What happens when your ideal customer never sees your website or your emails—because their AI agent screens everything first?

In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, Julian Tedstone sits down with Scott Brinker - former VP, Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot and editor of chiefmartec.com - to explore how AI agents, answer engines, and an ever-expanding Martech landscape are reshaping marketing.

Scott shares the story behind his iconic Martech supergraphic (from 150 tools to an “infinite fractal” of logos) and explains why SaaS is far from dead, even as AI gives individuals unprecedented power to spin up their own workflows, dashboards, and micro-tools.

Together, Julian and Scott dig into:

• Why search is giving way to answer engines—and what AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) really means
• How AI is changing marketing in three layers: behind-the-scenes tools, customer-facing experiences, and now buyer-side agents
• What it looks like when your inbox is handled by an agent that filters, researches, and negotiates on your behalf
• How to think about core platforms vs. plug-in micro-tools, and why orchestration and data still matter
• The mindset digital leaders need over the next two years: less panic, more steady experimentation

If you’re responsible for complex web estates, Martech stacks, or digital strategy-and feeling the pace of change - this conversation will help you reset, refocus, and plan what to do next.

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How do you consolidate a web estate the size of a small country? In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone talks with Antonella Severo, Product Manager for WebCMS at Nestlé Global Services Spain. Antonella shares how Nestlé reduced more than 2,000 websites to 1,300 while improving governance, security, and speed to market.

She walks through the decision to standardise on Drupal, the move to a multi-site model, and the creation of Lightness, Nestlé’s in-house Drupal distribution that drives reuse across brands, categories, and regions. We dig into the shift from WebCMS to WebOps—automation, DevOps, and the operational playbooks behind changes like SSO rollouts and code repository migration.

Expect practical detail on “freedom in a box” for markets, how global and local teams collaborate with a single agency model, and why composable architecture and decoupled setups are shaping what comes next. If you’re scaling content, integrations, and security across dozens—or hundreds—of sites, this conversation maps the path.

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In this episode, Alan Perestrello, Managing Director at HartSquare, joins Digital Transformation Survivors to explore how membership and charity organizations are redefining their digital journeys. 

From balancing tradition with innovation to building user-led technology ecosystems, Alan shares how communities rooted in shared purpose can make smarter decisions about their marketing and CRM stacks. 

Together, we discuss the unique dynamics of member-driven engagement, the challenges of retention versus acquisition, and how truth, standards, and trust are being reshaped in the age of intelligent agents.

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In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, Helga Eriksson, Global Web Leader at Alfa Laval, shares how she orchestrates a decentralized digital presence spanning 43 markets. From upgrading complex CMS systems to building a global web community, Helga explains how structure, governance, and trust turn chaos into collaboration. She also explores how AI is reshaping search behavior and why agility—not just technology—defines the future of digital marketing.

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Alessandra Canavesi, Head of Digital Marketing & Customer Experience at AXA, sits down with Jules to share her perspective on managing multicultural teams and building authentic connections with sophisticated investors. She explains how her team navigates the tension between global consistency and local nuance, the art of tailoring communications for different levels of expertise, and why listening first is her leadership anchor.

The conversation dives into the role of digital infrastructure—from CRM and Eloqua integration to LinkedIn campaigns and personalised client journeys—and how AI is reshaping everything from translation to strategy. Alessandra also reflects on mentoring the next generation, fostering intergenerational collaboration, and keeping a “never stop learning” mindset at the heart of her leadership.

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In this energising and honest episode finale, Jules and Allison dig into the real-world dynamics of agility in practice—beyond the buzzwords. From unpacking the myth of self-organization to naming the creeping dangers of technical debt, they explore what truly drives high-performing teams.

Together, they take on:

• Why self-organising teams aren’t free fall
• The difference between agile theater and meaningful agility
• How technical debt quietly erodes momentum and morale
• When Kanban works, when Scrum matters, and when neither is enough
• MVPs, Lean Startup thinking, and the trap of stopping too soon
• The rare cases where Waterfall makes more sense

It’s a sharp, no-spin conversation full of grounded insights for leaders, practitioners, and anyone navigating the messy middle of digital delivery. Whether you’re deep in delivery or just trying to cut through the noise, this episode leaves you with clarity, challenge, and a reminder: agility is a discipline, not a trend.

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In Part 2 of this thought-provoking conversation, host Julian Tedstone welcomes back Alison from Quantum of Value for a candid exploration of the deeper issues surrounding Agile methodologies in digital transformation.

Together, they take on a pressing question: What’s going wrong with Agile? From disillusionment at the boardroom level to ineffective top-down mandates, Alison unpacks the “cargo cult” phenomenon—where organizations go through the motions without understanding the purpose behind Agile practices. She draws on real-world experiences, data from Gartner, and field insights to explain why 70% of digital transformations fail—and how poor adoption, rushed scaling, and a focus on the wrong metrics (like velocity over value) contribute to the problem.

Listeners will also hear about:
 • The danger of “sheep-dip Agile” training programs
 • How scaling too fast can derail even promising starts
 • Why story points and velocity are often misused
 • The toll of change fatigue on teams and individuals
 • The importance of cultural readiness and meaningful leadership engagement

Alison also shares how her team uses behavioral data to support Agile teams through Performalise, a platform that helps surface and correct performance issues before they grow.

This episode is essential listening for practitioners, leaders, and anyone navigating the realities of digital transformation. It’s honest, accessible, and focused on learning—not just critique.

🎧 Tune in and get ready for Part 3, where Jules and Alison continue to unpack what’s next for Agile and how to reframe success on more meaningful terms.

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In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone speaks with Allison Bacher,  co-founder of Quantum of Value, about what it really takes to lead meaningful, measurable change in complex organisations.

Allison shares her journey from agile consultant to product innovator, and offers practical insights from years of guiding highly regulated and fast-scaling businesses through the realities of digital transformation. Together, they unpack what it means to manage change that sticks—starting with the business, not the technology-and how to identify and empower true change agents within organizations.

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In this episode of Digital Transformation Survivors, host Julian Tedstone sits down with Tony Byrne, founder of Real Story Group, to unpack the realities of enterprise MarTech decision-making. With decades of experience offering vendor-agnostic insights, Tony discusses why traditional analyst quadrants fall short, how organizations can navigate platform consolidation, and the growing role of composability in digital experience architecture.

From the pitfalls of overbuying to the emergence of “legless” CMS architectures, Tony shares practical guidance for enterprises managing complex digital estates. The conversation also explores how AI and agents are reshaping content and decisioning workflows—and why strong governance still matters.

Whether you’re rethinking your CMS or evaluating how to manage global vs. local web needs, this episode offers honest perspectives and useful direction.

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In this kickoff episode of Digital Transformation Survivors Season 2, Julian Tedstone sits down with Paul Taylor, Product Transformation Lead at Worldline Merchant Services. Paul brings decades of experience in financial technology, mergers, and product transformation to the table, sharing insights on how organizations can thrive amid complexity.

Paul unpacks what transformation truly looks like from the inside: tackling legacy platforms, navigating post-merger integration, and building empowered product teams in the ever-evolving payments landscape. With a focus on leadership as a service, Paul reveals how to foster resilience and cultivate ‘muscle memory’ for continuous improvement in fast-paced industries.

Whether you’re knee-deep in digital change or simply curious about the human side of transformation, this episode offers a candid, real-world perspective on surviving—and thriving—in the face of constant change.

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