CXOTalk

In Episode 811 of CXOTalk, host Michael Krigsman speaks with Jon Freier, President of the Consumer Group at T-Mobile, in a thought-provoking conversation focusing on the dynamics of customer experience and brand strategy in wireless. This episode provides deep insights into how a major telecom company navigates market challenges and opportunities.Key insights you will learn in this episode:*Disruptive Strategies in Telecom:* Gain an understanding of how T-Mobile's 'Un-carrier' strategy, initiated in 2013, disrupted the traditional telecom industry, emphasizing customer-centric policies over conventional norms.*Leveraging Data for Customer Engagement:* Learn about the role of data analytics, and personalization in crafting customer experiences. Freier discusses the nuances of serving a diverse customer base and the importance of aligning technology with user needs.*Social Responsibility in Tech:* The conversation extends beyond business strategies to examine the broader social implications of technological advancements. Freier touches on topics like youth safety in the digital world, showcasing how a telecom giant contemplates its societal impact.Watch this important discussion and go behind the scenes of T-Mobile’s strategies, for valuable lessons on customer engagement, technological innovation, brand strategy, and social responsibility in the fast-evolving telecom industry.*Subscribe:* www.cxotalk.com/subscribe*Read the complete transcript:* www.cxotalk.com/episode/customer-experience-and-brand-strategy-at-t-mobile*Jon Freier* is the President of T-Mobile’s U.S. Consumer Group, leading consumer-facing brands and operations for both postpaid and prepaid customer segments. He’s responsible for thousands of employees spread across teams that lead consumer strategy and experience, consumer marketing, consumer operations, go-to-market planning, branded retail and customer service and the portfolio of independently owned and operated sales and distribution channels.Starting with T-Mobile’s originating company, Western Wireless, Jon began on the frontline when the company had fewer than 75,000 customers. Since that time, he has transformed T-Mobile’s Consumer Group into an award-winning team, contributing to one of the largest and fastest retail expansions in American history and garnering countless customer-experience accolades. This extraordinary growth allowed the Un-carrier to reach tens of millions of additional customers throughout America’s largest cities and smallest towns over the last few years.*Michael Krigsman* is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.#cxotalk #customerexperience #brandstrategy #tmobile

Learn about intelligent automation in finance and how AI and ML can improve modern financial processes. The discussion was recorded live at Workday Rising in San Francisco, between analyst Michael Krigsman and John Hugo, VP of Financial Products & Go To Market at Workday. Important highlights from the conversation include:► *Digital Transformation in Financial Processes:* Insights into how digital transformation is reshaping financial processes, helping companies navigate economic changes and evolving business models.► *Intelligent Automation and Operational Efficiency:* Examination of the impact of intelligent process automation and AI on cost management, staffing, and compliance in finance.► *Adoption of AI Process Automation:* Discussion of the cultural shift towards data-driven decision-making, emphasizing the role of automation tools in leveraging real-time data and predictive analytics.*Read the complete transcript:* https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/intelligent-automation-in-finance-with-workday*John Hugo* joined Workday, Inc. as Vice President, Financials Products and Go To Market in 2015. Prior to Workday, John was Senior Vice President & Corporate Controller, and Principal Accounting Officer, at Life Time Fitness, Inc., a Minneapolis, Minnesota based Healthy Way of Life company. Prior to Life Time Fitness, John held accounting and financial leadership roles with CompleTel Europe, N.V. (Paris, France), Jones Intercable, Inc. (Denver, Colorado), and started his career at Arthur Andersen LLP (Denver, Colorado).*Michael Krigsman* is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.#intelligentautomation #workdayfinancetraining #enterpriseai #financialmanagement #cxotalk

