Tech Leaders Intel

This week on the Tech Leaders Intel podcast, host John Cheng sits down with Daniele Forni, Director of Credit and Lending at HSBC. Daniele is an author and subject matter expert on risk management who creates analytical solutions for a living, but he’s quite the polymath as well. The first few minutes of the conversation reveal that Daniele formed a band that he recorded albums with, moved to China to study Chinese, and earned his MBA in Economics before settling down to work with HSBC, first in regulatory reporting and then in his current area of expertise. He is truly passionate about understanding how financial institutions leverage data and how different systems connect.

Daniele credits his diverse set of interests and enthusiasm for risk analysis to his mid-life diagnosis with autism and ADHD, which has driven his life-long ability to recognize patterns and connect dots. All of which means that Daniele is always on the hunt for ways to optimize risk management. Together with John they cover a lot of ground, including:

• The crucial differences between building solutions for private clients and businesses
• How understanding data quality impacts hiring for in-demand skillsets in data
• How his autism/ADHD diagnoses helped him understand the importance of neurodiversity at work
• How neurodiversity advocacy has helped him mentor new hires
• His take on the idea that “data is never wrong”

…and of course, much much more. It is an enlightening listen, and Daniele also gives us a preview of his book on data strategy “Is It Pronounced Data or Data?” That’s available via his official website, and you can also follow him on LinkedIn.

In the latest installment of the Tech Leaders’ Intel podcast James Loveridge sits down with Ben Upcroft, VP of Technology at OXA (formerly known as Oxbotica). Given his background as a researcher, it is clear that Ben is unwaveringly passionate about automation and robotics as he infodumps on the ins and outs of the technology, especially with regards to safety.

It follows that OXA’s MetaDriver is a virtual tool that aids a vital step in the safeguarding process, identifying both edge and corner cases in simulated driving scenarios up to thousands of times faster than real-world testing. As Ben explains, MetaDriver was developed for all robotics hardware developers to integrate into their development processes.

Over 40 minutes they discuss:

• Ben’s career trajectory in automation from academia to R&D
• Automated vehicles, from personal automobiles to mass transit to mining machinery
• The necessity of building public trust for automated vehicles to be successful on the market
• Why citing a number of test-driven miles does not necessarily translate to a safe product

And of course, much more. Through MetaDriver, Upcroft and OXA are enabling automated vehicles in all their forms from the personal to the industrial, and are being extremely careful and meticulous in doing so. If you’re a robotics enthusiast, this discussion is not to be missed!

Join host Nick Goodwin as he sits down with ITC DIA’s Head of Content Merlin Beyts on the newest Tech Leaders Intel.

Merlin is involved in organizing events for ITC DIA, an organization that caters to insurance executives, insurtech investors, associations, brokers, and regulators in the European insurtech industry. He uses content and webinars to promote emerging technologies that get insights from data such as Web3, blockchain, and GenAI. Merlin has his finger on the pulse of burgeoning technologies, leadership moods surrounding them, and the state of the insurance profession, and this week we are fortunate to have him bring his tech acumen to the Tech Leaders’ Intel podcast.

On this episode, Nick and Merlin discuss:

• The potential for GenAI to generate code for insurtechs, and the urgency of restraint, risk mitigation and regulation in the fight against misinformation
• Exciting applications for GenAI in serving customers, such as recommendation engines
• The Great Resignation’s impact on attracting tech talent in the insurance industry and why insurtechs have succeeded on the same front
• The need for insurance firms to find customers on the platforms they use

…and that’s not all. Merlin is full of insights, hosting regular webinars on the last Tuesday of every month. For more information on joining, as well as more on the next ITC DIA event in Munich on Nov. 22-23, follow him on LinkedIn.

When we consider attracting the right talent, we always take technical skills as priority.
But what makes talent a real deal and how can we nurture a person’s growth, if we don’t give them a chance to begin with?
In an era of endlessly listed bullet points of “must haves” and “mandatory skillsets”, we tend to not take into consideration how we should create positions around people, instead of seeking omniscient beings to fill the unnecessary brackets.

