Everyday,well-knownSiliconValleybusinessesand burgeoningstartupsmakeheadlines,butthevalueof technologytoparticularbusinessesandthewhole economygoeswellbeyondthefewdigitalbehemoths thatarealwaysinthenews.Everysuccessfulcompany usestechnologytosomelevel,butinleadershiproles thisisespeciallyclear.Likeanyotherinstrument, technologyismostlyuselesswithouttheproperpeople conductingthenecessaryresearchandapplyingit.
It'simportanttothinkaboutthecharacteristicsofthe nextgenerationofleadersastechnologyleadershiproles becomemorecrucialtocorporatesuccess.Weroutinely inquireaboutadviseforpeopleaspiringtoleadership positionsinTheNationalCIOReview'sinterviewswith currentCIOsandCTOs.Theirresponsesareinstructive, disclosingbothcorequalitiesofeffectiveleadershipand helpfuladviceforup-and-comingleaders.
Technologysuccessdependsonthecapacityto consistentlysupplyservicesandgoods,andthefinest leadersstrivetohonorcommitmentsandachieve objectives.Theindividualswespokewithemphasized thevalueofworkingwithotherleaders,anobjectivethat hasbeenlinkedtoorganizationalperformanceacrossa widerangeofsectors.Finally,trustwashighlyvaluedby ourrespondents.Thetimeisidealtolookforajobin technologyleadership,andtheselessonswillput ambitiousCIOsandCTOsonthecorrectleadershippath.
Inthisspecialissue, “World's Most Innovative CTOs to Watch in 2022” World'sLeadershighlightsthetalesofa fewsignificanttechleaderswhoareinfluencing,and inspiringotherswiththeirzealtostriveforsuccess.
ThecoverfeaturesTimConroyistheChiefTechnology OfficerDecisionAnalyticsatExperianUK&I.Hehas successfullyworkedintheITbusinessformorethan25 yearsinanumberofleadershipandtransformationroles. Throughindustrializingoperationalprocedures,fostering skillsdevelopmentwithintheworkforce,andmotivating teamstoprovidecustomerswithexcellence,heis accountableforpromotingDigitalApplicationssolutions asmarket-relevantandguaranteeingoptimaldeliveryof thesesolutions.
Tim'smainroleatExperianistocreate,inspire,and encourageateamoftalentedindividualstooperate seamlesslyasaunittoprovideexceptionalcustomer outcomes.
Whilewecometotheend,pleasedonotforgettoread theCXOstandpointswrittenbyindustryexpertsandthe informativearticlespenneddownbyourin-house editorialteam.
CTOs
Have a lovely read!
Worldwide,ITteamstookonthejobofguaranteeingcompanycontinuity, reactingtotheabruptcatastrophequicklyandnimbly.Organizations changedtoremoteworkingalmostinstantly,andallcorporate transactionswereconductedelectronicallyoronline,compressingthe years-longdigitaltransformationprogrammesintoafewhecticweeks. Theexecutivecommittee'sITstaffgainedmanyalliesandnewadvocates fortheirquickresponsestooperationaldifficulties,suchasquickly expandingnetworkcapacity,modernizingsecurity,introducingnew platforms,andguaranteeingthereliabilityofsystems.
TimConroyistheChiefTechnologyOfficerDecisionAnalyticsat ExperianUK&I.HehassuccessfullyworkedintheITbusinessformore than25yearsinanumberofleadershipandtransformationroles. Throughindustrializingoperationalprocedures,fosteringskills developmentwithintheworkforce,andmotivatingteamstoprovide customerswithexcellence,heisaccountableforpromotingDigital Applicationssolutionsasmarket-relevantandguaranteeingoptimal deliveryofthesesolutions.
Tim'smainroleatExperianistocreate,inspire,andencourageateamof talentedindividualstooperateseamlesslyasaunittoprovideexceptional customeroutcomes.
Outsideofpeople,Tim'sresponsibilitiesatahighlevelaretosetthe directionforTechnologyandDelivery,alongsidefullaccountabilityfor thedeliveryoftheTechnologyVision.Hisjobistobringthevisiontolife fora400+FTEtechnologyanddeliveryorganisationthatincludesawide arrayoftechnologistsanddeliveryresourcesspanningmultiplecountries, providingdirectionandinspirationwithinahighperforming environment.
