In this episode we look back at the latest series of ASM Connected and revisit some of the conversations we had about emerging trends and tech with key speakers, futurists and business leaders from across the globe.

Topics discussed in this episode:

00:23 Professor of Digital Strategy and Cybersecurity at IMD Business School, Öykü Işık, discusses digital ethics and whether the implementation of AI regulations restricts innovation.

02:52 Dutch Schwartz, Global Head for Security and Strategic Industries for Amazon Web Services answers a question direct from ChatGPT.

06:41 Roland Emmans, Head of Technology Sector and Growth Lending at HSBC shares his insights whether technologies such as AI and RPA deliver enough value for businesses and if performance could be improved by technology partners adopting a more human-centric approach.

08:40 Terence Bennett General Manager of Dream Factory Software discusses how the enterprise can have a strategy that enables emerging technology whilst offering robust protection.

11:58 Is there evidence that Blockchain offers ROI yet? Kamales Lardi, Thought Leader on Forbes Business Council offers her opinion.

Where to find us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies

Website: https://asmtech.com/

In this episode of ASM Connected, Iain Tomkinson chats with Dutch Schwartz, Global Head for Security and Strategic Industries for Amazon Web Services. They discuss cloud security, the importance of security culture and how to keep pace with the future of technology.

Dutch holds a Master’s of Business Administration in Global Management and was a strategy and planning officer in the US Army. He combines his formal training with his practical experience in cyber security to develop cloud security strategies for customers of Amazon Web Services.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

02:10 What would ChatGPT ask a cyber security expert?

06:05 Are attitudes changing on exec boards regarding CISO roles?

16:29 Why do organisations fail to realise the benefits of zero trust?

25:50 Does the enterprise need to go beyond traditional security when deploying “as a service” solutions?

35:16 What does Dutch look for when engaging with a security vendor for the first time?

41:01 Is investment in the security space keeping pace with the level of threat out there?

45:23 Is there enough investment going into the evolution of security?

48:28 Dutch’s favourite tech gadget.

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Dutch Schwartz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dutchschwartz/

In this episode of ASM Connected, Iain Tomkinson chats to Terence Bennett, the General Manager of Dream Factory Software, discussing cyber security, emerging technologies and innovation within the tech sector.

Previously, he ran operations at Integrate.io and TeamPassword and worked on Google's Offensive Security “Red Team”. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Intelligence Officer and Surface Warfare Officer during Operation IraqiFreedom.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

01:26 Terence’s journey from serving his country in the US Navy to leading a software business.

04:53 What is the core function of a red team?

11:20 Are there rules for a red team to follow when testing potential threats?

17:50 Is it possible to remove a significant numbers of cyber threats by getting the basics right?

25:06 Can the enterprise explore with emerging tech whilst retaining robust protection?

35:00 Interesting startups and technologies on the horizon.

38:03 Should organisations have someone at board level with a deep understanding of cyber security?

40:23 Is AI a threat to security?

41:20 Terence’s favourite tech gadget.

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Terence Bennett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terencehbennett/

In this episode of ASM Connected, host Iain Tomkinson chats to Kamales Lardi, a Teaching Fellow at Durham University Business School and a Thought Leader on Forbes Business Council.

Kamales is a bold and strategic thinker in digital and business transformation. She combines over 23 years of deep cross-industry experience with the latest digital and technology solutions. Kamales is listed in the Thinkers360 “Top 10 Global Thought Leaders in Digital Transformation”. In 2022, Kamales was recognised in International 40 Over 40 - The World's Most Inspiring Women by CapGemini Invent.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

02:53 Kamales’ journey as a woman joining the tech world

07:10 What makes Blockchain disruptive?

08:07 How Blockchain will define commerce.

14:10 Use cases for Blockchain and the benefits.

20:20 Is there evidence that Blockchain can generate ROI or are other benefits more important?

24.:32 Does standardisation hinder or help growth of technology?

27:20 Is the traditional approach of transformation adequate in the modern world?

31:18 How can we get organisations to focus more on output than traditional KPIs?

41:54 The impact of diversity on the outcomes and evolution of technology.

51:27 Kamales’ favourite tech gadget.

Resources: 

Kamales Lardi: https://www.kamaleslardi.com/

Kamales Lardi, The Human Side of Digital Business Transformation: https://www.kamaleslardi.com/book

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Kamales Lardi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamaleslardi/

Adam Leon Smith is a specialist in software quality and emerging technologies, with deep technical expertise and nearly 20 years’ experience. He has held senior technology roles at multinationals including Barclays and Deutsche Bank, delivering large complex transformation projects. 

Adam is Chair of the BCS Special Interest Group in Software Testing and holds officer roles with ISO/IEC in the AI and Software & Systems Engineering committees.

