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

939: Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder of CrowdStrike and the Silverado Policy Accelerator, joins Technovation to explore the U.S.-China geopolitical rivalry and the rise of a second Cold War. In his latest book, World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century, Dmitri outlines the critical need for the U.S. to dominate key technological industries, strengthen alliances, and focus strategically on the Indo-Pacific region to deter China’s ambitions. He also discusses parallels between today’s geopolitical tensions and the Cold War with the Soviet Union, as well as Taiwan’s emergence as a pivotal flashpoint. Highlights include: The Second Cold War: Dmitri compares U.S.-China tensions to the Cold War with the Soviet Union, emphasizing the striking similarities and the critical role of Taiwan in the current geopolitical landscape. Winning the Innovation Race: The discussion focuses on the importance of U.S. leadership in AI, biotech, clean energy, and aerospace to maintain global power. Lessons from Ukraine: Dmitri reflects on Russia’s cyber operations in the Ukraine war and the implications for U.S. companies and global cybersecurity. The Role of Cybersecurity in Modern Warfare: Insights into how cyber operations have become a cornerstone of geopolitical strategy, from espionage to infrastructure disruption. North Korea’s Cyber Prowess: A deep dive into how North Korea is innovating in cyber operations to fund its missile programs and achieve strategic goals. Xi Jinping’s Legacy: Dmitri examines Xi’s ambitions to surpass Mao Zedong’s legacy and the potential for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan in the coming decade.

Kristy Folkwein, Chief Information Officer of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), shares how she has driven a comprehensive digital transformation at one of the world’s largest food supply companies. From consolidating processes with S4 to leveraging generative AI for flavor innovation, Kristy explains the importance of data-driven decision-making and creating a digital-first culture. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Kristy about her strategic approach to using data and AI to unlock operational efficiencies, safeguard proprietary information, and promote experimentation across the organization. Kristy also discusses the challenges of balancing innovation with managing cybersecurity risks, navigating subscription-based technologies, and building a sustainable digital culture. Highlights include: Digital Transformation at Scale: Kristy outlines ADM’s strategy to modernize processes, standardize operations, and enhance agility with S4. AI in Action: Examples include flavor innovation with generative AI and capturing tribal knowledge in manufacturing. Protecting Proprietary Data: How ADM navigates the risks of adopting AI while ensuring data security and aligning innovation with business goals. Fostering a Digital Culture: Initiatives like ‘Feast Your Mind’ tech talks and success storytelling to encourage adoption of new technologies. Future Trends and Concerns: Kristy highlights emerging technologies like edge AI and machine vision while addressing the challenges of the subscription model shift and cybersecurity.

937: In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Joe Park, President of Digital and Restaurant Technology Ecosystem and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Yum! Brands. Joe discusses Yum!’s incredible journey from 19% to over 50% digital sales in just a few years, fueled by innovations in proprietary technologies and AI-first strategies. He shares insights into how the company has built and scaled an integrated technology ecosystem—referred to as “Restaurant in a Box”—to empower franchisees and enhance the customer experience globally. Joe also highlights Yum!’s strategic use of generative AI and voice AI to streamline operations, reduce team member attrition, and improve restaurant operations. Additionally, he delves into leadership training initiatives, including an AI and digital mindset curriculum developed in partnership with Harvard Business School, to prepare Yum!’s leaders for the digital future. Highlights include: Digital Transformation at Scale: Joe discusses Yum! Brands’ evolution from 19% to over 50% digital sales and the deployment of kiosks across its restaurants. Restaurant in a Box: How Yum! Brands integrates proprietary technologies into a seamless platform for franchisees. AI-Driven Operations: The use of voice AI and Dragontail to enhance efficiency and employee satisfaction. AI and Digital Leadership Training: A Harvard-led curriculum to equip Yum!’s top 200 leaders with AI skills. Team Member Empowerment: How tools like the SuperApp digitize and simplify daily routines for restaurant managers. Centralized vs. Decentralized Governance: Balancing global and brand-specific needs for scalability.

Medtronic CIO Rashmi Kumar discusses her leadership in advancing digital transformation for one of the world’s largest healthcare technology companies. Rashmi shares how hyperautomation, artificial intelligence, and robotic-assisted surgery are reshaping patient care and operational efficiency. She also highlights Medtronic’s recent establishment of a global IT center in Hyderabad and her journey to joining the board of Myriad Genetics. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High explores Rashmi’s unconventional path from metallurgical engineering to technology leadership, the cultural changes needed to foster innovation, and the role of AI in the future of healthcare. Rashmi also delves into Medtronic’s use of generative AI for internal operations and product innovation, including its transformative impact on patient care and global healthcare access. Highlights include: Hyperautomation at Scale: Rashmi explains Medtronic’s AI-powered chatbots and machine learning models that drive operational efficiency and predictive analytics. The Hyderabad IT Center: Insights into Medtronic’s global talent strategy and its focus on cloud engineering, cybersecurity, and AI. AI in Healthcare: How Medtronic is using AI for robotic-assisted surgery and imaging to improve diagnostics and patient outcomes. Leadership Lessons: Rashmi reflects on the importance of aligning IT goals with business outcomes and fostering a culture of innovation. Path to Board Membership: Her journey to joining the board of Myriad Genetics and how it has expanded her professional perspective. Future Trends: Rashmi shares her vision for the future of healthcare technology and its potential to reach underserved populations worldwide.

