CIO Classified

Naveen Zutshi, CIO at Databricks, shares his strategies for successful AI implementation. This must-listen episode is perfect for tech leaders wanting to learn how to craft an effective AI strategy, bridge gaps in tech teams, and drive innovation in your organization.About the Guest: Naveen Zutshi is the CIO at Databricks, previously CIO at Palo Alto Networks where he managed analytics, applications, and infrastructure. Before that, he was SVP of Infrastructures & Ops at Gap and held roles at a SaaS startup and Cisco.Timestamps:*(04:40) - Cybersecurity and Data Privacy*(20:00) - Ensuring Data Quality and AI Strategy*(28:45) - Future Trends and Innovations in Tech*(31:35) - Advice for CIOs Guest Highlights:“There's a significant amount of pull from CEOs on the CIO to define the AI strategy for their company. As technology leaders… We have an opportunity to actually provide data and AI strategy, and then help influence that strategy towards ultimate business goals.”“Often, we want to move quickly into the AI world but then realize our data set is in bad shape… First and foremost, you need a clear data strategy and you need to execute on the strategy.”“Having business and users buy-in is key — making sure that you are solving for the right problem rather than looking for a problem because you now have a solution.”Get Connected:Naveen Zutshi on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nzutshiIan Faison on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ianfaisonResources:Learn more about Databricks: www.databricks.comRead Naveen’s AI insights and more on Forbes: https://bit.ly/4frJ93tLearn more about Caspian Studios: www.caspianstudios.comCan’t get enough AI? Check out The New Automation Mindset Podcast for more in-depth conversations about strategies leadership in AI, automation, and orchestration. Brought to you by the automation experts at Workato. Start Listening: www.workato.com/podcast

Cisco Sanchez, SVP and CIO at Qualcomm, shares his business-first philosophy to technology cultivated over 25 years of IT experience. Sanchez emphasizes the importance of IT professionals loving both technology and the business, creating roadmaps that align with business goals, and utilizing frameworks like Charlie Feld's approach. About the Guest:Cisco Sanchez is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Qualcomm Incorporated. As the leader of Qualcomm’s global IT organization, Cisco is responsible for leading the strategic direction for IT infrastructure, Information Security & Risk Management, Cyber Resiliency, Enterprise Applications, and End User Productivity solutions. Cisco is also responsible for driving large scale Pre-Silicon, Post Silicon and Enterprise-wide digital transformation initiatives improving Qualcomm’s agility, leverage, efficiency and security. He collaborates with the executive and business unit leadership and focuses on enabling forward-looking innovative technology solutions to achieve Qualcomm’s vision and deliver strategic value.Guest Highlight:"We love technology. I love technology. I'm a developer, but we should also love the business and understand it thoroughly. So when I first came in, my goal was to not make drastic changes, but understand the business to the best ability possible. I use a framework that looks at the models and try to understand, here's what the business does, here's how it does it, the technology underneath, here's how the enablement activity works. And I think by doing that, it gives you a different, deeper perspective of how the business is interacting and what they do.”Timestamps:*(03:30) - The Role of AI in Modern IT*(09:10) - Frameworks for Business-First IT*(17:50) - Selling the Vision*(18:50) - AI Innovations at Qualcomm*(23:30) - The Convergence of IoT and AILinks & Resources:Ian Faison on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ianfaisonCisco Sanchez on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ciscosanchezLearn more about Qualcomm: www.qualcomm.comHungry for more tech talk? Check out these past episodes:Ep 52 - Empowering Citizen Developers and Reshaping Business with AIEp 51 - Modernizing Legacy Systems with AIEp 50 - Powerful Partnerships That Push CIOs to the Next LevelLearn more about Caspian Studios: www.caspianstudios.comCan’t get enough AI? Check out The New Automation Mindset Podcast for more in-depth conversations about strategies leadership in AI, automation, and orchestration. Brought to you by the automation experts at Workato. Start Listening: www.workato.com/podcast

