CTO Confessions Brought to you by IT Labs

In the tech world, we all know that there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all solutions in terms of software, as every business and tech company has different needs, different MOs, and different goals. And technology procurement specialists – like Andrew Wood, Vice President – IT Sourcing at Proxima – come into the fore, with their expertise making lives of companies a million times easier. TC Gill sat down with Andrew, and they went deep into his journey so far, what he does right now, and how he goes about transforming complex projects that help drive businesses forward. Key Takeaways: • How successful procurement delivers long-term success • How agility applies to the procurement world • How being approachable can help you lead with a light touch Our Guest: Andrew Wood LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wood-2b980212/ Website: https://www.proximagroup.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/andy45wood Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)

Tech leaders are people who know how to inspire and drive others forward, shake things up, and change our perspective. In simpler terms? They are just troublemakers. Well, we got one such troublemaker – Andrew Vorster, Founder at Innovation Catalyst – who also happens to be an amazing storyteller. Mix that up with his vast experience in the tech world, and you know this is going to be an episode you will enjoy through and through. Key takeaways: • How to start fires through storytelling • Why working hard at creating collaborative systems can help a lot • How building trust and relationships creates the magic in a business Our Guest: Andrew Vorster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewvorster/ Website: https://www.andrewvorster.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewvorster Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)

Leading tech in one of Britain's busiest airports (London Gatwick) - Servicing a million and one uses cases every day, all-day. There are some complicated businesses out there, all with their demanding tech demands. Our guest on this episode of the CTO Confessions has a pretty challenging job on his and his team's hands. Nick Batchelor, Director of Information Technology at Gatwick Airport, imparts the wisdom of his years of experience leading in a high octane operation. - The tech challenges that the 2nd busiest UK airport faces. - Trying to create technology that supports ever-changing millions of dynamic use cases - Creating stability at the core of an operation that can easily go wrong Our Guest: Nick Batchelor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-batchelor-120200157/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gatwick-airport/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/gatwick_airport Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)

Some would say that technology drives the world, and innovation is in the driving seat. Well, let’s meet one of these – we got Erik Wirsing, VP of Innovation at DB Schenker. He sat down with TC to share his journey from techie to tech leader, as well as how he roles as a leader, and how he approaches innovation as a process. If you’re into innovation, you’re going to love this one. If you’re not into innovation...seriously? With Erik, we dived deep into what it means to be up-to-date with innovation, and how to navigate through that storm of innovation that we’re living through in this age of tech. Key Takeaways: • How being aware of the solutions available here and now can help you build for the future • Why delivering things virtually can be the way of the future • How to approach solving logistical problems on a larger and smaller magnitude Our Guest: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-wirsing/ Website: https://www.dbschenker.com/global Twitter: https://twitter.com/erikwirsing Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)

We all dream of finding the next big thing in tech, and some of us may remember coming into contact with some of the biggest tech companies in the world before they made it big – but how about being there and contributing to the formation of some of the biggest brands? That’s a blessing, a privilege only a few have enjoyed, but we got one of these few here on our podcast – meet Saeed Amidi, the CEO of Plug and Play, the world’s largest early-stage investor and business accelerator, a company which invested early in brands like Google, PayPal, N26, and many others. We sat down with Saeed to talk to him about how he approaches innovative ideas and start-ups, and what are the makings of a start-up that you can tell is destined for the stars. Key Takeaways from the episode: • Why hard work will always beat ideas • How missed opportunities can sometimes be a blessing in disguise • Why leadership is all about empowering people, and why sometimes leaders are viewed as an orchestra conductor

CTOs are naturally curious creatures, and some of them have unconventional journeys to becoming tech leaders. In this episode, we have Mike Couvillion, CTO at Kazoo HR, who is, and get this – a fighter pilot turned CTO. We can dive deep into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ and tell it all, but truth be told, you can hear it from the man himself by just clicking ‘Play’. Key takeaways: • Tech leaders should be skilled in the financial and business aspects of a business, not just the tech • How the military actually has aspects of Agile methodology, which can help grow businesses and teams • How hiring A-players will get you A-paying clients Our Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-couvillion-alexaguru/ Website: https://www.kazoohr.com/ Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)

As the world is leaning heavily on the digital sphere to deliver solutions and lighten to load on all aspects of life, there is an ever-increasing need for platforms that will help make important life decisions smoother and easier. Meet One Dome, a company developed to help make the process of choosing and buying your next home a lot, lot easier. We sat down for a talk with Turan Rustamli, One Dome's CTO, who shared the how's and why's behind this project. Turan talked a lot about the rationale behind this project, its motivation, and how his leadership style helped style the company and its success. Key takeaways: - It's immensely important to be an active member of every group you're part of - Seek out opportunities to learn, but also teach - A holistic approach to an idea will always develop it into something valuable Our Guest: Turan Rustamli LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rustamli/ Website: https://www.onedome.com/business/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/nehfy

In this episode, we get a glimpse into the industry that makes our everyday lives easier, safer, and flow seamlessly - cybersecurity. Matt Clark, the VP of Technology & Product Development at Smiths Detection, joined us to share his experience as a tech leader. We covered everything - from his beginnings in the industry, all the way to the challenges he thinks we'll face in the foreseeable future, all with the purpose of shining a bit of light on an industry that is ever-present, yet invisible. His unique leadership style and point of view all revolve around three focal points: - How cybersecurity affects our everyday lives and how they're different from other digital systems; - Steps crucial for proper product/service development, marketing, and selling; - The consequences of our actions, and how they can shape the future of a company, as well as the market. Our Guest: Matt Clark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-clark-2a7ba123/ Website: https://www.smithsdetection.com/ Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)

In this episode, we talk to Chris Clarke about his journey as the CTO and founder of EdTech company Talis. Having successfully scaled and sold the business, Chris now operates under the umbrella The Scale Up CTO - using his experience, success and mistakes to advise other businesses and startups on their scale up journey. Chris’s journey is one that’s rooted in the essence of technical leadership, and the turn from an individual contributor to becoming a catalyst for others. Key takeaways from the podcast are: - How to build trust and respect by demonstrating it - Why it's important to own the process of hiring, and the role of genuine employee experience in doing so - Delivery success based on the perfect tension between Engineering, Product and User Experience - and how to integrate this successfully with Agile

A fellow podcaster, Ryan Purvis, Chief Information Technology Officer at HiLo Maritime Risk Management, is one of those techies that simply had it in him to lead. From starting out in Johannesburg as a developer, he quickly climbed through the ranks, doing gigs in various industries, before ending up in HiLo. Here, you can hear all about his journey to becoming a tech leader, how he leads, and what it means to hold yourself responsible for your actions. Key Takeaways: • How to never be the bottleneck to anything you’re doing • How listening and trying to understand will lead your whole team to the solution • Why accountability is paramount in not just company, but also personal growth Our Guest: Ryan Purvis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanpurvis/ Website: https://hilomrm.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanpurvis Intro and background music: Craig MacArthur - Power Shutoff (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74iB_jtauw)