Adams current holds the position of CTO at Dragonfly, a European based consultancy focused on Testing, AI and Digital transformation. Dragonfly has a focus on Financial Services, Healthcare and Retail sectors. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

02:16 - How Adam got into AI and Software Testing?

04:48 - Can the UK actually be a leader in AI technologies?

06:33 - How organisations can sanitise AI solutions

09:25 - AI is built on bias.

10:00 - Will the imminent EU Commission act stifle AI innovation?

13:34 - Risk based approach at multiple levels.

15:47 - Is testing AI difficult?

17:27 - If we don’t know the answer, how do we validate that the answer is correct?

19:03 - Complex language and AI

20:45 - It doesn’t understand our world – Chat GPT

22:14 - Autonomous vehicles and smart cities, is the tech good enough?

25:02 - Can AI be tricked and are there security risks?

25:55 - What qualities should customers look for in choosing an AI application?

28:25 - Quick fire questions.

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

In this episode of ASM Connected, host Iain Tomkinson chats to Jim Hancock, who is the former Head of Innovation for the US Navy SEALs. They discuss how engaged the military is with emerging technologies and disruptive vendors and how to approach such organisations with solutions.

Jim served in the US Navy as a cryptologist and worked with the intelligence communities and eventually conducted over 0ne hundred combat operations with special operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. During the last six years of his career, he worked as the senior enlisted advisor over future concepts and Innovation for the US Navy Special operations community where he became a well know subject matter expert in unmanned systems, 5G and artificial intelligence.

Topics discussed in this episode:

02:38 - What does a Navy Cryptologist do?

04:20 - The importance of intelligence in warfare.

06:00 - What inspired Jim to get into technology?

07:02 - How engaged with new technologies and disruptive vendors?

12:33 - How do you manage the huge amounts of data that’s available in the battlefield?

15:20 - How can we trust the data and AI in military scenarios?

16:58 - Encouraging users to use new and emerging tech.

20:15 - What technologies would you expect to flow through to enterprise from military applications?

21:27 - Jim’s favourite technology.

23:10 - How the NFL are using VR to train football players?

24:53 - Cool tech solutions that Jim has been involved with, that he can share publicly.

27:10 - Using tech for human disaster response and how drones can assist.

28:54 - Use cases for 5G in military environments vs. traditional wired and Wi-Fi solutions.

30:28 - IoT, 5G and improving drone deliveries within cellular environments.

32:45 - Autonomous weapons and are they secure?

38:20 - What considerations should Vendors and partners consider before engaging with a military organisation?

42:20 - From Innovator to fiction author.

44:15 - Smart home or simple life?

44:21 - Jim’s favourite tech gadget.

Sources:

Website: jlhancock.com

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

In this episode of ASM Connected, host Iain Tomkinson chats to Öykü Işık, who is a Professor of Digital Strategy and Cybersecurity at IMD Business School. Her current work focuses on digital resilience, AI Trust and transparency, as well as operationalisation of digital ethics practises in organisations.

They discuss the challenges that emerging technologies present for security and how digital ethics can maintain pace with technological advances.

Öykü is a computer scientist by training and earned her MBA in Istanbul, and her PhD from the University of North Texas. She designs and delivers programmes at IMD Business School, which includes Cybersecurity for Business Executives and Digital Ethics for Senior Executives and has taught in Turkey, USA, Belgium and now Switzerland. She was also recently recognised on the Thinkers50 Radar List 2022.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

3:31 - According to Cisco, more than 80% of data breaches are from phishing, could employee engagement and training help prevent attacks?

08:51 - What can be done to reduce the impact and leverage the threat that Ransomware poses?

13:00 - Is there enough investment into post breach technologies and education or is it deemed as a damage limitation exercise once people have discovered a breach?

17:16 - Can different cyber security tools help with threat detection or can it worsen the problem due to app fatigue?

22:35 - Should we be looking at the vendors and partners we work with more closely and what should we consider looking for to give us some comfort that our data is going to be secure when we're engaging with vendors?

28:12 - Quantum computing is hailed as the next big step in computational development but if the systems can solve complex problems far faster than current systems, does this not pose a huge threat to the current type of encryption that protects our data?

32:01 – Is AI just a well written “bit of code” or is it more?

39:16 - How do we measure and audit the bias and the effectiveness of technologies such as AI?

43:22 - Is legislation able to keep up with technologies such as AI and should we police and set rules for its use?

53:16 - What advice would Öykü give to a sales person or cybersecurity vendor for starting an initial conversation with a prospective customer?

55:52 - Is Öykü a fan of AI or not?