Hestates, “If you have a highly engaged workforce who buy into the culture that your company and you believe in, it's amazing how the rest is actually easier to solve. You create an operating rhythm where everything is achievable.” Hefurtheraddsthatintermsofpurebusinesssuccess, ultimately,it'sallaboutdeliveringagainstthebusinessobjectives, obsessingabouttheclientexperienceanddeliveryperformance. Tim'sprimarycompetenciesaremanagingallstakeholderseffectively, implementingorganizationalchangeatalargescale,andutilizing resourcestosolvecomplicatedproblems.
Tim sums up his journey in two words: complex and fortunate. Complex in that he was part of a mixed race adoption in 1972—fortunate, because he was part of a mixed race adoption in 1972. He recalls, "There were plenty of ups and downs, but those experiences fundamentally defined who I am today, which I hope is seen as someone very normal, trying to do their best in the right way whilst seeing all as equal.”
Tim took a possibly unconventional path to get where he is today. After spending seven years in the City of Sheffield, England, studying civil engineering and construction management, he took the less obvious step of joining the UK's largest postal service as a graduate software developer. Tim focused on Cobol, CICS, and DB2. Tim explained to his parents that it was a deliberate choice and that the similarities between construction and information technology, both of which involve the creation of a product, were obvious. However, the underlying motivation was that he wanted to keep playing football for the neighborhood team. Tim states, "I spent 2 years coding, and actually realised I wasn't the best but had been told by a number that I managed to create an environment where people worked well together, so purely by chance, I did a role swap with the then team leader who wanted to go back to being technical, and with that, so began the obsession with working with Tech Teams."
Tim spent a total of seven years working for the Postal Service before becoming a part of the significant outsourcing to CSC. Tim was lucky to be given his first significant managerial position there in 2003, and he hasn't really looked back since. However, the point of fascination remained technology and watching an idea become a reality, so that's where he continues to operate today, with Experian, which he joined in 2019 and operates as CTO of the UK Decision Analytics Business. He actively sought out leadership roles across a variety of domains because he wanted to understand the pressures across the entire supply chain: sales, technology, delivery, operations.
Experianisaglobalorganizationof 20,000peopleacross44countries, comprising94nationalitiesand spanningfivegenerations.Itsmission istounlockthepowerofdatatocreate opportunitiesforpeople,businesses, andsociety Thefirm'sstrategyisto improvefinancialhealthforallthrough itscoreproducts,socialinnovation, andcommunityinvestmentschemes. AsTimstates, "By investing in our people, technology, and innovation, Experian responsibly harnesses data to transform businesses, help communities prosper, and enable people to thrive."
TimjoinedbecauseofExperian's passiontodotherightthingandbring financialequalitytoall,coupledwitha uniqueandunwaveringfocuson culture.Combingthetwomeanthis movefromtheSIworldintofinancial serviceswasano-brainer
MajorservicesofferedbyExperian UK&I Experian'sDecisionAnalyticsdivision comprisesofdecisioningtools,Identity &Fraud,andAnalytics,allofwhich assisttheirclientsinprovidingforboth potentialandcurrentendusers.From theeconomicclimatetothelegaland regulatoryframework,fromcorporate operationstocompetitiveproblems, themarketasawholeiscomplicated. Utilizingthefirm'stoolkitandthe knowledgeofouremployeesthatwork indecisionanalyticsdayinandday out,theteamassistsintransforming complicatedcircumstancesinto confidentconclusions.Thegroup minimizesfraudlosseswhilefostering anddefendingtrustworthy relationshipswithcustomersand enterprises.Additionally,itaidsinrisk assessmentandassistsbusinessesin enteringnewmarketssafelywhile confidentlyadheringtocurrent regulatoryandcompliancestandards.
Timwasdrawntotheinformation technologyindustrybecausehecould takeanotionorvisionandworkwith individualswhocouldmakeitareality Therehavebeenmanyhurdles,but attemptingtodeviatefromthe paradigmofatraditionalleaderina corporatecompanywasarguablythe toughestoneheencountered.Hismain pieceofadvicetoeveryoneistobe authenticandlaser-focusedonyour mostvaluableresource:otherpeople.
Timworksintechnology,but technologyisonlytechnologywithout afantasticteamtotransformitintoa productthemarketwants.
Peopleoftenenquire"howdidyou managetosucceed?""Whendidit clickforyou?""Whathappened?"and allTimcanreplyis"it'satimething."
Itcamewithacombinationofselfassurance,anawarenessofhispeople skills,andagenuineunderstandingthat yourgreatestassetwillalwaysbethe peopleyouworkwith.Takecareof them,andtherestreallydoestakecare ofitself.
