Tech Whisperers: Inside the Playbooks of the Best Digital Leaders

Over the past three years, we’ve had the privilege to sit down with more than 100 of the most visionary and impactful technology leaders across industries. They've shared their bold strategies and hard-earned lessons, and unpacked playbooks that are continuing to shape the future of leadership and innovation.In this special “Best of the Best” episode, we’ve curated some of the top insights from our most listened-to episodes. From mastering the fundamentals of digital transformation to future-proofing organizations, balancing people and technology, resisting AI hype, and embracing adaptability, these episodes demonstrate the power of guiding principles in a noi...

Our CI4CI miniseries continues with guest Katrina Redmond, EVP and CIO of Eaton Corporation. As the world hits a historic inflection point in infrastructure — driven by AI, electrification, and massive investments in data centers and energy — Katrina is playing a pivotal role, helping lead one of the most mission-critical companies into the future.Join us as we explore how Katrina is spearheading Eaton’s digital strategy in this era of rapid innovation, leading with bold strategy, operational excellence, and a refreshingly human approach. Tune in for valuable nuggets from Katrina’s leadership playbook, including:An expl...

In part 2 of our Critical Infrastructure for Critical Infrastructure (CI4CI) miniseries, we are joined by Mike Adams, a digital executive who is playing a leading role in this once-in-a-generation inflection point.As the Chief Digital Technology Officer at Black & Veatch (BV), Mike has a front row seat to the critical infrastructure transformation being driven by the convergence of AI, data centers, and the energy transition. His career journey has been defined by a combination of fearless leadership and clear, inspiring communication, resulting in a leadership style that rallies teams and inspires decisive action. Join u...

The lightning-fast rise of AI has come with a cost: the need to overhaul America’s power grids, pipelines, and water systems to accommodate its explosive growth. As trillions of dollars pour into this complete overhaul, there are key leaders paving the way. In a special mini-series focusing on “Critical Infrastructure for Critical Infrastructure (CI4CI),” we’re shining the light on a few of the extraordinary tech leaders who are architecting, securing, and scaling the systems that power our nation and economy. Joining us to kick off the series is Afshean Talasaz, Senior Vice President and Chief Tec...

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”Perhaps no Tech Whisperer embodies that timeless Maya Angelou insight better than 7 Brew CIO Danyel Bischof-Forsyth. She is a master at creating cultures where people feel safe, empowered, and inspired, which means she isn’t just driving digital strategy, she is creating an environment where everyone is invested in driving it, too. Through it all, Danyel leads with authenticity, courage, grace, and kindness, no matter the situation.So grab some coffee, settle in, and get...

Bhaskar Ramachandran is the powerhouse CIO behind PPG’s digital transformation. A master at driving culture change, building strong IT teams, and rallying everyone around the organization’s vision, he has a long track record of delivering real business results across industries. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to sit down with Bhaskar in person at PMI Digital’s studio in Pittsburgh for a deep-dive into the many facets of his leadership playbook.In this episode, Bhaskar talks with Dan about his career journey and approach to his day-to-day role at PPG. He also unpacks a few of...

Tech Whisperer Earl Newsome is the pinnacle of modern, mission-driven IT leadership. Informed by a decade-long military career, Earl has fully unlocked his ability to lead through adaptation, inspiration, and ambition. Now, as the CIO of Cummins, Inc. and with 20 years of experience in corporate America under his belt, he has also become skilled at nurturing those traits in his team.In this episode, Earl is treating us to a masterclass in how to lead, adapt, and inspire, drawing from his leadership playbook of foundational principles tailored to the real-world complexities of modern IT leadership. We’re al...

In this episode, we are sitting down with a very special guest who has had a massive impact on the CIO profession–Monte Ford. Monte is a CIO Hall of Fame inductee, an advisor to many of the top CIOs and business leaders, and a board member for several large companies, such as JetBlue and Centene. For all of his accolades and accomplishments, Monte is a leader who prefers to keep a low profile, so it was a thrill to have the opportunity to sit down with him and unpack his leadership playbook. Monte is opening up abo...

For this episode, we had the privilege of visiting the Regions Bank headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, for an in-person conversation with Chief Enterprise Operations and Technology Officer Dan Massey. “Digital Dan,” as he’s known to many, embodies what it means to bridge technology, operations, and innovation at the highest level, ensuring technology is not just an enabler but a true driver of business value. He’s someone who is fully present no matter the situation, whether he’s leading a powerhouse organization of 5,000 employees, spending time with his family, or writing and performing music with his band of 30 years, The...

In this episode, we are shining the light on CIO Hall of Fame legend Adriana (Andi) Karaboutis and some of the incredible milestones that have defined her career—including a 21-year tenure in the automotive industry at Ford and General Motors, followed by technology and business leadership roles at Dell, Biogen, and National Grid. Now, Andi is focused on writing the next chapter in her professional story, serving as a director on four corporate boards.Andi is opening up her leadership playbook to reflect on the challenges she’s overcome, the groundbreaking initiatives she’s led, and her vi...

