No Ordinary Tech Podcast

The title of distinguished engineer originated in large tech organisations – most notably IBM – 30 years ago. But why is the role gaining more attention now and what does it actually mean to be one?In this episode, recorded live at Leeds Digital Festival, Martin Borrett, Distinguished Engineer at IBM, and Leena Sharma, a technology leader at Lloyds Banking Group join our host Dr Shini Somara to explore how deep technical expertise, leadership and communication skills are shaping the future of careers in tech.  Martin and Leena share personal career journeys, discuss the value of technical versus management career tracks, and highlight the importance of continuous learning and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry.To learn more about our career opportunities in technology and engineering visit Careers - Lloyds Banking Group plc

What does it take to transform an entire nation? In this episode, Nandan Nilekani shares the inside story of how he led the creation of Aadhaar and India Stack. Hear how his team overcame scepticism and technical hurdles to build a digital public infrastructure that now powers instant banking, mobile access, and digital payments for millions - making India one of the world’s most inclusive digital societies.Tune in for an inspiring story of innovation, leadership, and the power of technology to unlock opportunity for all.Brought to you by Lloyds Banking Group. Visit https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/group-overview/tech-and-transformation.html to learn more. 

Join Tejpaul Bhatia, CEO of Axiom Space, as he shares his journey from childhood passion sparked by a visit to Kennedy Space Center to leading transformative initiatives in space exploration. Tejpaul dives into the evolution of the space industry, the importance of orbital data centers, and Axiom's role in building the successor to the ISS. He also discusses innovative partnerships with brands like SpaceX and Prada, emphasizing collaboration as their key strategy for a thriving space economy. Get ready for an inspiring look at the future of human progress in space!

Lloyds Banking Group, a 250+ year-old institution, is currently in the midst of the largest digital transformation in the sector, investing over £4bn in its people, processes, technology and data.Leading the charge of this major transformation is CEO Charlie Nunn.What was the vision that sparked this change? And how has Charlie coped with the inevitable challenges that come with transforming a bank with such an established history?So, grab a brew and a biscuit (or two) as Group COO, Ron van Kemenade, takes up the hotseat as guest host for the first of our transformation mini-series.

According to KPMG, the UK fintech sector attracted over $3.6 billion in investment in 2024, making it the second-largest fintech market in the world. What can big businesses learn from UK fintechs to help them transform their futures?  To find out, Dr Shini Somara talks to William Tunstall-Pedoe - CEO of Unlikely AI and Founder of Evi, the tech that became the foundation for Amazon’s Alexa - and Ranil Boteju - Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Lloyds Banking Group.So, grab a brew and a biscuit (or two) for the final episode of the series, and enjoy a conversation on nimble pivots, risk-tasking and whether Benjamin Franklin or Robert Oppenheimer would make the better dream transformation hire…Brought to you by Lloyds Banking Group. Visit https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/group-overview/tech-and-transformation.html to learn more. 

A recent Deloitte report showed that microchips could be on course to become a TRILLION dollar industry by 2030. But what are the technologies that will unlock this growth - and power the future of businesses?Discussing AI, Moore's Law, Neuromorphic computing and more are this week's guests Paul Williamson, a Senior Vice President at compute platform company Arm, and Admir Dedic, Head of Emerging Tech and Innovation at Lloyds Banking Group.Join us for a coffee as our guests share the challenges and opportunities the industry faces, how a culture of innovation is essential, and why a furniture maker is Paul's dream transformation hire...Brought to you by Lloyds Banking Group. Visit https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/group-overview/tech-and-transformation.html to learn more.

The World Economic Forum names six strategic pillars for nations wanting to build their own sovereign AI capability. But what are the key pillars for businesses wanting to build their own 'sovereign' AI capabilities?To unlock the answers, we've invited David Hogan, VP of Enterprise for EMEA at NVIDIA, and Trystan Davies, Head of Data Science at Lloyds Banking Group, in for  a coffee and a chat.Plus, David donates an idea worth a billion dollars to our essential transformation toolkit, and nominates a transformation hire whose story has been turned into one of the most successful documentaries in British cinema history.....Brought to you by Lloyds Banking Group. Visit https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/group-overview/tech-and-transformation.html to learn more.

Cyber security is high on the agenda for business leaders around the world. So, what are the key areas to focus on? How can your workforce form part of your defence in depth? And is there a role for artificial intelligence?To find out, we've asked Rachael Todd, Head of Cyber Security at Vodafone, and Matt Rowe, Chief Security Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, to share their experiences and insights over a coffee (or two).Plus, Rachael reveals the surprising group who influenced her donation to the essential transformation toolkit, and the sporting legend whose resilience would make them her dream transformation hire.Brought to you by Lloyds Banking Group. Visit https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/group-overview/tech-and-transformation.html to learn more

For this week's podcast we take a special look back at our episode from December 2024 on the big tech trends for 2025.Which came true? Which did we miss? What's yet to come? Have a listen to the episode and let us know how we did?

Serverless computing is growing at an incredible pace with the market expected to increase by 15% each year over the next five years.Today’s guest, Sheen Brisals, saw these benefits first-hand when he helped Lego go serverless in just 10 months, before going on to become an AWS Serverless Hero.Joining him is Paul Gledhill, Lloyds Banking Group’s Serverless Engineering Lead, to talk efficiency and why servers are just like cars…Plus, discover the NASA technique Sheen donates to Lloyds' essential transformation toolkit and why his dream transformation hire steals like an artist!