The Story of Software

Jad Sayegh, Co-Founder & CTO at Sarwa, joins us to reflect on his journey in building Sarwa and how his role has evolved as the company has matured.

The Guest:

Jad Sayegh is Co-Founder & CTO at Sarwa, a leading fintech company in the UAE  that is transforming wealth management with accessible, technology-powered investment solutions. 

In this episode, Jad reflects on his journey from telecoms and high-speed trading in Canada to launching Sarwa in Dubai, and how the company has evolved from a prototype to a one-stop investing platform. He shares insights on building for a new market, navigating regulation, attracting and retaining global talent, and how his role as CTO has shifted as Sarwa scaled to 100+ people. We also touch on the challenges and opportunities of innovating in a fast-moving Fintech ecosystem, and the leadership lessons Jad has drawn from mentors and books along the way 

Some highlights of this episode include:

• The Origin Story of Sarwa
• Pioneering Regulatory Change in the UAE
• Building and Retaining Talent in a Transient Market
• The Evolution of the CTO Role
• Customer Feedback, Product Coherence, and Experimentation

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

In this episode, Kevin shares his journey from founding engineer to senior leadership, reflecting on the challenges of transitioning from hands-on coding to enabling teams and departments to succeed. 

The Guest:

Kevin Holditch is VP of Engineering at Form3, a leading provider of payment infrastructure powering real-time, secure transactions for banks and Fintech companies worldwide. 

We discuss Form3’s cloud-native payment infrastructure, the balance between innovation and regulatory demands, and their deliberate approach to hiring top-tier talent globally, even pre-COVID. Kevin highlights the company’s engineering achievements, including a multi-cloud platform capable of processing payments seamlessly across AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, and offers insights into scaling remote teams, nurturing internal leadership, and maintaining job satisfaction.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Transition from Engineer to Leader
• Building a Multi-Cloud Active-Active-Active Payment Platform
• Hiring Philosophy & Talent Strategy
• Operating in a Regulated Financial Environment While Staying Innovative
• Impact and Caution Around AI in Software Development

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Philip Gill, CTO at Smartbox Group, speaks about his experience in leading globally distributed blended teams. 

The Guest:

Philip Gill has over a decade of experience in cultivating high-performing multinational software teams. He is now the CTO at Smartbox Group, a European leader in experience gifting, offering curated travel, dining, and adventure packages across multiple countries. 

Phil shares the evolution of his career from QA engineer to CTO, and the operational philosophies that have shaped Smartbox’s growth. He discusses the company’s blended team model, the importance of cultural fit, building trust across borders, and how rigorous processes have enabled major software rollouts under pressure. Phil also offers a grounded view on the current and future impact of AI in software development, highlighting both its promise and its hype.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Building and Leading Globally Distributed, Blended Teams
• Culture-First Hiring and Team Psychology
• Cycle Time and Quality Engineering Metrics
• Practical View on AI in Software Development

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Molly Webb,Founder of Energy Unlocked and Co-Founder of PeerCo, shares her 20+ year journey at the intersection of digital innovation and climate action. 

Molly Webb is the Founder of Energy Unlocked and Co-Founder of PeerCo, with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of technology and climate policy. She works to accelerate inclusive energy transitions by supporting startups, shaping policy, and enabling data-driven financing for electrification. Her focus spans demand-side flexibility, urban decarbonization, and creating tangible climate impact beyond tech hype.

Molly shares the origins and evolution of Energy Unlocked’s mission to empower Cleantech startups and influence policy, and how that work led to Peerco; a venture tackling the challenge of financing small-scale urban decarbonisation projects through innovative use of energy attribute certificates. From city farms in London to solar projects in Lagos, Molly offers a grounded perspective on the realities of system change, the need for robust verification in carbon markets, and the importance of collective action as we push toward 2030.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• The Origin Stories of Energy Unlocked and Peerco
• Inclusive Energy Transition & Urban Decarbonization
• Making Behind-the-Meter Interventions Financially Viable
• Tech Industry’s Ethical Role

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Jorge Belenguer, Head of Software Engineering and Data at BWT Alpine F1 Team, joins us to talk about the role of software in an F1 team, how the industry has evolved, and how software can be used as a competitive advantage for racing teams.

The Guest :

Jorge Belenguer has over 15 years of experience in the software industry, 10 of which has been spent working for Formula 1 teams. He is now the Head of Software Engineering and Data at BWT Alpine Formula One Team. 

With over a decade in F1, Jorge shares how software powers everything from car design to race strategy, and how it serves as a crucial competitive differentiator, even in a sport dominated by mechanical engineering. He explains why the F1 software ecosystem is so unique, how data and AI are shaping the future of racing, and what kind of tech talent thrives in this high-speed, high-stakes environment. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, motorsport fan, or just curious about the intersection of elite sport and software, this episode delivers insight at full throttle.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Role of software in F1
• Competitive edge and secrecy in hiring
• Software as a strategic investment vs. the car
• Use of AI and simulations due to on-track limitations
• Cultural fit in F1: Startup vs. corporate mentalities

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

 Michael Zucker, VP of Engineering at UNiDAYS, joined us today to discuss some of the parallels in coaching athletes vs software engineers.