Timbelievesthathavingahighly engagedstaffthatembracestheculture thatyourbusinessandyoubelievein makestherestoftheproblemsseem lessdifficulttoresolve.Itindicatesthat thebusinesshasestablisheda workflowpatternwhereanythingis doable.Intermsofpurecommercial success,meetingcorporateobjectives whilestressingcustomersatisfaction andservicequalityisultimatelywhat counts.
Timbelievesinaworldwherethetech industrycontinuestogrow,it'scrucial thatone'sleadershipstylesetshimor herapartfromthemany.Hesuggests, "Be passionate about what you do, be
driven to succeed, and believe in your cause, and don't take any knockbacks personally." Hefurtheraddsthatthings don'talwaysgotoplan,butitdoesn't matter,bounceback.Headds, "If you can master this, then I personally believe that you have every opportunity to succeed in such a way that you will be one of the industry's unique and authentic leaders.”
Duetothepaceoftechnological advancementandtheincreasedglobal reachthatsocialmediaplatformsare providing,healsothinksthattherehas neverbeenabettertimetobeatech leader.Headvisesaspiringtechleaders tosurroundthemselveswithexcellent people,workhard,andseizethe opportunitywithbothhands.
Managing
With15+years'experiencein commercial,sales,andbusiness managementroles,ScottHardimanhas substantialcommercialexpertiseinthe technologybusiness,havingshaped, negotiated,anddeliveredoutsourcing andsystemintegrationcontracts.He hasworkedwithavarietyofclients, includingthoseinthefinancial services,publicsector, networking/communications,and quick-movingconsumergoods industries.
ScottandteamExperianhavealways believedthatdatahasthepotentialto transformlivesandcreateabetter tomorrow.Buttodothis,dataneedsto beunderstood,interpretedandacted on.So,fundamentally,that'sthefocus ofthecompany'sinnovationand investment.
Hestates, "Everything we do is about helping organisations unlock the
opportunities data holds as simply as possible, so they can serve their customers and grow as sustainable businesses. We do this by investing in digital platforms that give lenders not just data but also analytics and models that provide actionable insight and foresight fast." Critically,theteam concentratesonhowtousethisin practise.Whenplacedintoproduction, itisusableandscalable.Itsounds straightforward,yetusabilityand utilityaresometimesoverlooked.
ForScott,problem-solvingisjustas importanttoinnovationasdataand analytics.
HegenuinelythinksExperianissetting thebarforinnovationinthesector Andthereasonforthatisthatithasa strongculturalfoundation.Heshares, "Our company was founded on the fundamental belief that we can use data, analytics, and software to deliver fairer, more accurate, and faster decisions to clients and consumers. This ethos still underpins innovation at Experian today."
TheawardsExperianhaswoninrecent yearsreflectthis.ItisaForbestop-100 innovator,aFinTechBreakthrough Awardswinnerforbestconsumer lendingproduct,anditsDataLabshave beenrecognisedinthetoptechawards honouringinnovativetechnology executives.
ContributingtoConstantProgress Scott'sjobisprimarilyconcernedwith theongoingadvancementof technologyandanalytics.Heisin chargeofgroupsofdatascientists, technologists,andindustry professionalswhoarepushing innovationandlookingintohowthe company'ssolutionsmayaddressclient andconsumerissuesthroughoutthe lending,management,andcollections lifecycles.Histeamisconcentratingon
utilisingdatatoderivebusinessvalue, followedbyminimisingdeployment complexitytoenableindustry-leading benefitrealisationatscaleandvelocity. Scottseeshisroleasanenabler.Inthe lastfewyears,hehasensuredthatthe companyactivelyinvestsinitspeople tosupporttheirdevelopment.Hefinds, "There'sarealchallengeintechnology andanalyticstostayrelevantandto makesureyourpeopleare continuouslylearningnewskills."He furtheradds, "But thanks to our innovation strategy, this is something I believe we're managing very well and that's why we're seeing the results in our products and services."
ExpertView Machinelearningthat'sinstantly deployablethroughourdecisioning software,allowslenderstocreate modelsandscenariosinrealtime,so theycanmakefast,fair,confident lendingdecisions–increasinglywith lessandlessmanualinput.It'sallabout understandingcustomers,ensuring theyhaveaccesstotherightproducts attherightrate,quickly,whilealso minimisingrisk.Givingthecurrent pressuresmanyconsumersfacewith therisingcostofliving,helpingpeople inthiswayiswhatdrivesus. SpecificinnovationsincludeBoost, whichhelpsconsumersimprovetheir creditprofilesandultimatelygetaccess
tothecredittheydeserve.Froma lender'sview,itaddssignificantvalue throughitsabilitytoincreasethe numberofpeopletheycanaccept, whilealsoreducingbad-debtrates. Ultimately,itismachinelearningthat powersthesecapabilities.Therealityis thatwehaveusedmachinelearningto powerourcapabilitiesfordecades–in fraud,scoring,modelsandwider.More practically,toenablenewchannels suchaschatbotsandmore.Today,new MLtechniques,languages,and technologiessimplyofferusthe opportunitytodothatinnewways,to createnewvalue.Butcritically,italso enablesustoensuredecisionsarefair, explainableandcontrollable.Theseare oftenbarrierstoadoption.
