Executives at the Edge

By MplifyBusiness Entrepreneurship News Technology Business News

Executives at the Edge episodes

November 27, 2025Autonomous Everything: Dawn of the Agent-Driven Network
CCsquared’s Founder, Caroline Chappell, dives into how agentic AI, automation, and software-ized networks are accelerating faster than anything the telecom industry has seen before. From fabric networks to autonomous operations, the stakes are rising fast. Will operators adapt quickly enough to compete?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Caroline Chappell of CCsquared:
What makes agentic AI more disruptive than previous automation waves?
How will AI agents transform automation across modern networks?
Why are autonomous networks essential for future connectivity?
How can organizations prepare for AI-driven infrastructure?
What disruptions could self-improving AI bring to global digital ecosystems?
Learn More
Explore Caroline’s latest research report, From Automation to Autonomy: a Framework for Agentic AI-driven Network Operations.
Read the Converge! Network Digest news article, Mplify: AI Connectivity, Automation, and Sovereign Infrastructure.
Download Mplify’s new market brief, NaaS: The Automated Network Supply Chain for Agentic AI.
About Our Guest
Caroline Chappell, Founder, CCsquared
Caroline Chappell has over 35 years’ experience in the IT and telecoms industry as a software practitioner, industry analyst and consultant. She is a leading expert on the application of new technologies, including cloud, open APIs and AI, to telecoms networks, network services and network operations.

Caroline’s research has focused on the evolution of the network as a platform based on horizontal layers of technology, each of which can be consumed as a service through open APIs.

Caroline was most recently a partner at Analysys Mason responsible for the company’s cloud and AI networks practice and she has founded CCsquared to investigate the new and disruptive network architectures and their operational requirements that together will underpin the future AI and extended reality-driven world.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post Autonomous Everything: Dawn of the Agent-Driven Network appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
29 min
October 30, 2025AI and Cloud: The Bandwidth Boom Reshaping Networks
TeleGeography’s Senior Manager of Enterprise Research, Greg Bryan, explores how AI, cloud, and data center growth are fueling global network demand. As transport remains the backbone of the $500B WAN market, new access models and automation are redefining connectivity. Can networks keep pace with the AI era?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Greg Bryan of TeleGeography:
How are AI and cloud workloads driving unprecedented bandwidth growth across the global WAN market?
Why does enterprise connectivity remain the backbone of the $500B telecom economy?
What role will fiber, 5G, satellites, and optical networking play in meeting future bandwidth needs?
How are data center interconnects and automation reshaping global transport networks?
Can today’s infrastructure adapt quickly enough to power the AI-driven digital economy?
Learn More
Explore Mplify’s Underlay Connectivity Service standards.
Read Greg Bryan’s latest blog Predicting How AI Will Impact Enterprise Networks.
Learn how NaaS is shaping AI-ready, automated networks through on-demand connectivity and assurance.
Discover the future of connectivity at Mplify’s Global NaaS Event, GNE 2025, where AI-optimized NaaS and live automation demos are redefining infrastructure.
About Our Guest
Greg Bryan, Senior Manager of Enterprise Research, TeleGeography
Greg is Senior Manager, Enterprise Research, at TeleGeography. He’s spent nearly two decades at TeleGeography developing many of our pricing products and reports about enterprise networks.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post AI and Cloud: The Bandwidth Boom Reshaping Networks appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
28 min
October 16, 2025AI-Ops: From Prediction to Agentic Autonomy
AvidThink’s Founder and Principal, Roy Chua, explores how AI is transforming networking from predictive insights to reasoning and agentic operations. This shift introduces new protocols, security challenges, and intent-based automation, unlocking smarter troubleshooting, planning, and deployment. How will enterprises embrace AI-ops and agentic AI in their operations?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Roy Chua of AvidThink:
How has AI in networking evolved from predictive to generative to agentic?
What real-world AI-ops use cases exist today for AI-driven operations?
How do reasoning models enhance troubleshooting and root cause analysis?
What role does retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) play in enterprise AI ops?
How do protocols like MCP and agent-to-agent communication change automation?
Learn More
Explore AvidThink’s latest research, 2025 AI in Networking.
Learn how NaaS is shaping AI-ready, automated networks through on-demand connectivity and assurance.
Discover the future of connectivity at Mplify’s Global NaaS Event, GNE 2025, where AI-optimized NaaS and live automation demos are redefining infrastructure; join us 10–14 November 2025, in Dallas, Texas, USA. Find out more at: GNE.mplify.net
About Our Guest
Roy Chua, AvidThink, Founder & Principal
Roy Chua is a principal at AvidThink, an independent research and advisory service focused on infrastructure technologies. Roy is a frequent speaker at telecom and cloud conferences, and AvidThink has been quoted by and featured in major publications including the WSJ, Fierce Telecom, Fierce Wireless, The New Stack, and Light Reading. Roy was also a co-founder at SDxCentral, a technology publication.

