Ctrl Alt Lead

Access Group runs a vast, acquisition-led IT estate while supporting mission-critical services such as NHS payroll. Tom speaks with regional technology director Rolf Krolke about how the organisation designed a scalable reference architecture that delivers resilience, flexibility and near-zero downtime across private and public cloud environments.

Rolf unpacks the practical realities of active-active design, modular infrastructure and operating at global scale, alongside the mistakes IT leaders make when modernising complex estates. Listen now to learn more about designing for failure, managing technical debt and keeping transformation aligned with real business risk.

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LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

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 Alexandra Ebert, advisor to regulators like the FCA and IEEE, as well as chief AI and democratisation officer at Mostly AI, joins Tom to discuss the modern AI landscape. She warns that too many organisations are rushing to “get more GenAI” without doing the groundwork, arguing that AI needs to be a strategic capability rooted in solid data foundations and alignment between technology and business rather than a shiny add on. She also highlights the pitfalls of “AI workslop," where employees lean too heavily on generative tools, producing more work with less originality, and urges CIOs to rethink governance and training around AI-augmented workflows.

We also touch on the economics of Big Tech, with Alex suggesting that hyperscalers’ massive infrastructure spending is driving AI hype to justify their ROI.

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LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

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In this bonus episode Tom Allen sits down with Katia Gil Guzman, a founding member of OpenAI’s Developer Experience team, to explore how AI coding is evolving beyond the hype. Katia explains why OpenAI actively discourages “vibe coding” for anything beyond small experiments, arguing that enterprise-ready AI tools should behave more like software engineers - producing pull requests, following project rules and aligning to established guardrails.

She also discusses how companies can improve the trustworthiness of AI-generated code; why you probably don't need multi-agent orchestration; and what the next 12-24 months hold for the AI space.

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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Cyber attacks and crisis response are daily realities for security professionals, but the demands of  defending critical systems and services from cyber attack can exert a heavy toll on cybersecurity practitioners at all levels. A combination of the "always on" nature of cybersecurity, the urgency of the task and some of the personality traits often found in cyber teams mean that difficulties are often masked. Practitioners are often reluctant to seek help and can get stuck in their own personal doom loop.  

In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, Kinly CISO Don Gibson and PPRO CISO Bronwyn Boyle talk to Computing Associate Editor Penny Horwood about instant-response pressure, the mismatch between responsibility and control and what these do to the brain. The pair open up about their personal experiences with burnout and recovery, explain why it pays for IT leaders to look after their cybersecurity teams and share practical, compassionate ways leaders can protect their teams from the mental burdens of constant vigilance. The pair also share some ways that cybersecurity professionals can look after themselves. 

Don shares his experience leading through a global ransomware crisis and how it led to a life-changing health event and Bronwyn reflects on her own work-induced crisis, and how empathy, openness, and community support can transform how teams cope with the relentless demands of cybersecurity. Bronwyn is an ambassador for https://cybermindz.org/ -  a community service, not-for-profit providing services and support to those who earn their living trying to protect their organisations and employees from cybercriminals. 

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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When John Seabourn asked his team how AI made them feel, the answers ranged from "excited" to "concerned," but the word that stood out most was "efficient". In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, John - CDIO of global environmental consultancy APEM Group - joins Tom to unpack what that word really means in a world where technology can accelerate renewable energy projects, yet consumes vast amounts of power to do so. John explains how APEM is using tech to speed up impact assessments and bring sustainable infrastructure online sooner, without losing sight of the ethical and ecological cost.

But efficiency isn’t just about systems; it’s about people. Seabourn warns that automating too much, too soon could hollow out the talent pipeline, drawing lessons from the oil and gas industry’s “Great Retirement." He argues for hybrid careers that blend scientific expertise with digital fluency, and a leadership approach that prizes curiosity and critical thinking over short-term savings.

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LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / John Seabourn

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Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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Queen Mary University of London CIO Rachel Bence joins Computing’s Penny Horwood to discuss how the university is embedding sustainability into its IT strategy — from using waste heat from high-performance computing to warm student halls, to running datacentres powered by recycled energy. Rachel shares how a focus on sustainability aligns with Queen Mary’s mission of inclusivity and social mobility, and how these values drive innovation across academic and operational IT environments.

The conversation also explores the realities of leading digital transformation in higher education — managing technical debt, supporting a diverse student body, and balancing research freedom with cyber security. Rachel reflects on the opportunities and risks of AI, why universities can’t afford to ignore it, and how leadership built on communication, transparency, and gratitude helps her team thrive through rapid change.

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LinkedIn: @computing-- / Penny Horwood / Rachel Bence

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Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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Banking is known for its monolithic, legacy IT systems, but new challenger banks have a different approach. Cynergy Bank's CDIO Rana Bhattacharya joins Tom to explain how the bank is blending the latest tech with a modern mindset.

By adopting Flutter and a microservices architecture, Cynergy has been able to build once and deploy across iOS, Android and the web, improving productivity while streamlining its mobile and online banking channels.

Rana also dives into the bank’s decision to go beyond infrastructure hosting and leverage Google Cloud’s platform services to ensure resilience and scalability. And with AI beginning to play a role, Cynergy is focusing on “supercharging humans” rather than replacing them, using AI to handle paperwork, speed up research and give SMEs access to insights once reserved for large enterprises.

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Rana Bhattacharya

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Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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Tom speaks with Steve Capper, Chief Digital & Information Officer at Carnival UK, whose brands include Cunard and P&O Cruises. Formerly a multi-award-winning leader in the engineering and construction world, Capper explains how the leap into the cruise industry revealed unexpected parallels, from large-scale refits to complex logistics, but with one major difference: everything moves.

Steve lifts the lid on the tech that powers modern cruise ships, including on-board datacentres, satellite-enabled upgrades, AI-enhanced customer experience and sustainability efforts like water generation at sea. He also talks leadership, resilience and why running IT in a 24/7 global business means “two of everything," just like Noah’s Ark.

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Steve Capper

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Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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Paul Smith, CIO of Amnesty International, offers a rare glimpse into what it means to lead technology in one of the world’s largest and most complex nonprofit organisations. With operations in over 150 countries, Paul’s role goes far beyond the usual CIO remit: from safeguarding whistleblowers in war zones to supporting campaigners in politically sensitive regions, all while working under tight budgetary constraints. He explains how Amnesty prioritises ethical, value-driven investments that support frontline human rights work, and why standard ROI metrics often fall short in a mission-led environment.

Paul also reflects on the unique challenges of managing technology across a global, federated structure where each entity has different needs, tools and levels of digital maturity. He shares how his team is tackling this with shared platforms, a strong architectural backbone and a focus on inclusive design.

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Paul Smith

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Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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Technology still plays second fiddle to steel and scaffolding in many people’s view of construction, but that image belies the truth behind the industry's impressive digital progress.

In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead Matt Sharp, CDO at RLB, talks about how he launched his IT team as a separate digital consultancy to serve clients beyond construction, how it became revenue generating in the first year, and why construction’s digital transformation is now accelerating - and what still holds it back.

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Matt Sharp

X: @Computing_News

Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.uk

LinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Penny Horwood

Are you an IT leader with a story to tell? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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