Scottarguesthatinordertodevelop andco-create,Experianhasalways aggressivelycollaboratedwith industry,whetheritberegulators, clients,orpartners.Additionally,it collaborateswithcustomerstoexamine economicandcreditmarkettrendsin ordertopinpointanypotential demands.Thatwasespeciallycrucial intherecentyearsviaCovid.He shares, "We quickly pivoted our innovation agenda during the pandemic to support our clients and consumer audiences. Not only did we offer new, valuable services such as
access to free credit reports, but we also enhanced our models with new data and analytics to give lenders greater confidence and provide better customer outcomes. The impact was really inspiring.”
LearningsduringtheCareer Scotthashadmanyrolesduringhiscareer.Hestartedasan engineer,butchangedtackinhisearlycareertoprimarilylead commercialstrategy.Despitethischange,heoftenlooksbackatbasic engineeringprinciplesbyaskinghimselfifheunderstandsthe problem.Headds, "If so, do I have enough data or experience to inform solutions? If the answer's no, the task is probably a distraction until I do."
Althoughitischallengingtoimplementinpractice,Scotttruly believessuccesscomesfromruthlessprioritisation.Thisdoesn't alwaysmakehimpopular,butitdifferentiatesbusyleaderswho deliverinputsorprogressactions,fromoutstanding,highlyeffective leaderswhodeliverbusinessoutcomes.Heasserts, "This approach requires self-belief and, at times, having the courage to stand by your convictions when you have the data or experience to back them up.”
ForScott,thegreatestengineersdeliveramazingoutcomesby removingcomplexity,whichissomethingheseekstodoeveryday. Herecalls, "As I've progressed in my career, I've learned that I'm only as good as my team. This is something that took me several years to really understand, but today it is my number one focus. I've learned to build teams with diverse skills and experience and to actively encourage constructive challenge, but above all, to ensure that I've got the best talent working on the biggest problems." His advice for aspiring CTOs is:
Ÿ Simplify,simplify,simplify!
Ÿ
Focusonthebusinessoutcomeyouwant,andquicklydecide whetheryoureallyunderstandtheproblemandhavetheinputsto solveit.
Ÿ
Createtheoptimalteamandculturetosolvetheproblem.
Ÿ Behonestwithyourselfregardingtalentandtechnology,anddon't avoiddifficultconversationsifchangeineitherisrequired.
DuetothetraineeprogrammeinBrazil,EduardoCastrojoined Experianin2011.Hehassinceheldpositionsinavarietyofdivisions, includingfinance,strategicplanning,andmostrecentlyproduct management.HerelocatedtoLondonin2020toassumetheposition ofManagingDirectorofIdentityandFraudintheUK,leavingSao Paolo.
AsEduardoseesit,clientsareatthecentreofeverythingtheteam
doesatExperian.Itconstantlystrives toworkwiththecustomerstoensure itsservicesarebestsuitedtotheir needs.Hesays, "We value their input and strive to ensure it goes back into our innovation, ensuring we're best innovating and delivering what they need.”
Inordertodirectlyassurethatits innovationisinlinewithcustomer needs,theExperianteamhasimproved itsclientinteractionstrategyandnow usesThinkTanks,AdvisoryBoards, andUserGroups.Eduardorevealsthat themanagementteamregularlyhostsa CROSummittoremainontopof marketdemands.Recently,theteam evenbroughtclientstoParliamentto meetwithregulatorsface-to-face.Both theclientsandourselvesprofitfromit. Theseclientgroupsvaluethegroup conversationtohelpaddressshared marketconcernsandhavean opportunitytohearfromtheir colleaguesinthemarketaswellas Experian,particularlyinfraud,where theyarebattlingacommonenemy.
EduardostatesthatExperianhas enhanceditsclientservicebycreating adedicatedCustomerSuccessteam whosegoalistofosterclient involvement,collaboration,and continualdevelopment.Thisisa crucialpositionsincetheywork closelywithclientstoupdateexisting fraudrules,enhanceperformance, increaseoperationalreporting visibility,andsupportteamtraining. Headds, "Think of a fraud risk engine like a car. Regular maintenance is necessary to keep it running smoothly. And our Customer Success team provides that ongoing tune-up to fraud rules to keep pace with fraudsters.”
