Valtech Café

In this podcast you'll hear about bravery in the face of uncertainty... An embracing of inevitable change and the case for storytelling as a powerful mechanism for innovation. We learn about how a hybrid skillset makes for a unique bilingual advantage in digital transformation in mulitple Canadian markets. In the case of Dan Dickinson, EVP of Technology and Digital at one of Canada's largest wine producers, Arterra Wines Canada, those 2 languages are business and technology. Both passed through a lens of digital-first customer centricity.

We talk regularly about the impact of data – and indeed in this series we’ve already interviewed clients and experts to talk about the collection and application of data insights to drive value. But what about when the value of data isn’t just based in new revenue opportunities, but instead is acting as primary source of information for citizens in the midst of a global health crisis. That’s the basis of this conversation with Therese Kjellerup Thorstholm, User Consultant from sundhed.dk. Together, we discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding health data, and how the last few years have shifted our expectations around the access to - and utilisation of - our own health data.

Is modern banking fit for the modern age….? Is technology innovation alone enough to make the difference consumers need to see? Those are the questions that we delve into in our conversation today. Whether it’s a need for banking without borders (physical or otherwise…), or perhaps a way to engage a new kind of talent in wanting to join the industry, there is lots to consider as we look at the future of banking in the context of transformation. We're joined by Bill Ashlok, Chief Technology Officer at Securrency, a financial markets infrastructure tech company focused on enhancing capital formation and stimulating global liquidity, and Sandro Tarchini, Industry lead for Finance across EMEA at Valtech to discuss it all in more detail.

We often talk of the vital impact and importance of the customer experience within retail, but for luxury retail in particular, the customer experience is more complex. Steeped in heritage, it’s an industry that has historically relied on 1-1 relationships, first name terms and in-store sales. How then does the industry keep pace with the digital age – one in which consumer demands are forever changed. How can the experience extend beyond the purchase, and what does the future really look like for those luxury brands seeking relevancy with their changing target audience?

In this podcast, we’ll have front row seats to a conversation between 2 industry experts. Valtech’s EVP Retail, JC Hermann whose career has included roles such as EVP for Strategy and Digital Commerce at Tommy Hilfiger and Group Digital & e-Commerce director for European giant grocery retailer Carrefour. And Isabelle Aguerre, founder of Lux in Vivo, her consulting firm focused on client-centric, digital and sustainability transformations in the luxury industry. After a corporate career including roles as director of client strategy for Chanel, Director of Strategic Marketing and ecommerce for Balenciaga, and US director of strategic planning and CRM for Cartier.

How do you balance the power of influence with the risk of change? That was the question faced by P&G haircare brand Pantene when they realized their marketing heritage, made up of bouncy blow dries and perfect smiles, no longer resonated with their audience’s needs and wants.

In today’s 43-minute conversation, we are joined by P&G’s Brand and Communications Director Helene Graffner, and Bernadette Hutson, Account Director at Valtech Radon, to talk about the challenges and opportunities of developing a successful inclusive and diverse campaign that drives social change on an often neglected community. Listen to learn more and read the entire case on our website: https://bit.ly/3Ytdl6x.

Listed as one of the UK's Top Most Influential Women in Tech & an international multi-award winner for her services to Diversity & Inclusion in industry, Sheree is the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader at Valtech. Beginning her working life in Engineering gave Sheree first-hand experience of the problems she now works to fix. Her impressive career to date is complimented by the huge number of awards she has accumulated for services to Diversity & Inclusion in the tech industry in particular. Born in Sri Lanka, Sheree was adopted and raised in Ireland. With a keen interest in technology from an early age, she studied Comp Sci at Queen’s University, Belfast and went on to enjoy engineering roles within the public sector before taking the leap to lead the expansion of Global non-profit Women Who Code, which works to change the face of technology, and launched the group’s expansion across the UK, building remote teams and creating partnerships with organisations to create meaningful change in this work. A contributor at Forbes, Sheree is also the Author of "Demanding More"– a book which aims to teach readers about how deliberate exclusion has been in systems and society, so we can be purposefully and deliberately inclusive moving forward.

This interview explores an unlikely catalyst for transformation within a traditional brand. Brands in the aerospace industry are not typically known for showing humanity in their digital marketing efforts, especially on social media channels, but Pratt & Whitney have been doing just that! Building more personality and expert-led conversations into their social marketing efforts, while empowering more of their people to connect directly with their customers. Streamlining their diverse social channels and global digital assets, while bringing more iterative and measurable insights to their digital marketing strategies, this is supercharged marketing!

In this episode, we're joined by Christina Polaski, Senior Manager, Digital Platforms and Social Media at Pratt & Whitney.

This interview tackles the challenge of complexity within the digital sphere; how can you market a product of huge potential, to an audience who have relatively little understanding of its existence? From mobility, to construction to the energy sector, this is a technology and product that has huge sustainability impact but low brand awareness. Add into the equation that this all sits alongside an expansion of the digital marketing presence into the Chinese ecosystem, with the creation of a digital content hub and all of the complexities that exist within it

CBMM | Niobium is the world’s leading supplier of Niobium products and technology. Fully integrated from the Brazil Araxá industrial plant to the final products to more than 40 countries/ global destination, CBMM also provides expert technical assistance to customers around the globe.

In this episode we're joined by Mauricio Massano, Snr Marketing Analyst, CBMM, and Jessica Chen, External Communication - Marketing, CBMM.

What is design thinking and how can it help you to transform?  In this interview we speak to Claudia Böttcher - senior transformation consultant here at Valtech to help us answer those questions and to explain the concepts behind this human-centric approach.

We’ll talk about how to embed design thinking into your organisation and the considerations you need to think about when embarking on a design thinking journey of your own.

Wanna know more? Download our Design Thinking podcast: https://bit.ly/whitepaper-design-thinking

As we get underway with a new year, we’re looking ahead to the Mobility & Automotive trends that are going to be making their mark. Building on another year of exciting changes and updates for the industry, in this episode, we're joined by two of Valtech’s leading mobility experts – Denny Pezic and Norman Palmhof - to bring us up to speed with the changes and trends we’re set to see accelerating into 2022 and beyond. From electrification to new market entrants, data to smart cities, we’ve got lots to cover!