AWS – Conversations with Leaders

This podcast features AWS enterprise strategists Jonathan Allen and Jake Burns discussing cloud migration insights. Drawing from their own extensive experience, they offer actionable guidance for organizations at any stage of migrating to the cloud. Key lessons include starting promptly, securing workforce buy-in, and maintaining simplicity. They dispel myths about migration complexity and emphasize speed's role in risk reduction. Technical advice covers efficient tool usage and minimal refactoring approaches. Practical tips include clear goal communication, strategic outsourcing, and starting with low-risk workloads.

In this episode, hear from Dame Amanda Blanc, Aviva's Group CEO. Drawing on her journey from her humble background growing up in Wales to being awarded the Damehood for her significant contributions to the business world, our guest shares valuable lessons on the importance of continuous learning, embracing feedback, and driving innovation. Gain actionable insights on: leveraging AI and cloud technology to enhance customer experience, strategies for accelerating diversity and inclusion, balancing sustainability goals with business responsibilities, and the critical role of customer-centricity in shaping insurance products and services.

In this episode, Vivek Gurumurthy, CIO and SVP of Verizon Consumer Group, discusses the company's digital transformation journey. He shares insights on evolving customer expectations, the shift to a digital-centric business model, and the importance of personalized experiences. Highlights include Verizon's focus on leveraging AI and cloud technologies to enhance customer interactions and empower frontline employees. He also emphasizes the critical role of cultural change and employee reskilling in successfully implementing these technological advancements across the organization.

Hear from Des Traynor, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Intercom, about the revolutionary impact of AI on customer service. Traynor shares insights into Intercom's AI journey, including the recent launch of their advanced AI agent, and discusses how their product management philosophy of "starting with the problem" has shaped their strategy. The episode offers valuable perspectives on fostering innovation, the current state and future of AI in customer support, and provides actionable advice for executives aiming to improve customer experience in the AI era.

In this episode, Kumar Chebrolu, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP and Elevance Health’s Chief Data and Digital Transformation Officer Ashok Chennuru discuss how cloud migration creates the foundation for exceptional "whole health" human-centric experiences in healthcare at scale with AI and generative AI. They explore how unified data management, digital transformation, and strategic technology choices are empowering healthcare organizations to better understand patient needs, personalize experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and offer insights executives can apply to their own industries.

In this episode, Dynatrace CEO Rick McConnell shares his insights on Dynatrace's mission to help organizations navigate the increasing complexity of modern software environments, and how the company's observability platform and AI-powered capabilities are empowering digital transformation. McConnell also highlights his unique approach to building a high-performing, collaborative culture that balances competitiveness with empathy and work-life harmony, and his perspecitve on what factors make an effective CEO.

In this episode, AWS Enterprise Strategists provide a roadmap for organizations who may feel they've missed the first-mover advantage with generative AI. They share practical advice on overcoming common barriers like analysis paralysis, managing risk, and upskilling teams. Listeners will learn how to unlock the true potential of generative AI by starting small, lowering the cost of failure, and leveraging the scalability and flexibility of the cloud, and get insight into a realistic, action-oriented perspective for organizations determined to catch up and thrive in the generative AI era.

The rapid advancement of generative AI is fundamentally reshaping the modern workplace. As organizations grapple with the challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology, leaders must develop strategic approaches to effectively integrate AI and empower their workforce. 

In this episode, AWS Enterprise Strategists Tom Soderstrom, Matthias Patzak, and Arvind Mathur will explore the evolving role of AI in the workplace and provide actionable insights to help organizations navigate this dynamic landscape. 

Learn more at: https://aws.amazon.com/executive-insights/workforce/

Many corporate innovation programs fail due to a disconnect between an organization's stated cultural values and its actual people practices. This episode explores how talent strategy - from performance evaluation to compensation philosophy - can either support or undermine an organization's innovation efforts, providing real-world examples of companies that have grappled with this challenge.

In this episode, Tanuja Randery, Managing Director of EMEA at AWS, is joined by Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy. They explore how Octopus is leveraging technology and data to reinvent the energy industry, with the goal of providing customers with greener power at a lower price point. Greg shares insights into Octopus' unique company culture and the principles that have guided the rapid growth and innovation of the business.

Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize industries and organizations, but how much will it cost your business, and how do you measure return on that investment? In this episode, get practical guidance on estimating the costs of generative AI adoption, from model selection to infrastructure requirements. Learn how to quantify the productivity gains and efficiency improvements enabled by generative AI, strategies for upskilling your workforce, and advice on driving organization-wide adoption of generative AI capabilities.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

The concept of 'business resilience' traditionally centers on an organization's capacity to handle failures and endure disruptions. However, truly resilient businesses go beyond mere response strategies; they proactively design and rigorously test plans to prevent such setbacks. In fact, the most resilient businesses don’t just withstand disruption, they create it. 

In this discussion, AWS Enterprise Strategists Miriam McLemore, Chris Hennesey, and Clarke Rodgers will explore the notion of business resilience through the lens of a 'disruptor’s mindset.' They will highlight how embracing innovation not only fosters a competitive edge, but also propels the entire industry forward.

Explore the critical role of emotional intelligence in leadership with Rich Hua, AWS's Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership, Innovation and Transformation Programs. Rich discusses how leaders can manage their own stress and mindset to effectively lead digital transformation and innovation initiatives in the age of rapid AI advancements. He also shares strategies for cultivating trust, psychological safety, and generative disagreement within organizations to unlock the full potential of human-AI collaboration.

In the evolving landscape of cloud technology, effectively managing finances is paramount to organizational success. However, while many organizations reap the benefits of cloud services, they often have blind spots that reduce financial visibility and control. This episode, co-written by AWS Enterprise Strategist Chris Hennesey and Rich Hoyer, co-founder of FinOptik, examines four common blind spots that can evade even the most vigilant executives’ radars.

Read more on the AWS Enterprise Strategy blog: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/enterprise-strategy/

Many companies have found that a cloud center of excellence (CCOE) can accelerate their migrations to the cloud and broader digital transformations. These CCOEs take many forms, which is appropriate because each company has unique challenges to overcome. Nevertheless there are certain patterns and antipatterns for using a CCOE, and in this episode Enterprise Strategist Mark Schwartz will clarify the purpose of a CCOE, its composition and operation, and the impact you should expect from it. Hear more on these topics on the Enterprise Strategy blog: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/enterprise-strategy/

Hear from Mike Linton, co-founder and CTO of Parsyl, a data-powered risk management and insurance solution for essential supply chains. By leveraging real-time data and generative AI, Parsyl is able to offer more transparent pricing that incentivizes customers to improve efficiency and sustainability within their supply chains, ultimately reducing waste and emissions. This novel approach has allowed Parsyl to quickly scale and reshape what the insurance industry can look like.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

Join Tanuja Randery, AWS VP and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa, in a conversation with Nuno Teles, Managing Director for Diageo Great Britain. Nuno shares insights into the company's commitment to talent development, as well as his own leadership journey and the influential mentors who have shaped his approach. This episode offers a unique glimpse into the strategic and human-centric perspective driving one of the world's leading consumer brands, including how they're using AI to personalize their customers' experience.

In this special episode, listen in on a panel from AWS Summit Washington DC 2024, featuring: Elizabeth Kelly, Director, US AI Safety Institute, National Institute of Standards & Technology; Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. , U.S. House of Representatives; Michael Sellitto, Head of Global Affairs, Anthropic; Dr. Radha Plumb, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Department of Defense; and Olivia Igbokwe, Head of Federal Affairs and Federal AI, AWS

Leaders from government and industry discuss the rapid advancements in generative AI technology and the critical need to ensure its responsible development and use. Experts explore the opportunities AI presents, such as improved healthcare and national security, as well as emerging challenges around mitigating risks like disinformation and misuse. The conversation highlights the importance of public-private partnership, global coordination, and iterative research to advance AI safety and enable ethical innovation.

In this special episode, listen in on a panel from AWS Summit Washington DC 2024, featuring: Steve Schmidt, Vice President and CSO, Amazon; Avery Alpha, Director, Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence & Analysis, Department of Homeland Security, and Jake Braun, Acting Principal National Cyber Director, White House office of the National Cyber Director.

In an age where technology reigns supreme, it's time to shift our focus from the technical to the human aspect of information security. While many perceive cybersecurity as solely a technical challenge, our adversaries are undeniably human, driven by complex motivations ranging from financial gain to ideology. Drawing parallels to espionage, our panelists will dissect the importance of embedding security into organizational culture and DNA. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion as we explore the critical role of people in safeguarding against cyber threats. From understanding adversaries' motives to fostering a security-conscious culture, our panel will delve into strategies for navigating the evolving cybersecurity landscape. Gain invaluable insights into asking the right questions and crafting an integrated security strategy tailored to the demands of this new tech-forward era.