He has previously worked as a management consultant for Fortune 500 and startup companies, specializing in go-to-market and product strategy. Roy is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s electrical engineering and computer science program and MIT’s Sloan School of Business. With over 20 years of experience in telecom and enterprise computing, networking, and security, he has also founded Silicon Valley startups.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post AI-Ops: From Prediction to Agentic Autonomy appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
30 min
October 02, 2025Location Truth & Automation: Transforming Business Connectivity
Connectbase’s CEO & Founder, Ben Edmond, explains how location truth, spatial awareness, and API-driven automation cut fallout, speed quoting and ordering, and build trust across the ecosystem, turning months of manual work with near-instant global connectivity. Can precision truly transform business networks?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Ben Edmond of Connectbase:
Why does “best-effort” internet fail mission-critical business networks?
What is “location truth” and why does it matter in connectivity?
How can spatial awareness uncover near-network opportunities?
How does automation slash quoting and ordering from months to seconds?
What hidden inefficiencies still challenge global business networks today?
Learn More
About how Mplify’s LSO APIs for business automation power Address Validation and Site Query.
Explore how Mplify LSO API certifications build trust and interoperability global networks.
Read the Edge VIEW Blog Post, Enterprise Network Automation Starts with Interoperable APIs.
Also listen in on Ben’s last podcast, Supply Chain Automation: Building the Global Business Internet.
Discover automation and AI-powered connectivity at Mplify’s 2025 Global NaaS Event (GNE), 10–14 November in Dallas, Texas, USA.
About Our Guest
Ben Edmond, CEO & Founder, Connectbase
Ben Edmond is the CEO and Founder of Connectbase, where he is responsible for leading the company’s strategy, culture and operations. Prior to founding Connectbase, Ben served as the chief revenue officer at Global Capacity, where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s customer go-to-market strategy and execution.

Ben has 25 years of experience in the fiber, telecom and networking industries, encompassing broad expertise in the areas of executive leadership, strategy, product, customer experience, sales, marketing and operations.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post Location Truth & Automation: Transforming Business Connectivity appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
29 min
September 18, 2025Security First: Scaling Hybrid IT Enterprise Networks
Williams-Sonoma’s Senior Vice President of Technology, Raleigh Mann, unpacks the complexity of global networks, the shift to API-driven automation, and why security must remain the first and last priority. How can enterprises innovate at scale while maintaining security and resilience?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Raleigh Mann of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.:
How can enterprises manage the growing complexity of multi-cloud and hybrid IT environments?
Why is a “security-first” approach essential in today’s interconnected enterprise landscape?
What role do APIs play in driving automation and reducing reliance on portals?
What lessons can be learned from procurement cycles, vendor dependencies, and real-world failures?
How can industry standards and certifications help enterprises trust vendor solutions?
Learn More
Read the Enterprise Case Study: Williams-Sonoma’s Network Journey to SD-WAN and SASE in Retail.
About Mplify for Enterprises.
Meet the rest of Mplify’s Enterprise Leadership Council and read their recent Industry Manifesto for SASE Certification.
About Our Guest
Raleigh Mann, Senior Vice President of Technology, Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Raleigh Mann has been at the forefront of networking and infrastructure for 30+ years. Early in his career he worked for Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) as a network analyst at the early days of the public Internet, then on to America Online just prior to the explosive growth of Dial-up Internet. He then moved to the West Coast and created the networking and security team at Industrial Light + Magic (a Lucasfilm company)—where high-performance compute systems were in huge demand for special effects in the film industry. After 7 years and completion of the technical studios at the Presidio campus, Raleigh joined Google’s production networking team.

