The IT/OT Insider Podcast with David and Willem

Welcome to Episode 11! As we get closer to Hannover Messe 2025 , we’re also approaching the final episodes of this podcast series. Today we have two fantastic guests from AVEVA : Roberto Serrano Hernández , Technology Evangelist for the CONNECT industrial intelligence platform, and Clemens Schönlein , Technology Evangelist for AI and Analytics. Together, they bring a unique mix of deep technical i...

Welcome to Episode 10 of the IT/OT Insider Podcast. Today, we're pleased to feature Anupam Gupta, Co-Founder & President North Americas at Celebal Technologies , to discuss how enterprise systems, AI, and modern data architectures are converging in manufacturing. Celebal Technologies is a key partner of SAP, Microsoft, and Databricks, specializing in bridging traditional enterprise IT systems with...

Welcome to Episode 9 in our Special DataOps series. We’re getting closer to Hannover Messe, and thus also the end of this series. We still have some great episodes ahead of us, with AVEVA , HiveMQ and Celebal Technologies joining us in the days to come (and don’t worry, this is not the end of our podcasts, many other great stories are already recorded and will be aired in April!) In this episode,...

Welcome to Episode 8 of the IT/OT Insider Podcast. Today, we’re diving into real-time data, edge processing, and AI-driven analytics with Evan Kaplan, CEO of InfluxData . InfluxDB is one of the most well-known time-series databases , used by developers, industrial companies, and cloud platforms to manage high-volume data streams. With 1.3 million open-source users and partners like Siemens, Bosch,...

Welcome back to the IT/OT Insider Podcast . In this episode, we dive deep into industrial data modeling, manufacturing execution systems (MES), and the rise of headless data platforms with Geoff Nunan , CTO and co-founder of Rhize . Geoff has been working in industrial automation and manufacturing information systems for over 30 years . His experience spans multiple industries, from mining and pha...

Welcome to Episode 6 of our Industrial DataOps podcast series . Today, we’re diving into a conversation with Joel Jacob, Principal Product Manager at Splunk , about the company’s growing focus on OT, its approach to industrial data analytics, and how it fits into the broader ecosystem of industrial platforms . Splunk is a name that’s well known in IT and cybersecurity circles, but its role in indu...

Welcome to another episode of the IT/OT Insider Podcast . In this special series on Industrial DataOps , we’re diving into the world of real-time industrial data, edge computing, and scaling digital transformation . Our guest today is John Younes , Co-founder and COO of Litmus , a company that has been at the forefront of industrial data platforms for the past 10 years . Litmus is a name that keep...

Welcome to Episode 4 of our special podcast series on Industrial DataOps . Today, we’re joined by Aron Semle, CTO at HighByte , to discuss how contextualized industrial data, Unified Namespace (UNS), and Edge AI are transforming IT/OT collaboration. Aron has spent over 15 years working in industrial connectivity, starting his career at Kepware (later acquired by PTC) before joining HighByte in 202...

Welcome to Episode 3 of our special podcast series on Industrial DataOps. Today, we’re excited to sit down with Andrew Waycott , President and Co-founder of TwinThread , to explore how AI and Digital Twins can transform manufacturing operations. Andrew has been working with industrial data for over 30 years, from building MES and historian solutions to developing real-time AI-driven optimization a...

Welcome to Episode 2 of our special podcast series on Industrial Data. Today, we’re joined by Martin Thunman , CEO and co-founder of Crosser . Together with David and Willem, we dive deep into Industrial DataOps, IT/OT integration, and how real-time processing is shaping the future of manufacturing. Subscribe today to support our work and receive the next episodes as well! What is Crosser? Crosser...

In the first episode (see video above), David and Willem take you behind the scenes of their Industrial Data Platform Capability Map —a structured way to understand how organizations can truly leverage their industrial data. David talks about the role of a platform and which capabilities are needed to build it. He also focuses on the role of Data Management and how that is linked to building a Uni...

Manufacturing has long been the backbone of global economies, yet the industry often remains hidden in plain sight, tucked away in industrial parks and misunderstood by the public. In this episode David was joined by Mike Nager . Mike Nager is a passionate advocate for Smart Manufacturing, with a career that began in electrical engineering, where he worked closely with manufacturers to automate an...