In this episode, Tanuja Randery of AWS sits down with Dave Hallett, Chief Science Officer and Interim CEO of Exscientia, to discuss how the company is leveraging AI and cloud technology to transform the drug discovery process. Hallett explains Exscientia's approach to improving efficiency and patient success rates, and explores the importance of partnerships and building diverse, high-performing teams in the rapidly evolving landscape of scientific innovation.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

In this episode, Nobuo Asahi and Dr. Shoji Tanaka of Mitsubishi Electric discuss their journey to drive digital transformation across the 100-year-old manufacturing conglomerate. They share how they have leveraged the Working Backwards methodology from Amazon to better understand customer needs and develop innovative new solutions, as well as the cultural challenges of shifting from a siloed, rule-driven organization to one that is more agile and data-driven. The conversation highlights the importance of patience, embracing new technologies, and fostering a mindset of experimentation to successfully lead large-scale organizational change.

New research from IBM and AWS shows that 76% of generative AI projects aren't being secured. Join us for a conversation with Dimple Ahluwalia and Ryan Dougherty of IBM and Clarke Rodgers of AWS as we dig into the research findings to answer why 70% of executives say their organizations are prioritizing innovation over security. Listen in and learn what it takes to securely implement generative AI technologies.

Read the full report on Executive Insights: https://aws.amazon.com/executive-insights/content/securing-generative-ai-what-matters-now/

In today's episode, hear from Jean-Simon Venne, the CTO and co-founder of BrainBox AI, a company using artificial intelligence to optimize energy efficiency and reduce emissions in commercial buildings. Venne discusses how BrainBox AI's technology leverages AI and machine learning to autonomously manage building systems, leading to energy savings of up to 40% and significant emissions reductions across their portfolio of over 13,000 deployed buildings. Listeners will learn how implementing a virtual assistant powered by AI and natural language processing can help building managers and portfolio owners quickly identify issues, diagnose root causes, and implement solutions without extensive manual effort.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

Today we're talking about security culture with our guest, Sara Duffer, Director of AWS Security Assurance. Sara has an uncommonly deep understanding of how Amazon reinforces its culture of security thanks to her previous role serving as technical advisor to the Amazon CEO. Join Clarke Rodgers, Director of AWS Enterprise Strategy as he interviews Sara about the observations and wisdom she picked up while working alongside the CEO, including how the C-suite sets the bar for security culture.

In this episode, Clint Crosier, Director of the global space and aerospace business at AWS speaks with Gaetano Volpe, CEO of Latitudo 40, a company specializing in applying artificial intelligence to satellite imagery for climate change mitigation, urban planning, and helping goverments meet UN sustainable development goals. Volpe discusses how his company leverages space data, generative AI, and cloud technology to provide cities with valuable insights, simulations, and tools to achieve carbon neutrality and improve quality of life for citizens. The conversation highlights Latitudo 40's innovative approach to making complex satellite data and analysis accessible and actionable for urban planners, sustainability managers, and decision-makers.

Resources: 

AWS Accelerators: https://aws.amazon.com/startups/accelerators

In this special behind-the-scenes episode, join AWS VP of Technology Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec and Director of AI Product Marketing Susanne Seitinger as they dive deep into AWS’s history with AI/ML, inspiring customer use cases, answers to executive's frequently asked questions, and more information about what makes our generative AI stack enterprise-ready by design.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

Amazon Q: https://aws.amazon.com/q/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

Unlocking the Value of Generative AI for Business Leaders: https://aws.amazon.com/executive-insights/generative-ai-ml/

Generative AI is introducing new benefits and risks across nearly every area of business — and security operations is no exception. In this interview with Tom Avant, Director of AWS Security Operations, we'll discuss how the introduction of generative AI to security operations may transform the way we manage risk, monitor access, and detect future threats. Take a listen as Clarke Rodgers, Director of AWS Enterprise Strategy, talks with Tom about the future of the SOC and how business leaders should be thinking about resilient operations in the age of AI.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

In this episode, Dirk Eisenberg, CTO of legal technology company STP.one, dives deep into how his company is using generative AI to democratize access to legal services without sacrificing the privacy of their customers or the sovereignty of their data. Learn about how transparency is key to building customer trust, how STP.one is innovating at speed in a highly regulated industry, and Dirk's tips for other companies evaluating potential cloud providers.