While at Google and with 10x+ growth year over year, his team designed and launched the first large scale SD-WAN/OpenFlow (B4 network), continuing on to implement and manage SDN in the datacenter as well, utilizing their own hardware and software. This team was also recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with multiple EMMY(™) awards for their work on the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, capable of broadcasting nearly all events live and globally through the Google/YouTube systems, delivering orders of magnitude with more capability than the 2010 Olympics.

Raleigh Mann now serves as the Senior Vice President of Technology for Williams-Sonoma, Inc. where they have implemented SD-Wan for the retail stores, SDN in the datacenter and are on a Zero Trust migration for the entire enterprise, among many other transformations, both technical and cultural.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post Security First: Scaling Hybrid IT Enterprise Networks appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
34 min
September 04, 2025Campus NaaS: The Enterprise’s Fourth Utility
Dell’Oro Group’s Research Director, Siân Morgan, explores how Campus NaaS is reshaping enterprise networking with cloud-managed simplicity, AI-driven automation, and subscription models that rival traditional LAN. How fast will it grow, and can it redefine connectivity as the fourth utility?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Siân Morgan of Dell’Oro Group:
Why is Wi-Fi increasingly seen as the “fourth utility” in enterprise networks?
How are cloud delivery models and recurring service structures changing LAN management?
What role do AI and AIOps play in transforming network operations?
Could Campus NaaS reshape how enterprises buy and secure their LANs in the future?
How are service providers and channel partners positioning themselves to deliver Camous NaaS at scale?
Learn More
Review Dell’Oro Group’s latest Campus NaaS and Public Cloud-Managed LAN report
Read the Edge VIEW Blog post, Analyst Insights: NaaS Evolution.
Also listen to the Executives at the Edge podcast, The Rise of Campus NaaS: Revolutionizing Connectivity.
Learn how Mplify and its ecosystem are shaping the future of on-demand connectivity.
Explore NaaS innovation and AI-powered automation at Mplify’s 2025 Global NaaS Event (GNE), 10-14 November 2025, in Dallas, Texas. More details and register at GNE.Mplify.net
About Our Guest
Siân Morgan, Research Director, Dell’Oro Group
Siân Morgan joined Dell’Oro Group in 2022 and is responsible for the Wireless LAN, and Campus NaaS and Public-Cloud Managed LAN market research program She’s known for delivering comprehensive quantitative insights into the Enterprise Wireless LAN market and cloud platform adoption, including AI.

With over 25 years of senior management experience in telecom and network technologies, such as 5G, OpenStack, LTE, IMS, and Wi-Fi, Ms. Morgan has held various roles in pre-sales, R&D, and post-sales support. Fluent in both French and English from a decade in Europe, her research is widely cited in industry publications. Ms. Morgan is also a frequent industry conference speaker.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post Campus NaaS: The Enterprise’s Fourth Utility appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
22 min
August 21, 2025AI at the Core: Intelligent Lossless Networks
Spirent’s EVP and GM for Automated Test & Assurance, Doug Roberts, explains how high-speed ethernet, repurposed telecom assets, and continuous testing are transforming networks into AI-ready infrastructure. Can lossless, always-on connectivity deliver the performance required for the next wave of AI innovation?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Doug Roberts of Spirent:
Why are lossless, ultra-low-latency networks critical for AI performance?
How did Ethernet overtake InfiniBand as the foundation for AI factories?
How does continuous testing ensure reliability across AI infrastructure?
Why must both core and access networks be AI-grade?
How are telecom providers repurposing legacy assets for AI infrastructure?
Learn More
Explore how NaaS is shaping AI-ready, automated networks through on-demand connectivity and assurance.
Learn how LSO API testing and certification support seamless automation and network orchestration.
Discover the future of connectivity at Mplify’s Global NaaS Event 2025, where AI-optimized NaaS and live automation demos are redefining infrastructure.
About Our Guest
Doug Roberts, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Automated Test & Assurance, Spirent Communications
Doug Roberts is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Spirent Communications’ Automated Test & Assurance business unit. Doug has over 25 years of experience across various product innovation and business transformation roles.

