Tech Whisperers: Inside the Playbooks of the Best Digital Leaders

This week is a special one for Tech Whisperers, because not only do we have an incredible guest, but an incredible guest host, as well!In this episode, a longtime friend and colleague, Brian Watson, talks with Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak. One of the nine powerhouse leaders featured in Confessions of a Successful CIO, Steve is known as being a fixer–someone who will answer the call when their company needs it most and who knows what it’s like to start from humble beginnings to build something great.Brian will shine the light on Steve’s origin story, how he arrived at Xerox, and so much more.You will learn:How to “prepare” for the CEO roleSteve’s philosophy on running toward greatnessThe reality of loneliness as you rise in leadership rolesHow to tailor communication to different business leaders' languages and attention spansWhy it’s important to preserve a company’s legacyFeaturing a submitted question from:Vicki Hildebrand, CIO & SVP at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

No matter where you are in your career journey, there is always a need to plan for “The Great Pivot,” that moment when you hang up your day job and move into retirement. But many leaders struggle to adequately prepare for the transition as they approach retirement because they’re so heads-down balancing their work, family, and other responsibilities life throws at them.We’ve invited two incredible leaders, Diana McKenzie, a former CIO for Amgen and Workday, and Karenann Terrell, a former CIO at Wal-Mart and CD&TO at GSK, to share their own experiences and lessons learned when it comes to making a successful transition into the next phase of your professional journey. They sat down with Dan Roberts to discuss how they prepared for the pivot, how they’re spending their time in “Chapter 2,” and what you can do to make the most of your time now to plan for a great pivot of your own.Tune in to learn about:When it’s time to start considering how and when you will retireWhat retiring successfully looks likePreparing for retirement while still working full timeLeaning on your digital leadership expertise to help boards make informed digital decisionsFeaturing submitted questions from:Sal CompaniehKirk BallChris NardecchiaSue-Jean Lin

Join the conversation with best-selling author John Rossman as he discusses making big bets, driving change, and the leader's role in high-stakes moments. Learn about his experience at Amazon, how to de-risk initiatives, and access free resources for evaluating big bets.

While many leaders fill their roles with expertise, wisdom, and excellent capabilities, there are some who stand out even among the most successful. These leaders are redefining how their role operates within their organization, creating a truly unforgettable experience for themselves, their team members, and their customers.Gray Nester, the Chief Information Officer at Brown & Brown Insurance, is the kind of leader whose title only scratches the surface of the impact he has on his organization. In this episode, Dan Roberts sits down with Gray at Brown & Brown’s office in Daytona Beach, Florida, to unpack Gray’s tech leadership playbook.Tune in to learn how to:Align your technology strategy with business goalsCreate a culture of ownership in your organizationNurture a collaborative relationship between technology and business executivesTransform your team and your organization by emphasizing talent developmentCare for your team’s emotional wellbeing while always striving to improve, grow, and changeFeaturing submitted questions from:Julie TurpinJ. Powell BrownJeff DryeWill Shupe

As the CIO and Principal over Digital, Data, and Operations at Edward Jones, Frank LaQuinta is laser focused on delivering extraordinary experiences to his team and to clients. With a mandate to future-proof the organization and transform the foundation of the Fortune 500 company, Frank’s leadership, vision, and strategy have to be clear, firm, and tenacious.In this episode, we stop by the Edward Jones office in person to talk with Frank about his career journey and unpack his tech leadership playbook so you can learn how to: Maintain your competitive advantageDevelop and implement a digital roadmap for modernizing the enterprise and optimizing technology integrationAdopt three mindset shifts that will transform your leadership and your teamSet clear priorities and ensure appropriate fundingFeaturing submitted questions from:Bobby AnselmoKevin AdamsAndy MiedlerKristin Johnson