Healsomentionsthatthereisn'tone specificthingthatsumsupthefirm's clientexperience.Butbyputtingthe clientinthecenter,andengagingwith
themateverystage,theteamensures theyaredeliveringthebestclient experiencetheycan,andthat'swhat Eduardoexpectsofhimselfandhis team.
"Our clients need to make accurate decisions on customers, hundreds, thousands, even millions of times a day. Through data, analytics, and technology, we enable clients to do so in a way that's quicker and more convenient, and in line with the expectations of today's digital-first consumer,"saysEduardo.
HefurtheraddsthatthehelpExperian's clientsrecognisetrueidentitiesto establishrelationshipswithlegitimate customers.Andithelpskeepfraudsters outwithproductsdesignedtohelp detect,monitorandassesstheriskof fraud.Heasserts, "We use machine learning to augment traditional fraud scores and provide fraud teams the ability to reduce the time spent on manual reviews. We are actively investing across our solutions, using our vast array of customer data to deliver an effective set of solutions across the entire consumer journey, from onboarding, through in-life fraud management, and account takeover. It's our ability to provide the components alongside the sophistication which not only reduces manual processes but offers the ability for firms to accelerate their immediate strategies to prevent and detect fraud in real-time, and critically verify identities on any channel."
Experianproductsarechangingand modernisingtokeeppacewithnew regulationsandnewconsumer demands.Astheleaderintheindustry, itserveshundredsofthousandsof organisationsinmorethan40 countries,fromsmallstart-up businessestomulti-nationalsand
governments.Theteamof technologistsanddatascientistswork collaborativelywithclients,listening tothem,identifyingproblemsandthen helpingfindthebestsolutionsfortheir needs.Eduardoopines, "No one else has the data, expertise, and technology.”
WhileEduardothinkstheteamandthe companymadeprogress,hedoesthink asanindustryandasaproduct organisation,Experianneedstomove fastertomeetthechallengesahead.He says, "Fraudsters are fast. They are agile and not held to the same processes, regulations and establishments that organisations adhere to. To that end, we need to move quicker As fraud fighters, we need to be more agile." Healso believesthattheteamneedstobeable torespondtomarketproblems,client inputandsolvethesechallengesfaster.
Experianthinksonewaytheworldcan continuetofightfraudisencourage moredatasharinganddevelopan ecosystemoffraudandidentitydata. Peopleneedtobecollaborative,across sectorsandindustries,andevenacross competition.Hestates, "We're all fighting the same challenge, and by creating a network of shared data we will make an impact. We need to look at every way people interact, how we onboard and manage customers, and how we manage identities. We then get to a place where we are not only able to better manage fraud but mitigate it."
Today's IT executives are becoming more andmoreawareoftheirownelevatedstatus inside the C-suite. Technology is already at the core of contemporary civilization, but pandemic-accelerated advancements have increased its impact even further Organizational leaders depend more than ever on specialists in tech strategy, architecture,andoperations,providingChief Technology Officers (CTOs) increased authority and responsibility that will only increaseinthecomingyears.
Adopting new technology by itself doesn't always yield the best results However, applieddeliberately,efficiently,andoftenin tandem, technologies like hybrid cloud,AI, and automation may help contemporary businesses convert significant change into positive outcomes. How can I lead the IT departmentsuccessfullyandefficiently?The CEOswespokewithkeptcomingbacktothe samesubject:teamwork.
Somepeoplemightfinditsurprisingthatthe CTOhasevolvedintooneofthemostcrucial positions inside a business, yet this posture has been in the works for years. A new "Virtual Enterprise" model is evolving, driven by a post-digital perspective on economic potential, and CTOs are positionedtoleadit.
Curiously,ourresearchfindsthatCTOsand CIOsfrequentlyoperatealone,despitewhat seemstobecommonlyacknowledgedasthe optimalscenario.Only45%ofCTOsreport regular communication with their CIO colleagues.Similartothis,just41%ofCIOs mention regular engagement with CTO counterparts.
