Technovation With Peter High

964: Caterpillar is celebrating 100 years of innovation—and it’s just getting started. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High welcomes Jamie Engstrom, CIO and SVP of IT at Caterpillar, to discuss how the industrial giant is evolving through data strategy, digital transformation, and customer-centric innovation. Jamie shares her insights on leading a global IT organization of 2,200 professionals, the company’s customer-back mindset, and how Caterpillar leverages AI, telematics, and real-time analytics to support over 4 million assets across the globe. From smart manufacturing to supply chain modernization and condition monitoring systems, Jamie explores how Caterpillar is shaping the next century of industrial excellence.

963: Hertz CIO Tim Langley-Hawthorne joins Peter High on Technovation to share how he's modernizing a $9B global fleet operation through AI, cloud, and a product-first mindset. Since joining post-COVID, Tim has sunset Hertz’s data centers, scaled AWS infrastructure, launched a consumer+fleet product org, and embedded AI from customer chat to tire inspections. He explains why he rejected a centralized AI model, the power of grassroots innovation, and why partnerships with firms like Palantir and Amadeus are accelerating results. This episode is packed with real-world digital transformation strategies from a high-stakes, asset-heavy enterprise.

962: A unified customer experience helps companies deliver consistency, build trust, and reduce friction across their offerings making it easier for customers to engage, buy, and stay loyal. That’s why Aflac is investing in a unified group strategy consolidating acquired products into a seamless, integrated experience across dental, vision, disability, and more. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Shelia Anderson, EVP and CIO of Aflac, and speaks with her about the company's strategy for transforming IT from a fragmented, acquisition-heavy operation into a centralized, data-driven engine for business value. She outlines how Aflac avoided a costly cloud migration misstep, refocused its data and AI capabilities, and aligned talent strategy with architectural goals. Her approach to innovation is pragmatic and powerful: tie everything to business priorities and know your why.

961: What does it take to digitally transform a $5B retail giant across 13 countries? In this episode of Technovation, Peter High sits down with Wayne Sadin, Chief Information Officer of PriceSmart, the largest membership-based warehouse club chain in Central America, the Caribbean, and Colombia. With a tech leadership career spanning over 40 years, Wayne shares how he’s orchestrating a sweeping modernization of PriceSmart’s legacy systems—moving from 1980s green screens to a real-time, AI-ready infrastructure. He outlines how embedding IT within the business, redefining budgeting to drive alignment, and creating cross-functional collaboration have helped accelerate transformation in a complex, multi-market environment.

960: How does Palantir, a $3.7 billion data analytics powerhouse, run its own IT operations? In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High sits down with Jim Siders, Chief Information Officer of Palantir, to explore his unique journey from a career in music to leading one of the most efficient IT teams in the industry. Jim discusses Palantir’s Customer Zero strategy, the company’s federated IT model, and how it has streamlined operations from 200+ IT staff to under 80 while continuing to scale. He also shares his views on AI’s role in IT, the elimination of traditional Centers of Excellence, and why breaking legacy IT structures is key to innovation.

In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Ryan Snyder, Senior VP & CIO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a $40 billion global leader in life sciences. Ryan shares how AI, automation, and data strategy are driving digital transformation—optimizing operations, accelerating clinical trials, and enhancing customer experiences.

958: How is AI revolutionizing healthcare? In this episode of Technovation, Melissa Flicek, CIO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, joins host Peter High to explore how the nearly 100-year-old healthcare giant is leveraging AI, data analytics, and digital transformation to enhance patient experiences and operational efficiency. With $15B+ in annual revenue, BCBSMN is modernizing its technology infrastructure, implementing AI-powered automation to streamline patient interactions, and consolidating data into a single-source architecture to ensure consistency across all touchpoints. Melissa shares how these innovations are improving customer service, optimizing clinical workflows, and supporting predictive healthcare modeling to help lower costs.

957: Marvell Technology is at the forefront of AI-driven semiconductor innovation. In this episode, Nishit Sahay, CIO of Marvell Technology, joins Peter High to discuss the company’s rapid growth, enterprise AI strategy, and the transition of semiconductor design to the cloud. Nishit shares how Marvell is leveraging AI and data analytics to enhance decision-making, improve semiconductor product development, and accelerate business processes. He also provides insights into the challenges of integrating $10B+ acquisitions and how Marvell is pioneering cloud-based silicon design with AWS. Additionally, Nishit discusses quantum computing, data governance, and how Marvell is preparing for the next wave of technology disruption.

956: How can AI, data analytics, and predictive modeling revolutionize healthcare? In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Matt Kull, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Inova Health System, about how AI and data are reshaping patient care. Matt shares how AI is helping to automate administrative tasks, secure patient data, and predict hospital resource needs. He also discusses the future of edge computing and wireless technology in healthcare, ensuring hospitals operate more efficiently while delivering personalized, data-driven treatments.

955: How can AI revolutionize the $2B+ quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry? In this episode of Technovation, Wendy’s CIO Matt Spessard joins Peter High to reveal how the company is leveraging AI, automation, and digital transformation to enhance customer and crew experiences. With 7,000+ locations worldwide, Wendy’s is redefining fast food with FreshAi, its AI-powered drive-thru assistant, developed in partnership with Google Cloud. Matt shares how this cutting-edge technology is boosting order accuracy, improving speed, and optimizing crew workflows. Plus, he discusses how Wendy’s revamped CRM, loyalty program, and mobile-first strategy led to 40% growth in digital revenue in 2024.