Just as the CIO role itself is evolving and transforming alongside technology, so are the processes and the businesses that use them. To be successful in this ever-changing landscapes, leaders need to be adaptable, knowledgeable, and effective visionaries. That’s why we are featuring Jim Chilton, EVP & CTO at the Cengage Group. As an experienced business and technology executive, Jim is skilled at driving innovation and optimizing technology by drawing from the lessons he has learned throughout his own career journey. Those skills have helped the Cengage Group maintain their position as a leader and premier disruptor in the edtech industry.As we unpack Jim’s leadership playbook in this episode, you’ll learn how to:Apply insights from the way immersive learning experiences, VR, and AI are being integrated into educationTransition to new technological paradigmsPosition yourself as a strategic contributor in your organizationUse “relentless prioritization” to effectively manage timeBalance accountability and good intentionsEstablish your leadership legacyFeaturing submitted questions from:Josh ReibelLorie PageJarrod MayesBob Solis

One of the biggest realities facing CIOs is the fast-paced evolution of their role and the scope of their responsibilities, especially with new AI tools taking the world by storm throughout 2023. We’ve invited two top executive recruiters to help us navigate the seemingly murky waters of what it takes to be a CIO of a large enterprise today and what organizations are looking for in their recruitment efforts as they move into 2024.Shawn Banerji is the Managing Partner for the Data, Digital, and Technology Leaders Practice for Caldwell. He is an expert on change management and helps his clients navigate the convergence of talent and technology and its implications across all facets of the evolving digital enterprise.Martha Heller is the CEO of Heller Search, a premier executive search firm specializing in technology executive search. Throughout her career, Martha has recruited hundreds of CIOs, CTOs, architects, and other senior technology positions. She was the founder of the CIO Executive Council and is the author of two books: The CIO Paradox: Battling the Contradictions of IT Leadership and Be the Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT. In this episode, we discuss:What companies need to do to attract top tech resourcesHow CIOs can create thriving, productive cultures for remote and hybrid workThe need for CIOs to be both digitally and business savvyThe increasing need for digital literacy across leadership rolesThe biggest challenges facing CIOsHow to navigate the unprecedented pace of change large enterprises are dealing with today

Ghada Ijam serves as the CIO for the Federal Reserve System, one of the world’s most vital and complex organizations, affecting the economy on an international scale, providing stability to the financial services industry, and facilitating trillions of dollars of payments daily.In her role, Ghada oversees both the technology and cybersecurity arms of the organization, collaborating with both internal leaders and external vendors to drive great decision-making and innovation while shaping the Fed’s digital future.Tune in to learn from Ghada’s leadership playbook, including how she:Navigates a complex federated structure to lead the Fed’s technology organizationMotivates and keeps her team excited about supporting the Fed’s missionInstills confidence in her team during times of changeBalances crisis response and long-term strategic planningFeaturing submitted questions from:Don AndersonDan AnthonyLouise WillardTammy Hornsby FinkDee Waddell

Amir Kazmi is the Chief Information & Digital Officer at WestRock, a $20 billion Fortune 200 company that provides packaging solutions for countless industries. Working as a leader in such a large and established organization means that Amir is responsible for both developing and executing WestRock’s global information systems, technology, and cybersecurity strategy. As if that weren’t enough, Amir is also leading WestRock’s digital transformation with a focus on operations and both customer and commercial digital solutions. Tune in to learn from Amir’s career journey, including how to:Embrace full ownership for P&LLead digital transformation initiatives in large organizationsCelebrate efforts and small wins without losing sight of end goalsStay adaptable and flexible while pursuing specific business goalsFeaturing submitted questions from:Shan CooperJames DallasAbraham Kazmi

What exactly does it take to lead a 213-year-old company through a digital transformation initiative? How about an enterprise CIO whose career has spanned amazing companies like IBM, KeyCorp, and BMO. Someone who knows how to break out of comfort zones, make tough calls, and stay confident in the face of uncertainty. In this episode, we are featuring Deepa Soni, Enterprise CIO at The Hartford, a $22 billion property and casualty insurance company. Deepa is responsible for the overall strategy, vision, and execution of business technology, cyber, data analytics, and data science.Tune in to learn from Deepa’s “answer-the-call” journey and uncover powerful insights from her story, including how to:Harness continuous learning to stay adaptable to new technologiesActively involve middle management in the change management processEngage senior leadership to improve their understanding of AI technologyPrioritize pace over precision and progress over perfectionTake a business-centric approach to technologyFeaturing submitted questions from:Silja PandaranJamie PatelVipin Gupta