5,000 C-suite technology executives, includingChiefTechnologyOfficers(CTOs) andChiefInformationOfficers,werepolled by For Business Value (IBV) (CIOs). Indepth qualitative interviews with a chosen set of CEOs were conducted in order to get insights into their practical leadership
experience during a time of unprecedented upheaval.Thissurveyisourfirstsubstantial examinationofthechangingimportanceand duties of the CTO post, with respondents covering 29 sectors and 45 locations globally
Theexpandinginfluenceof CTOs
Technology CEOs and the companies they overseeareunderthelimelightasbusinesses reinvent themselves to survive in a postpandemic economy. The Chief Technology Officer (CTO), who is relatively new to the C-suite, and the Chief Information Officer (CIO) are increasingly sharing the responsibilityfortechnologyleadership.The riseoftheCTOissignificantlychanginghow choices about technology are made, how quickly new ideas are developed, and how new solutions are found. CTOs are also advocating co-creation and collaborations thataremotivatedbysharedidealsandopen standardsmorefrequently.
TheResponsibilityforaBetterFuture Technology has essentially impacted every businessactivityinsidetoday'sfirms,andas a result, the complexity, influence, and significance of the work of technology executives have all increased significantly.
CEOs concur CTOs and CIOs jointly rated inthetop3behindCFOsandCOOswhenwe recently asked 3,000 CEOs to select the Csuite executives most crucial to their organizational performance Technology leaders were second only to CFOs among CEOs in the top 20% of firms based on financialperformance.
Today,it'scloudandAI,but alongtheway,I'vehadthe goodfortunetocontributeto thedevelopmentofnewclassesof technologyandproceduresto safeguardcustomerswhereverthey conductbusiness.Ididthisbycreating andleadinginternationalSecOps, engineering,research,andconsulting teams,revitalisingandestablishing highmarginandlucrativebusiness units,andofferingFortune100 companiesexpertsecurityadvice.
GunterOllmann,aseasonedveteranin thefieldofinformationsecurity,has successfullyspecified,delivered,and developednewsecurityinnovationsfor thedefenceofmyownfirmaswellas manyothercompaniesacrossthe globe.
Gunterhaslivedabroadformorethan tenyears,spendingtimeinAPAC (NZ),Europe(UK),andNorth America(USA),aswellasproviding securityconsultingservicesinmore than80nations.Healsohasexperience workingwithawiderangeofcompany cultures.
Gunterhasplayedakeyrolein bringinginnovativetechnologiesand servicestomarketthroughstart-ups, market-leadingproviders,and internationallyrenownedhousehold brands.Heisanexperiencedbusiness leader,technologist,andresearcher. Gunterisarenownedconsultantand
researcherwhoholdsseveralpatentsin thedomainsofcyberthreatdetection andmitigation.Hehasalsosupervised andaidedinthecreationofseveral hundredcoretechnologypatents createdbyhisR&Dteams.Hehadthe honourofcontributingtothecreation ofthefirstcommercialtraining programmesinethicalhackingin2000 andwebapplicationhackingin2003. Healsodefinedmanyofthe penetrationtestingandsecurity assessmentmethodologiesthatare currentlyinuseworldwideandare includedinprogrammesforindustry certificationlikeCISSP.
Gunterhascontributedfrequentlyand writtencolumnsformagazineslikeSC Magazine,SecurityWeek,Dark Reading,andCircleIDovertheyears. Hehasalsobeencitedormentionedby hundredsoftopprint,radio,and televisionnewsoutlets,includingUSA Today,TheFinancialTimes,CNN, BBC,NPR,andRadio4.
DevoTechnology,aproviderofcloudnativesecurityanalyticsandlogging, saidtodaythatithasraised$100 millioninSeriesFinvestment,valued at$2billion.Leadinginternational investmentgroupEurazeo,which managesover$30billioninassets, servedastheround'sleadinvestor.All othercurrentinvestors,including InsightPartners,Georgian,TCV, GeneralAtlantic,BessemerVenture
Partners,andKiboVentures,alsotook part.ISAICapVenturealso contributedastrategicinvestmentto thedeal.Withthisround,morethan $500millionincashhasalreadybeen raised.Theadditionalcapitalwill speedDevo'sdeliveryofthe "autonomousSOC,"support developmentinnewgeographiesand businesssectors,andsupportpossible M&Aexpansion.
ThefundraisingroundfollowsDevo's acquisitionofKognos,theindustry leaderinAI-poweredthreathunting, whichwasacriticalstepindelivering whatDevoreferstoastheautonomous SOC—completevisibility,automation, analytics,andopenaccessto communityknowledgeandmaterial.
