The Tech Leaders Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Join us this week for The Tech Leaders’ Podcast, where Gareth sits down with Tim Cadogan, CEO at GoFundMe. Tim talks about how GoFundMe are leveraging AI to help fundraisers, joining GoFundMe at the start of the Covid19 pandemic, and why founding a start-up is like working for two or three different companies. 

On this episode Tim and Gareth discuss disaster fundraising, tips for fundraisers, and how a boy from Dorset found himself in California. 

Timestamps: 

• Introduction and Good Leadership (1:58) 
• Dorset to California, and the early days of SEO (5:10) 
• OpenX (15:10) 
• Joining GoFundMe at the start of the Pandemic (18:58) 
• Why GoFundMe works (22:46) 
• Disaster Fundraising (26:45) 
• Technology Challenges Scaling GoFundMe (34:35) 
• AI and Fundraising (39:18) 
• Advice for 21-year-old Tim (49:40) 
• Tips for Fundraisers (53:20) 

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Join us this week for The Tech Leaders’ Podcast, where Gareth sits down with Paul Goodhew, Partner - EY Global Assurance Innovation & Emerging Technology Leader. Paul talks about EY’s $1 Billion investment in Agentic AI, their long term AI integration strategy, and why many organisations are building their own versions of ChatGPT. 

On this episode Paul and Gareth discuss guiding principles for good AI governance, the evolving regulatory landscape, and whether the education system is keeping up. 

Timestamps: 

• Introduction and Good Leadership (1:57) 
• Early tech interests, and the journey to EY (5:00) 
• AI and Auditing (11:30) 
• Global Audit Consistency, Agentic AI and EYQ (16:25) 
• Long Term AI Integration Strategy (22:28) 
• AI Guardrails (26:10) 
• Good Governance (29:55) 
• Is Education keeping up? (31:44) 
• AI Disruption (35:20) 
• Regulatory Landscape (38:00) 
• AI Hopes and Fears (40:00) 
• Advice for 21-year-old Paul (43:46) 

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

"You can't have good Cyber Security without Economic Security.'' 

Join us this week on The Tech Leaders Podcast, where Gareth Davies sits down with The Rt Hon Stephen McPartland, former MP and author of the McPartland Review into Cyber Security. Stephen talks about his time in Parliament, the impact of AI on Cyber Security, and why the UK is both uniquely well prepared and uniquely vulnerable. 

On this episode, Stephen and Gareth discuss what it’s like to work with Prime Ministers, how to prevent the widespread adoption of AI leading to “digital exclusion”, why we need to automate processes rather than jobs, and how a Scouser became Tory MP for Stevenage…

Timestamps: 

• Intro and good leadership (1:33) 
• Proudest achievements and lessons learned in Politics (7:54) 
• Ministerial role, and working with Prime Ministers (10:09) 
• Cyber Security and the Digital Economy (17:50) 
• AI, Government and Cyber Security (23:23) 
• Fostering a Cyber workforce (29:35) 
• LLMs and Agentic AI (33:14) 
• Cryptocurrencies and Post-Quantum Cryptography (38:28) 
• AI concerns – Digital exclusion and Rules of Engagement (46:25) 
• Stephen’s advice to his younger self (49:00) 

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Today’s guest is a serial entrepreneur focused on sustainability in the food and energy sectors. Huw Thomas is the Cofounder, President and COO at Counterfactual Ventures, a venture studio focused on filling gaps in the alt-protein industry to accelerate the 'protein transition'.

With a background in computer engineering and renewable energy, it’s been a fascinating journey for Huw. He was the COO of cultivated meat startup New Age Meats, co-founder of renewable energy consultancy SCENE, and CEO of sports nutrition startup Fuelit. 

Tune in to learn more about dealing with the colossal global meat industry, how to best name the ‘meat alternative’ industry, dealing with regulations, and the need for more curiosity as leaders.

Talking Points

• Huw’s training in computer engineering (3:22)
• The stage we’re at in the mass production of alternative protein sources (12:50)
• When we can expect viable alternatives to meat on a global scale (16:09)
• Naming the industry for meat alternatives (22:25)
• The story and mission behind Counterfactual Ventures (31:50)
• Seeking outcome driven entrepreneurs (36:46)
• The role of curiosity in leadership (47:00)

Links

• ‘Doing Good Better’ by William MacAskill
• This
• The Good Food Institute
• Eat Just
• Counterfactual Ventures
• ‘The Precipice’ by Toby Ord
• Joe Rogan Experience #1169​ - Elon Musk
• ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen Covey

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Embracing your uniqueness and authentic voice has been the driving force behind today’s guest success as a leader. Yamini Rangan is the Chief Customer Officer at HubSpot and is working on some ambitious goals for the leading CRM provider. Driven by the motto “helping is the new selling”, I loved learning more about Yamini’s insights into sales and marketing.

Coming from an engineering background, Yamini has learnt how sales goes hand-in-hand with technology. With over 24 years experience across sales, marketing, operations, and strategy, she has also worked at Workday and Dropbox. In 2019, Yamini was recognised as one of the Most Influential Women in Business by San Francisco Business Times. 