In today's episode, Vijay Chittoor, co-founder and CEO of Blueshift, discusses how his company uses artificial intelligence to deliver personalized marketing to individual customers at scale. By leveraging AI and large datasets, Blueshift can make customized decisions for each customer's unique journey. Chittoor shares insights on building AI-powered technology and the important role humans play in strategic creative development.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

In part 2 of this conversation, Tanuja Randery and Mark Read, CEO of WPP, dive deep into the world of generative AI and its profound impact on various industries, including marketing and advertising. They discuss how AI can augment human creativity, the importance of addressing the skills gap, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI deployment. Mark also shares leadership insights, emphasizing values-based decision-making, customer obsession, and the significance of creativity in driving business success.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

In part one of this two-part episode, Tanuja Randery, Managing Director of AWS EMEA, sits down with Mark Read, CEO of WPP, the world's largest marketing and communications company. They discuss Mark's career journey, his leadership style, and WPP's "Build Better Future" strategy focused on people, planet, clients, and communities, as well as the company's efforts towards diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. Stay tuned for part two, coming tomorrow.

Security leaders face complex challenges with high-stakes repercussions daily. When the pressure is on and the right answer is hard to find, leaning on a community of other security leaders may be your best solution. Join us today for a conversation with Danielle Ruderman, creator of the AWS CISO Circles program and advocate for diverse hiring in security. Tune in to learn why community is so important and what security leaders can do to attract and develop diverse talent.

This encore episode originally aired in June, 2023. Join Dr. Matthias Voelkel, CEO Boerse Stuttgart Group, one of Europe's leading stock exchanges, in conversation with with Tanuja Randery, Managing Director, AWS EMEA, to delve into the transformative power of generative AI and its impact on the capital markets. Our guest shares insights on how his organization has maintained a culture of innovation and risk-taking while balancing a 160 year legacy, and on what digital trends he's seeing in the industry.

Resources:

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

In this episode, Cheow Hoe Chan, Chief Digital Technology Officer of Singapore’s SNDGG, shares his experience spearheading digital transformation in government, emphasizing the importance of building a culture of constant innovation, embracing diversity, and encouraging a "think big, start small, move fast" mindset. He also highlights the critical role of cloud computing in enabling rapid response during the pandemic, and the evolution of Singapore's cloud strategy as a mechanism for better serving their citizens.

In this episode, we're bringing you a fireside chat with Paul Vixie, AWS Deputy CISO, Vice President, and Distinguished Engineer and Clarke Rodgers, Director of Enterprise Strategy. As an early influencer in the evolution of the Internet, Paul knows a lot about the Internet's inner workings, including its vulnerabilities. Join us as our experts discuss how AWS is working to address these security flaws and make the Internet a safer place to communicate.

In this episode, dive deep into generative AI and its potential impact on state and local governments and educational institutions. AWS Enterprise Strategist Tom Soderstrom and AWS Executive Government Advisor Jayson Dunn explore real-world use cases, challenges, and strategies for embracing this transformative technology to drive efficiency, productivity, and enhanced services for citizens and students alike.

Resources: AWS PartyRock: https://partyrock.aws/

Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/

AWS Generative AI Innovation Center: https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai/innovation-center/

What qualities do CISOs need in order to be successful leaders in 2024? Today's guest can help us answer that question. We're pleased to Welcome Chris Betz, CISO of AWS to the show. Join us as Chris sits down for a conversation with Clarke Rodgers, Director of AWS Enterprise Strategy, to share his thoughts on everything from establishing a culture of security, to hiring for diversity, to mentoring the next generation of great security leaders.

The PeaceLove Foundation uses creativity as the catalyst for giving people from all backgrounds permission to talk about their mental health. Join Matt Kaplan, CEO, and Eric Rice, Chief Creative Officer, as they discuss "working backwards" with AWS, and embracing the journey from being an analog company to one offering digital products in service of their goal of helping 1 million people improve their mental wellbeing through creativity and storytelling.