Before joining Spirent, Doug held leadership positions at VIAVI and NetScout. With over 14 years of his career spent at Danaher, Doug is well-known for bringing a disciplined approach that yields results in a predictable manner. He has provided his subject matter expertise in network analysis, application performance, and digital transformation to the world’s largest Service Providers, along with thousands of private enterprises through guest speaking and keynote invitations that include RSA Conference, Cisco Live, TechNet, and Amazon’s re:Invent.

Doug holds an MBA in Corporate Finance from Mercer University and concluded his undergraduate work in Computer Engineering and Business Management at Georgia Tech and Mercer University.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post AI at the Core: Intelligent Lossless Networks appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
25 min
August 07, 2025AI in Motion: Powering the Next Digital Leap
Akamai VP of Product Marketing, Ari Weil, explores how AI is shifting to the edge, enabling faster decisions, personalized experiences, and stronger security. From inference to agentic AI, the stakes are rising fast. What will it take to support thousands of AI workloads across global locations?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Ari Weil of Akamai:
How are enterprises rethinking infrastructure to support distributed AI models at scale?
What’s driving demand for fine-tuned models and real-time inference?
How can businesses ensure trust, compliance, and performance with AI closer to users?
Why is agentic AI considered the next frontier, and what’s holding it back?
What role does full-stack compute play in enabling next-gen digital experiences?
Learn More
Learn more about Akamai’s cloud computing solutions.
Read the press release, MEF Unveils NaaS Network APIs for an AI-Driven Economy and Application-Led Connectivity.
Read the Edge VIEW blog post, GPU-as-a-Service: Unlocking AI at the Edge.
About Our Guest
Ari Weil, VP of Product Marketing, Akamai
Ariel Weil, Cloud Evangelist at Akamai Technologies, is a results-focused, growth-oriented leader with a proven track record for launching successful enterprise software products from initial concept through customer adoption. His 25 years of experience spans public and private companies across various management and operational roles – product architecture and development, product management, solution engineering, and marketing – that require deep domain expertise and close collaboration with customers and field teams.

