so staying vigilant and focused while doing some things – such as driving, for example – is becoming a bit difficult. But of course, tech giveth, and now we have a way to ensure that our short attention span and weak focus are not a nuisance or a hazard in traffic. One such company is ‘d...

People often talk about how some industries will never get fully teched-up due to the “human element” and the limitations that come with technology, and they might be right – but they were wrong about insurance. Just take a look at Lemonade – an insurance company redefining what it means to be in the business. To learn more about how this company works, and the tech-dealings behind the scenes, we...

Technology, and specifically IT technology has helped turn dreams that every human being has had at least once – to fly, to dive deep, to be able to reach other people – and now, at the forefront of it all, are people lie Alexander Oelling, CDO at Volocopter, who are at the forefront and pioneering in the world of UAM – Urban Air Mobility – in which vehicles like their Volocopter give us a glimpse...

Blockdaemon is all about blockchain nodes – the plumbing behind all blockchain operations. What was once a complex procedure to launch, is now a piece of cake. Businesses can now dip their toes in the world of blockchain, and Blockdaemon is here to empower them. TC sat down with Blockdaemon’s VP of Engineering, Lloyd Moore to talk about his journey in the tech world, his leadership style, and of c...

Sometimes tech leaders don’t have the technical expertise or knowledge as you’d expect, but they have the business acumen and understand technology, and do what all tech leaders should – be catalysts for other to succeed and enable them to be better, day in, day out. Michael Okwusogu, Founder and CEO at Value X Partners is one such tech leader. An investment banker by making, he’s been involved in...

In the world of tech, the things you can do for research, for development, for creation – are simply limitless. And Michele Nati, Head of Telco and Infrastructure Development at IOTA Foundation, is working on the things that are right up there with some of the most exciting tech, IoT and blockchain. Our TC Gill sat down with him for a chat to learn more about Michele’s journey, his leadership styl...

A software engineer by training, but a tech leader by making, Jayant Chaudhary, CTO at Eproxim, threaded a path that is as interesting and amazing as you’d expect from someone who first planned on studying literature and history. But he didn’t, and what the world of literature may have lost, the world of IT has gained. With more than 30 years of experience in the world of IT, there was loads that...

We’ve all seen techies turn into tech leaders, but professional sports players? Now, there’s a story right there, and Andrew Gomarsall, Executive Chairman at N2S, is here to tell it. From making his first steps on the rugby fields, all the way to what he does now, Andrew’s story as a pro athlete turned eco warrior is one that will show athletes and aspiring techies that there’s always a way, and t...

Tech leaders are not just people who know how to lead. They’re people with an affinity for technology who enjoy helping others reach their goals, guiding them through projects and through their own professional journeys. And one such leader is Eric Harrison, Director of Engineering at Marketplacer, who sat down with our TC Gill to talk about his journey to becoming a tech leader, his leadership te...

The second story in our Amazonian Tribe series is here! For this one, we have Kristin Toth, currently the President & COO at Fernish. But we’re here now to talk about her close to 8 years with Amazon, during which time she had a hand in delivering some of the flagship services which have made the company what it is today. From joining the company in its formative years, all the way to its meteoric...

Some leaders are great at enabling change and providing a platform for others to grow, and of course, there are those that can see change, anticipate it, and help others integrate and adapt. Henrik Hvid Jensen belongs in this latter group. As the CTO of DXC Technology, he’s leading teams that provide services for companies, mainly modernizing them in ways that help them prepare for the future, but...

Tech leaders are life-long learners, and as such, they have their fair share of experience accrued through good, but also many bad experiences. In the crazy world of tech, burning out is not uncommon, but more often than not, it can be a lesson – which once learned, can help you become a real driving force, a leader. One such leader is Brian Leonard, CEO at Grouparoo, who sat down with us to share...

We usually see techies turn into tech leaders by first earning their badges, and then moving on to create something of their own, but not many separate from the mothership as a company, and take that giant leap into leading. But for Matthew Bull, CTO at Elanco, did it and not only did he suceed, he managed to grow the company, and all of that in the space of two years! From having a clear vision o...

One would think that innovation in traveling is all about speed, right? Just getting to your destination faster. But the truth is, there is much more in terms of technology of what’s going on in this industry, and we have the bright mind of Amy Burr, President at JetBlue Technology Ventures, to shine some light on what it means to work in this industry, what her journey has been like, and some kic...

One might think that the world of finance is no place for techies and tech leaders, but let’s be honest here – tech mavericks have a way of developing tech that can take almost any industry to the next level. And here, we have Chris Goddard, CTO & Partner at G-Research, who’ll dive deep into the comings and goings in the world of algorithmic trading, and how tech can help take it to the next level...

At IT Labs, we like to see under the covers of industries outside the one we're in. In this episode, we have a real eye-opener – a glimpse into an industry we are all faced with (literally) but rarely know the technological shenanigans and magic that goes on in the background. Dan Goldin, the VP of Engineering at TripleLift, shares his leadership wisdom and the challenges that TripleLift is helpin...

The ways technology can be used are many, and most of the solutions help in the here and now, and make our lives simpler, and basically giving us the world in our hand. But can tech be used for prediction? Can we anticipate disruptions in markets? We have Philippe Ensarguet, Group CTO at Orange Business Services, who sat down with us to share his journey so far, what he’s doing right now, and lay...

In the tech world, we all know that there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all solutions in terms of software, as every business and tech company has different needs, different MOs, and different goals. And technology procurement specialists – like Andrew Wood, Vice President – IT Sourcing at Proxima – come into the fore, with their expertise making lives of companies a million times easier. TC Gi...

Tech leaders are people who know how to inspire and drive others forward, shake things up, and change our perspective. In simpler terms? They are just troublemakers. Well, we got one such troublemaker – Andrew Vorster, Founder at Innovation Catalyst – who also happens to be an amazing storyteller. Mix that up with his vast experience in the tech world, and you know this is going to be an episode y...

Leading tech in one of Britain's busiest airports (London Gatwick) - Servicing a million and one uses cases every day, all-day. There are some complicated businesses out there, all with their demanding tech demands. Our guest on this episode of the CTO Confessions has a pretty challenging job on his and his team's hands. Nick Batchelor, Director of Information Technology at Gatwick Airport, impart...

Some would say that technology drives the world, and innovation is in the driving seat. Well, let’s meet one of these – we got Erik Wirsing, VP of Innovation at DB Schenker. He sat down with TC to share his journey from techie to tech leader, as well as how he roles as a leader, and how he approaches innovation as a process. If you’re into innovation, you’re going to love this one. If you’re not i...

We all dream of finding the next big thing in tech, and some of us may remember coming into contact with some of the biggest tech companies in the world before they made it big – but how about being there and contributing to the formation of some of the biggest brands? That’s a blessing, a privilege only a few have enjoyed, but we got one of these few here on our podcast – meet Saeed Amidi, the CE...

CTOs are naturally curious creatures, and some of them have unconventional journeys to becoming tech leaders. In this episode, we have Mike Couvillion, CTO at Kazoo HR, who is, and get this – a fighter pilot turned CTO. We can dive deep into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ and tell it all, but truth be told, you can hear it from the man himself by just clicking ‘Play’. Key takeaways: • Tech leaders should be...

As the world is leaning heavily on the digital sphere to deliver solutions and lighten to load on all aspects of life, there is an ever-increasing need for platforms that will help make important life decisions smoother and easier. Meet One Dome, a company developed to help make the process of choosing and buying your next home a lot, lot easier. We sat down for a talk with Turan Rustamli, One Dom...