CIO advisors Tim Crawford and Isaac Sacolick explore practical approaches for Chief Information Officers (CIOs) aiming to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) within their organizations. The discussion includes crucial topics including aligning AI initiatives with business objectives, talent management, establishing a solid data management framework, and navigating the ethical landscape of AI deployment. This episode provides CIOs with a straightforward guide, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities that AI presents.Join the CXOTalk community and get notifications of upcoming live shows: www.cxotalk.com/subscribeRead the transcript: www.cxotalk.com/episode/cio-playbook-for-enterprise-ai*Key lessons from this episode include:**Embrace and Balance AI Technology with Human Elements:* Leaders must navigate the integration of AI into their organizations by focusing on innovation but the human aspect, such as job security and the changes in workflow that AI brings.*Leadership in AI Strategy:* CIOs need to take a leadership role in developing and communicating a clear strategy and vision for AI within their organizations, focusing on the problems AI can solve and the value it brings.*Education and Adaptability:* As AI technologies evolve, CIOs should prioritize education within their teams and adapt by integrating new AI capabilities into workflows and processes.*Understand the Financial Value of Data:* CIOs must develop a deeper understanding of the financial value of their data and create a strategy that aligns AI initiatives with the organization's broader business goals.*Rethink IT’s Role and Foster Lifelong Learning:* IT is not just a support function; it's a strategic differentiator. CIOs should foster a culture of lifelong learning and encourage their teams to experiment and innovate with AI technologies, all while ensuring that the IT department remains aligned with the business's core objectives.#cxotalk #enterpriseai #generativeai #cio #chiefinformationofficer

Learn about hybrid and multi-cloud security with Anand Oswal, Palo Alto Networks. Uncover challenges and the vital role of AI, ML, and zero trust in protecting digital landscapes. The discussion explores the challenges businesses face as applications move from on-premises to the public cloud, especially when more than one cloud provider is involved. Oswal emphasizes the critical need for visibility, consistent policies, and unified management to secure ever-expanding digital footprints. The interview also explores the role of AI and machine learning in fortifying cloud-native security, and how the principles of zero trust are fundamental to security in today's environment.Watch the video to learn:► How to navigate the complexities of securing hybrid and multi-cloud environments, with a focus on the need for visibility and uniform security policies.► A comprehensive six-point strategy for managing security in these complex environments, including the role of AI and machine learning to mitigate real-time risks.► The foundational importance of implementing a zero-trust security model to achieve consistent, best-in-class security across multiple cloud platforms.Anand 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. Prior to this he was Senior Vice President of Engineering for Cisco’s Intent-Based Networking Group where he was responsible for building the entire set of platforms, from switching, wireless and routing to IoT and cloud services, that make up Cisco’s extensive enterprise networking portfolio. Anand joined Cisco in 2009 via the acquisition of Starent Networks, a leader in mobile packet core gateways. 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.Michael Krigsman is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.#cxotalk #hybridcloud #multicloud #cybersecurity #paloaltonetworks

#zapier #workflowautomation #workflow #aiautomation The rising significance of enterprise AI presents a unique hurdle: seamlessly integrating AI-based business workflows into operational systems, especially for non-programmers. On CXOTalk episode 808, we explore these issues with Mike Knoop, co-founder of Zapier and the company's AI lead. The conversation with Mike covers the rationale behind integrating AI, the technological advancements AI brings to workflow automation solutions, and its broader impact on business agility. Join the CXOTalk community: www.cxotalk.com/subscribeRead the full transcript: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/ai-workflows-in-business-a-practical-guideKey points in the discussion include: ► The potential of AI-powered automation to empower more business users with customized workflows. But governance, accuracy, and security are key challenges to consider when implementing AI workflows.► Initial use cases include generating creative ideas, summarizing unstructured data, and making powerful business process automations easier to build for non-technical users.► Customer service and marketing are excellent starting points for AI automation.Watch this conversation to gain practical advice on using low-code, no-code tools to automate AI in the enterprise.Mike Knoop is the co-founder and Head of Zapier AI at Zapier. Mike has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri, where his research topic was focused on finite element modeling and optimization.Michael Krigsman is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.