With the rise of generative AI, CIOs and IT leaders are experiencing a leadership revolution. GenAI is shaking up both how we engage with technology and how leaders guide their organizations through adoption, governance, and innovation. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with Institute for the Future’s Bob Johansen and Gabe Cervantes and Handshake’s Jeremy Kirshbaum, whose new book “Leaders Make the Future, Third Edition: 10 New Skills to Humanize Leadership with Generative AI” is out this week. Be among the first to dive into this game-changing resource designed to give leaders clarity o...

 In this episode, we are featuring an extraordinary leader who's been blazing trails and inspiring countless others throughout her career. Amy Brady is the Chief Information Officer at KeyBank, where she leads the company's technology, operations, and services organizations.Amy is the epitome of a leader who can seemingly do it all, and because of that she is making her mark across the industry while continually championing causes that uplift women in tech.  We're diving into Amy's incredible career journey, uncovering her leadership philosophies, and highlighting those career-defining moments and superpowers that make her so special and imp...

One of the hallmarks of a great Chief Technology Officer is that they are able to translate a passion for technology into a driving force for business success. Nationwide’s Jim Fowler is a CTO who does exactly that, by striving for “great” instead of settling for “good.” We are unpacking Jim’s 20+ years of experience across industries, companies, and countries to learn lessons from his career journey and his strengths as a visionary leader that can help CIOs and IT leaders at all levels achieve greatness. Join us as we explore Jim’s leadership playbook and lea...

This episode we’re shining the light on Kathy Kay, a leader whose name is synonymous with “building” — and she is a builder in every sense of the word. Kathy not only excels at developing high-performance teams, she extends that builder mindset across multiple areas in both her personal and professional lives.In a wide-ranging conversation, Kathy is sharing how she applies her philosophy of building to her current role as EVP & CIO at Principal Financial Group. We’ll explore her strengths in building courage, collaboration, community, innovation, and family as she lives out a leadership style that balan...

Inducted in the CIO Hall of Fame in 2019, Zack Hicks is a leader who has left a major impact on the CIO profession through his relentless pursuit of innovation to drive new business outcomes. Having previously been the CEO of Toyota Connected and the Chief Digital Officer at Toyota Motor North America, Zack is now making his mark at Kimberly-Clark as their Chief Digital & Technology Officer.With a career that includes numerous “answer-the-call” moments, Zack knows what it takes for leaders to deliver major wins for their organizations. In this episode, we’re unpacking some of those key mo...

While many CIOs are busy figuring out what the CIO’s role looks like today, our guest this week is already answering the question, “What does the CIO of tomorrow look like?” As EVP and Chief Information, Digital, and Corporate Strategy Officer at Tractor Supply Co., Rob Mills has been instrumental in driving the $14.6 billion retailer’s rapid growth, profitability, and world class customer experience. His influence and impact are expansive: He has a hand in P&L, serves on Tractor Supply’s executive committee, and also sits on numerous public and private boards.Join us as we ta...

There are some Tech Whisperers who leave a legacy by investing their skills in just one or two companies across their career, and then there are those who leave their legacy by making their mark on several organizations throughout their career. As a whopping seven-time CIO and a three-time winner of the CIO100 Award, Mark Settle is a standout example of the latter. During his CIO journey, Mark somehow also made the time to publish two must-read books, Truth from the Valley, A Practical Primer on IT Management for the Next Decade and Truth from the Trenches: A...

You’re in for a special treat with this episode as we sit down with the GOAT, the greatest-of-all-time CIO, Robert B. Carter. Rob served as the CIO of FedEx for almost a quarter of a century, during which time he transformed IT strategy and led the company to unprecedented success, not to mention 27 straight CIO 100 Awards.In this episode, we’re delving into Rob’s extraordinary 24-year tenure at FedEx and exploring the essence of leadership, the importance of humility, the role of mentorship, and the challenges and milestones that have defined his remarkable career.Join...

As the leader of over 5,000 technologists, Monica Caldes, Global CIO at Liberty Mutual Insurance, has established herself as one of the top digital executives in the industry. She is one of those rare leaders that has figured out the secret formula for mixing boldness, courage, empathy, and kindness, making her a leader that people are eager to work under.In this episode, we are shining the light onto Monica’s story to uncover the “It Factor” that makes her such an incredible leader, and we’ve included some really cool surprises for Monica along the way!Join u...

In this episode, we are shining the light on Dr. Janet Sherlock, a digital and retail executive who leads through her expertise in digital transformation, customer experience, omnichannel strategy, data, and AI and machine learning. Janet’s career spans companies such as ExxonMobile, British Petroleum, and, for the last seven years, Ralph Lauren, where she served as Chief Digital & Technology Officer, driving the company’s digital transformation strategy and leading their global e-commerce strategy. Join us as we unpack Janet’s digital leadership playbook to learn:How to lead your team through complex goals while re...