The Guest:

Michael Zucker is a software executive with over 20 years of experience in the field. Today, he is the VP of Engineering at UNiDAYS, a platform offering exclusive discounts and deals from top brands to students, as well as providing student verification services to the likes of Apple, Meta and other large companies. In addition to this, he has also successfully coached ice hockey teams for the same amount of time throughout his career. 

In this episode, Michael joins us to explore the parallels between coaching athletes and managing software engineering teams. Michael shares insights from his unconventional career path, highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence, resilience, and a growth mindset in leadership roles. Listen in as we discuss how effective feedback, clear strategies, and genuine care for individual growth are crucial whether you're on the ice or in the office.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Parallels Between Coaching Athletes and Managing Engineers
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
•  Why Great Engineers (or Athletes) Don’t Always Make Great Managers
• Feedback Culture: Athletes vs. Engineers
• Future Trends in Software Development (Beyond AI)

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Craig Hughes, CTO at Nas Neuron Health Services, speaks about the role and importance of emotional intelligence in tech leadership. 

The Guest:

Craig Hughes is a software executive with over 20 years of experience in leading large scale digital transformations, mainly in the banking sector. He is now the CTO at Nas Neuron Health Services, UAE's largest group of health insurance third-party administrators. 

In this episode, Craig dives deep into the critical role of emotional intelligence in tech leadership, drawing on lessons from his global career and personal experiences, including pivotal moments of insight. From defining what emotional intelligence looks like in engineering teams to the pitfalls of promoting purely on technical merit, this conversation explores how empathy, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills shape effective leadership, team cohesion, and organisational health in today’s tech landscape.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in Tech Leadership
• How to Identify Future Leaders
• Technology, Isolation, and the Decline of EQ
• Building EQ Without Frameworks
• The Future of Software and the Loss of Fundamentals

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Oliver Spragg, Advisor at Postera Capital and the ex-CTO of Plan A, talks about the growth of the company, from technical architecture and team structure to strategy and culture. 

The Guest:

Oliver Spragg is an Advisor at Postera Capital, and the previous CTO of Plan A, which enables global brands such as BMW, KFC, and Visa to measure, report, and reduce their emissions. Over the last 5 years, he led the engineering organisation at Plan A through a period of rapid growth, shaping everything from technical architecture and team structure to strategy and culture. He’s especially interested in applying machine learning principles to build high performing teams and drive operational excellence.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• The evolution of a CTO's role in startups
• The pitfalls of over-optimising metrics
• Building high-performing engineering teams
• AI’s role in measuring and enhancing developer experience
• The future of software development: from code to domain expertise

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Eric Matteson, CTO at Accurx,  talks about his career history and rebooting a company’s culture.

The Guest :

Eric Matteson is a seasoned engineering executive with over 25 years of industry experience. He is now the CTO at Accurx, a company dedicated to optimising communication between healthcare professionals and patients. 

In this episode, we interview Eric, who shares his dynamic 25-year career journey from early leadership roles at Microsoft, Amazon, Blizzard and several startups before joining Accurx. Eric discusses his leadership approach to building effective cultures, highlighting that every company requires a unique blend of principles tailored to its people, product, and context—rather than simply replicating past playbooks.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Cultural Challenges & Rebooting Culture at Accurx
• Adapting Leadership Principles to Fit the Organization
• Re-architecting Systems & Cultural Change
• AI’s Role in Engineering & the Future of Work

Listen to the Story of Software any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]

Larsen Mabika, CEO & Co-Founder at Maiven, talks about the journey that led him to co-found his company, and the challenges and opportunities he sees in climate tech.

The Guest:

Today’s guest is Larsen Mabika, the Co-Founder and CEO of Maiven, an AI-powered platform that helps businesses navigate the rapidly changing world of climate policy. With a background in data and carbon markets, Larsen brings a unique perspective on how technology can cut through the noise, highlight risks and opportunities, and help organizations stay ahead in the sustainability space. 

In this episode, we’ll explore the journey that led him to co-found Maiven, the challenges and opportunities he sees in climate tech, and how AI is shaping the future of policy-driven decision-making.

Some highlights of this episode include:

• Navigating the overwhelming pace of climate policy change
• The origins of Maiven: insights from working in carbon markets
• The power of combining diverse expertise in Maiven’s leadership
• Unlocking opportunities through climate policies
• Harnessing ai for timely, global insights

Listen to the Story of Software on any podcast platform of your choice. The Story of Software Podcast is produced by Zartis, a software services company. We hope you enjoy listening to this tech podcast and feel free to share any feedback with us: [email protected]