56:16 - Öykü’s favourite tech gadget 

Sources:  

American Society of Transplantation, 2021 ‘Racial Bias in Clinical Tools and Impact on Organ Transplantation’ https://www.myast.org/sites/default/files/Racial%20Bias%20in%20Clinical%20Tools%202021.04.21.pdf 

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Öykü Işık: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oykuisik/

In this episode of ASM Connected, host Iain Tomkinson chats to Simon Godfrey, who is the Chair of the Public Sector Board of Tech UK and Director of Government Relations and Social Value Leader at BT. They discuss how government and private sectors can work together to maximise services, how AI can help us to progress more cost effectively, and how inflammatory pressures are affecting digital transformation.

Simon is an expert in the business of public sector, and is a former strategic advisor to the Prime Minister’s office, and has held senior director roles at SAP, Oracle and GSK.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

1:48 - Simons career background

8:12 - Do economic uncertainties impact technology partners and innovation?

11:13 - How does government tackle challenges around legacy tech and is this a barrier to innovation?

15:16 - How has the CDDO impacted the collaboration with government?

19:39 - Challenges around emerging tech such as AI and public sector attitude towards them

23:58 - How can technology partners support government to ensure that budgetary pressures don't slow projects down?

27:06 - How can government work with tech partners to innovate?

33:39 - How could government and private sectors work together to maximize services by optimizing data, without losing the trust of the public?

36:12 - Which technology will solve the problem of analysing data without risking its credibility?

37:30 - Simons advice to sales leaders and teams working to grow their public sector wallet share

40:02 - Watch sport in VR or in a stadium?

40:47 - Simons favourite tech gadget

Resources: 

35:15 - Privacy is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data by Carissa Veliz: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Privacy-Power-Should-Take-Control/dp/1787634043

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Simon Godfrey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-godfrey/

In this episode of ASM Connected, host Iain Tomkinson chats to Bruce Daisley, who is the former EMEA Twitter VP, former Director of YouTube and Display for Google, two time Sunday Times best seller with his books, The Joy of Work and Fortitude and podcaster, about resilience and happiness at work, and how emerging tech and social media impacts workplace culture. 

Bruce was previously the VP of EMEA for Twitter, Managing Director of Twitter UK, Director of YouTube and Display for Google, Digital Advisor to Comic Relief, and has held various other roles in technology. Bruce is also a seasoned podcaster with his podcast, Eat Sleep Work Repeat.

Topics discussed in this episode:  

2:11 - The history of Twitter

5:59 - Innovative YouTube ads, creativity or data led?

8:44 - Should we be worried about the use of data?

10:53 - Can organisations be more transparent about the risks and be more proactive when data breaches occur?

15:04 - Company culture of highly innovative tech companies

18:08 - What can we do to enhance happiness at work?

22:36 - Is technology helping with burnout or contributing to it?

24:05 - Social media, is it a distraction or the way of the future?

25:14 - Four day working week, clever PR stunt or the way we’ll all go?

29:11 - Culture for high performance

31:17 - Are people more productive at their desks or outside of the workplace?

33:00 - Is AI good or bad in the workplace?

35:59 - Bruce’s favourite tech gadget?

Resources: 

Bruce Daisley, Eat Sleep Work Repeat: https://eatsleepworkrepeat.com/category/podcast/

Bruce Daisley, Fortitude: https://www.findfortitude.net/the-book

Bruce Daisley, The Joy of Work: https://eatsleepworkrepeat.com/joyofwork/

Where to find us: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Bruce Daisley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucedaisley/

In this episode of ASM Connected, host Iain Tomkinson chats to Roland Emmans, who is the Head of Technology Sector and Growth Lending at HSBC. In this episode they discuss the value that AI and RPA can create, and the technology categories that are yet to deliver for the enterprise. We also explore what makes a tech company appealing to investors, the difference between the European and US investment scene, and the importance of social, environmental and governance to investors.

Roland is also a Tech Nation Advisory Board Member and UEL Centre of Fintech Strategic Advisory Board Member.

Topics discussed in this episode:   

2:08 - Culture of the business, growth mindset and their investability vs the technology as the key driver

6:53 - Bridging the gap between banking and technology

9:05 - Do technology partners do enough to showcase value

12:48 - Could organisations improve performance of emerging tech by ensuring they’re human centric?

21:11 - Ethical and environmental impacts of technology from investors perspective

26:26 - Difference in attitudes towards profitability between European and US based businesses

30:02 - Does appetite for new technology outpace the use cases and ROI?

39:55 - What technology is next in the enterprise space?

43:37 - Disruption in financial institutions

49:19 - Smart home or leave it at the office?

50:05 - Roland’s favourite tech gadget?

Where to find us:  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asm-technologies-limited 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASMTechnologies 

Website: asmtech.com 

Connect with Iain Tomkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iainjtomkinson/ 

Connect with Roland Emmans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rolandemmans/