TechTalks 1s1d25

Today's show is all about belief, courage and resilience. David met Matt at LEAP in February. After a taxi ride for just over an hour, a podcast interview was booked! Why? Matt has qualified for the Winter Olympics as a Cross Country Ski competitor - just 3 years after taking up the sport. His journey shows so many qualities that can be transferred to the world of work - and we want to share it with you! Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this special roundtable episode recorded over breakfast at Grind, David chats with two climate tech founders tackling sustainability from very different angles. Kamil Kluza, COO of Climate X, helps businesses adapt to physical climate risks with geospatial insight. Laurence Kemball-Cook, founder of Pavegen, turns footsteps into renewable power. From London's flood defences to kinetic pavements in Riyadh, we explore how real-world innovation is reshaping our response to climate change—and why public engagement and political will are still missing links. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode, David Savage speaks with Scarlett Sieber, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Money20/20, about the real-time pulse of fintech innovation. As the architect behind one of the industry’s most influential global platforms, Scarlett offers a unique view into what’s top-of-mind for leaders—from agentic AI and regulation to embedded finance and economic resilience. She shares how superapps, open banking, and new platform behaviors are reshaping financial services, and explains why success isn’t just about technology—it’s about access, connection, and timing. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

On today's podcast David is ed by Rob Pegoraro, Nicole Ingra (Ingra Labs) and Benjamin Buthmann (Koalo) to chew the Web Summit Rio chat one final time! The conference forced plenty of meaningful discussion around the manner in which organisations are moving from experimentation to implementation of AI - and asked what that means for us. David asks his what they spotted as they navigated the conference, and what they'd like to see more of next time. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

David Savage sits down with Emmanuel Straschnov, Co-CEO and co-founder of Bubble, for a candid conversation on democratising software development. Speaking from Web Summit Rio, Emmanuel shares how Bubble is redefining access to entrepreneurship—removing the barrier of technical know-how and enabling creators in emerging markets like Brazil and Nigeria to build businesses without writing a single line of code. He critiques the hype around “vibe coding,” champions real-world impact over press headlines, and explains why the future of tech lies in product-first, not code-first, thinking. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this conversation recorded at Web Summit Rio, David Savage sits down with Lisa Smith, Global Executive Creative Director at Jones Knowles Ritchie, to unpack the tension between creativity, AI, and brand identity. Lisa challenges the notion that AI equals innovation—arguing that in too many cases, it simply accelerates blandness. With nearly two decades of design and strategy experience, she explains why truly distinctive branding still requires human insight, cultural fluency, and original thought. This episode is a must-listen for brand leaders, marketers, and creative technologists who want to build relevance in an increasingly automated world. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode recorded at Web Summit Rio, David Savage speaks with Melissa Jackson Parsey, SVP Global Managing Partner at R/GA, about how brands can stay relevant in a world shaped by AI-driven behaviours. Melissa shares how the agency’s creative strategy has evolved from legacy media to machine learning, the value of cross-industry thinking, and why experimentation has given way to implementation. As R/GA becomes an independent entity for the first time in 22 years, Melissa also discusses how agility, partnerships, and cultural nuance will define the next era of brand leadership. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

David Savage sits down with Rachel Tilghman, Area Vice President at Braze, to explore how the world of customer engagement is evolving in the age of AI. Recorded at Web Summit Rio, Rachel shares insights on the company’s rapid growth in LATAM, the move from persona-based to empathy-based marketing, and the need for brands to go slow to go fast—especially when it comes to data and agentic AI. With a career that blends marketing strategy and tech leadership, Rachel explains why trust, community, and vulnerability are competitive advantages. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode, David Savage speaks with Alexey Boas, CTO for Latin America at ThoughtWorks, recorded live at Web Summit Rio. They unpack the risks of chasing AI efficiency without context—and why systems thinking, creativity, and human perspective are more important than ever. Alexey shares insights into the evolution from digital to intelligent organisations, what it really means to be an effective engineer in an AI-driven world, and how the role of the CTO must shift from operational oversight to strategic business transformation. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