Join our conversation as we discuss decision-making patterns, hyper-growth, gender diversity – and booking her one-way ticket from India to Atlanta in her early 20s. 

Talking Points

• Her passion for technology when growing up in a small Indian town (4:49)
• The technology changes Yamini has seen in India (12:15)
• Establishing her career in the US (14:12)
• Key milestones in Yamini’s career (25:46)
• Joining Hubspot and her ambitious goals (31:05)
• The fundamentals of sales and marketing (33:56)
• Making the entire customer journey digital (36:41)
• How to get noticed as a small business online (38:57)
• Getting more women into STEM (42:07)

Links

• Hubspot Certified Training
• ‘Principles’ by Ray Dalio
• ‘Trillion Dollar Coach’ by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle
• Project Potential

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Bitcoin has been in the news recently, the price has hit an all-time high but opinion remains divided. Enthusiasts call it the perfect modern money system yet critics dismiss it as a bubble that resembles a Ponzi scheme. My guest today is the host of the world's #1 bitcoin podcast, "What Bitcoin Did". He isn't a software engineer or monetary economist, he is just a regular guy from Bedford who isn't afraid to ask basic fundamental questions as to why this technology is potentially going to change everybody's lives. For this reason, his content is very accessible to the average person who is looking to learn more about cryptocurrencies.  He also has an incredible story to tell. His career has been full of ups and downs, which Peter reflects upon candidly. Peter talks about building a business and also speaks about a very dark period in his life where his marriage collapsed and he fought drug addiction. They also cover what bitcoin really is and what that means for the average person. A thought-provoking and value-filled conversation. 

1. Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3sS4Lyv
2. Subscribe at:
    - iTunes: https://apple.co/3ocDymB
    - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3qyR2KK
3. YouTube: https://bit.ly/3qyQLHI
4. Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechLPodcast

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Sina left university prematurely to pursue entrepreneurial endeavours. “.. in the right place at the right time”.  His company Yoello has achieved incredible growth in 2020.  The app-less mobile ordering and payment solution is now used by thousands of high street restaurant and hospitality businesses, including Burger King, Subway, and The Grand, York, allowing them to serve their customers securely, efficiently and rapidly.  In this Tech Leaders’ Podcast, Gareth talks to Sina about the path to meteoric success, from his arrival in the UK aged 8 knowing little more than two words of English, his early entrepreneurial projects through to being the owner and CEO of a company that is revolutionising payment systems. Not adverse to risk-taking, Sina talks about his early foray into Bitcoin, leaving university during his final year to start his business (much to his mother’s upset) finding investors, and setting up an experienced board of advisors from the global financial sector. He discusses setbacks, the milestones in Yoello’s growth, his own personal motivation, and how he built the corporate structure. Gareth quizzes him on future plans, the challenges of working remotely when building a new business, on-boarding new employees in such conditions and what he looks for when hiring talent. The future looks very bright for Yoello with expansion into Europe an imminent prospect. 

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

The pandemic has forced thousands of Brits to overcome their fear of technology, to embrace this digital world and develop skills to stay connected, both on a personal and professional level. Gareth talks to Kerensa Jennings, BT Group Director of Digital Impact. They discuss her amazing career, working with the likes of legendary broadcasters like David Frost and David Attenborough through to the amazing work she is currently involved with at BT. Kerensa’s career path has been far from linear, holding various roles in the production of television news and documentary programmes, including writing “the Slug’ for the Big Breakfast. Five years within the Royal Household forming strategy and delivery for IDEA CIC award to inspire digital enterprise pre-empted her appointment to her current role. Kerensa and her team are on a mission to provide digital skill acquisition to the masses and upskill those seeking employment. Specific programmes targeted to primary school children, school leavers, small businesses provide the opportunity for users to develop a problem-solving mindset, a crucial skill in today’s rapid, ever-changing world, together with inspiring confidence and adaptability. Find out how Kerensa views the impact of AI and the irreversible technological legacy of Covid-19.

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Gareth interviews CTO of Welsh Water, Rob Norris. Following a piece of impromptu advice from a school friend, Rob embarked on a career in IT, working on some huge projects for diverse and corporate organisations across the UK, culminating in his current position as Chief Technology Officer within a critical national infrastructure organisation. Rob speaks candidly about his humble beginnings, his experience of working in a start-up, the evolution of cyber threats and the importance of challenging conventional wisdom. 

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/

Gareth interviews Paul Clark, CTO of Ocado Group – the company transforming online groceries through a suite of technology, including robotics, AI & ML.  Having joined in 2006, Paul talks candidly about the journey from being a start-up UK grocer, to becoming a global technology provider. They discuss AI, Quantum Computing, Digital Twins and other forward-looking endeavours for Ocado and the wider tech industry. Paul also gives us his views on the current situation and the lessons learned from the pandemic. A fascinating deep dive into one of the most innovative tech companies in the UK, by one of the key figures behind it. 

https://www.bedigitaluk.com/