OnlyDevo'scloud-nativeloggingand securityanalyticsplatformunleashes thefullpowerofyourdatatoinspire brave,self-assuredaction.Devois yourallyinsafeguardingyour companytodayandinthefuture becauseofitsunmatchedsize,which allowsittogatherallofyourdata withoutcompromise,speed,which givesyouquickaccesstoinformation, andclarity,whichhelpsyou concentrateonthesignalsthatmatter most.Devo,withitsmainofficein Cambridge,Massachusetts,hasthe supportofInsightPartners,Georgian, andBessemerVenturePartners.
quotation,wherespecialistsare alwaysavailabletoassist.EMS PROTO,ledbyPierreYves Sempere,tacklesdifficultiesfor electronicBoarddesignersthat needtocreatetheirbespoke smallseriesinasimpleand rapidmanner.
PierreYvesSemperemet DamienMICHAUD,theother co-founderofEMSPROTO,in 2014.Theywereconfidentthat theirproposaltoprovideanew methodofpurchasingand producingelectronicsprojects wasbrilliant.Theyhadfaithin theirvisionfromthebeginning, notonlybecausetheyhadbeen inthebusinessforawhileor becausetheyhadpreviously facedtheissueof"howtoget assemblemyelectronicboards inafewdaysinsmallquantity," butalsobecausethecustomer andthemarketwerereadytobe disrupted,andgoodtimingis oneofthekeystosuccess.
Whendesignrequirementsget toocomplicated,it'seasierto sendheminforabespoke t
TheEMSPROTOonline platformallowsforafree immediateestimatefor electroniccardboardprojectsin totalautonomy.Factory productiononafullyautomated SMTlineensuresindustrial gradeboards.Thereisno minimumorderrequirementand theleadtimerangefrom2to12 days.
PierreYvesSempereistheCoFounderofEMSPROTO.He seesautomationasasignificant futurebreakthroughfor organisations.PierreYves Sempere,anambitiousand enthusiasticindividual,witha wealthofprofessionalexpertise.
Tomakethisideaareality, Pierre-YvesSEMPEREand DamienMICHAUDbegan meetingonceaweekforlengthy hours.Theprospectswereso enormous,andthemarketso open,thatthebusiness EMSPROTOwasfoundedin Septemberofthesameyear. DamienMICHAUDchoseto leaveinordertocompletely participateintheEMSPROTO adventure,whichoffersgreat growthopportunitiesinthe designandmanufacturingof electronicboards.
Sincethebeginning,Pierre-Yves SEMPERE'staskhasbeento persuadepeoplethatitis feasibletocreatea2500square
meterelectronicfactoryina year,toalterthewaycustomers purchase,andtochangetheway engineersdesignelectronic boards.Damienisinchargeof interiordesignand manufacturing,whilePierreYvesisinchargeofmarketing andR&D.
Thefirmlaterrelocatedto Martillac,closetoInnovatis' headquarters,ontheground levelofabuildingwhereit providedofficestolocal businesses.EMSPROTO,with thehelpofBPI,isdevelopingan algorithmthatwillallowits clientstodesigntheassemblyof theirelectronicboardsand receiveaninstantpricing estimate.Therewerejustthree membersatthestart,withatotal investmentof16,000euros,and afterfouryears,therewerethirty workerswithatotalinvestment ofmorethan5millioneuros.
Theideasbehindstarting EMSPROTO AccordingtoPierre-Yves SEMPERE,thereweretwo motivationsforlaunching emsproto.Thefirstwastobring tomarketawebsitecapableof quotinghundredsofelectronic components,verifyingthe possibilityofboardproduction, verifyingstockinrealtime, orderingthenumberofboards (between1and50),anddoing soallin15minutes.
In most firms, the Chief Information Officer(CIO)andtheChiefTechnical Officer serve as the two technical executive leadership roles (CTO) However, there may be a lot of misunderstanding when comparing the CIO and CTO, and depending on the company plan, they may really combineintoonepost.Theindividuals who work with them might not understand their viewpoints as well. This uncertainty is understandable given how these two tech executives' expectations have changed in recent years.
Digital firms today are very different from those a decade ago. We need to adjust rapidly as new channels are constantly being launched. Companies' technical leaders have primary responsibility for using technologytoaddressbusinessissues. Most people attend board meetings concurrently.Techleadersseamlessly integrate commercial objectives into technical action plans by breathing both business and technology simultaneously The executive must assemble and manage a team to carry out, run, and maintain the technologicalfootprint.
The Chief Information Officer (CIO), who often answers directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is in charge of enterprise-level ITsystems. They emphasize business, the user, and communication channels. These are frequently systems that have an internal focus. Systems that staff use more often and directly are under the CIO's supervision, which places less emphasis on customer engagement. Services, support, and related operational requirements for various applications and devices are included here.
