700: In this interview, we celebrate 700 episodes of Technovation with a special guest, author, thought leader, and NYU Stern Professor Scott Galloway. Scott shares his goal of becoming the most influential thought leader in the history of business, what that means to him, and how he is stretching his expertise as his brand has expanded into a variety of subject areas across media. Despite his tenure at NYU Stern, Scott has been a vocal critic of the traditional university education model. He explains the rationale behind this critique and what the future holds for education and training. Scott also talks about the broader societal problems that America is facing and while these problems are touted as insurmountable, he makes the case for why they can be easily addressed and solved by what America has to offer. Finally, Scott gives his perspective on the overvaluation of the Tech Giants, why the government has yet to step in, and what scenarios are likely to play out in the near future.
Pre-order Scott’s latest book Adrift: America in 100 Charts here: https://www.amazon.com/Adrift-America-Charts-Scott-Galloway/dp/0593542401
Check out Scott’s podcast, newsletter, and other works on his website: https://profgmedia.com/
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699: Vinod and Susan cover the topic of Data & Analytics as a Source of Resilience and Growth. Susan explains the role data & analytics play in delivering predictability and stability as a part of Boeing’s overall strategy, how she trains her team in the skills needed to achieve that, and why data is integral to a company’s culture and telling its story. Vinod describes how data & analytics impact the customer experience at Sam’s Club, how he is making Sam’s Club into an AI-enabled digital enterprise, and how he is democratizing that data across his business.
698: Gabe discusses the skills that will be necessary for employees in the Digital Age and how companies can foster the upskilling essential to keep pace with their digital transformations. Gabe looks at the current state of digital skills and where Udacity fits in the spectrum of overall education. He describes the three main skill sets that will be crucial for companies to train employees in, the path ahead for employees in non-technical roles, and the best practices for companies developing their own in-house digital academies. Finally, Gabe advises incoming college students on what skills to learn for their future careers.
697: Ramon speaks about the digital transformation of Fannie Mae and the mortgage lending industry. He gives an overview of Fannie Mae’s business and what the digital transformation at the company entails including incorporating automation, maturing a data strategy, and building a team to foster innovation. Ramon describes the process of upskilling the employees with the digital skills necessary and how technology facilitated resiliency during the pandemic. Finally, Ramon looks ahead at the trends in technology that are on his radar and reflects on his long tenure as well as the keys to his success.
696: Rima speaks about the evolution of the telecom industry and how Verizon has pivoted its strategy along the way. She explains her purview as Chief Strategy Officer, how she engages different areas of the business to develop Verizon’s strategy and dives deeper into what the company’s 2022 strategic imperatives include. Rima also discusses the importance of Verizon’s partnerships with strategic partners and “hyperscalers”, highlighting the way her team invests in ecosystems and a few general principles that define a successful acquisition. Finally, Rima reflects on the trends in the telecom industry, the keys to her success in the industry, and the trends on Verizon’s horizon.
695: Mike speaks about how the IT organization has stayed ahead of the company’s growth both organically and through acquisition. He describes the role that technology plays at a company as tactile as Crocs and how that technology has facilitated agility and scalability. Mike also covers how relationships with vendors have allowed the company to grow internationally at an impressive rate. He also discusses the processes of integrating the HEYDUDE acquisition, leveraging the perspective of a consumer to enhance the customer experience within IT, and maturing the data strategy behind Crocs. Finally, Mike looks ahead at the trends in automation and gives advice on the keys to his continued career success.
694: Kevin discusses the digital transformation of the quick-service restaurant industry and how the pandemic has impacted customer behaviors. He details the tech landscape he found at Wendy’s when he joined and the innovation he has driven to digitize the customer experience further. Kevin explains the recently announced “Next Gen Restaurant Design” of Wendy’s locations, the technology being implemented, and how it all comes together to improve and personalize the customer experience. He also describes the relationship he has with franchisees, how they help pilot innovative technology solutions, and how all business units work together to improve the mobile app experience. Finally, Kevin looks ahead at the trends in technology on his radar and reflects on the keys to his career success.
693: Frank discusses the role digital plays in Chevron’s overall strategy. As the first to occupy the role of CDO, Frank describes the responsibilities that fall under his new purview and how he has built his team drawing on talent from both inside and outside the company. He also covers how digital fits into the company’s three key strategic imperatives, customer and employee experiences, and efforts in providing clean reliable energy. Frank also touches on how he leverages ecosystems with startups to develop innovations and speaks to lessons he learned during the pandemic on how digital helps foster resilience at Chevron. Finally, he looks ahead at the trends in technology that excite him and reflects on the keys to his career success.
692: Jay discusses the way he collaborates and engages with his ecosystems, both internally and externally. He gives an overview of Clario’s business, the two sides of his purview, and his role’s impact on the company’s R&D efforts. Jay explains how he engages with the four constituent groups Clairo serves; clinical trial sites, sponsor organizations, patients, & internal customers; how he removes the internal barriers to collaboration, and how he retains company culture in a hybrid working environment. Finally, he weighs in on the benefits he has seen from his substantial social media presence, the trends that he is actively following, and the keys to his career success.
691: Huma discusses the creative ways artificial intelligence is being applied and the path ahead for combatting unconscious biases in AI models. She describes her purview at Intel and explains to Peter High the key differences between typical software and artificial intelligence software. Huma dives deep into the intersection of AI and creativity and shares the remarkable progress being made in the creation of things like art, podcasts, and more. Finally, Huma reiterates the importance of diversity when building AI models to eliminate biases and shares how companies, both AI and non-AI-focused, can improve the opportunities granted to diverse talent in the workplace.