Carter Busse, CIO at Workato, explores how AI is reshaping business decisions and empowering citizen developers. With over 20 years of IT leadership experience, Carter shares real-world automation examples and advice on navigating point solution vendors, and also discusses orchestrating data across systems, democratizing automation, and future trends that will revolutionize the industry. About the Guest:Carter Busse, CIO at Workato, is one of the leading innovators in IT/Business partnerships in automation. An accomplished IT executive, Carter brings a rich history in technology, including leading IT during three IPOs—Excite@Home, Salesforce.com, and MobileIron. Carter was hired by Marc Benioff personally as employee #70 at Salesforce. Over the years, he has developed a specialty in constructing highly effective, collaborative teams (90+), executing business strategies, and driving revenue growth while reducing operating costs. Carter is a sought-after advisor of IT leaders around the country, a Bay Area Orbie CIO Award winner, and listed on the Forbes CIO Next list of the top 50 CIOs in the United States.Guest Highlight:“Architecture is key. Very key. So, you set up the right infrastructure in a secure place to let people iterate in a safe place—that takes a lot of architecture. You don't want stuff being put into production that these guys built and break. Who gets the first call? It's IT.  So, I really feel like our role is changing from doing more building and more enabling and more architecture.”Timestamps:*(00:00) - Impact of AI on business decisions*(04:15) - Empowering citizen developers*(07:20) - Real-world automation examples*(20:05) - Navigating point solution vendors*(23:35) - Democratizing automation with training and metrics*(31:15) - Future trends and CIO secretsLinks & Resources:Ian Faison on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ianfaisonCarter Busse on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carterbusseLearn more about Workato: www.workato.comHungry for more tech talk? Check out these past episodes:Ep 51 - Modernizing Legacy Systems with AIEp 50 - Powerful Partnerships That Push CIOs to the Next LevelEp 49 - Investment Priorities for the Transformative CIOLearn more about Caspian Studios: www.caspianstudios.comCan’t get enough AI? Check out The New Automation Mindset Podcast for more in-depth conversations about strategies leadership in AI, automation, and orchestration. Brought to you by the automation experts at Workato. Start Listening: www.workato.com/podcast

In this episode, Sheila Anderson, CIO at Aflac, discusses how the company is using AI to modernize while handling legacy systems. Sheila highlights key initiatives such as digital claims processing, establishing an AI center of excellence, and transforming internal operations.About the Guest:Shelia Anderson is an information technology executive with extensive Fortune 100 CIO, services, and consulting experience, particularly in Financial Services and Insurance. Partnering with C-level stakeholders, she drives business change and digitally enables organizations through multi-million dollar technology strategies, agile development, and support initiatives for applications and infrastructure. She is well-versed in a range of technologies, from legacy systems to cloud, AI, and LLMs, focusing on maturing organizations through cloud migration, agile transformation, and digital enablement. With a significant passion and proven results in mentoring and developing talent in STEM, supporting women in technology, and building exceptional teams, Shelia has demonstrated organizational leadership over 2000+ employees across multiple global locations and managed budgets exceeding $600 million.Guest Highlights:“[When it comes to AI] start with your business. Simple, really. Understand your business, your business challenges, and your business opportunities. Always start with ‘why’ and anything that you deliver from there, the closer you can tie the work that you're doing to the business value, the more successful both you and your company will be at the end of the day.”Timestamps:*(01:40) - Aflac’s AI Journey*(03:55) - AI at Scale: Transforming Aflac*(09:00) - Building Automation and Innovation into Culture *(26:15) - Leadership Insights and Advice*(31:15) - Future Trends and StrategiesLinks & Resources:Ian Faison on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ianfaisonShelia Anderson on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sheliaandersonLearn more about Aflac's services: www.aflac.comCheck out the My Special Aflac Duck®: myduck.sproutel.comHungry for more tech talk? Check out these past episodes:Ep 50 - Powerful Partnerships That Push CIOs to the Next LevelEp 49 - Investment Priorities for the Transformative CIOEp 48 - The Future of Employee ExperienceLearn more about Caspian Studios: www.caspianstudios.comCan’t get enough AI? Check out The New Automation Mindset Podcast for more in-depth conversations about strategies leadership in AI, automation, and orchestration. Brought to you by the automation experts at Workato. Start Listening: www.workato.com/podcast