CXOTalk

#businesstransformation #digitaltransformation #innovation Business leader, Atif Rafiq, author of 'Decision Sprint,' and former President of MGM Resorts International explores business transformation on CXOTalk episode 790.Atif explains how to manage business transformation and innovation in the face of uncertainty. The book emphasizes the importance of "upstream work" - a structured initial phase that addresses unknowns in innovation projects - and outlines a three-step approach comprising Exploration, Alignment, and Decision-making. Rafiq’s methodology distinguishes itself by emphasizing purposefulness and inclusiveness.The conversation includes these topics:► About Atif Rafiq’s book, Decision Sprint► Upstream work: Challenges of business transformation► Reframing approaches to risk management► Complex business problems require inclusive thinking► How to cultivate “input obsession” to develop robust ideas► Use collective intelligence to hack the corporate culture for innovation► Practical examples: Amazon and Volvo► The innovation pipeline: Breaking down silos and unifying goals in digital transformation► Create clear and simple goals to align the organization► Start with questions and an open mind► Focus on inputs from across the organization► Demonstrate quick wins to gain the confidence of senior leadership► Advice to Chief Information Officers► Advice to CEOs on leading the challenge of upstream workRead the full transcript: www.cxotalk.com/episode/business-transformation-how-to-tame-the-unknownsSubscribe: www.cxotalk.comhttps://www.cxotalk.com/subscribeAtif Rafiq has blazed trails in Silicon Valley and the Fortune 500 for over 25 years. After rising through digital native companies like Amazon, Yahoo!, and AOL, Atif held C-suite roles at McDonald’s, Volvo, and MGM Resorts. He oversaw thousands of employees as a global P&L, transformation, and innovation leader. Atif has built a large following as one of today’s top management thinkers. Over half a million people follow his ideas about management and leadership on LinkedIn, where he is a Top Voice, and his newsletter Re:wire has over 100,000 subscribers. Atif is passionate about helping companies push boldly into the future. He accomplishes this through Ritual, a software app revolutionizing how teams innovate and problem-solve, and through his work as keynote speaker, board member, and CEO advisor.

#ecommerce #algolia #ecommercebusiness #ecommercewebsite In episode 792 of CXOTalk, we explore AI-powered search and discovery in ecommerce with Sean Mullaney, Chief Technology Officer, of Algolia. Mullaney explains how AI and machine learning can improve customer lifetime value by enabling greater personalization in ecommerce. We also discuss vector search technology and the impact on customer experience.This in-depth discussion presents practical advice from Algolia, the second largest search engine after Google. Watch this episode to understand how to implement these transformative technologies to improve customer loyalty and ecommerce revenue.The conversation includes these topics:► Ecommerce and the paradox of choice► Impact of AI and machine learning on ecommerce► Improving user experience: How AI personalizes shopping► What is vector search?► Vector vs. traditional keyword search► Using personalization to drive higher customer lifetime value► Using AI-powered search to improve ecommerce customer acquisition and raise customer lifetime value► Best practices for implementing personalization in ecommerce► Personalization and the retail buying funnel in ecommerce► Personalization and real-time data in ecommerce► Ethical considerations in hyper-personalization► Measurement, KPIs, and A/B testing in ecommerce personalization► Understanding customer behavior and shopping modes in ecommerce► Future of search and discovery in ecommerce► Advice for ecommerce retailersRead the complete transcript: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/ecommerce-strategy-ai-powered-search-and-discoverySean Mullaney is the Chief Technology Officer at Algolia. He joined Algolia from Stripe, where he most recently acted as the Chief Information Officer in Europe and led a global engineering organization overseeing the development and operations of 40+ local payment methods across Europe, Asia, and the Americas that processed hundreds of billions of dollars. Prior to Stripe, Mullaney oversaw the development of AI powered discovery experiences, including search, recommendations, personalization and browse as the VP of Engineering at Zalando, the largest eCommerce fashion retailer in Europe with nearly 50M active customers. Mullaney also spent more than seven years at Google heading various innovation teams, including three years at the Google research labs in Silicon Valley.In addition to serving as CTO of Algolia, Mullaney serves as a Board Member for Manna Drone Delivery, a Venture Advisory Board Member for Elkstone Ventures, is a member of the Market Advisory Group at the European Central Bank advising on the design of the Digital Euro and an active startup advisor and a Sequoia Scout angel investor. Mullaney earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Cambridge.

