Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)

Anil Bhatt, Chief Information and Digital Officer of Norfolk Southern, discusses the freight rail giant's innovative approach to AI and data strategy. He emphasizes a disciplined, ROI-driven methodology for deploying AI, ensuring it delivers real value in operations. Anil outlines the company's '3 As' framework for effective data governance and explores how AI enhances safety and resilience. He also shares insights on integrating transportation networks for seamless logistics and reflects on the exciting trends reshaping the industry.

Ramon Richards, Chief Technology Officer at T. Rowe Price, drives innovation in AI while managing risks. He discusses strategies for scaling AI responsibly, including the creation of AI Labs and launching "ChatTRP" for organization-wide access. Ramon emphasizes the importance of data readiness and cloud architecture for generative AI. He also highlights the need for upskilling talent in AI literacy and change management, and explores future trends like agentic AI, all while ensuring a culture of trust and productivity in AI implementations.

How can venture investors consistently identify the next breakout market? Barry Eggers, Founding Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, reveals the firm’s thesis-driven approach to venture capital of using early “learning investments” to test conviction, then scaling fast into emerging markets before the crowd arrives. In this episode, Barry shares insights from Lightspeed’s foundational bets in enterprise tech, Snap’s billion-dollar rise, and how the firm built multi-company portfolios around early themes like flash storage and analytics. Key highlights include: Lightspeed’s strategy for placing early bets to gain market insight The story behind the firm’s $500K Snap investment and $1B+ return Why EQ matters more than technical depth in founder partnerships How globalization and secondaries have reshaped venture economics What it takes to defend against competition in the AI era

What if your innovation team operated more like a venture fund than a lab? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Andres Vazquez, Chief Digital Intelligence Officer of América Móvil, about how he leads open innovation at scale, evaluating thousands of companies a year to drive customer value, operational efficiency, and revenue. Key topics explored include: How Andrés acts as a “VC without capital” inside a $46B telecom Why América Móvil avoids trendy tech experiments without clear ROI Three strategic filters for external innovation: revenue, efficiency, and CX The company’s infrastructure advantage in the AI age Lessons from building a telco empire alongside Carlos Slim

Is your infrastructure ready to flex? In this episode of Technovation, Manish Kumar, EVP of Digital Energy at Schneider Electric, explains how buildings can become interactive energy assets with the help of AI, real-time data, and distributed energy systems. He shares the strategy behind Schneider’s Energy Command Center model, which reduced energy use by 25 GWh across 23 buildings, and outlines how AI can be deployed both locally and enterprise-wide to drive sustainability and efficiency. Key highlights from this conversation: Why net-zero infrastructure is already feasible today How buildings can interface directly with the grid The role of AI in building comfort, performance, and resiliency Examples of command centers transforming energy operations Public-private collaboration opportunities through transparency

What happens when the CIO responsible for powering AI also has to manage its energy demands? Richard Donaldson, SVP & CIO of Duke Energy, joins Technovation to discuss the unique position utilities now face: supporting exponential growth in data center power needs while simultaneously using AI to optimize grid performance, customer experience, and internal operations. In this episode, Richard and Peter explore: The intersection of AI and national energy infrastructure How one data center can require as much power as a nuclear reactor Strategies for responsible AI rollout and internal enablement Customer journey innovation in a highly regulated industry Why the utility CIO role is now central to digital transformation

Kirk Ball, a seasoned technology executive and the CIO of Worldpay, shares insights into building a high-performing IT organization during a carve-out. He discusses tripling the IT team while navigating a shift from IPO to M&A, emphasizing the importance of transparency and inclusion in tech culture. Kirk highlights the role of AI in enhancing productivity and his strategies for cloud adoption. He also touches on the significance of planning for integration with Global Payments and the potential of quantum computing in the future.

John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco and now founder of JC2 Ventures, shares insights on why AI is advancing five times faster than the internet. He discusses the urgency for leaders to embrace AI or risk being left behind, noting that 60-70% of Fortune 500 companies could vanish without adaptation. Chambers reveals how La Poste retrained 220,000 workers and emphasizes the importance of M&A in AI strategies. He highlights the U.S.-India innovation corridor and stresses that cybersecurity must evolve with AI to combat emerging threats like deepfakes.

Kathleen Peters, Chief Innovation Officer at Experian, oversees product strategy and innovation in identity verification and fraud detection. In this discussion, she explores Experian's shift from being a data company to a tech innovator. Topics include scaling generative and agentic AI, the new Experian Assistant leveraging natural-language modeling, and cutting-edge behavioral analytics to fight fraud. Kathleen also delves into the complexities of agentic commerce risks and the exciting potential of quantum computing in their Innovation Labs.

Maria Demaree, Lockheed Martin's Senior Vice President and CIO, drives a major digital and cultural transformation within the aerospace giant. She discusses the OneLMX initiative, which unifies 122,000 employees under a mission-focused digital strategy. Maria delves into the integration of AI and quantum computing to enhance national security operations and shares insights on balancing legacy systems with innovation. She emphasizes the importance of empathy and urgency in digital transformation, highlighting the cultural shift towards a common employee experience.