In our most recent Tech Leaders’ Intel podcast, our colleague, Mark Jacks, converses with Simon Prior, the Head of Quality Engineering at easyJet, about the importance of Quality Assurance, different perspectives, heterogeneity of talents, and neurodiversity within projects. During our talk, we embark on a journey and deep dive into matters like:

• Raising awareness around the importance of QA from the very beginning of development
• Whether a buggy mess of an application could be considered of high quality
• How job descriptions scare off incredible talents
• Supporting neurodivergent teams

...and much more!

Throughout our conversations, Simon emphasises how “People before projects” is a phrase to live by and that honouring the comfort zones of your team members can bring out the most efficient individuals out there.

In a world surrounded by Data, it’s basically impossible to keep track of it all.
But even if we live the Data, there’s still much more to learn. Perhaps a “wedding cake” analogy, might pique our curiosity to expand our knowledge.


On this week’s Tech Leaders’ Intel podcast, we talk with Shantanu Lodh, a Director of Data Platforms at Shawbrook Bank, which is an award-winning specialist bank, serving real estate professionals, SMEs and consumers with a broad range of lending products and a secure home for their savings.

In the early years, Shan studied economics and had a deep curiosity in coding. The different experiences led him towards uncovering the potential of Data.
During our interview, Shan goes into detail about:

• Partners eco-system and how to partners can differentiate themselves
• What exactly is a data platform and its types
• How to keep sensitive data protected
• The importance of Data governance
• Data democratisation
• Strategy of building blocks

...and much more!



Tune it to our newest episode to grasp the ever-expanding idea of Data!
Also, do check out Shawbrook’s career page, if you’re looking to turn your life around and join their incredible team at: https://www.shawbrook.co.uk/careers/

In the virtual world of meetings and remote work, it’s hard to keep the communication and morale at the highest possible level.

In the latest episode of #TechLeadersIntel, Daniel Sielaff interviews Anna Peeck, Senior Manager in operational excellence and change at Aviv Group. They delve into the significance of Operational Excellence and Change Management in various IT-led companies. Anna also highlights the role of Product Ops in her activities.

Aviv Group, a major real estate holding company in Europe, is currently undergoing a significant transformation due to an active merger. Anna, who initially joined as a freelancer with expertise in change management and mergers and acquisitions, found her place in the Product Ops team. She utilizes her diverse background to help the organization navigate through changes smoothly.

During the interview, Anna emphasizes the importance of intercultural communication and collaboration within a multinational company. Despite the cultural differences, product ops is seen as a central function that is tackled by a unified team. She also discusses the challenges of merging different operational modes and cultures when various companies are brought together.

The conversation also touches upon the value of physical visits to different companies and teams. While remote work can be effective, face-to-face interactions provide unique benefits. Anna highlights the ease of building relationships and rapport in person, as well as the value of meeting international colleagues and attending events.

Additionally, Anna shares insights on the product development process and stakeholder management. She emphasizes the importance of being customer-centric and having conversations with end users. Anna also discusses the significance of measurement and continuous improvement in Product Ops.

This episode of #TechLeadersIntel is a must-listen for anyone interested in Operational Excellence, Change Management, and the role of Product Ops in driving successful transformations. Tune in now and gain valuable insights from Anna Peeck's expertise.

Digitalization is a massive benefit for every company, especially now, that the modern standards of remote and hybrid work are all the rage.

On this week’s episode of Tech Leaders’ Intel, we speak with Silke Kanes, a Chief Product Officer of Scopevisio AG, a company that was the first German cloud-based ERP, CRM + ECM Suite solution for SME businesses.