Dana Aonofriesei, VP of Engineering at leading online reviews platform Trustpilot, dives deep into how the customer trust model has evolved as technology has advanced, and the effects machine learning and AI will have on how customers interact with businesses. She outlines the vital importance of "drastic, novel, open-minded ideas," and advises leaders on how to align technical teams with overall company strategy without leading them down a path to burnout.

Resources:

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your busines

Join Tanuja Randery, Managing Director of Europe, Middle East, and Africa for AWS and Hatice Evren, US Group CEO of Getir/FreshDirect, as they discuss Getir's culture of diversity, attracting tech talent, leveraging data and AI for operational efficiency, and the importance of adaptability in leadership. Evren reflects on managing her company's hyper-growth phases, and how leaders should think about growth during economic downturns.

Resources:

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

We say security is the first priority at AWS, but how does that play out in everyday practice? Join us today as Adam Selipsky, CEO of AWS offers his unique perspective on top-down security leadership at AWS. In this conversation with Clarke Rodgers, Director of AWS Enterprise Strategy, Adam discusses his thoughts on company-wide security culture, CEO/CISO communication strategies and mechanisms, and how the CEO can support security initiatives from the top.

Resources:

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

Join Tom Soderstrom, Enterprise Strategist at AWS, and Manjula Sriram, CIO of Iridium, in an in-depth conversation about the challenges of leading a global team on the cutting edge of the telco/space industry. They touch on empowering teams through allowing mistakes, cultivating a culture of constant learning, and how leaders across all industries can connect with their teams across the world.

Resources:

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

In this episode, AWS Director of Enterprise Strategy Phil LeBrun speaks with Nicole Eagan, Chief Strategy and AI Officer, and Michael Beck, Global CISO at Darktrace about how artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity. They discuss the evolution of cyber threats, the impact of generative AI on security, and best practices for implementing robust defenses including operationalizing AI as part of a holistic people, process, and technology approach.

Resources:

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

Join host Phil Le-Brun, AWS Director of Enterprise Strategy, and Neerav Kingsland, Head of Global Accounts for Anthropic, in a conversation about Anthropic's journey to create the safest and most capable AI model in the world. Learn about the company's relentless focus on safety, their groundbreaking large language model Claude, and how they ensure ethical outputs through Constitutional AI, which draws from varied sources like the UN Declaration of Human Rights and technology trust and safety documents. Gain insights into the partnership between AWS and Anthropic, and learn exactly what differentiates Claude from other generative AI models.

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

Join Jake Burns, AWS Enterprise Strategist; Amish Patel, CTO of Elevance Health; and Tejas Desai, Principal at Deloitte, in a conversation about how generative AI is shaping the future of the health care industry. They discuss the importance of speed with small use cases, how gen AI can evolve to help providers anticipate health needs of their patients, and how the technology is poised to revolutionize the industry.

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

Generative AI: where have we come from, where are we now, and where are we going? Join AWS Enterprise Strategist Tom Godden and McKinsey Senior Partner Aamer Baig as they delve into the $2.6 to $4.4 trillion economic impact that generative AI can bring, focusing on key areas such as sales, marketing, R&D, software engineering, and customer operations. They explore the challenges, opportunities, and areas of concern around gen AI, emphasizing the need for organizations to move beyond simply speeding up existing processes and instead reimagining entire workflows. The discussion touches on building a responsible AI program and the essential role of data quality and management in unlocking the full potential of this generational technology.

Read the full report from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and Co., here.

Learn more about Amazon Bedrock, the easiest way to build and scale gen AI applications, and Amazon Q, a gen AI-powered assistant that can be tailored to your business.

In today's episode, Sarah Ryle of AWS Institute is joined by Aesha Zafar, Head of Strategic Capability for the UK Department for Work and Pensions Digital. Aesha shares insights on attracting and retaining talent in the public sector, including strategies for successful recruitment, ongoing skill development in a rapidly changing landscape, and how to manage teams when there is no blueprint for your organization's digital transformation.

Learn more on our LinkedIn page, AWS Executive Connection

Join Phil LeBrun, Director of Enterprise Strategy at Amazon Web Services, and Yuelin Li, Chief Product Officer at the global identity verification company Onfido, to explore the pivotal role of AI, machine learning, and generative AI in fraud prevention and security in the industry. The conversation delves into responsible AI practices, Onfido's innovative MLOps approach, and offers insights into the future of biometrics, as well as the importance of creating a culture of continuous learning.

Follow us on LinkedIn, and learn more at AWS Executive Insights