#AskTheCEO Podcast

Rockwell Automation is the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation. Rockwell connects the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more intelligent, more connected and more productive. Throughout the world, their flagship Allen-Bradley® and Rockwell Software® product brands are recognized for innovation and excellence. Kyle Crum is the director of advanced technology at Rockwell Automation. He has over 10 years of experience in leading and managing R&D projects that shape the future of industrial automation. This interview discusses Rockwell’s 9th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report which offers valuable insights for manufacturers and industry leaders, as well as actionable steps that manufacturers can take to leverage these findings for success. The report is available here: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/capabilities/digital-transformation/state-of-smart-manufacturing.html Key Topics: 1.9th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report 2.The Balancing Act: People, Process, and Technology 3.Leading the Future Workforce: Upskilling and Collaboration Contact Kyle: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-crum-b4a3143a/ Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: 00:55 - What is Smart Manufacturing? 02:05 - IoT has been brought to the manufacturing world. It is called IIoT. 03:07 - What are some of the challenges manufacturers face in today's day and age? 03:23 - Manufacturers are really interested and focused on talent. You can have the greatest technology, but nothing happens without your people. 04:42 - 95% of manufacturers surveyed stated that they will maintain or increase their workforce as a result of smart technology adoption. 06:00 - We're not going to loose our jobs as a result of technology. Just that the nature of our work will change. 06:52 - How is Rockwell Automation helping manufacturers survive and thrive in today's difficult operating climate? 08:50 - The benefits of predictive maintenance 09:50 - Only 44% of data is being used effectively. The smaller the company, the less efficient they are in using data. 11:03 - Due to the time sensitivity of manufacturing and the large amounts of data it collects, we need it to be processed at the edge. 11:45 - Even large manufacturers are only using 51% of their data. 13:40 - Physical devices connected to the internet is now putting infrastructure at risk for cyberattacks. This is why it's important to work with vendors who know the manufacturing space. 14:30 - The role of Generative AI as one of the top emerging technologies in Smart Manufacturing. 18:08 - Where do wearables fit in Manufacturing? 20:27 - What is the future of Smart Manufacturing? 22:00 - Focus on your people and your people will focus on the work.

Data and AI in Fintech and IBM Z Day Connect with the team: Contact Avrohom: Web: asktheceo.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg Contact Dr. Melissa Sassi: Web: https://www.mlvp.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasassi/ Twitter: @mentorafrika Instagram: @msassifrass Contact Tyler: Web: https://www.darkcryptonite.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylercohen78/ Twitter: @TylerCohenWood Contact Helen: Web: https://tigonadvisory.com/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/HelenYu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuhelenyu/ Twitter: @YuHelenYu INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: 1. What are the latest trends with regard to AI and Fintech use cases in big and small banks? 2. What is the role that startup ventures are playing in driving the evolution of financial services, including where AI comes into the picture? 3. How does data privacy impact AI in the financial services sector? 4. What could startups be doing to help them improve their ability to meet industry risk and compliance requirements? 5. IBM Z Day - Oct 18, 2023 6. What is the future of AI in financial services, and Fintech in general? Register for IBM Z Day: https://ibmz.io/asktheceo

Data and AI in Healthcare and IBM Z Day Connect with the team: Contact Avrohom: Web: asktheceo.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg Contact Dr. Melissa Sassi: Web: https://www.mlvp.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasassi/ Twitter: @mentorafrika Instagram: @msassifrass Contact Dr. Ryan Young: Web: https://www.opollo.ai/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-young-md/ Contact Tyler: Web: https://www.darkcryptonite.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylercohen78/ Twitter: @TylerCohenWood Contact Dr. Harvey Castro: Web: https://www.harveycastromd.info/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harveycastromd/ Twitter: @HarveycastroMD INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: What are the keys to startup success? How healthcare startups and leveraging their partnership with IBM to keep patient data safe & secure & enabling your ability to be compliant. What is privacy-by-design and why does it matter to health-tech startups and technologists? How do you see physicians and others in healthcare using Al, and how is it impacting quality of care and healthcare outcomes? Register here for IBM Z Day: https://ibmz.io/asktheceo