Welcome to CXOTalk episode 807, with Karl Weiss, Chief Technology Officer at Caterpillar, an iconic brand and a leader in construction and mining equipment with over 100,000 employees, $60 billion in revenue, and 1.4 million connected assets globally,With 35 years of experience at the company, Weiss brings a nuanced understanding of how technology shapes business outcomes.Weiss shares Caterpillar's approach to innovation, which is led by customer needs. He highlights the use of autonomous and AI technologies in mining trucks and other heavy equipment, explaining how machine learning, virtual reality, digital twins, and data analytics contribute to safer and more efficient operations. He also mentions Caterpillar's steps towards electric vehicles, sustainability, supply chain resilience, and the exploration of emerging technologies such as autonomy and connectivity.This in-depth conversation includes these issues:► Caterpillar’s customer-driven approach to innovation, leveraging autonomy, AI, and machine learning to enhance the safety and efficiency of mining trucks and heavy equipment.► The role of data analytics, digital twins, VR, and telematics in enabling predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and virtual prototyping, aiding faster development.► Caterpillar's global strategy, focusing on regional talent recruitment, local manufacturing, and collaborations to meet diverse customer needs across different markets.Throughout the discussion, Weiss stresses the alignment of business, technology, and innovation to meet customer demands, sharing insights into managing a large technology portfolio across diverse global markets. Whether you’re a senior executive, a technology enthusiast, or someone interested in the confluence of business and tech, this episode promises a deep dive into the practical, strategic, and technical facets of leading a global enterprise in a digitally connected world.Karl Weiss is chief technology officer and a senior vice president of Caterpillar Inc., responsible for the Integrated Components and Solutions (ICS) Division. ICS designs and builds components and systems that are used across the Caterpillar portfolio and also provides technology leadership, engineering, research, validation and manufacturing services to the enterprise.Since joining Caterpillar in 1988, Weiss has had various assignments within product development at Caterpillar’s Decatur, Joliet, and Aurora facilities, primarily focused on large machine structural design. He subsequently transferred to Geneva, Switzerland, with Caterpillar Global Mining as an equipment management consultant serving mining customers and dealers in Europe and Africa. Weiss then became the large wheel loader new product introduction manager in Aurora, Illinois. He and his family then moved to Beijing, China, for four years, where Weiss served as the wheel loader product manager for the Asia Pacific region. In that role, he managed the integration of Shandong Engineering Machinery (SEM) as Caterpillar’s entry into the China wheel loader market. Weiss served as the worldwide product manager for medium wheel loaders in Aurora. In 2013, the Caterpillar board of directors named Weiss as senior vice president of Earthmoving. He was then named senior vice president of Material Handling & Underground in August 2017 and senior vice president of ICS and chief technology officer in May 2019.Michael Krigsman is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.

Bruno Aziza, former distinguished voice at Google, discusses practical applications of generative AI within the enterprise. Topics include: understanding generative AI, trust and data quality, financial impact and adoption, ethical considerations, identifying use cases, aligning enterprise architecture and AI strategy, and driving adoption in the enterprise.

#enterpriseai #generativeai #enterprisearchitecture How can enterprises adopt AI responsibly and effectively? In this interview, Box CEO Aaron Levie shares insider strategies on CXOTalk episode 805.Levie has a unique vantage point on enterprise AI gained from working closely with Fortune 500 customers. He sees enthusiasm to implement AI, but open questions remain around risks, architecture, and use cases.In this wide-ranging discussion, Levie offers practical advice to help leaders:► Build flexible architectures to swap AI components as tech advances► Encourage decentralized testing of use cases to find high-value applications► Form committees to develop standards and identify opportunities► Ensure data security and access controls are in place before deploying AI► Maintain human accountability and oversight of AI systems► Levie covers key issues like potential AI inaccuracies, copyright challenges, and the need for thoughtful governance. He remains optimistic about AI’s potential to boost productivity and creativity but emphasizes this transformation is still in the early stages.With insider recommendations, Levie helps leaders develop strategies to adopt AI successfully. Don’t miss this timely conversation on the real-world opportunities and obstacles impacting enterprise AI today.Read the full transcript: www.cxotalk.com/episode/practical-advice-on-enterprise-ai-from-ceo-of-boxSubscribe: www.cxotalk.com/subscribeAaron Levie is Chief Executive Officer, Cofounder and Chairman at Box, which he launched in 2005 with CFO and cofounder Dylan Smith. He is the visionary behind the Box product and platform strategy, incorporating the best of secure content collaboration with an intuitive user experience suited to the way people work today. Aaron leads the company in its mission to transform the way people and businesses work so they can achieve their greatest ambitions. He has served on the Board of Directors since April 2005.Michael Krigsman is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.