John Hill, SVP for Digital and IT at Suncor Energy, explains how HR and IT can collaborate to create a positive work environment and improve communication and collaboration using technology. The podcast discusses challenges in employee engagement and strategies to overcome them. It also highlights the role of Workday in achieving employee engagement goals and the impact of mobile, AI, and ML in employee experience transformation.

#cio #customerexperience #cxostrategyOn CXOTalk episode 790, we explore the impact of CIO strategy and its transformative impact on customer experiences. Listen to this thought-provoking conversation with Michael Ruttledge, the Chief Information Officer of Citizens Financial Group, as we discuss how IT can help create exceptional customer journeys, foster innovation, and drive sustainable growth.The topics for this episode include:► Understanding the CIO role in enhancing customer experience► Bridging the gap between IT systems and customer value► Using technology to meet customer expectations► Creating seamless customer experience with innovative technology► Digital transformation and customer experience are strongly connected► The five pillars of next-generation technology strategy at Citizens► Agile transformation: shifting from monolithic to incremental software development► Aligning the culture of IT and business to support customer experience objectives► Modernizing legacy systems with a platform approach► Aligning business and technology investments► The impact of business and information technology transformation on customer experience► Prioritizing investments in customer experience► The role of IT in digital transformation projects► Cloud strategy: Responsiveness to customers, agility, and efficiency

#marketingstrategy #dataanalytics On CXOTalk episode 787, we explore quantitative marketing strategy with Professor Oded Netzer of the Columbia University business school and Amy Jaick, the institution's Chief Marketing Officer.The conversation covers leveraging data and analytics, the power of personalization, ROI evaluation, the role of A/B testing, and the emergence of quantitative intuition in decision-making:► What is quantitative marketing?► Importance of data and analytics in understanding customers► The power of personalization in marketing► Evaluating return on investment (ROI) in marketing► The role of A/B testing in quantitative marketing► Data collection in marketing: Insights and challenges► Working with structured and unstructured data in marketing► Advice to marketers on approaching data strategically► Privacy concerns in data-driven marketing► What is quantitative intuition?► Incorporating quantitative intuition into business decision-making► The role of artificial intelligence in marketing: insights and limitations► How to combine quantitative marketing techniques and intuition for effective decision-makingSubscribe to the CXOTalk newsletter and stay informed! https://www.cxotalk.com/subscribeVisit CXOTalk: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/quantitative-marketing-data-driven-strategies-and-challengesProfessor Oded Netzer's expertise centers on one of the major business challenges of the data-rich environment: developing quantitative methods that leverage data to gain a deeper understanding of customer behavior and guide firms' decisions. He focuses primarily on building statistical and econometric models to measure consumer preferences and understand how customer choices change over time, and across contexts. Most notably, he has developed a framework for managing firms' customer bases through dynamic segmentation. More recently, his research focuses on leveraging text-mining techniques for business applications.Amy Jaick is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Columbia Business School. She works across functions and channels to create integrated programs that bring CBS’s mission, vision, and values to life. Prior to joining CBS, Amy built and led the first-ever corporate digital marketing and communications team at ViacomCBS and helped launch Goodman Media’s digital business. Jaick has also held the role of Director of Digital Marketing at Estimize, where she implemented acquisition, engagement, and retention campaigns across mediums. Before Estimize, she oversaw marketing for The Economist's events business in North and South America, after first serving as The Economist's Communications Manager for the region. Jaick initially began her career at Goodman Media designing media relations programs for marquee clients.