This episode features an informative discussion with Dr. Melissa Sassi, a venture partner at Machinelab Ventures and a formidable force in the field of sustainable development. As a globally-recognized figure who has visited 61 countries and devoted her doctoral thesis to digital inclusion and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she offers a wealth of knowledge and unique perspectives. In our conversation today, we delve into the core of SDGs, dissecting what they mean for our planet and for individuals around the world. We discuss the intertwining role of technology in achieving these goals and how it touches various aspects of our lives. We also explore the micro actions individuals can take towards these global objectives and the significance of digital inclusion in realizing them. Dr. Sassi also provides critical insights into the business implications of supporting the Sustainable Development Goals, taking us through a holistic understanding of the interconnectedness between individuals, businesses, technology, and sustainable development. This conversation aims to shed light on the steps we can take, both small and large, to contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future. Join us as we navigate through these intriguing topics with Dr. Melissa Sassi. Contact Melissa: Web: https://www.mlvp.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasassi/ Twitter: @mentorafrika Instagram: @msassifrass Contact Avrohom: Web: asktheceo.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [01:24] What are the SDGs, also known as sustainable development goals? [03:54] You need to focus on the needs of the individual so they have space to focus on the greater global needs. [05:45] How does Tech Impact The SDGs? [09:45] What are the business implications of supporting the sustainable Development Goals [15:27] Who is doing it right? [18:57] Which ones of the SDGs would be your favorite and why? [27:32] What does the future hold? [30:29] Do you have any parting words of wisdom to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PWrysayLXB8

One of the topics on everyone’s minds is sustainability. There are many public initiatives focused on it, and it’s gained a lot of popularity over the past several years. With that in mind, I had the pleasure of speaking with Gina Kirby, Senior Sustainability Specialist for the Americas at Microsoft, to better understand the challenges enterprises face with their sustainability initiatives, as well as Microsoft's approach to addressing sustainability. The key takeaways of the conversation are as follows: Challenges of Sustainability in Enterprises: Enterprises face several challenges when implementing sustainability initiatives, including aligning their goals with their values, effectively gathering and reporting on data, and establishing clear baselines from which they can measure progress. The Importance of Data in Achieving Sustainability Goals: Data plays a crucial role in helping businesses to attain their sustainability goals. It is important for companies to understand their starting point and the work they have ahead. However, the wealth of available information is often scattered across different sources, making it challenging to utilize effectively. Microsoft's Approach and Collaboration: Microsoft's approach to sustainability involves constant evaluation in key areas like carbon, water, waste, and biodiversity. They also collaborate with a rich partner ecosystem to supplement their efforts and knowledge across various industries, highlighting the importance of cooperation in achieving sustainability goals. Contact Gina: Web: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sustainability/cloud LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginakirby/ Twitter: @GKirby1 Customer Success Stories: https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/1440791749208958419-grupo-bimbo-consumer-goods-microsoft-cloud-for-sustainability Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [00:31] One of the topics on everyone’s minds is sustainability. As you know, there are many public initiatives focused on it, and it’s gained a lot of popularity over the past several years. What are some of the challenges enterprises face with their sustainability initiatives [01:24] What are some of the ways business go about attaining their sustainability goals? [03:54] What is Microsoft’s approach to address sustainability? [05:02] Can you share some case studies? [07:18] How can people connect with you to learn more about Microsoft's sustainability initiatives? [08:04] Do you have any parting words of wisdom to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nj-XMDjSxD0

This episode is sponsored by Intel® Intel® just launched its 4th Generation Xeon® Scalable processor, which is geared towards its Enterprise customer base. To learn more about how Intel solves sustainability challenges, I had a conversation with Stephanie Schmidt, who is the Senior Director, Data Center Product Sustainability with Intel. The key takeaways of the conversation are as follows: • Sustainability is a key issue: With the increasing demand for compute, data center energy consumption, waste, and water use are also growing, making sustainability a critical consideration for enterprises. Inefficient infrastructure can emit increasing amounts of carbon, especially as compute demand increases, creating a big challenge for enterprises. • Sustainability can drive business growth: Sustainability can be a differentiator for businesses and lead to new monetization opportunities. It reduces costs, drives value, and is a huge driver for innovation, making it a selling point for sustainable products and solutions. • Energy efficiency is driving tech innovation: Sustainability is driving tech innovation and new solutions. For example, AI-based telemetry and immersion cooling can reduce electricity consumption, and modularity can reduce carbon footprint. Intel offers software that autonomously and continuously optimizes applications in the cloud, reducing CPU utilization while still meeting performance and latency goals. Contact Stephanie: Web: https://intel.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-schmidt-sustainability/ Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [00:31] One of the topics on everyone’s minds is sustainability. As you know, there are many public initiatives focused on it. We have the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, as well as many individual government initiatives that are focused on the health of our planet. With that on our minds, what are some of the challenges enterprises face when considering options for refreshing their aging infrastructure? [03:53] What are some of the ways businesses go about attaining their sustainability goals, while still keeping their CFO happy because at the end of the day, it’s the economics that will drive the growth of their business? [08:17] Can you share some case studies on how the 4th generation Intel scalable processor addresses sustainability? [11:32] How can people connect with you to learn more about the 4th generation Xeon scalable processor? [12:33] Do you have any parting words of wisdom to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2xYgEp7lmo8