#enterpriseai #database #cloudcomputing Technology veteran Bob Muglia discusses the transformative impact of data management and cloud computing on today's business. As the influence of AI grows, it brings a set of complexities and opportunities that are deeply entangled with corporate culture and organizational structure. Bob provides an expert viewpoint on navigating this complex terrain, including the essential role of the cloud in driving AI and the looming era of robotics. Full transcript: www.cxotalk.com/episode/ai-foundations-data-democratization-and-cloud-computingSubscribe: www.cxotalk.com/subscribeFrom the democratization of data to the unpredictability of AI outcomes, this interview sheds light on the critical elements shaping the future of technology and business. Be sure to watch this essential dialogue for insights on leveraging the modern data stack, AI, and the cloud to achieve your organization's strategic goals.Our guest co-host is QuHarrison Terry, Chief Growth Offer for the Mark Cuban Companies.Watch CXOTalk episode 804 for a substantive discussion on the future of AI, cloud computing, and data.Bob Muglia is a data technology investor and business executive, former CEO of Snowflake and past President of Microsoft's Server and Tools Division. As a leader, Bob focuses on how innovation and ethical values can merge to shape the Data Economy's future in the era of AI. He serves as a board director for emerging companies which seek to maximize the power of data to help solve some of the world's most challenging problems. Bob is also the author of the book The Datapreneurs.QuHarrison Terry is head of growth marketing at Mark Cuban Companies, a Texas venture capital firm, where he advises and assists portfolio companies with their marketing strategies and objectives.Michael Krigsman is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.

#enterpriseai #generativeai #aiethics Harvard Business School professor Iavor Bojinov explains how to make enterprise AI projects successful, given their high rate of failure. Here are his key points:► Prioritize Projects: Focus on AI initiatives that align with your business goals and are feasible to implement.►Leadership and Culture: Make sure your company culture is open to AI, with leaders who grasp both the technical and commercial dimensions.►Scalable Systems: Develop an 'AI factory' to streamline and scale AI development.►Vendor Flexibility: When working with outside partners, don't lock yourself into one platform. Be ready to switch if necessary.►Trust: Ensure that AI systems are transparent, audit for bias, and establish clear lines of accountability for failures.Bojinov stresses that each stage of an AI project, from conception to ongoing management, needs expertise, adaptability, a receptive culture, and trust. With a well-thought-out strategy, companies can navigate typical challenges and harness AI's full potential.Our guest co-host for this episode is QuHarrison Terry.Read the complete transcript and see more of CXOTalk: www.cxotalk.com/episode/harvard-business-school-professor-how-to-lead-enterprise-aiSubscribe for more: www.cxotalk.com/subscribeIavor Bojinov is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration and the Richard Hodgson Fellow at Harvard Business School. He is the co-PI of the AI and Data Science Operations Lab and a faculty affiliate in the Department of Statistics at Harvard University and the Harvard Data Science Initiative. His research and writings center on data science strategy and operations, aiming to understand how companies should overcome the methodological and operational challenges presented by the novel applications of AI. His work has been published in top academic journals such as Annals of Applied Statistics, Biometrika, The Journal of the American Statistical Association, Quantitative Economics, Management Science, and Science, and has been cited in Forbes, The New York Times, The Washingon Post, and Reuters, among other outlets. Before joining Harvard Business School, Professor Bojinov worked as a data scientist leading the causal inference effort within the Applied Research Group at LinkedIn. He holds a Ph.D. and an MA in Statistics from Harvard and an MSci in Mathematics from King’s College London.QuHarrison Terry is head of growth marketing at Mark Cuban Companies, a Texas venture capital firm, where he advises and assists portfolio companies with their marketing strategies and objectives.Michael Krigsman is an industry analyst and publisher of CXOTalk. For three decades, he has advised enterprise technology companies on market messaging and positioning strategy. He has written over 1,000 blogs on leadership and digital transformation and created almost 1,000 video interviews with the world’s top business leaders on these topics. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in over 50 books. He has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry events around the world.