Whilst at Web Summit, podcast host David Savage sat down with David Shim, founder and CEO of Read AI, to explore how artificial intelligence can do more than just summarise your meetings—it can understand reactions, recommend actions, and even warn you when your client or team is losing trust. Shim, who previously scaled Foursquare, shares his vision for a future of proactive, personalised AI that integrates across all work platforms—not just one vendor’s walled garden. The conversation touches on everything from adoption barriers and agentic hype to emotional intelligence and the ethics of AI in the workplace. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode, David Savage speaks with Jack McCauley, legendary hardware innovator, co-founder of Oculus, and creator behind Guitar Hero’s iconic controller. Jack shares what it takes to survive and thrive in hardware—from million-selling hits to failed camera startups. He reflects on Meta’s struggles with VR, why hardware investment is so fraught, and how he’s now applying the same curiosity and engineering mindset to global clean water challenges. A frank, insightful conversation that explores the creative grit behind invention—and why true innovation rarely comes on the first try. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

Sasha Lund—founder of Core Values Consulting and editor of The Rising Role of Women in Family Offices and Family Businesses—s David Savage to explore the evolving dynamics of leadership, legacy, and decision-making. After a profound near-death experience, Sasha rebuilt her life with a renewed sense of purpose, championing values-led leadership, emotional intelligence, and the long-overlooked contributions of women in legacy-driven industries. This episode offers transformative insights for anyone rethinking the future of business, succession, and human-centred leadership. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

Tom Leathes, CEO and co-founder of Motorway, s David Savage to talk about the startup journey from humble beginnings to unicorn status. In a £180B market full of noise, Tom’s team cut through by focusing relentlessly on one thing: helping people sell cars better. He shares lessons from five businesses, insights on scaling lean, and why staying laser-focused on the customer problem still drives everything—even after raising over £250 million. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode, David Savage speaks with Nora Jones, Senior Director of Strategy and Growth at PagerDuty, and former founder of incident analysis platform Jelly. They discuss Jelly’s journey from startup to acquisition, what it means to build tools that truly engineers under pressure, and how PagerDuty is redefining incident response in a fast-evolving AI-driven landscape. This is a story of founder grit, practical innovation, and customer-first thinking. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode, David Savage sits down with Justina Nixon-Saintil, Chief Impact Officer at IBM, to explore how one of the world’s largest tech companies is responding to the AI talent crisis. With 50% of today’s workforce lacking the basic tech skills needed to adapt, Justina outlines IBM’s bold mission to skill 30 million people by 2030—two million in AI alone by 2026. From responsible AI to inclusive access, she explains what it means to build a future where people lead AI, not the other way around. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

David Savage talks with Jim Mellon, Executive Chairman and Founder of Agronomics, about the rise of clean food—cultivated meat, precision fermentation, and biotech-led food production. With animal welfare, climate impact, and food security all under the spotlight, Jim shares how innovation is reshaping what ends up on our plates. From lab-grown chicken for pets to cheese without cows, this episode explores how the food system can be radically—and ethically—reimagined. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

David Savage sits down with Pietro Candela, EMEA General Manager at Alipay+, to explore how the mobile-first (and increasingly mobile-only) economies of Asia are reshaping global commerce. From QR code-powered experiences to super apps and digital ecosystems, Pietro explains how European businesses can plug into a borderless retail revolution—and why embracing mobile innovation is the key to staying relevant in a fast-evolving global market. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

In this episode, David Savage is ed by Alan Trefler, founder and CEO of Pegasystems. With over four decades of leadership at the helm of a billion-dollar software company, Alan offers a rare combination of deep technical insight and strategic foresight. They discuss the evolving landscape of AI—from statistical models to generative agents—and what it really takes to deliver ROI, resilience, and reliable transformation. Alan also shares bold leadership lessons and his unfiltered take on tech hype. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com

In this episode of Tech Talks, David Savage speaks with Megha Kumar, Chief Product Officer and Head of Geopolitical Risk at CyXcel. Megha explores how technology, policy, and global politics intersect—unpacking the realities of fragmented supply chains, the misunderstood role of data in AI, and why trust in tech must be earned, not assumed. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating digital risk, global innovation, or responsible AI adoption. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠

David Savage sits down with Peter Swartz, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Altana, to discuss how AI is helping governments and global enterprises manage supply chain risk in an increasingly fragmented world. From forced labor and geopolitical tension to critical imports and climate disruption, Peter explains why legacy systems can’t cope—and how networked intelligence could be the key to a more secure, collaborative economy. Altana’s “product network” is enabling regulators, logistics firms, and multinationals to build a shared source of truth across billions of data points—so they can spot hidden vulnerabilities, compliance, and build resilience in real time. Tech Talks is powered by Nash Squared, the leading global provider of technology and talent solutions. Find out more about our solutions at ⁠⁠www.nashsquared.com⁠⁠ The music on Tech Talks is created by London artist Lemzi: ⁠⁠www.lemzi.com⁠