Ariel excels in driving impactful strategies that connect brands with their audience. With extensive experience scaling demand, he creates engaging content, optimizes campaigns, and leverages data to deliver measurable results. His expertise covers a broad range of industries, from startups to established enterprises, always emphasizing growth and customer satisfaction. Ariel is committed to staying ahead of trends and implementing cutting-edge solutions that propel businesses forward. His approach combines innovative thinking with a deep understanding of market dynamics, ensuring strategies are tailored to meet specific business objectives.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post AI in Motion: Powering the Next Digital Leap appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
27 min
July 24, 2025AI Meets SASE: Securing Cybersecurity Innovation
Dell’Oro Group’s Senior Director of Enterprise Security Networking Research, Mauricio Sanchez, explores the evolution of SASE, from its cloud-native roots to its expansion into AI and data protection and the importance of certification. With markets shifting and transparency in focus, the stakes are rising fast. Is SASE ready to secure what’s next?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Mauricio Sanchez of Dell’Oro Group:
How is AI transforming both the functionality and security of SASE platforms?
Why are enterprises demanding greater transparency from cybersecurity vendors?
What role does certification play in building trust in cybersecurity solutions?
Can SASE architectures truly protect modern networks from increasingly sophisticated threats and AI-driven attacks?
How is SASE evolving beyond its original scope to include AI, data protection, and digital experience management?
Learn More
Read Mauricio’s latest research report on SASE & SD-WAN.
Explore our Service Standards for SASE.
Read the Edge VIEW blog post, Inheriting MEF-Certified SASE: A Strategic Advantage for Service Providers.
About Our Guest
Mauricio Sanchez, Senior Director of Enterprise Security Networking Research, Dell’Oro Group
Mauricio Sanchez joined Dell’Oro Group in 2020 and is responsible for research covering the intersection of enterprise networking and security. While at the firm, Mr. Sanchez built out coverage on emerging technologies related to network security such as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Cloud Workload Security/Cloud Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP), and Distributed Cloud Networking/Multi-Cloud Networking Software (MNCS). His research and analysis have been widely cited in leading trade and business publications. Furthermore, Mr. Sanchez is a frequent expert judge and invited speaker at industry conferences and events.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post AI Meets SASE: Securing Cybersecurity Innovation appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
33 min
July 10, 2025Internet-First Infrastructure: Architecting Multi-Cloud Environments
ENTERPRISE EDITION
Accenture’s Chief Architect for Cloud Network and AI Infrastructure, Amo Mann, reveals how his global enterprise reinvented its network to embrace an internet-first, cloud-native, and AI-ready approach that slashed costs, boosted agility, and hardened security. What does it take to architect cloud, AI, and zero trust to work together?
Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Apple Spotify Pandora YouTube RSS Feed
In this Executives at the Edge episode, host Pascal Menezes explores these topics and more with Amo Mann of Accenture:
How can an internet-first strategy eliminate the need for legacy MPLS and SD-WAN?
What role do cloud providers play in delivering scalable, secure, enterprise-grade networking?
Can infrastructure and network truly be managed as code at scale and across multi-cloud environments?
How are enterprises approaching GPU-as-a-Service and AI workloads in private versus public cloud?
What is the future of buying and provisioning network connectivity through APIs?
Learn More
About Mplify for Enterprises.
And our Service Standards for SASE.
Read the Edge VIEW blog post, Williams-Sonoma’s Retail Network Journey to SD-WAN and SASE.
See the press release, MEF, Infosys, and IronYun Showcase NaaS GPU-as-a-Service for AI at the Edge Powered by NVIDIA.
About Our Guest
Amo Mann, Chief Architect, Accenture
CIO100 award-winning Chief Architect for Cloud and Network with over 20 years of experience, Amardip has a proven track record in developing transformation strategies, designing, securing, integrating, and managing multi-cloud (Microsoft, Azure, Google Cloud Platform), next-generation networks, and service platforms (ServiceNow, Salesforce, Teams, Adobe).

At Accenture, Amardip is responsible for defining the company’s global IT Enterprise strategy across cloud and network. He leads the creation and transformation of all new network and cloud capabilities, including WAN transformation, telco cloud, next-generation office experiences, 5G connectivity, Edge computing, Video/Voice, and IoT integration and enablement. He also develops cloud architectures across the MAGs to assist with cloud migrations and cloud native architectures based on serverless, container-based product offerings, ensuring a cost-effective and sustainable approach to IT.

Amardip is known for his ability to drive the vision, strategy, roadmap, and implementation of complex solutions leveraging an ecosystem of technology partners and products. He bridges the business and technology worlds by strategizing with the C-suite and leading detailed working sessions with enterprise architects. Amardip also sits on a number of technical advisory panels pioneering innovation in the cloud and networking space.
Executives at the Edge podcast is brought to you by Mplify, a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration.
More Episodes
Interested in sharing your industry perspective as a podcast guest? Contact Us!
The post Internet-First Infrastructure: Architecting Multi-Cloud Environments appeared first on Mplify Alliance.
24 min

About Executives at the Edge

From the publisher's feed

Join Mplify Alliance CTO Pascal Menezes as he explores thought-provoking perspectives from the leaders and changemakers propelling AI-powered digital transformation. Each episode delves into…

Share Executives at the Edge

Sign up to save your podcasts

Executives at the Edge

Executives at the Edge episodes

About Executives at the Edge