Silke starts our interview with a little background story of studying and working in the Tech industry in the 80s. She gives us a little overview about her unplanned career changes, becoming the main bread-earner in the family and how she worked on multiple occasions on diverse projects like Start-Ups, middle-sized companies to consulting in governmental environment.

During our interview she touches on topics like:

• The introduction of agile methodology in software development
• Empowering women to work in a predominantly male industry
• The hardships women face in leadership roles
• The phenomena of the unconscious bias
• The great disruption of all industries with AI
• Encouraging people to try new things and fail to help them grow
• How remote work has impacted the growth of digitalization
  
  

...and much more!

Silke has given us many insights and a lot of perspective to consider while working in the tech industry. She finishes our interview with a few tips for aspiring newcomers, who would like to kick off their careers in the industry.

One thing is always true: It’s extremely hard to become a trailblazer on unknown grounds.
But it’s even harder to discover new roads on a few-hundred-years pavement like Insurance.

In this week’s Tech Leaders’ Intel, we meet with Ben Davis, Head of Web3 at Superscript, the first UK Insuretech broker licensed by Lloyds that launched its crypto product to the world.

Ben is passionate about the Web3, and for those unfamiliar with it, Web3 is a series of open-source and interconnected decentralized applications powered by blockchain computing architecture.
Web3 is currently the most segregated insurance industry and the hardest industry to find insurance in, especially within the tech sphere.

During our conversation, Ben details about being a Lloyds licensed broker, the general idea behind it and how the decision came to be. He talks us through his story of moving to the UK and all the obstacles he went through to uncover his passion with the blockchain. He also brings out the story of the Big Short movie and the relatability of it to his earlier experiences within the insurance industry.

Together, we go through topics of:

• How to develop a person to fit the perfect team
• The difference between overwhelming people and challenging projects
• The approach of throwing people in at the deep end
• How they run Business as Usual while still pushing forward with innovation
• The importance of Data and technology to nurture the growth and analyse risks
• Giving the freedom to your team members to suggests innovations of current solutions

...and much more!

Dive into the world of crypto-insurance with us and Ben and discover the potential of out-of-the-box solutions now!

There are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.
And the latter is decidedly easier to tackle.

On this week’s episode, we talk with Piotr Tomaszewski, a Design Manager at Taxfix, a German company that created a mobile application that allows its users to either answer a questionnaire to speed up filling forms or connects them with a tax advisor that does it all for you.

During the interview, Piotr goes into detail about career changes, leaps of faith he took and how managerial work evolved from what it used to be. He talks us through how many companies adopted the “me vs them” strategy, how recruiting often can be biased against certain candidates and how talent acquisition is much more than just finding the perfect fit for your organisation.

He also shares his insights on:

• Differences between Culture Fit and Culture Add in hiring
• The importance of intuition in everyday scenarios
• Internal Agency model vs Embedded Model
• How to engage and plan in advance with on-site vs remote employees
• The Norman Door

...and much more!

Tune in to this week’s Tech Leaders’ Intel to learn about Designer’s role within a company, but also receive recommendations on books that will help you broaden your professional horizons.

When we talk about digital transformations, they are not meant to sound like a cure-all that can be applied to stimulate growth. Any firm not willing to do the meticulous work to see that a digital transformation goes to plan properly will find themselves no better off than when they started. In the most recent episode of the Tech Leaders’ Intel podcast, Richard Jackson talks to Nikolaus Sühr, CEO and co-founder of the insurtech firm Kasko, a firm that works with large insurance companies and intermediaries to digitalise their product portfolios.

Richard and Nikolaus discuss:

• Why the insurtech disruption has not happened yet
• The three schools of thought behind embedded insurance
• The pitfalls of the “innovation trap”
• The top challenges insurtechs currently face

...and much more.

Throughout the conversation Nikolaus reveals himself to be a bona fide technological partner, as he is careful to make sure that insurtechs are embarking on digital transformations for the right reasons. Check out the episode above, and reach out to him on LinkedIn or visit Kasko’s official website.