#dataanalytics #financialservices #goldmansachs In this episode of CXOTalk, we host Neema Raphael, the Chief Data Officer at investment bank Goldman Sachs, who explores the importance of data strategy in the financial services industry.Raphael explains Goldman Sachs' three-pronged approach to managing data: through platform development, content curation, and governance and quality control. The conversation includes a discussion on the challenges and opportunities that come with handling complex, real-time data in a high-stakes environment such as financial services. He also highlights the firm's commitment to open-source platforms, notably its platform called "Legend," as a tool to promote data interoperability throughout the industry. During the conversation, Raphael offers advice on developing a successful data strategy and discusses the role of cloud technology in modern data management.The conversation includes these topics:► Why data is important in financial services► Goldman Sachs’ approach to managing data► Challenges and opportunities of managing real-time data at scale► Managing data complexity and the role of technology infrastructure► Why Goldman Sachs open-sourced its data platform► How Goldman Sachs assigns financial value to data► Ensuring data quality at scale► Importance of infrastructure, automation, and platform in managing data► Implementing data policies and governance► About Goldman Sachs’ data team► Promoting data interoperability through open-source platforms► The challenge of building an open-source community► Balancing data governance and innovation: insights from the financial industry► Advice from Goldman Sachs on building a successful data strategy► The role of cloud computing in data strategy and its impact on business outcomesSubscribe to the CXOTalk newsletter and stay informed of upcoming live events: https://www.cxotalk.com/subscribeRead the complete transcript and search CXOTalk shows:https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/data-and-analytics-at-goldman-sachsNeema Raphael is Chief Data Officer and Head of Data Engineering at Goldman Sachs. Previously, Neema was head of Research and Development Engineering, responsible for determining the firm's strategy for emerging technology such as digital assets and artificial intelligence. Prior to that, he led various engineering teams in Core Engineering and was a member of the Core Strats team within the Securities Division that built SecDb. Neema joined the firm in 2003 as an analyst in the Technology Division and was named managing director in 2013.

#otsecurity #paloaltonetworks #zerotrust In this informative episode of CXOTalk, Anand Oswal of Palo Alto Networks explains how to manage security for operational technology (OT). He discusses security related to interconnected devices, critical infrastructure, manufacturing, medical environments and more.Oswal provides a clear overview of the challenges involved in securing OT systems, emphasizing the importance of visibility, segmentation, machine learning, and simplifying operations with legacy architectures.This episode offers valuable insights and practical guidance for professionals seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of OT security. From examining the broad attack surface and key challenges to discussing best practices for deployment, this conversation provides a wealth of knowledge to help you effectively secure OT systems.The conversation includes these topics:► About operational technology (OT) and security► Operational technology presents a broad attack surface► Key challenges in OT security► Ensuring visibility► Segmentation and zero trust► Machine learning► Simplify operations, especially with legacy architectures► Consequences of OT security breaches► Product strategy for OT security► Best practices for deploying OT security► Getting started with OT securityRead the complete transcript: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/interview-anand-oswal-svp-and-general-manager-palo-alto-networksAnand Oswal serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager at cyber security leader Palo Alto Networks where he leads the company’s Firewall as a Platform efforts. He holds more than 60 U.S. patents and earned a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the College of Engineering, Pune, India and a master’s degree in computer networking from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

#dataanalytics #analytics Watch this important CXOTalk episode for a discussion on data and analytics strategy with Bruno Aziza, Head of Data and Analytics at Google Cloud.Bruno shares insights on the convergence of data and workloads, data products, building trust through governance, and activating real-time data for success in the era of digital transformation.Here is more detail on the topics discussed in this episode:► Convergence of data and workloads► Importance of governance to build trust in data► Activation and real-time data► What are data products► Practical examples of data products► Infrastructure requirements for data products vs. traditional dashboards► Roles and team structure in data science► “Data scientists are lonely”► Data science in small organizations► Data products and digital transformation► Team collaboration in data science► How to build a great data culture► Data quality creates trust and confidence in the data► Steps to build a data and analytics strategySubscribe to the CXOTalk and get notified of upcoming LIVE shows: https://www.cxotalk.com/subscribeWatch more and read the complete transcript: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/mastering-data-and-analytics-strategy-with-bruno-aziza-head-of-data-and-analytics-at-google-cloudBruno Aziza is the Head of Data and Analytics at Google Cloud. He has helped companies of all sizes: startups, mid-size, and large public companies. He helped launch Alpine Data Labs (bought by Tibco), AppStream (bought by Symantec), SiSense (bought Periscope Data) & AtScale. He was at Business Objects when they went IPO (after acquiring Acta & Crystal Reports, & before SAP bought them for $7B). He was at Microsoft when they turned the Data & Analytics business into a $1B giant.Bruno specializes in high-growth SaaS, enterprise software, everything data, analytics, data science and artificial intelligence. He educated in the US, France, the UK & Germany. Bruno has written 2 books on Data Analytics and Enterprise Performance Management. His allegiance is to the Analytics Community worldwide.

