Built for Change

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and a multibillion-dollar commercial industry. But as recently as the 2000s, most professional soccer teams did not prioritize — or even consider — data and analytics when making critical business and personnel decisions. That’s not the case anymore. The demand for accurate data, predictive analytics and A.I. in the world of soccer has exploded on both the business and sporting sides. And that growth is thanks, in part, to a popular video game. In this episode, we’ll speak to Miles Jacobson, Studio Director at Sports Interactive; Andy Hickl, Global Lead for Advanced A.I. at Accenture; and Dee Kundra, Managing Director (Americas) at F.C. Bayern Munich. 

Between inflation, upheaval from the pandemic, climate change and other forces out of our control, it can sometimes feel as if we’re navigating a world that’s turned upside down. So, it’s no surprise that our purchasing decisions don’t always look orderly and consistent. Accenture research has shown that while most customers want to shop in a way that matches their values — like sustainability and social responsibility — they are also dealing with practical realities, which can lead to contradictory decisions. In this episode, we’ll discuss how a shift from a customer-centric approach to a life-centric approach can offer a path forward for businesses. Our guests this week are Anthony Marino, President at thredUP, and Baiju Shah, Chief Strategist at Accenture Song. 

According to Accenture research, only 12 percent of companies are applying Artificial Intelligence-related capabilities in the right combination to achieve high performance. Organizations that have achieved success – and reached A.I. maturity – have mastered a set of data and A.I.-related skills, applying them across strategy, processes and people. In this episode, we’ll speak with Katica Roy, C.E.O. and Founder of Pipeline; Sanjeev Vohra, Global Lead of Applied Intelligence Business at Accenture; and William Ruh, C.E.O. at Lendlease Digital.

As the boundaries of the virtual world continue to shift, how can organizations work together to design a metaverse that’s enriching and welcoming for all? New technology has the potential to reshape how businesses interact with the world, but it’s time for leaders to commit to a responsible metaverse – one that’s built on the core principles of ethics, safety and inclusivity. In this episode, we’ll speak with Jessica Lindl, Vice President of Social Impact at Unity Technologies; Denise Zheng, Global Lead for Responsible Metaverse at Accenture; and Eli Sugarman, Fellow at Schmidt Futures. 

Even before the pandemic, many organizations struggled to foster strong and innovative working connections among their employees. And now – with technological, organizational and societal changes piling up – the pressure is on business leaders to listen to their employees and explore entirely new ways of working. In this episode, we’ll speak with Dominic Price, Work Futurist at Atlassian; Christie Smith, Global Lead, Talent and Organization/Human Potential at Accenture; and Sean Hinton, Founder and C.E.O. of SkyHive Technologies. 

Social commerce offers something radically different from the traditional e-commerce model. It blends social experiences and e-commerce transactions through a single path to purchase, all enabled by a single platform. And it’s already a hugely popular way of shopping in major markets around the globe, including China, Brazil, and India. In this episode, we’ll explore how brands can harness the power of social commerce to form stronger connections with their customers. We’ll be speaking with Robin Murdoch, Managing Director and Global Lead of Software and Platforms, Accenture; Neha Singh, Founder and C.E.O., Obsess; and Carolina Arguelles Navas, A.R. Product Strategy and Product Marketing Lead, Snapchat. 

Cyber attacks are on the rise – and companies face a constant battle to stay ahead. In 2021, breaches of data, networks, services and other assets climbed by 31%. In this episode, we’ll talk to a former hacker who, years ago, was responsible for one of the fastest-spreading computer viruses in history. We’ll also discuss the risks facing organizations that don’t prioritize the alignment of cybersecurity best practices with their overall business strategy. Our guests this week are Samy Kamkar, C.S.O. at Openpath, and Jacky Fox, the European Lead for Security at Accenture.

Companies are heading toward a future very different from the one they were designed to operate in. Inspired by Accenture’s “Technology Vision 2022” report, this episode explores several emerging trends that will affect the way we do business for years to come. Our hosts Josh Klein and Elise Hu discuss what it means to compute the impossible – and explore Web3 and the metaverse continuum. We speak with Marc Carrel-Billiard, Global Senior Managing Director for Technology Innovation at Accenture; Gregory Bowman, Ph.D., Director at the Folding@Home distributed computing project; and Sandra Ro, C.E.O. at the Global Blockchain Business Council (G.B.B.C.). 

Intelligent automation has the potential to improve the day-to-day experiences for employees, C.E.O.s and customers alike. But it’s also essential that businesses embrace a human-centric approach to artificial intelligence and process automation. In this episode, we’ll be discussing the new book “The Automation Advantage” with one of the authors, Bhaskar Ghosh, Chief Strategy Officer at Accenture. “The Automation Advantage” offers a helpful automation road map for businesses, including guiding principles for technology, governance, culture and leadership change. We’ll also speak with Raj Singh, C.M.O. at Revinate; and Blake Moret, C.E.O. at Rockwell Automation. 

This week’s episode is a special recording of Built for Change at the DealBook Online Summit, which took place on November 9, 2021.  Hosts Josh Klein and Elise Hu are joined in conversation by Jack Azagury, U.S. Northeast Market Lead, Accenture; Christie Smith, Global Lead of Talent and Organization/Human Potential, Accenture; and Leena Nair, former Chief Human Resources Officer, Unilever. Sponsor session by Accenture.