Lenovo Work Reborn Podcast

Employees are already bringing AI expectations into the workplace, but most organizations are still catching up on visibility, governance, and training. In this episode, Lakeside CEO Mike Schumacher explains why AI success depends on understanding current usage, standardizing the right tools, and redesigning work around real business outcomes.

AI adoption is accelerating, but many organizations still lack clarity on governance, accountability, and execution. In this episode, Kelsey Ziser, Senior Editor from InformationWeek, shares what CIOs are seeing right now, from shadow AI risks to the growing importance of integration and the challenges of scaling AI across the enterprise.

AI can help security teams move faster, but the AI systems themselves also need to be secured.  Mudit Sinha explains why leaders need visibility into AI workflows, costs, black-box behavior, and controls before relying on AI to optimize critical work. 🎧 Explore how leaders are shaping the future of work through smarter technology, stronger strategy, and a more human-centered approach to innovatio...

When a device goes missing, powers down, or drops off the network, the risk does not disappear with it. Ed Metcalf of Absolute Security joins Lenovo to discuss why endpoint resilience is becoming critical for distributed and AI-enabled work. He explains how Lenovo ThinkShield TraceLock, powered by Absolute Security, helps IT and security teams maintain visibility and control through firmware-level...

How do you reduce fear and build trust when introducing AI into the workplace? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Sasa Ellen Wallace, Information Systems Security Officer at the South African National Defense Force, about how awareness and education are driving AI confidence across teams. Sasa explains how personalized IT support, proactive monitoring, and...

What happens when AI becomes part of everyday work? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Raj Patel, VP of AI Transformation at Holistic AI, about how organizations can scale AI safely and responsibly. Raj explains how companies are bridging the gap between pilot projects and enterprise deployment using frameworks that balance innovation with risk management....

How can organizations use AI to empower people instead of replacing them? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Omar Khokhar, Technical Team Lead at Systal, about building confidence, trust, and capability in the age of AI. Omar shares how his team is creating proactive, AI-driven IT environments that enhance visibility, reduce downtime, and strengthen compli...

How can AI make work more human? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Mollie Brentnall, UK & Ireland IT Director at Crawford & Company, about how her team is modernizing insurance operations through a people-first approach to AI. Mollie shares how her company is using technology to automate repetitive tasks, accelerate claims handling, and make space...

How do you build transformation that lasts? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Jubilee Kar, Portfolio Strategy Manager at TGW Logistics, about why every successful digital transformation begins with education. Jubilee shares how her company is addressing skill gaps by combining external training with internal mentorship, and how creating a culture of knowl...

How do you build digital confidence in a time of constant change? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Joanna Tiffin, Director of Corporate Services at WIG, about how leaders can help teams embrace new technology through empathy, structure, and trust. Joanna shares how her organization is building digital foundations, piloting AI tools, and developing peer c...

How do you bring AI into a workplace that values certainty, safety, and trust? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Greg Buckle, Head of IT Architecture at EDF Energy, about how his team is navigating AI adoption in one of the world’s most regulated industries. Greg discusses how EDF is educating employees about AI, helping leaders understand what AI can and...

Can AI be trusted to run the systems that power our industries? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Christina Dinne, Industry Analyst Relations Lead at Siemens, about the company’s approach to creating reliable, industrial-grade AI. Christina explains how Siemens uses predictive and proactive systems to improve outcomes in manufacturing and smart infrastruc...

What makes an employee experience truly meaningful? In this episode of Lenovo’s Work Reborn podcast, host Rita Richa speaks with Amaury Martin, Head of Sales for South CME at UKG, about how AI and human connection are redefining the employee journey, from recruitment to long-term engagement. Amaury shares how companies like Euro Disney and El Corte Inglés are using AI-driven scheduling and workfor...

How do you introduce AI into an organization while protecting jobs, supporting people, and redefining what productivity really means? This conversation with North-West University’s IT Service Delivery Director, Thato Lehutso, explores exactly that. Thato shares how his teams are experiencing the shift from AI hype to hands-on adoption, how tools like Copilot are reshaping tasks, and why fear of be...

One of the most revealing truths about AI adoption is that real progress begins only when people understand what AI can and can’t do. We sit down with Aselsan CTO Taha Yucel to explore how one of the world’s top defense companies approaches AI with clarity and discipline. Taha explains how his team developed a secure internal AI system for translation, coding, and document support; how AI assists...

Solution starts with data strategy and culture. We sit down with the Lionsville founder, Steve Douho, to unpack why AI is triggering not an evolution, but a revolution across IT and operational landscapes. Steve shares how his team restructures organizations around engineering leadership, embraces optimism, and embeds plan-build-run practices to ensure every project reaches production. He explains...

What does it take to guide AI adoption in an environment where failure must be small, impact must be clear, and frontline teams define true success? We sit down with Paul, Deputy CTO, who oversees transformation across all policing business lines. Paul shares why his team starts with short, contained projects, how they define success metrics before any build begins, and why the business decides wh...

Organizations know AI is coming, but without a roadmap, use cases, or clear ROI, the path forward can feel overwhelming. We sit down with Scott Crawford to discuss the growing pressure leaders face as AI becomes an operational necessity rather than an innovation highlight. Scott explains how Lenovo is helping organizations move from concept to execution through real use cases, including the major...

Many leaders want to improve sustainability, yet most overlook the hidden costs of device waste, short lifecycles, and inefficient end-of-life processes. We sit down with Lenovo’s Phil Caley to unpack why sustainability must be integrated into every stage of the device lifecycle, from planning and procurement to deployment, support, and eventual recovery. Phil explains how organizations can reduce...

One of the most honest truths about AI adoption is this: we don’t know what we don’t know, and that’s exactly why leaders must start testing now. This conversation features RHB Bank CTO Kwang Leh Wong, who shares how his team is approaching AI with a blend of curiosity and discipline. Kwang explains why the bank uses structured ROI frameworks, how POCs help validate real impact, and why productivi...

Our survey of 600 IT leaders shows that most organizations are still reactive in their IT operations. So what does it take to bridge that gap? Join us as we explore this question with Evo Stefanov of Methodia, who specializes in automating utility operations across gas, electricity, water, and more. Evo explains why IT must shift from a visible barrier to an invisible enabler, and how aligning aut...

What does it take to help teams adapt without falling behind? We sit down with Emil Spliid Skyttegaard of Implement Consulting Group to explore how AI is reshaping strategy and organizational design across industries. Emil explains why leaders can no longer treat change management as a separate workstream and why designing for change from day one is essential to realizing the value of AI initiativ...

Even with thousands of applications in the cloud, many organizations are still stuck with legacy systems that slow them down. So how do leaders modernize without putting business-critical operations at risk? We sit down with Tessell co-founder Bakul Banthia to examine the tension between modernization and stability. Drawing from years of experience in database management, Bakul explains why cloud...

What does it really take for CIOs and CTOs to guide their organizations through AI-driven change without losing sight of people? This conversation features Suresh Deshpande of HCLTech, who breaks down how AI, modernization, and human readiness intersect in today’s rapidly advancing environment. Suresh discusses why integrating fragmented systems, harmonizing data, and empowering teams are essentia...

Great IT leadership often starts with one simple shift: realizing that you don’t have to have every answer. This conversation features Paul Anthony Jones, Director of User Technology and Service Management at a global law firm, who shares how collaboration, curiosity, and human-centered approaches shape his leadership style. Paul explains why empowering teams, listening intentionally, and celebrat...