#digitaltransformation #vmware Discover valuable insights on managing large-scale transformation in this CXOTalk episode featuring Mike Hayes, Chief Operating Officer of VMware. In this conversation, Mike explains how the software giant is navigating change and transformation and pivoting towards a SaaS future. He reveals how VMware is breaking down silos, redesigning processes, and aligning goals to create a unified organization capable of thriving in the multi-cloud era.The conversation includes these topics:► About VMware’s transformation► Navigating large-scale transformation with clear goals► Balancing individual and team incentives for transformation success► Culture and incentives: “Don't give people tasks; give them goals.”► About VMware's internal and external change initiatives► Harmonizing business models with product-led growth strategies► Redesigning processes and breaking down silos across the organization► How to measure and evaluate transformation progress► Business agility: What is it and why it is important► Practical advice on creating business agility► How to measure and evaluate business agility► Advice for business leaders on driving large-scale organizational change► The importance of situational awarenessRead the full transcript and see related interviews: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/data-and-analytics-at-goldman-sachsMike Hayes is VMware’s Chief Operating Officer, where he is responsible for worldwide business operations and acceleration of the Company’s SaaS transition. Mike leads with a passion for driving agility, excellence and meaning in service of customers’ missions. Before VMware, Hayes served as Senior Vice President and Head of Strategic Operations for Cognizant Technologies where he ran a $2B P&L for global financial services. Mike also served as a Chief of Staff to the CEO and COO roles at Bridgewater Associates, an investment management firm.Prior to joining the private sector, Hayes spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, where his last role was Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO. He served in the Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan conflicts, including ten months as the Commander of a 2,000-person Special Operations Task Force in southeastern Afghanistan. Hayes was selected as a White House Fellow, served as Director, of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council, and was the Deputy Commander for Special Operations in Anbar Province, Iraq. His military decorations include the Bronze Star for valor in combat in Iraq, a Bronze Star for Afghanistan, and the Defense Superior Service Medal from the White House.Hayes authored the bestseller “Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning," and donates all profits to pay off mortgages for Gold Star families (fallen service members). He holds a Master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a Bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross College. He is on the boards of Immuta, a data governance company, and the National Medal of Honor Museum. Hayes is also a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

#generativeai #dataanalytics Explore the fascinating evolution of Generative AI from IBM Watson to OpenAI's amazing ChatGPT. Join this exclusive CXOTalk episode as we delve into the groundbreaking advancements and applications in AI and natural language processing. Our guest is Sol Rashidi, who returns to CXOTalk by popular demand.The conversation includes these topics:► Understanding the Chief Analytics Officer role► Evolution of AI: From IBM Watson to today► Unique aspects of ChatGPT and direct-to-consumer AI► Marketing drives broader acceptance of AI► Technology capabilities driving AI adoption► Relationship between generative AI and data science► Best practices for implementing AI within organizations► Importance of AI ethics► Broad social acceptance of generative AI and algorithms► How to build a value case for generative AI► The optimal implementation process for generative AI► What are the skills required for a Chief Data Officer or Chief Analytics Officer► What is the state of gender-inclusive AI today► How do we create ethical boundaries for AI► Issues on AI explainability and transparency► Impact of AI on job securitySubscribe to the CXOTalk newsletter and get notified of live events: https://www.cxotalk.com/subscribeSee the episode page: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/generative-ai-from-ibm-watson-to-chatgptSol Rashidi currently holds 7 patents, with 21 filed in the Data & Analytics space and is a keynote speaker at several technology conferences speaking on various topics such as Machine Learning, Data & Analytics, and Emerging Operating Models for organizations taking on transformations in the D&A space. Prior to joining Estee Lauder as their Chief Analytics Officer, Sol was the Chief Data & Analytics Officer for Merck, EVP and Chief Data Officer for Sony Music, and Chief Data & Cognitive officer for Royal Caribbean.Goal oriented and a team player, Sol believes in uncomplicating the complicated and cultivating environments that are innovative, driven, and collaborative. Sol has a unique ability in bridging the gap between Business and IT, her deep understanding of multiple functional disciplines (i.e. change management, enterprise data, application architecture, process re-engineering, sales, etc.) enables her to drive change by articulating the need for change in organizations that otherwise wouldn’t evolve. Sol played NCAA Water Polo and Rugby for Cal on the Women’s National Rugby Team for several years, and completed the Ironman.