In this episode of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to IT, host Michelle Dawn Mooney sits down with Nabil Bukhari, Chief Technology & Product Officer and GM of Subscriptions at Extreme Networks, to explore how IT leaders can scale smarter in today’s hybrid, AI-driven landscape—where every infrastructure decision has ripple effects on agility, cost, and resilience.

With decades of experience leading infrastructure transformation across global enterprises, Nabil shares how organizations can move beyond tactical decisions to build scalable, outcome-aligned strategies. He breaks down why functional silos are breaking down, how platforms are replacing scattered SaaS sprawl, and what it really takes to prepare for the future of AI and edge computing.

The conversation covers:

• Why starting with business outcomes—not technology—is key to smart infrastructure decisions
• How to avoid vendor lock-in while maintaining strong strategic partnerships with cloud providers
• What distinguishes a true platform from a bundle of SaaS tools—and why that matters for scale and governance
• The ARC model (Accelerate, Replace, Create) for deploying AI initiatives that matter
• How AI is reshaping leadership expectations—and why C-suite roles must evolve or risk becoming obsolete
• Preparing for the shift from centralized AI to edge-native intelligence

Tune in for a bold, business-first perspective on what’s next for IT infrastructure, from one of the industry’s top voices in networking and cloud innovation.