This episode is sponsored by Intel®. Discover how the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Processor is revolutionizing enterprise security with advanced threat protection, cloud security, and hardware security. Learn how to improve your IT infrastructure and protect your organization from cyber threats with this powerful solution. To learn more about how Intel solves enterprise security challenges, I had a conversation with Brian Richardson, who is the Security Marketing Lead for Intel Data Center & AI (DCAI) Marketing Product Strategy. The key takeaways of the conversation are as follows: • The main challenges that enterprises face in securing their infrastructure are the increasing number of cyberattacks, increasing regulation, and increased security spending. The traditional software approach to cyber security is no longer enough to stop attacks, which are becoming increasingly more sophisticated. • Confidential computing is a newer approach to protect data when it is in use, not just at rest or in transit, which is being focused on by Intel and the industry. • The fourth-generation Intel Scalable Processor addresses enterprise security needs by using technology, such as Intel SGX or Software Guard Extensions, to protect data in use. Contact Brian: Web: https://intel.com/ConfidentialComputing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsonbrian/ Twitter: @Intel_Brian Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [00:30] Intel just launched its 4th generation Xeon scalable processor, which is geared towards its Enterprise customer base. One of the topics on everyone’s minds is security. As you know, data breaches are, unfortunately, a very common occurrence, and with that comes the risk of ransomware shutting down businesses and public services, not to mention the damage done to its reputation, which is virtually incalculable. With that on our minds, what are some of the challenges enterprises face when it comes to securing their infrastructure? [03:21] What are some of the ways enterprises go about solving their security challenges? [06:35] How does the 4th generation Intel scalable processor address enterprise security needs? [08:45] Can you share some case studies of the 4th generation Intel Xeon scalable processor in action? [12:57] How can people connect with you to learn more about the 4th generation Xeon scalable processor? [13:45] Do you have any parting words of wisdom to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i9PrWw4ljeg

Tim Hughes is universally recognized as a world-leading pioneer and innovator of Social Selling. Checkout Tim's new book, Social Selling Techniques Influence Changemakers: https://www.amazon.com/Social-Selling-Techniques-Influence-Changemakers-ebook/dp/B0BKQVLSF7?ref_=ast_sto_dp Contact Tim: Web: https://dlaignite.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyhughessocialselling/ Twitter:@Timothy_Hughes Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [01:00] How has the explosion of emerging technologies, such as AI, and the like, impacted commerce and sales? Tim: “I think it's had a massive impact. We're talking just after the release of ChatGPT. We're still processing what impact that's going to have. There is a whole number of mega-trends. If you look at the internet, social media, mobile, AI, all of these things have an impact. We're now in that situation where if we don't keep up, we fall behind. And using data and AI to actually make decisions about certain things and using ChatGPT and asking it to do certain things can make shortcuts. But at the end of the day, we still have to have conversations.” [02:00] AI and ChatGPT are great, but at the end of the day, we still have to have conversations. [03:10] You have to have a conversation to sell something. [03:58] We’re leveraging technology to build that human connection. [04:00] What are businesses doing to get over those challenges of leveraging the latest in technology while keeping things human? [05:25] Technology helps us build depth in business relationships due to the contextual nature of a connection on social media. [06:30] Social media empowers introverts to be more outgoing in real-life interactions. [06:49] You just published your book social selling, where you discuss methodologies for how businesses can leverage social media to increase revenue. Can you share some of those insights with our audience? [08:19] What are some examples of how you helped businesses grow by leveraging social media? [11:15] Every company is a media company. [13:58] Don’t just post on social media for the sake of posting. The whole point of social media is to create conversations. [15:10] What inspired you to write the book? [16:45] How can people connect with you? Tim: “You can connect with me via my website at https://dlaignite.com. I’m also active on Twitter as @Timothy_Hughes and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyhughessocialselling/. For those looking to purchase my book, you can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/Social-Selling-Techniques-Influence-Changemakers-ebook/dp/B0BKQVLSF7?ref_=ast_sto_dp.” [17:26] Do you have any parting words of wisdom that you’d like to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H1DkVqi3C00