Since these systems frequently connectwithinternalsystemsdirectly, CIOs have recently been given more responsibility for some customerfacing systems. The CIO is a shareholder and bears some responsibility for the goods the firm develops for use by third parties. But the externally facing product technologystackisnottheirs. CIOs are frequently in charge of security,too.Theymusthavetraining or experience in both business and technology The management of different teams for these internal systems and technology falls to CIOs often.
WhatisaCTO?
CTOs make larger technological decisions that are more important to corporatestrategy,verycomparableto CIOs. They frequently focus on the objectives of the organization, including trials that might have significant positive effects on the bottomline.
Particularly if the corporation is technology-focused,theCTOneedsto be technically proficient and understand the underlying business. Although many CTOs have a background in computer science, manyreallysuccessfulCTOsactually learnt the subject on the job. They might not even have professional degrees, but they do have a lot of experience Understanding the business from the standpoint of the technology it employs requires CTOs toworkmorecloselywithcustomers, external stakeholders, those developing applications, and those managing relationships as well as to have a thorough understanding of the business from the standpoint of technology
Additionally, there are many more variationsinCTOdutiesandseniority. In certain businesses, the technical and/orproductteamsareledbyCTOs. While in others they might report to the CEO, in some the CTO really reportstotheCIO.
TTeam members across enterprises mustadjust tonew and/or improved techtoolsas more businesses launch
digitaltransformationprogrammes.
Leadershipteamsfrequentlypromote newtechnologicalsystemsandtools withenthusiasmbecausetheybelieve thatthesesolutionsmaysavecosts, increaseproductivity,andimprovethe livesoftheiremployees(orhopefully, alloftheabove).Theirteammembers, ontheotherhand,couldbealittle moredifficulttopersuade—some mightevenprotestorrefusetoutilise thenewtechnologyatall.
Ifcertainteammembersdon'tusenew techtools,yourcompany'sbenefitfrom theirintroductionwillberestricted.It's
crucialtomakesurethateveryonein thecompanyisawareofthechange's "why"and,morecrucially,"whyit matterstome."Below,GrupoALTO CTOEdgarEscobar,oneofthe16 membersoftheForbesTechnology Council,offerspracticalwaysthat executivesmaybring"technology laggards"uptospeedwhennewtech toolsaredeployed.
DetailHowtheNewToolWill ImproveTheirPerformance Professionalsaresupposedtobenefit fromtools,whetheritmeanshavinga lighterworkloadorperformingbetter Toolsarethereforeuselessiftheydo nothaveeitherimpact.Itisourdutyto providepracticalusesfornew technologiesordemonstratetheir worthtoouremployeessotheywon't feelpressuredtoabandonwhatalready "works"infavourofusingthenew toolstoboostproductivity
Makingsureteammembersbegin usingnewtechtoolsshouldbepossible ifyouhavearobustchange managementandimplementationteam. Asaleader,Iwouldorganiseongoing communicationcampaignsinsidethe team/organizationtoraiseknowledge oftheadvantages,aswellastargeted celebrationsandforumstorecognise andhonour"champions."Allteam
memberswillbeencouragedtousethe techtoolsinordertoobtainthedesired outcomesandrewards.
Thesimplestapproachtoguarantee thatteammembersutilisetheresources attheirdisposalistocreateateam culturethatencouragespassionabout technology—andthatculturemust beginatthetop.It'scrucialforusto conveyenthusiasmandexplainhow thenewtechnologywillaffecttheteam asawholewhenpresentingnewtech solutionsinordertopromoteadoption rightaway
Participatetheteamintheinitial decision-makingprocess.Even somethingassimpleasconductingan upfrontsurveytogatherinformation abouteveryone'swantscanmakethem feelinvolved—theydon'tallneedtobe completedecision-makers.
Peopleareconsiderablymoreinclined torejecttoolsthatareimposedupon them,buttheyoftenfixissueswith toolstheyseemtohaveplayedapartin choosing.Startbypresentingause casethatpersuadestheteamtoadopt thetool.Acompany-wideusecase shouldbeusedifthereisacompanywideimpact.
EdgarEscobarhasexpertiseinleading teams,managingprojects,anddeveloping strategiesintheareasofdatascience, modelling,businessintelligence,software development,andoperationalandfinancial risk.HepresentlyholdsthepositionofCTO atGrupoALTO,acutting-edgesolutionthat offerstechnologyandindividualised supporttoourretail,lawenforcement,and prosecutionpartnerstolowertheincidence ofretailcrimeandenhancecommunities.