954: MetLife is one of the world’s largest financial services companies, serving over 90 million customers globally. Leading its technology and operations division is Bill Pappas, who oversees AI strategy, cybersecurity, customer experience, and digital transformation across the company. In this episode of Technovation, Bill Pappas joins host Peter High to discuss how MetLife is leveraging AI, automation, and technology to enhance customer experience, ensure security, and drive operational efficiency. He shares insights on managing a 38,000-person global team, the role of AI in financial services, and why customer-centric innovation is key to long-term success.

Ingram Micro is no longer just a technology distributor—it’s becoming a platform company. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High welcomes Sanjib Sahoo, President of the Global Platform Group at Ingram Micro, to discuss the company’s digital transformation journey and how it is leveraging AI, data, and platform technology to revolutionize the B2B technology ecosystem. Sanjib shares insights on the Xvantage platform, Ingram Micro’s push toward AI-powered automation, and how the company is connecting 1,500 OEMs with over 160,000 B2B partners. He also delves into agentic AI, the importance of mindset in AI adoption, and how leadership in the digital era requires balancing innovation with human collaboration.

952: Regal Rexnord CDIO Tim Dickson joins Peter High to discuss how the $6B industrial manufacturing leader is driving digital transformation. Tim shares insights on leveraging AI, cloud, and e-commerce to enhance operations and customer experience. He also discusses the company’s generative AI initiatives, including chatbots for internal and customer interactions, and how Regal Rexnord is embracing data-driven innovation.

951: In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Dan Caruso, founder of Zayo Group and Caruso Ventures. Dan, a pioneer in communications infrastructure, shares his journey from leading multi-billion dollar exits with MFS and Level 3 to his current investments in quantum and space technologies. He discusses insights from his new book Bandwidth: The Untold Story of Ambition, Deception, and Innovation That Shaped the Internet Age.

950: How do you build a modern, AI-powered financial services platform while keeping your workforce agile and innovative? On this episode of Technovation, Bread Financial CTO Allegra Driscoll joins Peter High on Technovation to discuss her leadership in technology modernization, cloud migration, and fintech innovation. She shares insights into Bread Financial’s shift to a product operating model, AI-driven transformation, and mainframe-to-cloud transition—all while leading a large-scale reskilling initiative.

949: New York Life is embracing AI and data to enhance customer experience and business strategy. In this episode of Technovation, Don Vu, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, shares how he’s leading a transformation at the 180-year-old mutual insurance giant. Don discusses how AI and data modernization are reshaping insurance, the role of data in improving agent and customer interactions, and how New York Life is structuring its organization for agility and innovation. He also reflects on his career spanning Major League Baseball, Northwestern Mutual, and WeWork, and what excites him about AI’s future.

948: Prologis, the world’s largest logistics real estate company, is undergoing a transformation focused on utilizing AI-powered supply chains, smart warehouses, and real-time analytics at scale. With 1.2 billion square feet of logistics space and $220 billion in assets under management, Prologis is integrating AI, real-time analytics, and cloud computing to enhance operational efficiency and drive innovation in logistics. In this episode, Prologis CTO Sineesh Keshav joins Peter High to discuss how the company is leveraging AI-driven insights, automation, and advanced data analytics to optimize logistics operations. He also shares insights into Prologis’ ambitious renewable energy strategy, including its goal to deploy 1 gigawatt of solar and storage by 2025 and its approach to scaling technology infrastructure across a rapidly growing enterprise.

947: How can technology leaders leverage innovation ecosystems to drive meaningful business transformation? In this episode of Technovation, Steven Norton moderates a discussion with Medtronic CIO Rashmi Kumar and Berkadia CIIO Damu Bashyam on how they are tapping into hyperautomation, AI, and startup partnerships to expand their innovation ecosystems and accelerate growth. Rashmi shares how Medtronic is building an innovation ecosystem through its Hyperautomation Center of Excellence, enabling AI-driven decision-making, automation, and operational efficiencies that enhance healthcare delivery. Damu explains how Berkadia’s Startup Accelerator Program fosters an ecosystem of fintech and proptech innovators, driving competitive advantage and industry-wide transformation. Learn how leading technology executives are creating and nurturing innovation ecosystems by integrating cutting-edge technology, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and leveraging external partnerships to fuel continuous innovation.

946: Comerica Bank COO Megan Crespi joins Peter High to discuss the bank’s digital transformation strategy, AI adoption, and customer-centric innovation. Megan shares insights on Comerica’s cloud migration journey, investments in AI-powered risk management, and how the bank is modernizing operations to enhance customer experience. She also delves into cybersecurity strategies for the quantum computing era and lessons from her leadership roles at Ally Bank and General Motors.

945: In a panel from last year's Metis Strategy Summit, Royal Caribbean’s CIO Martha Poulter and Avis Budget Group’s Chief Digital and Innovation Officer Ravi Simhambhatla share how they’re harnessing AI to transform customer experiences and operations. During the discussion, these executives explore how AI-driven personalization boosts conversions, the role of predictive models in operational efficiency, and the importance of blending digital and physical realities. From improving asset utilization to reducing waste and empowering employees, discover how these industry leaders are shaping the future of travel and hospitality.