groCTO Podcast

In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages with Vilas, an accomplished engineering leader with significant experience at companies like Walmart, Netflix, and Bill.com. They discuss the concept of Developer Experience (DevEx) and how it extends beyond simply providing tools. Vilas highlights the importance of enabling developers with frictionless processes and addresses the multidimensional challenges involved. The conversation delves into Vilas’s journey in DevEx, insights from designing platforms and enabling developer productivity, and the necessity of engaging with key opinion leaders for successful adoption. Vilas shares personal anecdotes and learning experiences, stressing the significance of treating developer enablement as a product and encouraging collaboration. The discussion concludes with advice for those stepping into DevEx roles, underlining the evolving significance of this field in the industry.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🎥 Vilas’s love for cinema & BTS stories🏃‍♂️ Unwinding through movementb) Key Takeaways🔑 The role of frictionless processes in improving DevEx🎯 Treating Developer Enablement as a product to drive real impact🤝 How to engage with key opinion leaders for successful platform adoption💬 Practical advice for those stepping into DevEx rolesLooking for top tech mentors like Vilas who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra is joined by Carlos Neves, the Head of Engineering at Vitality, as they explore the often challenging transition from an individual contributor (IC) to an Engineering Manager (EM).With over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership, Carlos shares his journey from Portugal to the UK, his initial interest in computer science influenced by a cousin, and his passion for salsa dancing. The discussion delves into the importance of gaining horizontal exposure within an organization, understanding the nuances of management beyond technical skills, and building confidence to overcome imposter syndrome. Carlos emphasizes the significance of proactive communication, trusting the team through delegation, and seeking mentorship. He shares insights into making a conscious decision to transition into management, highlighting the need for self-assessment regarding technical passions and people management skills.The episode concludes with advice for those considering this career path and the introduction of groCTO Connect, a mentoring initiative aimed at helping technical leaders advance.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid🇵🇹 Carlos’ path from Portugal to the UK💻 Balancing interests: Sports vs. Computer Science💃 Salsa dancing as a creative outletb) Key Takeaways🧠 How to gain horizontal exposure for a smoother transition into management💬 Tips for overcoming imposter syndrome through better communication🤝 How to effectively delegate by trusting and empowering your team🎯 Career reflection: Deciding between coding & people managementLooking for top tech mentors like Carlos who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra talks with Jagannath Kintali, former Head of Engineering at Dojo and ex-startup co-founder, about building impactful engineering teams focused on customer delight.Jagannath shares his extensive experience of over 18+ years in engineering, discussing the importance of building what is needed rather than overshooting with extravagant systems. He emphasises creating high-performance teams through trust, purpose, and customer empathy. Jagannath highlights his journey, the learnings from his startup, and how he implemented these insights at Dojo, including stories about curtain ordering systems and observability projects. This episode provides valuable insights on leadership, team building, and aligning engineering efforts towards solving real customer problems.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨‍💻 Jagannath’s rise from Orissa to tech leadership in the UK✈️ Passion for engineering and a dream to fly📈 Startup lessons: product focus, team-building, and executionb) Key Takeaways👥 Building customer-driven, high-performing teams🛠️ How trust, purpose, and empathy drive engineering success⚖️ Startup insights: start small, iterate fast🔍 Implementing learnings at Dojo with real-world projects🚀 Aligning engineering teams to solve real customer problems👨‍💼 Practical advice for leaders balancing system design with customer needsLooking for top tech mentors like Jag who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra sits down with Venkat Rangasamy, Director of Engineering at Oracle and an advisory member at HBR, to discuss how AI is reshaping the engineering landscape. Venkat shares his journey from a humble background to leading at Oracle, diving into his passion for mentorship and the revolutionary impact of AI on the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).In this episode, Venkat explores how AI is making product development faster, cheaper, and more efficient, while also addressing the challenges of using public versus local LLMs. He offers actionable advice for engineering leaders in startups, focusing on the evolving role of developers and how to navigate this transformative phase in tech.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨‍💻 Venkat’s humble background to leading at Oracle🤖 His passion for mentorship and generative AIb) Key Takeaways🤖 How AI is revolutionizing the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)⚖️ Challenges with public vs. local LLMs🔒 Security and IP concerns with AI💡 Making product development cheaper, faster, and more efficient with AI👨‍💼 Evolving role of developers in the AI-driven era🛠️ Actionable advice for engineering leaders navigating this shiftLooking for top tech mentors like Venkat who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra interviews James Charlesworth, Director of Engineering, Sheffield Site Lead at Pendo, to discuss the common conflict between product and engineering teams. James brings over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership to share strategies for fostering empathy, collaboration, and effective communication. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each team's priorities, the impact of misalignment, and how impactful one-on-one interactions can build trust within teams.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨‍💻 James’ background and early passion for tech🎸 Exploring creative non-tech hobbiesb) Professional Journey🎓 A pivotal moment: Choosing the wrong degree🧭 Navigating life and discovering your nichec) Key Takeaways💟 Bridging the ‘Product vs Engineering’ gap with empathy👔 The role and influence of Engineering Managers🤝 How frequent 1-on-1s build trust within teams🌱 Practical tips for introverts in techLooking for top tech mentors like James who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Vladislav Maličević, the CTO at Jedox, shares insights from his remarkable 20-year journey in tech, starting as one of the company’s first developers. He delves into the evolution of Jedox from an open-source planning tool to a cloud powerhouse, highlighting key strategic shifts. Vlado discusses the competitive landscape, featuring giants like IBM and SAP, and reveals the intricacies of the buy vs. build debate in tech. His reflections on balancing innovation with user adoption offer invaluable guidance for aspiring leaders.

Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Leonid Bugaev, Head of Engineering at Tyk.With 20 years in IT, mostly with startups, Leo brings a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship and leadership. He’ll share his insights on navigating economic downturns, building strong engineering teams, and keeping motivation high in tough times. Leo’s focus on transparent communication and strategic priorities offers valuable guidance for thriving in any economic climate.💡 Highlightsa) Getting Candid👨🏻‍💻 Leonid’s introduction✨ Personal life & hobbiesb) Professional Journey🚀 Starting a business at 17 & working with startups💰 Side hustles & monetizationc) Key Takeaways📈 Understanding the patterns of economic downturns👩‍💻 How to build business context for Engineering teams✅ Avoiding chaos & maintaining motivation🎯 Leo’s strategic priorities during a recession💬 Building trust with transparent communicationLooking for top tech mentors like Leonid who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move? Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.Accelerate your journey towards success🚀🎧 Full EpisodeThis episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com

Sergio Visinoni, a visionary Fractional CTO and Tech Advisor, discusses his intriguing journey from Software Engineer to solopreneur. He reshapes Maslow’s hierarchy for tech teams, arguing that stability and quality are essential before chasing innovation. Highlights include the power of data-driven decision-making, tailored strategies for team performance, and addressing challenges of change resistance. Sergio also shares insights on balancing life and career, along with the importance of clear communication to boost organizational performance.

Peter Peret Lupo, Head of Software Engineering at Sibli, brings over a decade of experience to the conversation. He discusses the significant impact of engineering metrics on organizational culture and delves into DORA metrics and their limitations. Peter emphasizes the importance of code collaboration and shares insights on tackling technical debt with objective metrics. He also explores the challenges of implementing metrics in teams, advocating for a collaborative approach that transforms data into tools for continuous improvement.

Ben Parisot, Software Engineering Manager at Planet Argon, brings over a decade of experience to the conversation. He dives into the DORA and SPACE frameworks, shedding light on how they boost engineering performance and team morale. Ben emphasizes the crucial link between team satisfaction and productivity. He also tackles challenges in measuring metrics, especially within legacy codebases, and shares strategies to enhance code quality through effective collaboration. His insights make for a compelling discussion about advancing engineering efficiency.