In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Soumya Seetharam, Chief Digital and Information Officer of Corning, a 170-year-old material science innovator. Soumya discusses her dual role in leading IT operations and driving digital transformation, focusing on reducing technical debt, democratizing technology, and implementing AI-powered solutions like Corning GPT and GenAI operator assistants. Learn how Corning is harnessing data and AI to stay at the forefront of innovation and efficiency. Highlights include: Corning GPT: A secure private instance of OpenAI for enterprise innovation. GenAI in Manufacturing: Revolutionizing operations with AI-driven assistants. Technical Debt Strategy: Retiring legacy systems for clean data and agility. Data-Centric AI Strategy: Plans for advancing Corning’s digital footprint in 2025.

Fraud is constantly evolving, but leveraging data accelerates understanding and adaptation to changes in the environment. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Prem Natarajan, EVP, Chief Scientist and Head of Enterprise AI at Capital One. Prem delves into how Capital One is leveraging AI to revolutionize financial services, with applications ranging from fraud detection to customer service enhancements. Discover how the company’s vibrant tech culture and partnerships with academia fuel innovation, and learn why Prem believes diverse perspectives are critical in shaping the future of AI. Highlights include: AI-Powered Fraud Prevention: How real-time data analytics and machine learning protect customers. Generative AI Applications: Enabling developers and call center agents with Gen AI tools. Responsible AI Partnerships: Multi-year collaborations with universities like Columbia and USC to explore ethical AI use cases. Innovation Culture: How events like SECON and Data Week foster tech collaboration and growth. Diversity in AI Development: The importance of diverse perspectives in AI lifecycle stage

933: Through advanced data and AI, healthcare companies are transforming care with precision health, delivering earlier diagnoses and personalized treatments. At Illumina, CIO Carissa Rollins is leading the charge, modernizing the tech stack to power the future of precision health. In this episode of Technovation, Carissa discusses how technology is reshaping genomics, sharing her efforts to streamline IT, foster AI innovation, and tackle global challenges like cancer and rare diseases. Host Peter High explores Carissa’s journey to becoming a CIO, her leadership in change management, and her vision for advancing precision health. Highlights include: Modernizing Technology: How Illumina is eliminating redundancies and driving organizational growth with a modernized IT landscape. Global Capability Centers: The launch of Illumina’s India GCC to enable 24/7 operations and scale innovation. AI Governance and Personalization: Ensuring ethical AI use and leveraging it for breakthroughs in personalized medicine. Leadership and Board Membership: Carissa’s boardroom experience and its impact on her CIO role. Precision Health and Genomics: The future of healthcare through genomics, addressing critical diseases, and improving patient outcomes.

932: Customer loyalty is a key metric for success in retail, prompting companies to leverage AI to optimize customer engagement. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Sharmeelee Bala, Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney, to explore how she is enhancing customer engagement and the transformative role AI plays in this process. Highlights include: Customer-Centric Innovation: Sharmeelee discusses how JCPenney creates seamless experiences tailored to customer preferences. AI and Data Strategy: She explains the role of clean, consolidated data in improving decision-making and how AI augments both employee productivity and customer insights. Next-Gen POS Systems: Learn about JCPenney’s mobile-first POS systems pilot, designed to enhance in-store shopping experiences. Loyalty Program Relaunch: The revamped rewards program strengthens customer engagement with benefits like “Cash Passes.” Retail from the Customer Perspective: Sharmeelee shares how her personal experience as a customer informs her leadership in retail innovation.

931: Transitioning from project to product thinking is more than an operational change—it’s a mindset shift. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Dak Liyanearachchi (CTO, NRG Energy), Arthur Hu (Global CIO, Lenovo), and Mike Anderson (CIO, Netskope) about how their organizations are embracing this evolution. The discussion spans the challenges of aligning business capabilities, fostering cross-functional teams, and developing leadership for a product-driven future. Highlights include: From Projects to Products: Transitioning to agile and product-focused models that enhance collaboration and deliver enterprise-wide innovation. Transformation Offices: How these structures act as enablers for integrating technology, data, and business functions for strategic alignment. Building Cross-Functional Teams: Developing “fusion teams” to break down silos and streamline operations. Developing Product Owners: The importance of identifying and nurturing leaders to take ownership of digital and technology products. The Role of AI in Innovation: Exploring how AI and Generative AI are reshaping enterprise operations and the customer experience.

930: The role of digital and technology leaders is rapidly evolving, with executive recruiters discussing how advancements like AI are redefining their titles, responsibilities, and organizational impact globally. In this episode of Technovation, we feature a panel from our 2024 Metis Strategy Summit with executive recruiters Katie Graham Shannon (Heidrick & Struggles), Art Hopkins (Russell Reynolds), and Henry Man (Candela Search) who explore how technology executive roles are changing in title, scope, and influence. The panel, moderated by Metis Strategy’s Steven Norton, delves into the shifting dynamics of leadership and discusses the implications for organizations worldwide. Highlights include: CIO Role Evolution: The panel explores how technology leaders are moving closer to the CEO, taking on broader responsibilities like cultural transformation and value creation. AI’s Leadership Impact: Discussion on how AI is reshaping leadership, with roles focusing on business disruption rather than purely technical oversight. Global Leadership Trends: Insights into differences between US and European leadership cultures, including compensation, risk-taking, and reporting lines. Technology Leaders on Boards: Analyzing the growing trend of CIOs joining corporate boards and the critical business acumen required. Recruiter Relationships and Interview Tips: Practical advice on building meaningful recruiter connections and standing out in executive interview processes.