Veritas Technologies is a leader in multi-cloud data management. Over 80,000 customers—including 95% of the Fortune 100—rely on us to help ensure the protection, recoverability, and compliance of their data. We have a reputation for reliability at scale, which delivers the resilience our customers need against the disruptions threatened by cyberattacks like ransomware. No other vendor can match our ability to execute, with support for 800+ data sources, 100+ operating systems, 1,400+ storage targets, and 60+ clouds. Veritas Alta empowers you to take control of all your data protection and application resiliency in the cloud. Learn about Veritas at AWS re:Invent here: https://www.veritas.com/company/event/aws-reinvent More information on Veritas Alta Cloud Platform can be found here: https://www.veritas.com/alta Contact Clifford: Web: https://www.veritas.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clifford-barcliff-4937114 Twitter: @VeritasTechLLC Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: Avrohom: Veritas is an industry leader in multi-cloud data management, and they just announced the new Veritas Alta Cloud Platform. Can you go into detail about what is Alta, and what does it mean for Veritas and its clients moving forward? Cliff: Think about customers over time. Cloud isn’t new anymore. And we’ve been helping our customers since the early adopters to now, today, with everyone having a pretty much cloud-first strategy, or at least some part of the enterprise doing cloud-first. We have done so many modifications and created so much intellectual property for our products, and we’ve also had some acquisitions along the way that it was time to rebrand those products for when they’re using the public clouds. They provide what our customers are asking us to do (i.e., how it’s deployed, how it’s consumed, the capabilities, and the use of data services within the public clouds.) These are our products, deployed and consumed the way our customers want. Avrohom: It’s so true that businesses of all shapes and sizes are moving to the cloud. From small businesses that kind of kicked off this cloud migration all the way up to enterprises. What challenges are you finding with businesses moving to the cloud? Cliff: Today, we are dealing with the technical debt of what the early cloud adopters did. They were super-creative in getting these mission-critical, wonderful, cloud-native apps out there. It’s now time to make them more enterprise. So, it’s the control, the compliance, the resiliency, the ability to know that it’s protected and, in fact, recover it. Because everybody has now been through rounds of mistakes. All it takes is one bad script when you’re configuring something in your virtual private data center, and you’ve wiped out a whole bunch of configs. Avrohom: When it comes to enterprise, there are a lot of headaches to deal with to get their environment up to compliance. When solving these challenges, what does great look like? Cliff: People are in different regions around the world. This means you can have data, literally, in seconds, all over the world. Some things that help our customers bring the “Enterprise-ness”, and I call it the great enterprise resilience. One of the things is visibility. Knowing what you don’t know. Knowing what you don’t know is probably the number one risk that any customer has. If you know about it, you probably plan for contingencies. But if you don’t know about it, and the ransomware person comes along and steals it or locks it down, huge headaches, all of a sudden. So, having some type of controls capability services that can look from the outside in, finding out what you don’t know, I think, is one of the capabilities of an enterprise in a multi-cloud world. Watch this discussion on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VY4tw_I1m_w

Ajay Kabra is the senior leader, evangelist, and main contributor to the Agile space for Xebia, a Global Technology Strategy and Consulting firm with Full Stack Software Engineering, Product Development, and Digital consulting capability to enable the digital transformation of enterprises using the latest technology and methodologies. Over the years, Xebia has organically built domain knowledge across industries and used a platform engineering mindset to help fortune companies digitize. Contact Ajay: Web: https://xebia.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaykabra/ Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [00:34] Agile is a big buzzword nowadays; however, it’s not as simple as people may think. What are some of the complexities behind agile, and what might people not understand about it? [00:52] Agile has been on the market for nearly 25 years. [01:08] Agile demands that management give up the control to the team – decentralize your decision-making. [01:20] One of the challenges with Agile is that the senior leadership is afraid of giving control to the team. [02:00] Agile is, more than anything, a mindset shift. [03:01] What is the right mindset business leaders need to have in order to succeed with agile? You mentioned discipline. Can you share some examples of success? [07:18] One of the ways Xebia sets itself apart as an industry leader in software development is with its customer training. What is the right way to train clients in new technology? [08:00] The right way to implement solutions for your clients is to co-create them. [11:00] To train customers effectively, you have to sometimes engineer a crisis so that they learn how to react. [13:15] Besides serving clients, Xebia is also very active in the agile community. For example, Xebia organizes the Agile NCR event, which is held annually in the APAC region. Can you share with us a little bit about Agile NCR, as well as some of the upcoming exciting endeavors you will be launching here in North America in the near future? [13:45] A core value of Xebia is to share knowledge. [18:30] How do people connect with you to learn more about Xebia? Ajay: You can connect with Xebia at our website: https://xebia.com, and with me, personally, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaykabra/. [21:37] Do you have any parting words of wisdom to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Wbmc5w8fhUA