This episode was one of our most engaging yet on the topic of AI. David sat down with Dr. Wilhelm Klein, an expert in Automated Quality Control and holder of a PhD in Ethics . As the co-founder and CEO of Zetamotion, Wilhelm brings a mix of hands-on experience and deep understanding of the ethical questions surrounding technology. Over the hour, we covered a lot of ground— how AI has evolved , its...

In this episode of the IT OT Insider podcast, host David interviews Davy Demeyer, an expert in industrial automation. Davy shares his extensive background in automation engineering, discussing the challenges faced in programming PLCs and the divide between IT and OT. He emphasizes the need for modern software development practices, such as DevOps and DesignOps, to improve automation workflows. Dav...

Welcome back to the IT/OT Insider Podcast, where we dig into the nuances of digital transformation and Industry 4.0. Today we welcome Jon “The Factory Guy” Weiss on the podcast! With a career that spans global leadership roles at GE Digital, Software AG, and Amazon, Jon now operates as an Industry 4.0 expert. His diverse experience gives him a unique perspective on how technology impacts the manuf...

Welcome to the 10th episode ( 🎉) of The IT/OT Insider Podcast! David talks with Gregory Grauwels , who is the current Group OT Manager at Cloetta, a confectionery company in Europe. With years of experience in both industrial automation and digital transformation, Gregory has an impressive track record in OT management. In this podcast, he shares his insights and advice for those aspiring to star...

In this new podcast David had an insightful conversation with Klaas Dobbelaere, IIoT Connectivity Director at Electrolux (also known in some markets under their brands AEG or Frigidaire ). Klaas shared valuable insights into the world of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and how Electrolux is embracing IT/OT convergence to drive digital transformation in its manufacturing operations.  Thanks fo...

To kick off the second season of IT/OT Insider, we’re diving into the world of Digital Transformation, MES and change management with Bram Van Genabet . With a career that spans from refining oil at ExxonMobil over chocolate production at Barry Callebaut (Director of Digital Innovation) to his current role as independent consultant at La Lorraine Bakery Group (Director of Digital Strategy), Bram b...

After nearly a year of delving into the intricacies of IT/OT convergence, it's time to shift gears and step into the real world where theory meets practice. Introducing our new series, " Idea to Shop Floor: How companies are figuring out IT/OT Convergence ," where we'll be showcasing real-life case studies from companies that are at the forefront of digital transformation. These stories will highl...

Welcome back to the IT/OT Insider Podcast, Today, we have a special guest, Dr. Amir Cahn , CEO of the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN). Dr. Cahn brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in leveraging data-driven technologies to transform water, wastewater and stormwater networks worldwide.  The SWAN ( Smart Water Networks ) Forum is a global hub for industry experts, innovators, and thought le...

In this episode of the IT/OT Insider podcast, David sat down with Toni Manzano , a veteran in the pharmaceutical industry and co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Aizon . We delve into how IT/OT convergence concepts can be applied to the pharmaceutical industry, an area where precision, regulation, and innovation intersect in complex ways.  Thank you all for all the positive feedback we rece...

Welcome to a special episode of the IT/OT Insider Podcast! Today is the first time we, David and Willem, are interviewing each other instead of hosting a guest. As co-authors of this blog and both working in the field of industrial digitalization, we thought it would be fun to share our own stories . In this episode, we'll delve into our backgrounds, our journeys in IT and OT, and our joint presen...

In this latest episode of the IT/OT Insider podcast, David welcomed Jan Meskens , a seasoned data consultant with a rich background in data management and academia. The discussion provided deep insights into the evolving landscape of industrial data management, emphasizing the critical need for bridging the gap between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) to leverage the ful...

In the heart of the digital revolution, companies across the globe are recognizing the need to adapt and transform. The industrial sector is no exception. David had the privilege of speaking with Mike Hughes, Zone President at Schneider Electric for the Nordics and Baltic region , who has been at the forefront of this transformation. With years of experience and a career that spans various regions...

Welcome to today’s episode, where we dive deep into the world of IT/OT convergence with Shiv Trisal, the global manufacturing, transportation, and energy market leader at Databricks. Join us as we explore the transformative power of data across industries and discuss the future of industrial digital transformation. Timestamps: [00:00] Meet Shiv Trisal [00:33] Databricks Explained [01:36] IT vs. OT...